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Amesbury budget committee recommends FY27 spending plan despite repeated line-item objections
Summary
The Amesbury City Council Ad Hoc Budget Committee reviewed Mayor Gove’s FY27 proposed operating budget June 2, recommending most 'unquestioned' line items to the full Council while rejecting multiple cut motions from Councilor Steve Stanganelli; committee votes on the library and overall totals passed largely 8–1.
The Amesbury City Council Ad Hoc Budget Committee voted June 2 to recommend most of Mayor Gove’s proposed FY27 operating budget back to the full City Council, approving the library allocation and the committee-level totals while rejecting repeated line-item cuts proposed by Councilor Steve Stanganelli.
Chair Amanda Haggstrom called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m., and the committee took up minutes and agenda business before Mayor Gove presented the FY27 Budget Summary and introduced Order 2026-001, the operating budget adoption order.
Councilor Pam Gilday moved to recommend all 'unquestioned' line items of the proposed FY27 budget back to the full City Council; Councilor Kelly Sullivan seconded. The motion passed 8–1, with Councilor Steve Stanganelli opposing.
Councilor Steve Stanganelli repeatedly proposed reductions to specific line items — including City Council training and stipends, the mayor’s salary, Admin & Finance salaries, Human Resources and Legal other expenses, Municipal Information Systems, Central Supplies and Municipal Buildings — but each of those motions failed for lack of a second.
Vice Chair Scott Mandeville also registered an objection to the library line item early in the discussion. Later, Councilor Michael Hogg moved to recommend the Total Library budget of $979,621; Councilor Pam Gilday seconded, and that motion passed 8–0 (Councilor Mandeville recused for the library vote and then rejoined the meeting).
On broader totals, Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve the Total General Fund in the amount of $84,704,738; Councilor Michael Hogg seconded. After roll call, the committee approved the Total General Fund 8–1, with Stanganelli the sole dissent. The committee likewise approved the Total Appropriation of $93,229,971 by an 8–1 vote.
During debate, Councilor Stanganelli asked how many trash carts vendor Mello had distributed; Mayor Gove said Mello could not provide an estimate. In arguing for his proposed cuts, Vice Chair Mandeville said, “if all proposed cuts took place, each household would save about $13 a year.” That $13 figure was offered as an illustrative estimate during discussion and was not presented as a binding calculation.
The committee also handled corrections and approvals of prior meeting minutes (including an amendment to the May 13 minutes noted by Councilor Maryann Welch). Chair Haggstrom thanked participants at the close of the meeting.
The committee adjourned at 7:24 p.m.; the committee’s recommendations and the FY27 operating budget order will move to the full City Council for further consideration and any final votes.
