Votes at a glance: Quincy council approves FY26 departmental budgets

The Quincy City Council completed a series of FY26 budget votes on May 13. Councilors moved and approved each department—s proposed line items during a multi‑hour hearing; most approvals were taken by voice vote and recorded as "ayes have it." Below are the formal actions recorded during the session.

Votes (selected departmental budgets and outcomes) - Police Department FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Harris). Includes four new patrol officers, evidence‑room modernization and a non‑sworn cryptocurrency investigative analyst. - Animal Control FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Devine). Approves operations for the newly opened animal shelter. - Fire Department FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Devine). Funds new hires, including grant‑funded positions, and increased hazardous waste recovery for lithium‑ion batteries. - Library FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Harris). Includes request for an assistant reference coordinator and materials funding consistent with state standards. - Information Technology FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Campbell). Minor position line adjustments and overtime funding. - Veteran Services FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Harris). Includes an assistant position to expand outreach. - Council on Aging FY26 budget (includes senior fraud liaison) — approved (motion by Councilor Harris). Adds a senior fraud and scam liaison position to support outreach and intake. - Health Department FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Kane). Includes increased supply funding for hazardous waste and sharps distribution and supports the rodent program. - Tourism / Discover Quincy FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Kane). Funded in part by hotel/motel occupancy receipts with a mix of allocations. - Downtown / Main Street FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor DeBona). Funds downtown event operations and beautification. - Grant Management FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Devine). Centralized grant coordination and management funding. - Traffic & Parking / Transportation FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Kane). Funds signal, signage and enforcement programs. - Public Buildings FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Kane). Funds ongoing school and municipal building projects, including the public safety headquarters and Montclair/Mason projects. - Natural Resources (Cemetery, Parks & Recreation) FY26 budgets — approved (motions by Councilors Kane/DeBona). Includes Pine Hill cemetery expansion continuation and park maintenance funds. - Department of Public Works and Enterprise Funds (Engineering, Highway, Snow & Ice, Collection/Disposal, Drainage, Sewer Enterprise, Water Enterprise) — approved (motions by Councilor Harris and others). Engineering budget noted for in‑house design savings compared with prior outsourcing. - City Council FY26 budget — approved (motion by Councilor Kane). Includes enacted change to councilors' pay schedule effective January 1, 2026.

How the votes were recorded Most departmental budgets were approved by voice vote with the chair announcing "ayes have it"; a handful of motions were identified by the mover on the record (see above). Detailed roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the public transcript for most items.

What happens next Approved budgets feed into the city's FY26 appropriation and implementation planning. Department heads who presented requested follow‑up reporting on specific items such as evidence transfer and crypto‑investigations (police), battery staging logistics (fire), and community outreach metrics (Council on Aging, Health).