TODAY'S EDITION IN ONE SENTENCE: The Select Board unanimously approved a $56.6 million FY2027 budget on Thursday for the departments under its purview, eliminating roughly 18 positions even as spending rises $4.8 million; health insurance, debt service and pensions consume nearly all the new money and leaving police down two officers and fire running on forced overtime (we built a nifty interactive tool that lets you explore every Select Board department's budget line by line); at a Finance Committee meeting earlier in the week, officials laid out how they hope to close the town's $7.7 million structural deficit through school cuts, a proposed trash fee, reductions and a possible, still-to-be determined permanent override; Rossana Ferrante became the first resident to pull nomination papers for one of two open Select Board seats; in all, 24 seats across 11 elected bodies are on Marblehead's June 9 ballot, making it the town's biggest election in years, and neighbors told a UConn planning team they want the former Coffin School redeveloped at a neighborhood scale, not as a large apartment complex — Cheers, Will 

P.S. Join me for coffee and conversation on Monday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Judy & Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St. Grab the Bagel owner Dave Aldrich reached out to me and offered to supply bagels for this event. Truly grateful, I am. 

P.S.S. Town Meeting is coming. We're busy making  a forthcoming inaugural Town Meeting Poll to see where Marblehead voters stand on issues. Click the Google Form link HERE to join our polling panel, and if you feel so inclined, share with other Marblehead voters

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Ferrante pulls for Select Board

as town's June ballot opens

Rossana Ferrante, who chairs the Recreation and Park Commission and has served across three town boards over the past decade, became the first resident to pull nomination papers for one of two open Select Board seats as 11 residents were listed on the Town Clerk's official candidates sheet with filing due April 21.  

Select Board approves $56.6M budget

— with cuts felt across its departments

Marblehead's Select Board unanimously approved a $56.6 million budget for its departments on Thursday afternoon — but the $4.8 million increase over last year isn't going as far as you might think. Health insurance, debt and pensions eat up most of the new money, and about 18 positions are on the chopping block across departments  

Explore the Select Board's FY2027 budget, department by department  

We broke down the Select Board's $56.6 million FY2027 budget into an interactive tool so you can see exactly where the money goes — and where it got cut. Browse all seven major spending categories, compare year-over-year changes, and hover over individual departments to see what positions were added, eliminated, or left unfunded. It's the whole budget, at your own pace.    

How officials hope to close FY2027's $7.7M gap    

 At a March 17 Finance Committee meeting, officials laid out the framework for closing a projected $7.7 million townwide deficit. 

Neighbors want Coffin School to stay small scale

At a community reuse session at Abbot Hall, residents weighed four scenarios for the vacant former L.H. Coffin School on Turner Road — from eight to 10 single-family homes to ~40 affordable apartments. The crowd strongly favored neighborhood-compatible development with green space and public access. 

24 SEATS, 11 BOARDS:
Marblehead's biggest ballot in years

Marblehead's June 9 election aims to fill 24 seats across 11 elected bodies — from Select Board and School Committee to a newly expanded Board of Health. Nomination papers are available now at the Town Clerk's office in Abbot Hall, with an April 21 deadline.

Browse the Independent's newsletter archive

We’ve created a Marblehead Independent newsletter archive — a new feature that will be updated weekly. The archive lets readers browse past editions, revisit favorite stories and follow Marblehead’s civic debates, cultural life and everyday news, week by week.

AROUND TOWN

This week’s community bulletin highlights key town deadlines, meetings, programs, events and civic reminders. Click any blue item to go directly to source material, registration pages or full details.

Abbot Public Library is taking reservations beginning Jan. 26 for its AARP Tax Counseling Program, offering free tax preparation assistance on Tuesday afternoons from Feb. 3 through April 14 at the library’s event center, 235 Pleasant St.

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North Shore Community Action Programs is accepting applications for fuel assistance, which helps low-income households pay heating bills. A household of one with annual income below $45,392 or two people below $59,359 is eligible, with higher thresholds for larger families. New applicants and returning customers should contact Sharon Doliber at the Council on Aging at 781-631-6225 for help completing paperwork.

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Drop-in Tech Help (March 10): All Computers Great and Small will provide free drop-in tech help Tuesday, March 10 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Abbot Public Library. Patrons can bring laptops, tablets or phones for assistance. No registration is required, and staff remind participants to keep passwords private.

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Swampscott Tides will host “Swampscott Fish Tales: An Evening of Community Storytelling” on Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at Swampscott High School. The event will feature 10-minute stories on the theme “A Fish Out of Water” and will serve as a fundraiser for the neighboring nonprofit. Buy tickets. 

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Marblehead Public Schools urges parents and guardians whose children will be five years old by Sept. 1 to register for kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year. Registration opens Feb. 23 and requires submitting proof of age, residency and other documents through the district’s online enrollment portal. Families may choose between free half-day kindergarten or a full-day program costing $4,120. Registration information and required forms.

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Multiple vacancies: The Select Board has posted vacancies on several appointed town boards and commissions, including the Conservation Commission, Design Review Board, Disabilities Commission, Marblehead Cultural Council, Marblehead Community Access and Media, the Old & Historic Districts Commission (alternate) and the Task Force Against Discrimination. Residents interested in serving must submit a letter of interest and resume to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or by email to wileyk@marbleheadma.gov. Positions remain open until filled. Full vacancy list.

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The Marblehead Police Department, in partnership with the Marblehead Council on Aging, will offer a citizen police academy this spring for residents interested in learning more about local law enforcement. The program will run Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. from April 23 through June 11 at the Judy & Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St. Class size is limited and open to Marblehead residents age 18 and older. Participants are expected to attend all sessions and complete a Criminal Offender Record Information check as part of the application process. Forms may also be picked up at the Council on Aging. For questions or more information, contact Lt. David Ostrovitz at ostrovitzd@marbleheadma.gov or Janice Salisbury-Beal at salisburybealj@marbleheadma.gov.

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MHS Film Club announces March screenings: The MHS Film Club will host two screenings in March as part of its intergenerational movie discussion series. Films will be shown Wednesdays at 3 p.m. at the Mariner’s Movie Theatre, 265 Pleasant St. The next movie is “The Princess Bride” on March 25. Organizers say the program is designed to encourage discussion among participants of different generations.

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OBSERVER REPORT: At the March 17 Housing Authority meeting, tenants spoke up about broken washers and dryers, cigarette smoke drifting between units, early-morning noise, and slow contractor response times. One resident asked board members to meet directly with tenants, noting that fear of retaliation keeps many from attending meetings. On the operations side, the Authority reported zero vacancies, reserves up to 54%, and a new housing manager hired through grant funding. Community meetings on the Broughton Road redevelopment project are in the works.