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Salem City Council approves reallocations of unexpended funds for parking kiosks, Mansfield Field and First/Swampscott intersection
Summary
On May 20, 2025, the Salem City Council voted to appropriate unexpended funds for completed projects and to pay costs on several smaller capital items, a move councilors said will reduce year-end borrowing.
May 20, 2025 — The Salem City Council on Tuesday approved roll-call votes to appropriate unexpended funds for several completed projects and to pay related capital costs, including funds for parking kiosk umbrellas, a golf-cart pass, Mansfield Field renovations and intersection work at First and Swampscott roads.
Councilor Merkel, reporting for the Committee on Administration and Finance co-posted with the Committee of the Whole, said the requests are to authorize spending of now-available unspent bond proceeds and other unexpended funds for projects already complete. “Authorizing these funds to be applied to current projects will not only reduce the fiscal year '20 '20 '5 end of year borrowing, it will lessen the city's reliance on debt funded capital projects, savings for taxpayers, especially since interest rates have been higher in the last couple years,” Merkel said.
The measures included a $50,000 appropriation of unexpected funds to cover costs including a golf-cart pass for $9,850 and Mansfield Field renovations for $40,150. Separately, the council approved $91,236.71 in unexpended funds to cover city road costs related to the First and Swampscott Road intersection improvements. The committee report said the projects are complete and the appropriations are permitted under Chapter 44, Section 20 of the General Laws.
The council voted by roll call with 10 members recorded in the affirmative and one absent; names recorded as voting yes included Councilor Watson, Councilor Stott, Councilor Mercillo, Councilor Merkel, Councilor Jerslow, Councilor Harvey, Councilor Hopworth, Councilor Davis, Councilor Cohen and Councilor Proznyowski. The meeting record did not specify which member was absent for that vote.
Councilors said the appropriations had been discussed at the administration and finance committee meeting on May 13, where the committee voted unanimously to send the items back to the full council with a positive recommendation. Because this was a special meeting, there was no public testimony on the items.
