Meetings today and Thursday: Gloucester School Committee, Manchester's town meeting money, the Essex fire plan and an Essex housing bylaw

Here are the public meetings in the four towns today and Thursday, from the posted agendas. Times are p.m. unless noted.

Wednesday, Oct. 14

• Essex Board of Fire Engineers, 7 a.m., Public Safety Building, 11 John Wise Ave. The agenda includes onboarding and training updates and a review of "the plan to re-allocate 50K to support the firefighter shift." Read about Thursday's fire plan meeting.
• Manchester Council on Aging Executive Board, 4:30, Town Hall Room 7 and Zoom. Budget review, upcoming events and a senior center update.
• Manchester Harbor Advisory Committee, 5:30, Town Hall Room 5 and Zoom. Harbor rules, the budget, the drawbridge and harbor project contracts. Read our preview.
• Essex Open Space Committee, 5:30, on Zoom. The committee continues setting priorities for the town's open space and recreation plan.
• Gloucester School Committee, 6, Gloucester High School library, and on Zoom. Votes on operating protocols and a new special education job description. Read our preview.
• Rockport Affordable Housing Trust, 6:30, on Zoom. Water rates for multifamily housing and plans for town properties. Read our preview.
• Manchester Select Board, 6:30, Town Hall. The only item is a closed door executive session on strategy for the fire union contract.

Thursday, Oct. 15

• Gloucester Lyceum Committee, 5 to 6:30, City Hall, 9 Dale Ave., first floor council conference room, and on Zoom. A new member, working group updates and the fall 2026 program, with a site visit to Kyrouz Auditorium.
• Manchester Community Preservation Committee, 5:30, on Zoom. An application for Powder House Hill signage and a report on the five year plan.
• Rockport Board of Health, 5:30, on Zoom, and Rockport Planning Board, 6:30, on Zoom. A septic tight tank rule, and draft bylaws on tiny houses and substandard lots. Read our preview.
• Essex Affordable Housing Trust, 6, Town Hall auditorium, 30 Martin St. Members will review an inclusionary zoning bylaw for fall town meeting and questions and answers about it, talk with the Community Preservation Committee chair about possible funding for Action Inc., and discuss a possible Local Initiative Project, a state program for affordable housing built with a private developer.
• Essex Finance Committee with the Board of Fire Engineers, 7, Town Hall Second Floor Stage Conference Room. The fire department's plan for a full time chief. Read more.
• Manchester Finance Committee, 7, Town Hall Room 7 and Zoom. The fire engine, water meter debt, Essex school and senior center articles for the Nov. 16 special town meeting. Read more.

Zoom links and call in numbers are on each agenda, linked in our sources. All of these meetings are open to the public except the Manchester Select Board's executive session.

Earlier coverage: Tuesday's public meetings (Oct. 12), and this week's meeting list (Oct. 10).