Transcribed by AI from the city's PDF. Check the original before relying on it.
Deficit Reduction Committee first meeting
July 20, 2026 6:30pm
CITY OF BEVERLY RECEIVED AND RECORDED CITY CLERKS OFFICE 2026 JUL 22 P 12:43
First round of recommendations by early October
8 to 9 meetings before that time
Intention to bring in citizen voices to discuss the priorities and the values of the city and then expand that to include more citizen voices, including community forums to
Madeline Lennox ward 2 SC rep
Kaarin Robinson ward 5 SC rep
Mark Munoz 20 years in Beverly, corporate world work that relates, Board of Beverly Bootstraps
John Mullady at large CC
Christine de Palma has not been involved much, wants to give back, project management
Dave Hughes manufacturing and finance
Lydia Ames BMS teacher, parent, looking to collaborate
Brian Ayles finance director, critical person for answering questions
Questions and initial thoughts on the information that was sent out
- Town of Dedham project was helpful and model
- Will we do surveys of the population as they did
- Potentially, but we as the committee will decide what to do
- Surveys now pop up on facebook and social media
- What happened 3 years ago that made it so far off the mark as to what it is now
- Union contracts, deficit wasn't as flushed out 2 years ago, 70 percent of our budget is personnel. Payroll, healthcare, pension. Out of district placements, Essex Tech Assessment. Cost drivers are key. Staff and FTEs
- Health Insurance is challenging 30 million dollars a year
- Can people opt out of city healthcare and get a kickback, no
- Imagine 360 Insurance as a savings option
- What are the PILOT programs and how - if they are being administered
- PILOTs do not have to pay taxes
- Endicott might reengage connection with the city - yearly presentation with the city council
- Endicott buys up property on the waterfront and holds it in their trusts
- Beth Israel Lahey is now Beverly Hospital - do they have non profit status
- Consideration of lowering the contribution to the health insurance plan
- 2000 retirees on the city's health insurance
- Public Utilities - presentation for Beverly - municipal power
- Savings to the homeowner - as a trade off to increased cost
- Early retirement incentives for employees
- Essex Tech increases - can we look into vocational grants
- Can we cap how many students you send to Essex Tech
- Independent Efficiency Audit for the school system AND the city
- School Committee would have to approve this and get the ball rolling
- Rather than discussing cuts, could we run those programs differently
- Could we have parents pay for the parks program
- Can we expand childcare offerings
July 20, 2026 6:30pm
- In - kind contributions such as student teachers or staffed positions from Endicott or other surrounding communities
- Meters to the waterfront for non residents
- Parking fee increase
- Meals tax and lodging tax increase
- Our revenues grow about 4 percent year over year
- Chapter 70 monies - ask our state representatives to come into a meeting
- Charm Facility Commonly Hard to Recycle Materials - Newton has a monetized model
- Deferring the pension obligations
- Who are our comps in the state - Braintree, Arlington, Plymouth
- Census information