Methuen, MA – Mayor D.J. Beauregard has announced a series of positive Fiscal Year 2026 budget developments that will protect essential services, prevent program cuts, and launch a new citywide literacy initiative – all while preserving critical classroom instruction.

“In addition to the recently announced improved school budget outlook that will enable our city to keep more teachers in the classroom, I’m pleased to share that we’ve made further progress in strengthening our city budget and safeguarding the services our residents rely on,” said Mayor Beauregard.

The updates, presented to the Methuen City Council on Friday, include:

• Preservation of the Methuen Police Department’s PATH Program:
   Originally slated for elimination this fall following the expiration of federal grant support, the PATH Program (Prevention, Advocacy, Treatment, and Hope) will continue. This innovative program pairs Methuen police officers with licensed clinicians to respond to residents experiencing mental health crises, helping individuals connect to appropriate care and reducing strain on emergency services.
• Launch of the Methuen Literacy Partnership:
   In collaboration with the City of Methuen and the Methuen Public Schools, the Nevins Library will establish the Methuen Literacy Partnership – a new initiative aimed at improving early childhood literacy and closing reading gaps. Modeled after the successful “Haverhill Promise” program, the partnership will mobilize educators, librarians, families, and members of the Methuen community to help ensure that every Methuen child reads proficiently by the end of third grade.

Mayor Beauregard offered special thanks to Nevins Library Director Krista McLeod and Assistant Director Sarah Sullivan, School Committee Member Mary Beth Donovan-Grassi, and State Representative Ryan Hamilton for their leadership and support in helping to make this vision a reality. Stay tuned as more information about the new Methuen Literacy Partnership is announced in the coming weeks.

 “These investments reflect our shared priorities: protecting public safety, expanding access to mental health services, and giving every child a strong start,” said Mayor Beauregard. “This is how we transform challenges into opportunities.”

These new investments have been made possible by recent improvements to the school district’s FY26 budget. Thanks to unanticipated increases in state Circuit Breaker reimbursements, the Methuen Public Schools can now meet the staffing model prescribed by the School Committee’s adopted budget with a revised total of $110.7 million – down from the originally required $113.7 million.

Pending City Council approval, all city-side financial support proposed by the mayor will remain in place, including the redirection of FY26 meals tax and billboard revenues to the general fund, and the use of one-time free cash to help shore up support for the FY26 staffing model for the Methuen Public Schools.

“These are steps that address urgent needs in our community,” Mayor Beauregard added. “We’ve taken a major step forward, and I’m grateful to our partners at every level – from the City Council and School Committee to our legislative delegation – for helping to make this progress possible.”

Mayor Beauregard concluded by calling for continued collaboration as the budget process moves toward final adoption: “There’s more work to do, but we’ve proven what’s possible when we stay focused on what matters most – our students, our neighborhoods, and our future.”

The City Council will begin voting on the mayor’s proposed FY26 budget on Monday, June 23, 2025, and a final vote to adopt the budget is expected on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.