Swampscott’s Town Meeting will be held on May 19 and 20, and there are 28 articles up for vote. Here’s a deeper look into each one.
Article No. 1
The first article is a routine one, which appears each year on the Town Meeting schedule to allow town groups to make reports on the officials, boards and committees.
Article No. 2
Article No. 2 seeks to authorize the payment of bills accumulated in the past fiscal years, totaling $1,313.21.
The breakdown of the bills is:
- ConvergeOne for equipment maintenance service agreement with the Police Department for a total of $839.50
- Safety-Kleen for used automotive oil recycling with the Department of Public Works for a total of $349
- Gowrie Claims service for 111F medical to pay for incapacitated employees for $124.81
This article requires a ⅘ vote, according to the Massachusetts General Law.
Both the Select Board and Finance Committee recommend favorable action.
Article No. 3
This item is to amend various line items within the fiscal year 2025 budget, as recommended by the Finance Committee.
“These transfers within the fiscal year 2025 operating budget are based on previously voted employment contracts, contractually obligated costs, or other known adjustments needed for this fiscal year,” according to the comment on Town Meeting Article No. 3.
The amendments to the general fund budget would result in no net change.
Article No. 4
This is the big article, centered around the fiscal year 2026 operating budget.
There are only a few differences between the town administrator and the Finance Committee’s recommended budgets, one of which is the longevity line for the treasury and collections. The Finance Committee also recommends only $9,000 for poll workers and $29,782 for election expansions, where the town administrator suggests $26,000 and $34,025 respectively.
The Finance Committee also recommends no money allocated to overtime for the Public Health Department as well as about half of the town administrator’s suggestion for part-time staff within public works.
The Swampscott Public Schools’ budget line is listed at $33,290,071 according to the town administrator and $33,931,013 from the Finance Committee.
The total appropriations for both the general and enterprise funds is $83,647,714, per the Finance Committee, which is $524,940 more than the town administrator’s suggestions.
The Select Board is set to suggest additional cuts.
Article No. 5
The Select Board sponsored this article to transfer $200,000 from the free cash to the utility reserve line of the Swampscott Public Schools operating budget.
The utility reserve line is necessary prior to the installation of the solar panels at the new Swampscott Elementary School, according to the note on the article.
The Finance Committee and Select Board recommend favorable action on this article.
Article No. 6
This article would transfer an additional $400,000 from the free cash. This money would go to the special education reserve fund, which was established at the 2023 annual Town Meeting to fund unanticipated or unbudgeted costs for the program.
The Select Board recommends favorable action.
Article No. 7
This vote is around the proposition of a transitional audit. The Select Board said at its meeting May 14 that the scope of services would be for water and sewage enterprise funds, the procurement around bidding and proposals, as well as the revolving recreation fund.
Interim Town Administrator Gino Cresta said that as of Wednesday, May 14, one of the seven firms the town contacted has responded, quoting $30,000. The money would be coming from the free cash.
“I’m not aware of any red flags,” Cresta said.
Select Board Member Doug Thompson said a lot of the questions around the water and sewage enterprises have already been answered.
“I originally was more in favor of this, but given our other priorities here and how tight the budget is, I’m feeling less and less as a priority,” Thompson said, “especially for $30,000.”
Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher called the audit a “best practice…especially when transitioning from one administration to another.” She added that it does not suggest that there is anything nefarious.
“I personally do think this is a good investment,” Fletcher said.
The audit has not taken place historically at transition points, according to Amy Sarro, the director of finance and administration.
The Select Board voted to not support the article 4-1.
Article No. 8
Article No. 8 has been an ongoing discussion in multiple town committee meetings. The article would raise the base amount used to calculate the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) from $14,000 to $18,000 starting July 1.
The article is sponsored by the Swampscott Contributory Retirement Board.
“Retirees and survivors of the Swampscott Retirement System (SRS) who are eligible to receive an annual COLA receive that adjustment based on only the first $14,000 of the retiree’s allowance and the COLA in any given year cannot exceed 3% by statute,” according to the comment on Town Meeting Article No. 8.
Swampscott’s COLA was last increased at the May 2021 Town Meeting from $13,000 to $14,000.
During its May 5 meeting, the Finance Committee agreed to support a raise to $16,000. On May 14, the Select Board also supported the $16,000 figure in a 4-1 vote.
The Swampscott Contributory Retirement Board suggested that it would have to return to ask for additional funding later if the full $18,000 is not approved at the Town Meeting.
Article No. 9
This article also relates to the COLA, which is typically calculated using a specific measure of inflation, such as the consumer price index (CPI).
Article No. 9 proposes an increase to the 41C exempt amounts to 100% of the CPI, with the COLA. Clause 41C of section 5 of chapter 59 of the Massachusetts General Law provides an additional real estate tax exemption for seniors surviving spouses and surviving children, people who are blind and veterans.
In Swampscott, the property tax rate for 2024-2025 is at $11.47 per $1,000 of assessed value, according to MA Properties. Neighboring towns are less, with Marblehead set at $9.05, Lynn at $10.36 and Salem at $11.34. Other towns like Lexington, Bedford, and Sudbury are set at $12.23, $12.04 and $14.64 respectively.
This article would “increase the exemption amounts income for those individuals eligible,” according to the comment on Town Meeting Article No. 9.
The CPI indicates that the US inflation rate was 2.4% for the past year, as of March 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Article No. 10
The Board of Assessors sponsored an article to accept an annual increase in tax exemptions for veterans by the annual percentage increase laid out by the commissioner of revenue going forward, starting July 1.
The HERO Act was signed into law in Massachusetts on August 8. 2024 and is focused on the welfare of veterans. It lays out a variety of benefits, including behavioral health treatment, protections to access of sales tax exemption, a modernization of statute language for gender-neutral and inclusive language, and an insurance that the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in Social Security does not affect veterans’ eligibility for benefits in the middle of the year.
Article No. 11
The Board of Assessors is also requesting an increase to the current eligibility requirements for local property tax deferrals under the Massachusetts General Law.
Under Clause 41A in chapter 59, section 5 of the Massachusetts General Law, seniors may be able to delay payments on their property taxes. The deferral does not discharge them of tax obligations, though.
The article would establish the interest rate for deferred taxes in any given fiscal year – starting in fiscal year 2026 – at 4%.
Article No. 12
Article No. 12 refers to a vote to establish a minimum value of personal property subject to taxation. The article put the minimum at $10,000 of the fair cash value on personal property accounts, effective at the beginning of fiscal year 2026.
If the article is passed, the number of taxable personal property accounts would be reduced from 333 to 88, according to the comments on the article.
Article No. 13
Still focusing on housing, Article No. 13 proposes to petition the General Court for special legislation around real estate tax exemptions for people with disabilities ages 69 or younger who have lived in Swampscott for a minimum of 10 consecutive years prior to the time of application.
Article No. 14
Article No. 14 would amend the general bylaws around revolving funds. This article, sponsored by the town administrator, would establish an annual spending limit change for the public library, raising the current limit from $3,500 to $5,000.
“The intent of this article is to allow funds received from Town activities to be used solely for additional activities related to the source activity,” the notes on the article read.
Article No. 15
This vote is around appropriating $300,000 to repair, construct and reconstruct streets.
Article No. 16
Article No. 17 is to amend the votes taken at the May 20, 2024 and June 14, 2022 annual Town Meetings to change the purpose for the borrowed funding at 89 Burrill Street. If approved, $50,000 would go to the town hall basement renovation design, and $25,000 would be allocated to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) telehealth and facility improvements.
The notes suggest that the total $75,000 would be used to begin construction for a new VFW facility.
Article No. 17
The town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer or borrow funds to pay the costs for various capital projects, such as the engineering study for Andrews’ Chapel, cemetery building exterior improvements, pier repairs, police station cell cameras, window replacements at the Swampscott Middle School, interactive white boards for the schools, a water main replacement, a solar canopy for the elementary school and green communities projects.
The projects’ total amounts differ, however, between recommendations from the administrator ($9,596,292), the Capital Improvement Committee ($9,936,292) and the Finance Committee ($10,076,292).
The Select Board voted to support the Finance Committee’s proposal.
Article No. 18
Article No. 18 centers around an amendment to create a Community Preservation Committee, as required through the Community Preservation Act which was adopted by Swampscott in 2024.
The committee is meant to consist of nine residents of Swampscott, consisting of voting members from the Conservation Commission, Historic Commission, Planning Board, Swampscott housing Authority, Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Open Space and Recreation Commission, Capital Improvement Committee, and the Finance Committee.
Article No. 19
This article would revise the language in the Earth Removal Advisory Committee, removing the requirement for one member to be from the Planning Board and instead increase the number of Select Board appointees from two to three.
Article No. 20
Article No. 20 is meant to amend the town’s bylaws around land use. The article would focus on town-issued permits for Swampscott parks and fields, addressing concerns around misuse and enforcement challenges.
Swampscott resident John Picariello proposed the article, but an issue arose around the wording for “no person, group or organization or its members” would be able to use a town-owned park, field or facility without a permit and that the policy had authority to enforce the rule.
Police Chief Rubin Quesada said the issue has been going on “for many years now” but that it would be hard to enforce, especially if people refuse to provide their identifications.
Select Board Member Katie Phelan said in a meeting that the purpose of the space is for them to be used.
The Select Board agreed to postpone the article.
Article No. 21
The town will vote to establish a fall annual Town Meeting on the first Monday evening in December each year.
Article No. 22
Article No. 22, proposed by the town clerk and with some input from Town Moderator Michael McClung, would establish a minimum of five votes required for write-in Town Meeting member candidates to be elected.
In April’s election, Precinct 5 saw only 15 candidates for the 18 Town Meeting member spots. Kristin Doerrer received 16 write-in votes. Irma Zarinsky earned five write-in votes, and Paula Pearce received four. Joseph Ippolito Jr. also received three votes to serve until 2027.
The Select Board is in favor of this article.
Article No. 23
This article would add a new bylaw to prohibit discharges of any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.
“I support it as is,” interim Town Administrator Gino Cresta said at a Select Board meeting May 7.
There have been some community complaints about this article, though. Erick Schneider, the vice chair of the finance committee, said in an email to the Select Board that he is “fully in support of its overall goal but that there is some missing language specifically around beneficiaries and a certificate of non-compliance.
Liz Smith, who had run for Select Board in the recent election, also suggested that it “may be best to withdraw Article 24 from the warrant” due to the errors and late suggested revisions.
Article No. 24
Article No. 24 allows for the town to inspect sewer laterals at the time of sale or transfer of houses. This would ensure a governance of real property connected to the town’s sanitary sewer system.
“The purpose of this article is to ensure that no real property be conveyed with any illegal connection or sewer lateral pipe with defects, to the town of Swampscott wastewater collection system,” according to the notes.
Article No. 25
The town will vote to amend a zoning bylaw on accessory dwelling units to reflect updates to the state law. The changes allow – or prohibit, pending the Planning Board’s vote – short-term rental of accessory dwelling units. It would also remove the requirement of owner occupancy and parking if the unit is within a half of a mile of a bus or train stop.
Article No. 26
Article No. 26 is voting to adopt the 2025 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood insurance map as well as change the language in the bylaw centered around flood plain and wetland protection.
Article No. 27
Article No. 27 amends the square footage trigger that would require a site plan special permit for additions or new buildings.
Article No. 28
The last article is a citizen’s petition, sponsored by Barry Greenfield, to amend the town’s bylaws to limit fees charged to residents for public documents “in order to promote transparency within town government and facilitate Swampscott residents’ access to public records.”
Public record requests are currently submitted through the town clerk’s office, and there is a charge for the reproduction of records at $0.05 per photocopied page. There is also a $25 fee for a floppy disc or CD.
