Beverly City Council approves public-safety grants, home-rule petition and harbor boat match; sets Feb. 3 budget hearings

The Beverly City Council on Tuesday approved two grants to support 911 services and training, authorized a one-time transfer of $58,212 from free cash to cover half the city’s matching share for a new harbor patrol cabin boat, approved a home-rule petition to consolidate polling locations for an upcoming special election and set public hearings for two budget transfers related to recently settled labor contracts.

The actions matter for public safety and election administration: the grants fund enhanced 911 dispatch services and training for Beverly Police Department personnel, the harbor transfer completes a required local match for a federal or state vessel grant, and the home-rule petition would allow the city to locate all special-election polling at a single site pending state approval.

Councilors voted to accept two grants announced by the clerk’s office: an Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) grant described in the meeting record as $1,163,964 to support enhanced 911 dispatch services and a $137,759.54 EOPSS training grant for 911 department courses and overtime coverage. Both grant acceptances were referred to the Committee on Finance and Property and approved by the full council. The council also accepted a $100 donation to the Silent Witness program from Harriet Feinstein.

Finance Director Bridal Ailes described the harbor appropriation as the city’s match component for a previously accepted grant. “The Harbor Management Authority has taken a vote to split that,” Ailes said, explaining the authority will cover half of the 25% required match and the council was being asked to transfer $58,212 from certified free cash to cover the remaining half. The council voted to approve the transfer on the floor after the Jan. 21 public hearing.

Councilors set two public hearings for proposed budget transfers tied to recently settled labor contracts: a $218,000 transfer from the FY25 reserve for collective bargaining into the police department budget (public hearing set for Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m.) and a $115,750 transfer into various municipal department budgets to cover costs tied to the Beverly Municipal Employees Association contract (public hearing set for Feb. 3 at 7:45 p.m.).

On election administration, the council voted to approve a home-rule petition (limited to the special primary and general election to fill a vacancy in the Sixth Essex district) that would permit locating all city polling for that special election at a single site; two councilors recused themselves from that vote and the motion carried 7-0. Councilors and the city clerk said the change is restricted to the special-election context and that the speaker of the Massachusetts House will set the election date.

The council also approved a petition from National Grid to install short conduit from an existing manhole to serve 333 Cabot Street (Order 31) after a public hearing; the petition was uncontested and approved on the floor. A series of appointments and reappointments to city boards and committees, several lodging-house and licensing matters, and three proposed ordinance amendments were referred back to Legal Affairs for publication and further action.

Votes at a glance: Order 31 (National Grid petition to install conduit at Cabot Street) — approved on the floor after public hearing; recorded outcome: carries 9-0. Order 32 (EOPSS grant for enhanced 911 dispatch services) — referred to finance and approved; recorded outcome: carries 9-0. Order 33 (EOPSS 911 training grant for police overtime/training space) — referred to finance and approved; recorded outcome: carries 9-0. Order 1 (Transfer of $58,212 from free cash to match harbor patrol-boat grant) — approved after public hearing; recorded outcome: carries 9-0. Order 34 (Request to transfer $218,000 from FY25 reserve for collective bargaining to police budget) — public hearing set for Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m. Order 35 (Request to transfer $115,750 into municipal budgets for Beverly Municipal Employees Association contract) — public hearing set for Feb. 3, 7:45 p.m. Order 36 (Donation of $100 from Harriet Feinstein to Silent Witness program) — accepted; recorded outcome: carries 9-0. Order 42 (Home-rule petition to consolidate special-election polling locations) — approved; two councilors recused; recorded outcome: carries 7-0. Multiple licensing and reappointment orders (appointments to library trustees, zoning board, housing trust, golf/tennis commission, lodging-house licenses, motor vehicle dealer license) — approved as listed in the committee reports.

Councilors asked questions about competing demands on free cash and the city’s budget priorities. Ailes outlined other demands on certified free cash, including road and sidewalk work planned for FY26, debt/loan authorizations for fire-station work and reserves such as OPEB and stabilization funds. He recommended prudence and noted that motor-vehicle-excise revenue trends in March typically inform how much free cash the city can responsibly allocate later in the fiscal year.

The council will reconvene on Feb. 3 to take initial votes on three proposed ordinance amendments and to hear presentations scheduled for that meeting.