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Revere budgets small utility reimbursement for historic building; volunteers limit public access
Summary
The Ways and Means Subcommittee recorded a brief presentation that FY2026 includes a line for reimbursing utility expenditures at the historic building; councilors noted the building is staffed by volunteers and cited lack of volunteers as the reason it remains largely closed despite prior one-time funding.
The Revere historical and cultural resources budget received a brief review on June 10, with staff telling the Ways and Means Subcommittee the city's FY2026 budget includes a small line item to reimburse utility expenses for the historic society’s building.
A budget staff member said the appropriation is intended to cover utilities and is typically transferred as a one-time reimbursement at the end of the year: “That's just a line item for reimbursement of expenditures for utilities at the historic building. So, we don't spend from it. We usually just transfer the 1 time at the end of the year.”
Councilors asked whether the city could pursue grants to fund part-time staffing for the building. Councilor McKenna noted she had allocated $50,000 in her district improvement funds to help open the building but said volunteers remain scarce and the building cannot operate without them: “I gave them, dollars 50,000 in my CIT money to open it, but they can't open it because they don't have any volunteers to to they have 1 volunteer.”
Officials said the city will continue to provide utility reimbursements but deferred larger questions about the building’s future to the mayor’s office and noted the city recently reorganized grant administration; staff recommended directing potential grant opportunities to the city’s grant writer.
No formal vote was taken; councilors expressed support for the building and encouraged volunteer recruitment and possible grant pursuits.
