Developers Present Five Jaw-Dropping Visions for Downtown Haverhill Reconstruction whav.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from whav.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By John Lee Grant |
Haverhill City Council President Melinda E. Barrett. (WHAV News photograph by Jay Saulnier.)
The City of Haverhill has a new budget for the year that begins tomorrow after a city councilor stayed with a compromise she helped negotiate and reversed her vote in favor of Mayor James J. Fiorentini’s $217 million spending plan.
City Council President Melinda E. Barrett last week voted with the majority against the proposed budget because of a disagreement over the creation of a special fund for mental health and youth recreation. Councilors then, by a vote of 5-4, favored creating a special dedicated account comprising all annual “local option” taxes the city is allowed to collect from cannabis retailers. The mayor, on the other hand, originally committed to $358,000 for one year.
By WHAV Staff |
Haverhill City Hall. (WHAV News file photograph.)
Haverhill City Councilors take up the city’s proposed $217 million spending plan tonight with little time to spare with the new budget year beginning Thursday.
On the Council agenda is what appears to be an attempt at breaking the deadlock between a majority of the City Council and Mayor James J. Fiorentini. Councilors will consider an order placing $500,000 in cannabis “impact fees,” if collected, into an account for youth activities and mental health. The amount is an increase from the $358,000 the mayor suggested last week as a compromise, but falls short of the $700,000 some councilors requested. Fiorentini said he is willing to dedicate a portion of an impact fee, which is being challenged by at least one cannabis retailer, but not the undisputed local option tax.
Councilors Defeat Proposed $217 Million Haverhill Budget; Members Try Again Tuesday whav.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from whav.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By John Lee Grant |
Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta. (WHAV News file photograph.)
The Haverhill City Council gave its approval last night to the school department’s spending plan for the upcoming school year.
School Superintendent Margaret Marotta presented the $106 million budget at a special City Council meeting. It represents an increase of $8 million over the current year, but also includes a one-time payment of $7.6 million from the federal government. Marotta told councilors that despite the pandemic, or because of it, schools made many technological improvements using computers last year. Now, she added, it is time to focus on the students themselves.