On this page last week, we looked back at many of the stories upon which we have reported and opined in 2025. Now, as we publish our final issue of the year, we turn our eyes to 2026 to anticipate what may be some of the major events to come. We start with town financial matters.
The budget: Town leaders seem united in the belief that a level-services budget will not be possible absent a general override of Proposition 2 1/2, and the numbers being suggested are significant. Will a miracle cure be found before Town Meeting convenes in May? If not, is this the year town voters will support a general override request for the first time in 20 years? And if not, how will town departments cut their budgets to attain balanced status, and to what extent will town services be reduced or otherwise affected?
The new waste contract: The Health Department will be negotiating a new waste contract for fiscal 2027 and beyond, and the predictions suggest a major cost increase. How will this affect the overall budget?
Declining school enrollment: There has been much recent discussion about the substantial decrease in the number of students attending our public schools over the past 10 years. To what extent will this impact the budget produced for approval at Town Meeting?
Turning our attention to other likely news stories for next year, we offer the following:
The MBTA Communities Act: This is the issue that just will not go away. Efforts continue to be made to find a way for the town to comply with state law that the Supreme Judicial Court has ruled is constitutional and enforceable, notwithstanding the strong opposition in town to its implementation. Will the solution be to reconfigure the designated housing districts and if so, in what ways? Will land at Tedesco Country Club be substituted for the downtown area previously earmarked? Will voters reject all efforts to bring the town into compliance? How much, if any, grant money will be denied, and will the attorney general bring enforcement action against the town?
The Coffin School: What is to become of this parcel of land? Will it be sold and converted to housing, affordable or otherwise? Will it be retained by the town and put to use as additional burial space, a dog park, a temporary battery storage site or boat storage? The Select Board will ultimately make the call, and public debate is likely to be fierce.
Board of Health: How will the board utilize the results of this year’s town-wide survey as to the health-related wishes of those who participated? Will new programs emerge based on the survey? What steps might the board undertake to address alcohol and substance abuse and, in particular, as it pertains to our underage children? And this will be the first time voters get to choose additional members of the board as it expands from three to five members.
Town Charter Committee: While a proposed charter will not be ready for presentation at next year’s Town Meeting, the work of the committee will continue. There are likely to be periodic public meetings as they work their way toward decisions, and we will be keeping our readers updated throughout the year.
Possible litigation: As this year ends, there looms the possibility the town is going to have to defend against allegations of antisemitism raised by a Veterans School English teacher against the School Department. Will this be resolved without the need for litigation, or will it lead to costly legal fees to defend the town against such allegations?
These are but some of the local issues likely to result in our coverage and, when deemed appropriate, our editorial comments. Just as we can count on the sun rising in the east each morning, so too can we know there will be local news stories that we are not even anticipating at this time. To you, our readers, we assure you we will be there to report and to sometimes opine on such events. It should be quite a ride.
Finally, we again want to thank you for your continued and generous support of the Marblehead Current, and we wish all of you a happy and healthy new year!
