By: State Rep. Ryan Hamilton 5-24
I’m happy to report that the House Budget has been passed and that Methuen and Haverhill did well in this year’s house budget.
In Chapter 70, Methuen received 68.62 million, while Haverhill received 87.97 million. In Unrestricted local aid, Methuen received 6.56 million, and Haverhill received 11.87 million.
For Methuen, we secured money for Care Solace. Care Solace is a program that will provide every resident of Methuen with the ability to have a virtual meeting with a mental health professional within 24 to 48 hours of the request. This will be a game changer for anyone living in Methuen. Anyone who has tried to secure a mental health visit knows that it usually takes months to secure an appointment.
Care Solace will change that. It has already been implemented in Methuen public schools successfully and will now be available to all residents.
Moving on to Haverhill, I secured funding for the Cogswell Art Center. Cogswell will provide Artspace for artists throughout the Merrimack Valley. This former school in Bradford will be a premier arts and performance space in the region once completed. This is my second year securing this project funding, and I look forward to continuing to work with them until Cogswell is up and running.
Next was Haverhill Inner City Boxing Club, which will receive an earmark to overhaul their weight room. This will allow the club to expand its role within the boxing community and allow those who box there to enjoy a whole boxing training experience. I look forward to touring the gym again and talking with attendees about how the new equipment has enhanced their experience.
Last, I secured money for Historic New England. Located in Haverhill, Historic New England, I believe it has the most incredible collection of local and regional historic artifacts in the Commonwealth. They are planning an enormous project to further enhance their facility and downtown Haverhill as a destination city.
This project would allow Historic New England to display their Litany of artifacts in their collection and allow residents throughout the region to tour and view our shared history.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact my office with any ideas, concerns, or questions at ryan.hamilton@mahouse.gov or 617-722-2090.