The Everett City Council approved a $312,195,648 general fund budget for fiscal 2027 on Monday, June 8, by a vote of 8-1, along with a $24,025,694 water and sewer budget, a $564,737 ECTV budget and spending limits for the city’s revolving funds. Councilor Guerline Alcy Jabouin cast the only no on the general fund. “There are rooms to cut more on the budget,” she said, “but unfortunately, I guess it doesn’t matter if it’s just me.”
At a public hearing an hour earlier, two residents said the same thing more bluntly. Paula Sterite said the budget is more than $12 million above this year’s and that “every other city in Massachusetts” is cutting or freezing jobs while Everett adds headcount. “If this passes as it is, not only will we get hit in July, we’ll get hit in December,” she said. Peggy Serino said the council “could easily cut 10 percent to 20 percent out of this budget without touching any teachers, police, or fire.” In the regular meeting Sterite told councilors the charter makes the budget theirs: “This $312,000,000 budget isn’t the mayor’s budget, it’s your budget.”
Hanlon takes the at-large seat
The council’s first act was to fill the seat Wayne Matewsky gave up May 26. City Clerk Sergio Cornelio explained that under the charter the next-highest finisher in the at-large race who cleared 20 percent of the vote takes the seat automatically if he accepts, and John Hanlon, a former councilor, had accepted. The vote was 9-0 and Hanlon was sworn in on the spot. “Welcome back, John,” resident David Fortin said during public comment, before asking the council to do something about scooters and e-bikes he said are “still speeding around the city like crazy.”
Data center rules enrolled
Two weeks after sending it back to committee, the council enrolled the ordinance restricting data centers in the Everett Docklands Innovation District, 7-3. Chief Development Officer Monica Lamboy walked through the version that came out of Legislative Affairs. It defines a computer room, which almost every building has, separately from a data center that serves outside customers. A data center could be allowed only as a secondary use within a mixed-use building, capped at 20,000 square feet with a separate limit on power draw, and only after the planning board approves it in a master plan and again by special permit for the specific site. It would need a closed-loop or non-potable water system, a 200-foot buffer from homes unless a noise study shows no impact, developer-paid grid upgrades, battery backup before any gas generator, and one job in Everett for every 500 square feet.
Councilor Peter Pietrantonio asked whether that stops the Davis Companies, which Lamboy said has a written proposal for up to 200,000 square feet. She said the cap applies per parcel and the district could eventually have seven to 10 blocks, so more than one could be proposed. Planning director Matt Lattanzi noted that floors four through seven of the Macy’s building in Downtown Crossing are a data center no shopper notices. “They could hide them in the buildings,” Pietrantonio said. “That’s another scary point.” Councilor Holly Garcia wanted a smaller cap but had no specific amendment. Council President Stephanie Smith said that without enrollment that night nothing could pass until after the summer recess, and Councilor Anthony DiPierro said “something in the books is better than nothing.” Jabouin, Michael Marchese and Smith voted no. The ordinance needs a second vote to take effect.
Also June 8
- Firefighter Christopher Grace was promoted to lieutenant, 9-0.
- Kristin Foote was confirmed as director of elections for three years and Thomas E. Abruzzese to the zoning board of appeals for five, 9-0.
- The council rescinded a $2 million borrowing authorization from June 2024 for an earlier high school study that was never bonded, 8-1, two weeks after approving a new $2 million study.
- A $1.2 million transfer from the stabilization fund to the linkage fund and a $60,000 transfer from fire to 911 personnel went to Ways and Means. A rewrite of building permit fees went to Legislative Affairs, as did Councilor Katy Rogers’ ordinance making plastic utensils available on request only.
- One-day beer and wine licenses were granted to Village Hall Bar and Grill, Ritual Coffee Bar and La Hacienda for the June 13 World Cup watch party at Rivergreen Park, where Brazil plays Morocco at 6 p.m.
- Lisa and Richard Collins asked for a speed bump on their short one-way street off Broadway near Lynn Street, where they said drivers ignore the do-not-enter sign; Lillian Gorham asked that councilors’ phone numbers, not just emails, be posted on the city website.
- The council canceled its regular July and August meetings and will meet once, on Monday, August 3 at 6 p.m. It closed with a moment of silence for Paul Flood, a longtime Ward 1 resident and brother of the council’s research assistant.
Previous council meeting (May 27): Encore Tells Everett It Employs 567 Residents and Pays $35 Million a Year. Councilors Call It Peanuts, Then Renew the License 7-3. Matewsky Retires at the End of the Night
