Town Meeting Approves $1M Override, Rejects Trust

Town Meeting · Meeting of May 16, 2026

Nahant Town Meeting approved a $1 million property tax override for fire staffing and school support, 175-33, sending it to a townwide ballot. Fire Chief Austin Antrim told residents the department's two-person on-duty staffing hasn't changed in 120 years even as call volume nearly doubled over two decades, warning "I would not make this request if I wasn't 100% certain that this is needed." A smaller $650,000 alternative override failed 75-135. Members also voted down, 88-60, a proposed Nahant Affordable Housing Trust that needed a two-thirds majority, after opponent Dan McMacken argued "I think this needs to go back to the drawing board" over its unelected trustees.

The level-services budget passed 189-6, and a Community Preservation funding package, including $45,000 for ballfield lighting, passed 71-43.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Nahant's community access TV: Town Meeting meeting, May 16, 2026
• The complete report: 1,013 words

Source: the Town Meeting meeting of May 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.