As Marblehead enters budget season, town officials are encouraging residents to utilize ClearGov, a cloud-based financial transparency platform that provides what officials have described as unprecedented access to municipal financial data.
“ClearGov enabled the town to manage its budgeting online without the hassle of multiple spreadsheet versions,” said Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin. “Previously, the town administrator was using multiple spreadsheets with outdated systems, making the budgeting process quite challenging.”
The platform allows residents to personalize their experience by entering their property tax information to see exactly how their tax dollars are allocated across town departments and services. Users can generate visual breakdowns through pie charts, bar graphs and other interactive displays.
Select Board members recently praised the digital transformation, saying it has already yielded results. Under Benjamin’s leadership, Marblehead has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Budget Award for two consecutive years, recognizing excellence in budget presentation.
“We spent so much time meeting with the Finance Committee, really digging and gathering information and looking and analyzing,” Benjamin said. “To have a really solid team that understands finances, that is looking at finances, asking the right questions, and understanding what they’re looking at — it helps me tremendously.”
Benjamin encourages residents to view the platform, noting significant financial decisions await, including potential debt exclusion votes to raise taxes for school roof repairs and HVAC improvements at Mary Alley Municipal Building.
Residents can access ClearGov at marblehead.org/select-board. The platform includes a comprehensive digital budget book that breaks down everything from department-specific budgets to long-term debt obligations.
“I think if you want to really grasp and understand, you should go to the budget book,” Benjamin said, noting that the digital document includes detailed explanations of municipal finance concepts, organizational charts and historical data.
This digital transparency comes at a crucial time for Marblehead’s finances. The town currently faces a projected $1.8 million budget gap for fiscal year 2026, with total revenues at $106.1 million (a 2.56% increase) against expenditures of $108 million (a 4.56% increase). The gap doesn’t include pending wage increases for police and municipal workers currently in contract negotiations.
The town’s reserves are also at historic lows. The stabilization fund stands at just 0.5% of the operating budget — among the lowest in Massachusetts and well below the state-recommended 5%. While the town has certified $8.7 million in free cash for FY2024, most of it ($5.5 million) was allocated to balance the current FY2025 budget, with another $1 million designated for capital needs.
These financial pressures make ClearGov’s transparency tools particularly relevant for residents trying to understand the town’s fiscal challenges.
The transition hasn’t been without challenges. Benjamin acknowledged that some traditional financial terminology can be confusing for residents, which is why ClearGov includes a glossary and explanatory sections.
For instance, the platform helps clarify concepts like “free cash” — unused fund balance that’s become a crucial part of the town’s capital planning strategy. Benjamin explained that Marblehead now uses at least $1 million in free cash annually for one-time capital needs, a more sustainable approach than continuous borrowing.
The platform has also streamlined internal operations. Benjamin noted that department heads can now directly input their budget requests, while her team can perform detailed historical analyses that previously required hours of manual work.
“Start with the introduction. Look at all the different things in the introduction. I think that that’s really helpful to give them a background and understanding,” Benjamin said.
For residents interested in learning more about ClearGov or needing assistance navigating the platform, Benjamin said they can contact the Finance Department at financedept@marblehead.org.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Watch for an upcoming video tutorial on the Marblehead Current’s website where Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin provides a step-by-step guide to navigating ClearGov’s features. MarbleheadCurrent.org
