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Health Department budget largely level-funded; one grant position made permanent
Summary
The Salem Health Department told the administration & finance committee its FY2027 budget is largely level‑funded, with one grant-funded position moved to a permanent line and modest cost‑of‑living and contractual increases; a community task force to guide opioid settlement spending is planned to begin meetings in July 2026.
The Salem Health Department told the City of Salem’s administration and finance committee on May 2026 that its FY2027 operating budget is largely level‑funded, with one existing grant position shifted into a full‑time, permanent line and only contractual or cost‑of‑living increases otherwise. "Everything basically is level funded," Health Department representative Dave Greenbaum said, adding that "there is 1 position added" that moves from a grant line to a full‑time position.
Why it matters: The committee recommended both the personnel and expenditures budgets for the Health Department to advance in the city budget process, signaling few programmatic reductions or expansions for the coming fiscal year and preserving existing public‑health services such as vaccine clinics and inspections.
Greenbaum said the added position is a code‑enforcement officer responsible for managing certificates of fitness on a three‑year cycle; he confirmed the officer does not currently handle short‑term rental inspections, which other staff address. Councilor Juroski praised the department’s vaccine clinics on Congress Street as an important outreach for vulnerable residents.
Committee members also pressed Greenbaum for details about contracted services and opioid‑settlement spending. Greenbaum said contracted services are used for technical reviews (for instance, on Title 5 septic issues or complex pool filtration questions) and described a regional youth‑prevention collaboration, called Positive Community Norms, involving Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead and Salem. He clarified that the youth‑prevention program is funded through a Department of Public Health grant held by another agency and that Salem does not directly contribute funds to that grant.
On opioid settlement funds, Greenbaum said the department conducted community engagement last year and is working to stand up a task force to begin meeting in July 2026 to advise how settlement money should be spent locally. He also cited harm‑reduction work already in place, including downtown Narcan boxes that have been available for about a year.
Action and next steps: Councilor King moved to recommend approval of the Health Department personnel budget ($745,767) and the expenditures budget ($127,139); both motions were seconded and the committee recorded four hands in favor for each motion, carrying the recommendations. Committee action brought the department total to $872,906. The recommendations now move on in the city budget process.
