FINAL-19 CP_MBHC_20240508_1_A01 Tue, May 7, 2024 3:20:17 PM
IN THIS ISSUE
HOLIDAY
SPORTS
CARNIVAL
Honoring Marblehead’s moms
On the run with MHS track
Devereux Beach fun
Page 4
Page 9
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PAID
MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25
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NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.
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May 08, 2024
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VOLUME 2, ISSUE NO. 24
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MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG
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ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT
TOWN MEETING 2024 For coverage of Town Meeting’s votes on controversial zoning changes, recalls, leaf blowers and more, visit MarbleheadCurrent.org.
Voters OK $115M budget with little debate Despite rally, educators decide not to ask for more BY LEIGH BLANDER Hundreds of Marblehead educators and other town employees rallied outside the Veterans School before Town Meeting Monday night, demanding “fully funded” budgets. The Marblehead Education Association handed out flyers urging voters to “restore $700,000 and save our educators.” However, the town’s $115 million budget, including $46.7 million for the schools, passed easily and without much debate. Educators did not make a motion to ask for another $700,000. Still, MEA Co-President Jonathan Heller told the Current the union is committed to fully funded budgets. “The presence that we had at Town Meeting tonight was what we wanted… to engage with the
CURRENT PHOTOS / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD
Connor Ryan, Robin Feins, and Finn Ryan, 10, wave to people arriving at Town Meeting Monday evening. They were part of a rally by educators and other town union employees, demanding fully funded budgets.
community, answer questions and begin the process of working collaboratively together on a strategic plan for building up a budget with the resources
our teachers need to provide the exemplary education the children of Marblehead deserve.” Last Friday, Heller defined a fully funded budget as
“providing level services and stopping cuts after two successive years of harmful reductions.” “We must protect all existing
staff and services,” he said. “Then stakeholders — including educators and families — need BUDGET, P. A2
Meals, rooms taxes will take effect this summer BY WILL DOWD
Albert Jordan voiced support for local meals and rooms taxes, which passed and will take effect July 1.
Beginning July 1, Marblehead will institute two new taxes — a .75% local meals tax and a 6% rooms occupancy tax — after Town Meeting voters approved them Monday night. Both new measures passed by healthy margins. Town Meeting also rejected a motion, by Harbor Light Inn owner Carolyn Pyburn, to lower the room tax from 6% to 4%. “Everyone around us has already adopted this,” Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer told Town Meeting. “Would this put us at a competitive disadvantage? We decided it would not — we
would just be on par with the rest of the region.” Kezer proposed the new taxes to bolster Marblehead’s budget without asking voters for a property tax override. He estimated the taxes will generate $400,000 a year, with potential future earnings reaching $1 million a year. “We are trying to generate revenue that have the least impact on property taxes,” said Kezer. “Marblehead has a single tax rate across the board. This is a balanced approach. This is a reasonable approach.” Resident Albert Jordan spoke in favor of the TAXES, P. A2
CREATIVITY
Small but mighty: Acorn art school celebrates 30 years with generations of students, families BY LEIGH BLANDER
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
William Freyer, 6, gets some guidance from Acorn Gallery School of Art co-founders Deb Freeman-Highberger and Jack Highberger.
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
In a 900-square-foot studio at the corner of State and Front streets, the Acorn Gallery School of Art is an enchanted place, says co-founder Debra FreemanHighberger. The school is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. “It’s a magic corner,” said Freeman-Highberger on a recent afternoon, while a dozen 5- and 6-year-olds worked at easels around the room. “There’s something about children’s energy that is just magical.” But there’s more to it than that.
Freeman-Highberger remembers when Acorn first opened, and she told her husband, Jack Highberger, that they needed four more easels to accommodate their growing classes. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the money to buy them. “The very next day, I came into work, and there were four more easels on the stoop,” FreemanHighberger said. “To this day, I don’t know where they came from.” She mentioned that all they needed now was four stools. “A week later, four new stools showed up. It was like an old
German fairy tale,” she laughed.
Celebrating 30 years
Acorn students, parents and supporters are planning a celebration and fundraiser for Deb and Jack on June 2. “All the proceeds will go to the Acorn to help support their efforts to continue for years to come,” said Norm Brzycki, whose daughter, Sharna, spent years at Acorn and now works in costume design in New York City. “We expect attendees will be local artists, parents, their children and their children’s GALLERY, P. A3