City Council
Regular MeetingAmesbury, MA · September 9, 2025
Minutes
City of Amesbury
Office of the City Clerk
By City Clerk at 11:59 am, Sep 24, 2025 62 Friend St.
Amesbury, MA 01913
City Council Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, September 9 2025
City Hall Auditorium- 62 Friend St.
7:00 PM
President Mandeville called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM
Pledge of Allegiance – Councilor Haggstrom
Roll was called, and present were: Councilor Claudel Frederique, Councilor Pam Gilday, Councilor
Amanda Haggstrom, Councilor Michael Hogg, Councilor Jessica Redfern, Councilor Anthony Rinaldi,
Councilor Steven Stanganelli and President Scott Mandeville
Absent: Councilor Nick Wheeler
Also Present: Chief of Staff Ann Marie Casey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act on Minutes –
June 10th, 2025
Councilor Stanganelli made a motion to approve the June 10th Meeting Minutes as presented. The
motion was seconded by Councilor Gilday and passed unanimously (8-0).
July 22nd, 2025
• Councilor Gilday stated there was an error under 2025-072, the third bullet stating she asked for
a straw pull was incorrect and asked for it to be removed from the minutes.
Councilor Gilday made a motion to approve the July 22nd Meeting Minutes with her one stated
edit. The motion was seconded by Councilor Haggstrom and passed (6-0-2) with Councilor
Frederique and Councilor Redfern abstaining.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Councilor Gilday made a motion to suspend the rules and accept the late files of 2025-097 and
2025-098. The motion was seconded by Councilor Stanganelli and passed unanimously (8-0) **
**Councilor Gilday made a motion to take 2025-097 out of order. The motion was seconded by
Councilor Haggstrom and passed unanimously (8-0)**
Mayoral Appointments –
2025-097 Appointment of Christopher Lane to the position of member of the Design Review Committee for
a term to expire February 29, 2028
• Christopher Lane was present to answer any questions, he spoke about his 30 years of
experience as an architect.
Councilor Stanganelli made a motion to approve 2025-097. The motion was seconded by
Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (8-0).
2025-086 Appointment of Jarod LaVarnway to the position of member of the Amesbury Board of Health
for a term to expire February 29, 2028
• Jarod LaVarnway was present to answer any questions.
Councilor Gilday made a motion to approve 2025-086. The motion was seconded by Councilor
Stanganelli and passed unanimously (8-0).
2025-087 Appointment of Cynthia Costello to the position of member of the Amesbury Council of Aging
Board of Directors for a term to expire February 29, 2028
• Chief of Staff Ann Marie Casey shared Cynthia was unable to attend tonight’s meeting but shared
with the Council that Cynthia is an excellent choice for this position.
• Councilor Stanganelli shared that he was very happy to have Cynthia on board for this position.
Councilor Stanganelli made a motion to approve 2025-087. The motion was seconded by
Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (8-0).
2025-088 Reappointment of Jay Williamson to the position of member of the Historical Commission for a
term to expire February 29, 2028
• Jay Williamson was not present.
Councilor Gilday made a motion to approve 2025-088. The motion was seconded by Councilor
Hogg and passed unanimously (8-0).
** President Mandeville called a brief recess at 7:13 PM to swear in the new appointees.
The meeting resumed at 7:20 PM**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monthly list of licenses –
Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve the license list for September 9, 2025. The motion was
seconded by Councilor Hogg, which passed unanimously (8-0).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Correspondence
President/Vice President Communications
• President Mandeville –Welcomed everyone back after the break in August, spoke about the
upcoming November 4th Election as well as the upcoming Octoberfest Happenings in the City.
• Vice President Gilday- Announced the Clerk’s Office would be closed on September 18th from
approximately 11:30-2:30 so the staff can attend a training. Councilor Gilday also spoke about
2025-089 and encouraged the public to become informed and attend an upcoming information
session.
Communication from Elected Officials, Boards and Commissions- None
• Councilor Haggstrom shared the PTO is hosting an upcoming funrun at the Shay and Cashman
Schools.
• Councilor Stanganelli expressed his displeasure at not being made aware of the administrations
Override plans earlier.
• Councilor Redfern shared that she would not be present at the September 23 rd City Council
Meeting because she will be attending AHS Open House Night.
Council Communications, Announcements and Committee Reports
• None
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Public Comment-
• Councilor Mandeville opened public comment at 7:32 PM.
• Councilor Mandeville closed public comment at 7:32 PM.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second Readings – None
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First Readings –
AO 2025-02 Pursuant to Section 6-1(a)(2) of the Amesbury Home Rule Charter (the “Charter”), city
government is hereby reorganized, upon effect of this order.
• Councilor Gilday stated that AO 2025-02 does not require a second reading.
• Councilor Haggstrom shared that she thought the job description listed did not seem to match the
job title accurately, she stated it presented as more of an administrative role than a “Financial
Analyst”.
Councilor Gilday moved to approve Administrative Order 2025-02. The motion was seconded by
Councilor Rinaldi and passed 5-3 with Councilor Haggstrom, Councilor Redfern, and Councilor
Stanganelli in opposition.
2025-085 Board of Library Trustees vacancy -Bernadette Lucas resignation acceptance
Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve 2025-085 with the post for this vacancy occurring within
30 days. The motion was seconded by Councilor Haggstrom and passed unanimously (8-0).
2025-089 An Order to place a $6 million operating override on the November 4, 2025 ballot.
• Councilor Gilday shared there was additional information on 2025-089 on the Amesbury website.
• Councilor Gilday read into the record a memo from Mayor Gove regarding 2025-089 that was
shared with the Councilors the previous week.
• Councilor Mandeville emphasized to the public that the Councilors are voting for 2025-089 to be
on the ballot not for the passing of the override itself.
• Councilor Gilday made a motion to refer 2025-089 to the Budget and Finance Subcommittee
Meeting with a second reading on September 23rd. She also ordered a public hearing for September
23rd. Councilor Hogg seconded the motion.
• Councilor Haggstrom stated that a public hearing was not required legally for 2025-089.
• Councilor Stanganelli made a motion to amend the motion to remove the public hearing. The motion
was seconded by Councilor Frederique.
Councilor Stanganelli moved to refer 2025-089 to B &F with a second reading at the September
23rd City Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Frederique and passed 5-3 with
Councilor Gilday, Councilor Mandeville, and Councilor Hogg in opposition.
**Councilor Haggstrom left at 7:59**
2025-090 An Ordinance to amend the City of Amesbury Traffic and Parking Regulations ARTICLE 1 –
DEFINITIONS with the names of the eight parking lots owned and maintained by the City of Amesbury.
Councilor Stanganelli moved to refer 2025-090 to O&A and P&D with a second reading at the
September 23rd City Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Gilday and passed
unanimously (7-0).
2025-091 An Ordinance to update and amend the City of Amesbury Traffic and Parking Regulations
SCHEDULE IV (STOP SIGNS) to reflect the addition of two stop signs added to the area of Market Street
at Fern Avenue in support of an All-Way stop control (AWSC).
Councilor Stanganelli moved to refer 2025-091 to O&A and P&D with a second reading at the
September 23rd City Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Gilday and passed
unanimously (7-0).
2025-092 An Order to request the City Council to vote to declare as surplus various municipal vehicles and
equipment.
Councilor Hogg moved to refer 2025-092 to B&F with a second reading at the September 23rd City
Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Rinaldi and passed unanimously (7-0).
2025-093 An Order of the Amesbury City Council to Accept an Easement from Newburyport Homes LLC
for the purposes of accessing, operating, maintaining, repairing and replacing drainage infrastructure on
the property located at 101-107 Market Street, Amesbury, Massachusetts and to Authorize the Mayor to
Execute an Acceptance on Behalf of the City of Amesbury.
• Councilor Gilday made a motion to refer 2025-093 to O&A with a second reading at the
September 23rd City Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Redfern.
• Councilor Hogg suggested a staff member from DPW or the Mayor’s Office be present at O&A for
this matter.
• Councilor Gilday moved to amend the motion to include the request for the Director of DPW to
attend this meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Redfern.
Councilor Gilday moved to refer 2025-093 to O&A with a request for the Director of DPW to attend
this meeting, with a second reading at the September 23rd City Council Meeting. The motion was
seconded by Councilor Redfern and passed unanimously (7-0).
2025-094 An Order of the Amesbury City Council to Accept an Easement from Newburyport Homes LLC
for the purposes of installing, accessing, operating, maintaining, repairing and replacing the water line,
curb box and fire hydrant now on, or to be placed on, the property located at 101-107 Market Street,
Amesbury, Massachusetts and to Authorize the Mayor to Execute an Acceptance on Behalf of the City of
Amesbury.
• Councilor Hogg asked if this matter should go to B&F in addition to O&A.
• Councilor Stanganelli responded no as there was no set dollar amount included in this order.
Councilor Gilday moved to refer 2025-094 to O&A with a request for the Director of DPW to attend
this meeting, with a second reading at the September 23rd City Council Meeting. The motion was
seconded by Councilor Frederique and passed unanimously (7-0).
2025-095 An Order to approve payment from the FY26 general fund operating budget for the below listed
prior year invoices.
Councilor Stanganelli moved to refer 2025-095 to B&F with a second reading at the September 23rd
City Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Rinaldi and passed unanimously (7-
0).
2025-096 An Order to transfer $21,000 from the Salary Reserve account to the Administration & Finance
Salaries & Wages account.
Councilor Gilday moved to refer 2025-096 to B&F with a second reading at the September 23rd City
Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Stanganelli and passed unanimously (7-
0).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Late Files-
2025-098 An Order to accept the provisions of MGL Chapter 138, Section 12D
Councilor Gilday moved to refer 2025-098 to O&A with a second reading at the September 23rd
City Council Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Stanganelli and passed
unanimously (7-0).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adjourn-
Councilor Stanganelli moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 PM. The motion was seconded by
Councilor Rinaldi and passed (7-0) The meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Allie Connolly
Agenda
By City Clerk at 9:53 am, Sep 05, 2025
City of Amesbury
Office of the City Clerk
62 Friend St.
Amesbury, MA 01913
MEETING NOTICE
POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF M.G.L. CHAPTER 30A §§18-25
Version 7.1.10
City Council Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
City Hall Auditorium- 62 Friend St.
7:00 PM
The public can view this meeting:
• In person
• ACTV Channel 6
• the ACTV website: https://www.amesburyctv.org/public-government-access-television
• or the ACTV Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AmesburyCommunityTelevision
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance – Councilor Haggstrom
3. Roll Call
4. Act on Minutes- June 10, 2025 and July 22, 2025
5. Mayoral Appointments
2025-086 Appointment of Jarod LaVarnway to the position of member of the Amesbury Board of Health
for a term to expire February 29, 2028
2025-087 Appointment of Cynthia Costello to the position of member of the Amesbury Council of Aging
Board of Directors for a term to expire February 29, 2028
2025-088 Reappointment of Jay Williamson to the position of member of the Historical Commission for a
term to expire February 29, 2028
6. Monthly list of licenses – August/September
7. Correspondence
∙ President/Vice President Communications
∙ Communication from Elected Officials, Boards and Commissions
∙ Council Communications, Announcements and Committee Reports
8. Public Comment- Public comment can be done in person during the meeting, or by emailing your
comments to clerk@amesburyma.gov by 12:00 p.m. the Friday before the Council meeting, per City
Council Rule 5G. Subject line PUBLIC COMMENT. Your comments will be read aloud at the appropriate
time in the agenda and entered into the public record.
9. Council Response to Public Comment
10. Second Readings
a. Public Hearings
11. First Readings
AO 2025-02 Pursuant to Section 6-1(a)(2) of the Amesbury Home Rule Charter (the “Charter”), city
government is hereby reorganized, upon effect of this order.
Summary: The Office of Administration & Finance, the position of Financial Analyst is hereby created
and established – Mayor Sponsor
2025-085 Board of Library Trustees vacancy -Bernadette Lucas resignation acceptance
2025-089 An Order to place a $6 million operating override on the November 4, 2025 ballot.
Summary: Whereas the City of Amesbury faces increasing costs for municipal and school services that
are not fully met by the annual 2.5% increase in the tax levy limit under Proposition 2½; and
Whereas, the Amesbury City Council with input from the Mayor’s Financial Advisory Board has
determined that an operating override is necessary to fund essential services and avoid significant budget
cuts; and Whereas, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 21C(g) allows for the City Council
by majority vote, with the approval of the Mayor, to seek voter approval of a levy limit override question-
Mayor Sponsor
2025-090 An Ordinance to amend the City of Amesbury Traffic and Parking Regulations ARTICLE 1 –
DEFINITIONS with the names of the eight parking lots owned and maintained by the City of Amesbury.
Summary: This ordinance will update the traffic and Parking Regulations adopted in Bill No. 2015-077
and subsequently amended in Bill No. 2015-081, Bill No. 2019-074, Bill No. 2022-059, Bill No. 2022-181,
Bill No. 2023-100, Bill No. 2023-101, Bill No. 2024-140, Bill No. 2024-141, Bill No. 2024-142, Bill No.
2024-143 and Bill No. 2024-148 to amend the Amesbury Municipal Code to revise ARTICLE 1 –
DEFINITIONS to include the names of the eight parking lots owned and maintained by the City of
Amesbury. The City of Amesbury has recently gone through a reorganization of its municipal parking
lots. These include the Upper Millyard Parking Lot, Lower Millyard Parking Lot, Secured Police Lot,
School Street Parking Lot, Friend Street Parking Lot, Lake Gardner Parking Lot, Washington Landing
Parking Lot and new City Hall Parking Lot at 5 Market St. All these lots have specific geographic
locations that should be defined in the City of Amesbury Traffic and Parking Regulations-Mayor Sponsor
2025-091 An Ordinance to update and amend the City of Amesbury Traffic and Parking Regulations
SCHEDULE IV (STOP SIGNS) to reflect the addition of two stop signs added to the area of Market Street
at Fern Avenue in support of an All-Way stop control (AWSC).
Summary: This ordinance will update the traffic and Parking Regulations adopted in Bill No. 2015-077
and subsequently amended in Bill No. 2015-081, Bill No. 2019-074, Bill No. 2022-059, Bill No. 2022-181,
Bill No. 2023-100, Bill No. 2023-101, Bill No. 2024-140, Bill No. 2024-141, Bill No. 2024-142, Bill No.
2024-143 and Bill No. 2024-148 to reflect the addition of two stop signs added to the area of Market
Street at Fern Avenue in support of an All-Way stop control (AWSC). The city has tentatively been
approved to receive materials from DOT in support of a AWSC at Market Street at Fern Ave. Before
equipment and materials can be awarded the city must adopt legislation in support of making the
intersection a four way stop. In support of this request DOT had contracted Greeman-Pedersen, Inc.
(GPI) an engineering firm to conduct a traffic study in the area of Market Street and Fern Ave to see if
traffic volume and crash reports supported the addition of an AWSC. GPI concluded that the intersection
vicinity is a mix of residential and agricultural. Both Market Street south and Fern Avenue west have large
roadside trees. East of the intersection is Cider Hill Farm. The farm is a popular attraction during harvest
season leading to high weekend traffic. Market Street at Fern Avenue consists of four (4) approaches,
and recent crash statistics indicate seven (7) angle crashes that are susceptible to correction with AWSC,
between January 1, 2019, and December 31st, 2021. The crash history meets Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD) warrant A (Crash Experience) for an all-way stop control. Based on GPI’s
findings MASS DOT will support the construction of a AWSC but before the city can move forward with
state grant assistance the city must first approve the stop signs needing to be added on Market Street at
Fern Ave to complete the four-way stop proposal- Mayor Sponsor
2025-092 An Order to request the City Council to vote to declare as surplus various municipal vehicles and
equipment.
Summary: This order will authorize the surplus of two vehicles belonging to the Fire Department and the
Council on Aging – Mayor Sponsor
2025-093 An Order of the Amesbury City Council to Accept an Easement from Newburyport Homes LLC
for the purposes of accessing, operating, maintaining, repairing and replacing drainage infrastructure on
the property located at 101-107 Market Street, Amesbury, Massachusetts and to Authorize the Mayor to
Execute an Acceptance on Behalf of the City of Amesbury.
Summary: The Site Plan Review and Special Permit – Planned Unit Development Decision of the
Planning Board dated December 11, 2023 and recorded at the Essex South District Registry of Deeds in
Book 41953, Page 353, required Newburyport Homes LLC to grant to the City an access, drainage and
utility easement for the existing drainage infrastructure on the Property. The intent of this Order is to
obtain the acceptance of the easement by the City Council and to authorize the Mayor to approve and
execute the Acceptance of the easement – Mayor Sponsor
2025-094 An Order of the Amesbury City Council to Accept an Easement from Newburyport Homes LLC
for the purposes of installing, accessing, operating, maintaining, repairing and replacing the water line,
curb box and fire hydrant now on, or to be placed on, the property located at 101-107 Market Street,
Amesbury, Massachusetts and to Authorize the Mayor to Execute an Acceptance on Behalf of the City of
Amesbury.
Summary: The City of Amesbury has requested an easement to install, access, operate, maintain, repair
and replace the water line, curb box and fire hydrant now on, or to be placed on, the Property, said
easement more particularly described as the area labeled as “20’ WIDE UTILITY EASEMENT” on the site
plan entitled “Exhibit A ‘Easement Exhibit’” prepared by Winter GEC, LLC dated October 28, 2024 . The
intent of this Order is to obtain the acceptance of the easement by the City Council and to authorize the
Mayor to approve and execute the Acceptance of the easement on behalf of the City of Amesbury- Mayor
Sponsor
2025-095 An Order to approve payment from the FY26 general fund operating budget for the below listed
prior year invoices.
Summary: The invoices are for operating expenses related to supplies or services rendered in prior fiscal
years but for which funds were not encumbered by the corresponding city department at fiscal year-end.
This order requests payment be made to the listed vendors from the corresponding department’s current
year (FY25) operating budget in accordance with M.G.L. c. 44 s. 64. This vote requires a two thirds approval
of the City Council – Mayor Sponsor
2025-096 An Order to transfer $21,000 from the Salary Reserve account to the Administration & Finance
Salaries & Wages account.
Summary: This order requests a transfer in the amount of $21,000 from the FY26 Salary Reserve
account to the Administration & Finance Salaries & Wages account for the purpose of funding a part-time
position starting in September – Mayor Sponsor
12. Late Files
2025-097 Appointment of Christopher Lane to the position of member of the Design Review Committee for
a term to expire February 29, 2028
2025-098 An Order to accept the provisions of MGL Chapter 138, Section 12D
Summary: To allow the Amesbury Liquor License Commission to approve the conversion of an on-
premises license to sell wine and malt beverages only to an on-premises license to sell all alcoholic
beverages, even if Amesbury does not have any all alcoholic beverages licenses available - Mayor
Sponsor
13. Adjourn
Get email alerts for Amesbury
A daily email when new agendas and minutes are posted.