Daily Current, Monday, October 19

Daily Current · Monday, October 19 · 4:13

Manchester by the Sea's 44.4 million dollar budget and a warning for Gloucester rentals

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Good morning. It's Monday, October 19. This is the Daily Current, free public information for Cape Ann from the Cape Ann Current. I'm Kerry Jane. Today we look at Manchester by the Sea's 44.4 million dollar budget, a final warning for unregistered Gloucester rentals, and new septic rules in Rockport.

In Manchester by the Sea, the town's budget for the current fiscal year is 44.4 million dollars. According to the town's budget book, the total barely grew from last year, but the operating budget rose 10.3 percent to 19.6 million dollars. Voters also approved 29.5 million dollars in new borrowing, led by a 16.5 million dollar treatment plant to remove P F A S from the Lincoln Street well. A special town meeting on Monday, November 16, is expected to take up a fire engine and the Essex Elementary School project.

In Gloucester, landlords who missed the September 21 deadline to renew their rental registration may soon face a judge. At its October 8 meeting, the Board of Health voted to send a final letter to owners. The letter warns that if they still do not register, the city will file a complaint in Gloucester District Court and seek fines of up to 500 dollars a day. Health staff said about 32 properties were still not registered by the meeting night. The board also heard that nearly all tobacco and nicotine shops have complied with a request to pull kratom from their shelves.

In Rockport, homes with an old septic tight tank will need a full state septic inspection every 3 years. The Board of Health approved the rule on Thursday, October 15. The rule is meant to catch old tanks that crack and leak sewage into the ground. Once a tank is 30 years old, it needs an inspection by a certified inspector, which costs an average of 517 dollars. The town knows of 18 tight tanks, and 1 home has to follow the rule right away. Enforcement begins June 1.

Also in Rockport, town boats made 216 round trips to Thacher Island this summer and carried 725 passengers. At its October 1 meeting, the Thacher and Straitsmouth Island Town Committee heard the boats sent 9,427 dollars in ticket money to the town. The committee also voted to endorse a federal plan to remove raccoons and mink from Thacher Island next spring. A Fish and Wildlife Service representative told the committee the predators threaten a colony of rare New England cottontail rabbits on the island.

Several boards meet today, including the Rockport Finance Committee at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m., the Essex Board of Selectmen meets, along with 2 Gloucester committees. The Rockport Community Preservation Committee meets at 7 p.m. Tomorrow, the Manchester Essex Regional School Committee meets at 6 p.m. to take up the Essex Elementary School project budget.

For events, the Headlands Acoustic Trio plays at The Rhumb Line in Gloucester tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. Tomorrow night in Gloucester, Beauport Sessions features live music at the Beauport Hotel from 6 to 9 p.m., and Music Video Bingo runs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Laneside Pub and Brewery.

In high school sports, there were no new finals for Gloucester, Rockport or Manchester Essex over the weekend, according to the state athletic association. 5 varsity games are on today's schedule. In boys soccer, Peabody visits Gloucester at 4:30 p.m., and Manchester Essex plays at Mystic Valley. In girls soccer, Gloucester is at Peabody at 5:30 p.m. Gloucester hosts Georgetown in volleyball at 5:45 p.m., and Rockport field hockey plays at Amesbury at 6 p.m.

The National Weather Service expects a sunny day today with a high near 56 and light northeast winds. Forecasters say tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 46. A small craft advisory is in effect for Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay from 8 p.m. tonight until 8 p.m. Wednesday. Tomorrow is expected to bring partly sunny skies and a high near 58, with northeast winds gusting up to 29 miles per hour. High tide in Gloucester Harbor today is at 6:29 p.m.

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That's the Daily Current for Monday. Everything you heard, with its sources, is at capeanncurrent dot com, along with short editions for each town. I'm Kerry Jane, the Cape Ann Current's host. Everything we share is free public information from public records and government data, and every source is listed on our website. Catch the Daily Current again tomorrow. Keeping Cape Ann current.

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