It was a big week for the government. 

Finance Director Patrick Luddy presented capital improvement projects for the 2028 fiscal year Monday night.

“We’re starting off the cycle here,” said Capital Improvement Committee Chair Ryan Hale. 

The projects reviewed Monday were not formal recommendations, but in total they would mean nearly $3 million in capital projects for the 2028 fiscal year.

Also on Monday, the Swampscott Public Library announced at a meeting that it is still looking to hire a part-time youth services and Maker Space librarian. The youth services librarian and Maker Space coordinator would be responsible for “youth collection development, programming, outreach, technology instruction, and maker-centered learning opportunities.”

Director Jonathan Nichols said the position has been offered to candidates three times, but all three have turned it down.

Swampscott is receiving $1.4 million through the Community One Stop for Growth grant from the state. The grant will go toward the  Pine Street water project, which will upgrade existing watermain infrastructure to support the Veterans Crossing housing project and future development along Pine Street and Railroad Avenue. 

E.F. Gilmore 64 Treasurer and Adjutant Andrea Gayle Bennett was an honoree for the Peter J. Gomes Service Award, selected by Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-6).

On Tuesday, the Community Life Center Feasibility Study Task Force heard more developed plans from Abacus Architecture and Planners, which highlighted four potential locations around Swampscott.

“We’ve looked at a number of different sites and focused on four that seemed appropriate,” said David Eisen, principal at Abacus Architects and Planners, who presented four options at the middle school, Hawthorne-by-the-Sea, Blocksidge Field, and Clarke School.

The Planning Board and residents shared their thoughts on a potential 40R District around the commuter rail following a presentation by town staff, discussing the need for walkability and concerns about density in the area.

The Planning Board also discussed a variety of proposed bylaw amendments, with the presented changes to the Burrill Senior Center Planned Development District to allow for a fraternal organization at the property raising the most commotion from residents.

“How can you have a public hearing where you’re going to have a fraternal organization and a bar in a residential neighborhood and not let anybody know?” resident Evan Katz said. “There’s no residential property in this town that’s safe from this type of action…I cannot think of another location in town where there’d be a bar surrounded by residential properties. How can this board recommend this to Town Meeting?”

The issue is set to go in front of the Town Meeting in December.

On Wednesday, the Select Board read a proclamation for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, while recognizing the town’s history. The group also recognized new barber shop Rivas Barbre Studio.

The board decided to send a letter to MassHousing outlining the board’s concerns about a proposed development at 0 Lodge Road as part of the agency’s review process.

“We should be thoughtful about whether or not this is a letter that says we worry about X, Y or Z thing, but the decision about the project is not ours and we understand that,” said Select Board Chair Katie Phelan. 

Recreation Department Director Charlotte Daher de Garcia shared a year’s end report with the Select Board, showing that participation rose 43% from the 2025 fiscal year to 2026 fiscal year. Recreation Department revenue also grew 28%, totaling $561,388 in the 2026 fiscal year.

“Recreation is about community. It’s not about revenue. I know we all care about money…but that number that sticks out for me is that increase in 43%, meaning that we’re touching residents in this town in different ways,” Daher de Garcia said. “That number is all from our rec website, so this is something that someone actually registered for. This does not account for concerts. This does not account for movies. It doesn’t account for the World Cup series or anything like that – the Farmers Market.”

On Thursday, the School Committee approved a policy around revolving fund use, and the board discussed how another school bus would not be feasible. 

Superintendent Jason Calichman gave a presentation on the state of the school bus system on Thursday, before the School Committee voted to approve a contract with NRT Bus Inc. to carry out the district’s transportation between August 2027 and June 2030, with a potential addition of one to two years.

For the available bus seats currently offered, a lottery is held to determine which students will get them. Families pay $250 per seat.

For an additional non-mandated bus, students would have to pay upwards of $3,000 per school year to ride. Calichman said the cost per seat disparity between students in the bus lottery and new riders would create an unsustainable two-tiered system.

Calichman also noted the addition of a bus would cost the school district $113,000 per year, and up to $135,000 by the end of the newly signed contract with NRT.