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Council approves amended invitation to Haverhill mayor after tense debate on Merrimack River spill
Summary
Council approved order 8‑62 — an amended emergency preamble inviting Haverhill’s mayor to meet about the Merrimack River pollution incident — after floor amendments broadened the invitation to include the mayor, state and federal delegates and neighboring municipalities; the vote carried following an extended exchange on tone and strategy.
The Newburyport City Council voted to approve an amended emergency preamble inviting the mayor of Haverhill to meet with Newburyport officials to discuss last month’s Merrimack River pollution incident and to explore regional responses.
Sponsors said the letter was intended as an invitation for constructive dialogue and to give residents answers about the incident’s cause, communication failures and next steps. "We wanted to have a productive dialogue to understand what they are facing in Haverhill," a sponsor said during the motion.
Council debate turned on tone and strategy. Several councilors argued the draft sounded accusatory and urged more collaborative language and wider engagement with Amesbury, Salisbury and the state delegation. Others said time was of the essence, and that local residents needed a visible response now.
On the floor the council adopted friendly and substantive amendments: adding the mayor (and the city of Newburyport) as signatories, softening the opening bullet to call for a "review of the incident, including the conditions leading up to the incident" rather than a more pointed "debrief," and adding state and federal delegation names and neighboring municipal leaders to the invitation list. The amended order also explicitly invited the Haverhill mayor to bring any members of her administration the mayor deems appropriate.
Supporters said the changes balanced urgency with diplomacy. Opponents worried a letter could be perceived as showmanship if Haverhill’s mayor declined to engage, and several urged parallel outreach to state representatives to secure fuller answers. The council voted to approve the order as amended.
The council asked staff to circulate the final letter and to continue planning for a public meeting (Mayor and DEP participation were mentioned as possibilities) to answer residents’ questions about public health and communication.
