HAVERHILL — Speaking passionately during public comment at the Thursday, June 11, 2026, Haverhill School Committee meeting, Haverhill parent Stephen Costa urged city and school officials to take a broader view of the district’s budget debate, arguing that higher wages for educational support professionals, deteriorating building conditions, student safety concerns, and public safety funding all need to be weighed together.
Costa, of 70 Jackson Street Extension, said he was speaking “as a parent in the system” amid what he described as a “social media frenzy about the budget.” Costa’s LinkedIn profile lists him as a manager at Valley Rinks in Haverhill. He has also publicly advocated for Haverhill Fire Department staffing and equipment through Citizens for Haverhill Fire.
“First things first, we need to go to the table on the city side,” Costa said. “And I agree with the mayor and Mr. Grannemann at some points of that maybe we can’t afford to make an increase in the school budget.”
Costa said he agreed with the union’s argument that ESPs (i.e., Educational Support Professionals) need higher wages, but said building issues also need attention.
“I agree with the union’s points of needing to give the ESPs a livable wage, but we need to address our infrastructural issues before we can address anything else,” Costa said. “We have a brand new school on South Main Street, that is not even 12 years old, and one half of the upper school doesn’t have proper AC for this heat.”
Costa added that students with seasonal allergies are affected when windows are open during high-pollen periods.
“We need to start talking about the buildings that we’re educating our children in,” Costa said.
Costa also raised concerns about the cost of the district’s career and technical education (CTE) program, saying it was originally introduced as something that would not be “counterproductive” to Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School. He said some “great students” are not getting into Whittier and are instead being “forced to the high school or other educational opportunities,” while the city is also facing higher community fees. “How much more are the taxpayers going to pay?” Costa asked. He added, “At this point now, we are at a crossroads now as a community of educating our kids or public safety, which is not where we should be at.”
Costa then credited Mayor Melinda Barrett for her handling of the budget.
“The mayor has done everything she possibly can, and I believe you, Mayor Barrett, that you’ve done everything you possibly can, exhausted every avenue to come to the table with a better proposal for a budget,” Costa said.
Costa also raised student safety concerns, including crossing-guard coverage.
“First and foremost, the student safety should come into play,” Costa said. “And if a crosswalk is mandated for a crossing guard to be there, it should be done.”
Costa concluded by addressing concerns involving public safety.
“I’ll make it clear, there will be not one firefighter laid off under Mayor Barrett’s administration as committed and certainly not under my watch,” Costa said.
After Costa finished speaking, no committee members responded to his comments, and the committee moved on to the attitudes and behavior study survey results.
