Council vote fails on $850,000 trash emergency funding

City Council · Meeting of April 21, 2026

Methuen council fails on emergency trash funding, approves capital projects and consultant. The City Council's vote to fund year-end waste disposal costs fell short in a deadlock, drawing only five of nine votes when a two-thirds supermajority was required; Mayor Michael Beauregard warned the vote reflected cuts made during the prior budget cycle and predicted a repeat emergency transfer in spring 2027 if the line item is cut again. The council unanimously approved $796,689 for a Marsh School boiler replacement past its useful life, $144,000 in engineering services for Old Ferry Road culvert work, and $42,500 to contract grant-writing services with a stated goal of capturing three to four million dollars in new annual revenue.

Two school buildings were transferred to city custody for potential redevelopment into housing. An ordinance revising the city's nepotism policy was tabled for further revision after extensive debate about the scope and impact on existing family employment in city departments.

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Source: the City Council meeting of April 21, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.