Morning Current, Wednesday, October 7

Transcript

Good morning. It's Wednesday, October 7. This is the Morning Current, from the Cape Ann Current. I'm Kerry Jane. Today we look at how the proposed Essex elementary school compares to other state projects, and we open a new tracker for Gloucester budget changes.

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In Essex, the proposed elementary school would cost about 1,038 dollars per square foot to build. That is more than any of 6 comparable new elementary schools the state has priced since mid 2024. Those 6 range from 726 to 964 dollars per square foot. The total project estimate as of September 29 is 95.3 million dollars. The state is expected to pay about 19.6 million dollars, leaving 75.7 million dollars for Essex and Manchester by the Sea to borrow. Voters in both towns will be asked to approve the project at town meetings on November 16, and in ballot votes on December 10.

In Gloucester, the Cape Ann Current is opening a new tracker today that shows every request the City Council Budget and Finance Committee has looked at this year. The committee reviews almost every change to the city's spending plan before the full council votes. The tracker covers 130 requests from 22 meeting dates since January. It includes gifts, grants, old bills, and moving money the city already has. For example, in March, the committee voted 3 to 0 to back a 3.32 million dollar loan to fix Saint Peter's Landing and Marina. The committee meets again tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.

Also in Gloucester, a plan to build an indoor pickleball court complex at 36 Whittemore Street goes back to the Zoning Board of Appeals tomorrow at 7 p.m. The owner is asking for a special permit or a variance for a change of use, and for fewer off street parking spaces than the zoning requires. The property is in the city's General Industrial district. The hearing was opened at an earlier meeting and continued to tomorrow.

Several boards meet today across Cape Ann. In Rockport, the Ad Hoc Water Committee meets at 2 p.m. on Zoom to discuss the town's water use and drought level. The Rockport School Committee meets at 7 p.m. at the library. In Gloucester, the School Committee Building and Finance Subcommittee meets at 5 p.m., followed by the City Council Planning and Development Committee at 6 p.m. In Essex, the Planning Board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, along with several other boards across the region.

There are a few events happening today in Gloucester. The Sawyer Free Library hosts a film screening of Secret Knowledge followed by a question and answer session from 2 to 4 p.m. The Backyard Growcery is open at Burnham's Field from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.

In high school sports, the Gloucester field hockey team beat Beverly 1 to 0 yesterday. The Fishermen are now 9 and 0. In girls soccer yesterday, Manchester Essex beat Rockport 6 to 2. In boys soccer, Manchester Essex beat Rockport 2 to 0. Today, the Gloucester boys soccer team hosts Winthrop at 4:30 p.m. at Newell Stadium. The Gloucester girls soccer team plays at Winthrop at 5:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service expects a sunny and milder day today, with a high near 62. Southwest winds could gust up to 23 miles per hour. Forecasters say tonight will be mostly clear and mild, with a low around 54, and tomorrow will bring mostly sunny skies and a high near 68, with a slight chance of showers. On the water, expect calm seas around 2 feet today. High tides in Gloucester Harbor are at 9:16 a.m. and 9:37 p.m. today.

We also remember James F. Dort Senior, 90, of Gloucester, and Mary Jo Montagnino, 82, of Gloucester.

That's the Morning Current for Wednesday. Every story, with its sources, is at capeanncurrent dot com, along with short editions for each town. I'm Kerry Jane, the Cape Ann Current's newsreader. Every story comes from public records and is listed with its sources on our website. Catch the Morning Current again tomorrow. Keeping Cape Ann current.

Stories in this episode

• How the $95 million Essex school compares with other new elementary schools
• Follow the money: see every change to Gloucester's budget this year
• Sunny and milder Wednesday, near 68 Thursday with a stray shower possible
• Indoor pickleball complex proposed for Whittemore Street goes back to Gloucester's zoning board Thursday
• Scoreboard: Gloucester soccer takes on Winthrop, Rockport and Manchester Essex field hockey on the road

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