Newbury Select Board Approves Town Day Permit, DPW Labor Deal, and Clam Fee Hike

NEWBURY -- April 14, 2026, Newbury Select Board approves Town Day permit, DPW contract, and first clam fee increase in years. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to grant the Newbury Cultural Council use of Central Street Fields for Newbury Town Day on August 15, 2026, clearing the way for the event's third year while a $13,390 budget request awaits a vote at Annual Town Meeting. The board also authorized Town Administrator Tracy to execute a collective bargaining memorandum of agreement with the DPW following closed-door negotiations, and raised the annual commercial clam permit fee from $300 to $400 for applicants ages 15 to 65, effective January 1, 2027, a change recommended by the Fish Commissioners on April 7 to align Newbury with Rowley's rate. Eleven one-day liquor licenses for the Byfield Community Arts Center were approved, with two events amended from an 11 p.m. to a 10:30 p.m. end time to comply with the venue's entertainment license. Chair Patrick Heffernan told the board a Colonial Power Group report shows the town's aggregation program saved participating residents a combined $330,019 between April and December 2025.