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Beverly council suspends police department operations amid budget shortfall
Summary
At a special meeting on Aug. 26, 2024, Beverly council members voted to suspend operations of the town police department immediately after discussing a budget shortfall that officials said might require tapping certificates of deposit to pay bills and payroll.
At a special meeting Aug. 26, 2024, the Beverly Town Council voted to suspend operations of the town police department effective immediately. The motion was made by council member Robbie Moyer and seconded by council member Katie Whittaker; the minutes record that the "motion carried," but do not include a roll-call vote tally.
The meeting was called to discuss municipal finances after council members Matt Lewis and Katie Whittaker said the town might need to withdraw funds from certificates of deposit to meet current bills and payroll. During discussion, members also proposed selling a section of town-owned property to the sewer department, which had initially purchased the parcel for a sewer project, as one possible revenue source.
Council directed that the police clerk position be referred to the Personnel Committee for further consideration; Town Clerk Robin Wilson was asked to remain for that meeting. The minutes do not specify whether any transitional staffing, public-safety contingency plans, or time frame for the suspension were set.
