Daily Current, Tuesday, October 20

Daily Current · Tuesday, October 20 · 4:19

Rockport's 41.6 million budget, Gloucester arts grants drop, and Select Board decisions

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, October 20. This is the Daily Current, free public information for Cape Ann from the Cape Ann Current. I'm Kerry Jane. Today we look at Rockport's 41.6 million budget, a drop in Gloucester arts grants, and decisions from the Rockport Select Board.

In Rockport, the town is operating on a 41.6 million general fund budget for the year, approved at its April 11 town meeting. The spending plan is 2.07 million more than the year before. The Finance Committee says a new fee on short term rentals, expected to bring in 500,000 a year, helped avoid cuts. The largest increase is for employee health insurance, up 628,839. Voters also approved 8.3 million in new borrowing for a fire truck, water and sewer work, and the Town Hall renovation.

Also in Rockport, the Select Board agreed at its Tuesday, October 6 meeting to share a lawyer with Essex and Manchester by the Sea for Comcast cable license talks. The board voted 4 to 0 to use KP Law. Members also awarded four public works contracts, including 39,846 for catch basin cleaning and 250,000 for sewer pipe lining. The board also approved dates for Christmas in Rockport. Horse drawn carriage rides will run downtown on December 6 and December 12, and Harvey Park will host winter games starting Saturday, November 28.

In Gloucester, the Cultural Council learned at its Wednesday, October 14 meeting that it has about half its usual grant money to give out this year. The city told the council it has 10,175 to award. Last year, the council awarded more money than it had because some older grants were never set aside. To cover those promises, 4,224 dollars and 40 cents will come out of this year's state funding. The council chair expects to make about 15 grants of around 700 each. Members will look for projects with local artists and a clear Gloucester tie.

Also in Gloucester, the city will collect unneeded medications this Saturday, October 24 for National Drug Take Back Day. Residents can drop off prescription and over the counter medicines from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the back entrance of the Rose Baker Center for Aging Well. The Health Department will also give out free Narcan and offer training. The city cannot accept syringes, IV bags, or empty containers. Syringes can go in the drop box at the police station at any hour.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, the Cape Ann Regional Cable Advisory Committee meets at 6 p.m. at 1623 Studios in Gloucester. The agenda says the committee will review results from a community survey about renewing the Comcast cable licenses. Also tomorrow, the Gloucester Conservation Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. Its agenda lists plans for the Kondelin Road waste station and Sargent Street to be continued to November 4. The Essex Planning Board holds a public hearing on Fall Town Meeting zoning articles at 7 p.m.

For public meetings today, the Rockport Select Board meets at 6 p.m. The Gloucester Shellfish Advisory Commission also meets at 6 p.m. The Manchester Essex School Committee meets at 6 p.m. in Manchester by the Sea, and several other boards meet across Cape Ann.

In events today, the Beauport Hotel in Gloucester hosts live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Cape Ann Lanes in Gloucester hosts music video bingo from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Plum Cove School in Gloucester holds a book fair all day.

In high school sports, the Gloucester boys soccer team beat Peabody 3 to 2 yesterday. The Manchester Essex boys soccer team won 2 to 1 at Mystic Valley. The Gloucester volleyball team beat Georgetown 3 to 0. The Gloucester girls soccer team lost 6 to 0 at Peabody. The Rockport field hockey team lost 3 to 0 at Amesbury.

The National Weather Service expects a sunny but windy Tuesday, with a high near 58 and wind gusts up to 33 miles per hour. A small craft advisory is in effect for the bays until tomorrow evening. The weather service says tomorrow will be mostly cloudy and cooler, with a high near 52. Tonight's high tide in Gloucester Harbor is at 7:28 p.m.

That's the Daily Current for Tuesday. 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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