Know Before It's Decided
The agenda, in plain English.
Upcoming public meetings in all four towns, from each town's posted calendar and agendas. Click a meeting for the posting.
Before Tuesday's Gloucester City Council: $256,300 in state grants for downtown and housing zoning, the election warrant and a $1 million budget fix
By Kerry Jane How we work
The council meets Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. It also gets the city's latest retiree health care bill, $181 million, and a state-required update to its marijuana rules. A coastal lot size hearing moves to Oct. 27.
Public meetings after the long weekend: Gloucester City Council, Essex selectmen, the Essex school's community meeting
By Kerry Jane How we work
Town offices close for Columbus Day. Here are the public meetings posted for Tuesday, Oct. 13, and Wednesday, Oct. 14, with times and places.
Rockport zoning board will visit Eden Road home before ruling on addition close to lot line
By Kerry Jane How we work
The owners want a rear addition with an art studio that would sit 1.8 feet from the back property line. The board meets at the site Monday and takes the case back up Oct. 28.
Essex sets out how it will choose its first full-time fire chief, aiming for Feb. 1
By Kerry Jane How we work
At their Oct. 5 meeting, selectmen named a member to the search committee, reviewed the chief's job description and went article by article through the fall town meeting warrant, including the Essex share of the new school.
Manchester's share of the new Essex school would be about $50 million after state aid, boards are told
By Kerry Jane How we work
At a joint meeting Oct. 5, the Select Board and Finance Committee pressed school leaders on the $95.3 million project, set a fast schedule before the Nov. 16 special town meeting and sorted through the rest of the warrant.
Rockport conservation board approves septic upgrade that moves wastewater farther from the shore
By Kerry Jane How we work
The Conservation Commission's Oct. 7 meeting took 18 minutes. One project won approval, a Long Beach order was extended and four other cases were pushed to November or December.
Rockport's water is 9 points below last year. The town's water committee wants more people to know how to save it
By Kerry Jane How we work
At its Oct. 7 meeting, the Ad Hoc Water Committee went over the latest reservoir levels, the shut off faucets at Granite Pier, a free leak test few people know about and the questions it wants the town to answer.
Follow the money: see every change to Gloucester's budget this year
By Kerry Jane How we work
A small City Council committee looks at almost every change to the city's spending plan. We read every page it got in 2026 and built a tracker anyone can search. It meets again Thursday.
Meetings today and Thursday: Rockport water and schools, Gloucester budget changes, the Essex school's next community meeting
By Kerry Jane How we work
More than a dozen public meetings across Cape Ann on Wednesday and Thursday, with times, places and how to watch.
Tonight on Cape Ann: Rockport's Select Board, Manchester Essex schools and Gloucester's arts plan session
By Kerry Jane How we work
Four public meetings Tuesday afternoon and evening, from a blasting study for a Gloucester waste transfer station to Christmas in Rockport, with times and how to watch.
Gloucester hosts a public session Tuesday on a citywide arts and culture plan
By Kerry Jane How we work
The city's arts and culture coordinator and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council will explain what a plan could do for Gloucester, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Kyrouz Auditorium at City Hall.
Gloucester health panel to review blasting study for planned Kondelin Road waste transfer station
By Kerry Jane How we work
A Board of Health subcommittee meets Tuesday on documents the developer filed to meet a condition of last year's site approval. Also this week: the Waterways Board looks back at the season, and the Housing Authority interviews for its No. 2 job.
Rockport Select Board to weigh Christmas in Rockport plans and a joint lawyer for Comcast talks Tuesday
By Kerry Jane How we work
The board also interviews a Finance Committee candidate, takes up the Nov. 3 election warrant, votes on four public works contracts and gets a budget and Town Meeting update.
Gloucester's senior center board to discuss rebranding the Rose Baker Center, and trust fund panel weighs old bequests
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The Council on Aging board meets Wednesday with the center's name and image on its agenda. On Tuesday, the city's trust fund commissioners discuss what to do with income from the Huntress Fund.
Essex downtown forum: parking, a market and more to do top residents' wish list
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
At a chamber and town forum Sept. 29, residents and business owners traded ideas for the causeway, from a river shuttle and a walking trail to year round public restrooms. Officials also outlined a push for a $2 million study of causeway flooding.
Essex selectmen to take up a full time fire chief job description and a search for a town accountant
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The board meets Monday. Later in the week: the Bell Point subdivision returns to the Conservation Commission, and three boards meet on public works.
Gloucester adopts Housing Compass, a five year road map for housing
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The Planning Board and City Council both voted unanimously Tuesday. The plan now goes to the state, and its ideas head to the Affordable Housing Trust and a long list of zoning debates.
Manchester boards meet Monday to shape the special town meeting and hear from the school building committee
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The Select Board and Finance Committee sit down together Oct. 5. Also on the agenda: the state election warrant, two short term rental licenses and the reappointment of the town's top finance officials.
Gloucester planners take up Sargent Street subdivision Thursday as council panels weigh police grants
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
Also this week: Essex selectmen meet with public works and finance boards, and Essex's school community meetings are set for Oct. 8 and Oct. 13.
Gloucester council rejects fire lanes on both sides of Rackliffe Street
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
Every councilor present voted no, citing lost parking on Rocky Neck and worry that dozens of other narrow streets would be next.
Essex looks for residents to review how the town is governed
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
A new committee will study the town's management structure. Applications are due Oct. 13.
Essex, Manchester and school district revive joint talks on sharing services
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
A shared senior van service was set to start this week. Leaders also floated sharing equipment and staff, and an early conversation with Rockport.
Essex backs grant bids for causeway flooding and Chebacco Lake
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
Selectmen also approved a load study for the Landing Road bridge and appointed three new firefighters.
Under new state rules, Gloucester board OKs Magnolia house neighbors called too big
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The Zoning Board granted three variances for a single family home at 29 Flume Road, saying an odd lot shape and septic limits made building difficult.
Gloucester trims first-week early voting hours, protects two historic homes
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The City Council also updated trash rules ahead of the Oct. 1 switch to new carts at its Sept. 22 meeting.
Gloucester zoning board denies Angle Street decks, approves Flume Road home, YMCA signs and a large ADU
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
Neighbors' fire safety worries sank a two-deck plan near the harbor, while five other requests won unanimous approval on Sept. 24.
Manchester sends housing plan to the state, hears smaller Pine Street apartment plan
Cape Ann Current Staff How we work
The Select Board also revised its tree policy, cleared the way for fall sauna days at White Beach and laid out the calendar for the Nov. 16 special town meeting.