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Council approves CPA FY26 budget, several grants and final passage of stop-sign ordinance changes
Summary
The City Council voted to adopt the Community Preservation Committee's FY26 CPA budget, accepted multiple grants for road safety, broadband equity, police radios and harbor derelict-trap removal, and approved changes to stop signs at Kernwood Avenue, McPherson Drive and River Street (votes split on the latter).
The Beverly City Council approved a package of budget and grant orders and completed final action on a traffic-ordinance change at its Oct. 20 meeting.
Community Preservation Committee representative Derek Beckwith presented a proposed FY26 CPA budget of $1,280,070 that complies with statutory set-asides. Beckwith told councilors the CPC recommends 10% set-asides for historic resources, community housing and open space (about $128,007 each) and reported a CPA fund balance of approximately $2,943,888.53. In committee and later on the council floor, the CPC proposal was approved.
During committee, the council recommended acceptance and referral of several grants: a Municipal Road Safety Program award (Executive Office of Public Safety and Security) for $54,850.71 to support enforcement activities; an $85,000 Municipal Digital Equity Implementation grant (Municipal Broadband Institute) to support digital-equity devices and library access; an Edward Byrne JAG award for $23,795 to help the Police Department finish a radio transition from analog to encrypted digital systems; and a $124,700 grant from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (via a federal program) to fund scuba-based derelict-fishing-trap removal in Beverly Harbor.
Harbor Master Peter Dickman said the trap-removal project will use divers and grappling techniques suited to the harbor's rocky bottom and include an educational outreach component; the work is federally funded with no municipal match.
On traffic matters, the council considered Order 220, which amends Chapter 270, sec. 270-25B (stop intersections) to remove stop signs at three locations. The solicitor advised the council to retract an earlier amendment (conditions cannot be part of an ordinance). Councilors then agreed to split the order into separate votes: the Kernwood Avenue removal passed unanimously (9'0), and the removal of stop signs at McPherson Drive and River Street passed on a 6' 3 final vote after members voiced pedestrian-safety concerns.
Other routine items approved included meeting minutes, appointments to boards and commissions, and several committee reports. The council also adopted subcommittee-recommended amendments to council rules (a 2/3 vote carried 9'0), clarifying reading requirements for ordinances and updating gendered language.
Votes and outcomes were recorded in committee and on the council floor; where recorded, vote tallies were read into the record.
The council adjourned after announcements about early voting and several community events.
