MassVoter.com← MedfordMunicipal votes · 2020–2021 Council
Medford City Council
How the Medford City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 7 councilors, all elected at large. Elected November 2019. First council meeting: January 7, 2020. Zac Bears and Nicole Morell joined the council, succeeding Frederick N. Dello Russo, Jr. and Breanna Lungo-Koehn. Council President: John C. Falco, Jr. in 2020 (Vice President Richard F. Caraviello), then Richard F. Caraviello in 2021 (elected January 5, 2021, 4 to 2, with Zac Bears and Nicole Morell voting no; Vice President Adam Knight, elected by the same vote). Covers 80 meetings, January 7 to December 21, 2021.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the City Council do? It is the city’s lawmaking body. It passes local laws (ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The mayor runs the city day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Council sessions
Coming up
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Councilors
Zac BearsMember · At-large · at 80 of 80 meetingsJohn C. FalcoPresident · At-large · at 80 of 80 meetingsMichael J. MarksMember · At-large · at 79 of 80 meetingsNicole MorellMember · At-large · at 79 of 80 meetings
George A. ScarpelliMember · At-large · at 74 of 80 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the roll call at the start of each meeting in this record. Councilors who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every full Medford City Council meeting with posted records (the council’s official minutes) from January 2, 2018 through August 4, 2026: 281 meetings (regular meetings and special meetings) and 5,311 votes. Committee of the Whole and other council committee meetings are not loaded; committee reports printed inside the council records are not counted as council votes, and neither are earlier votes the records reprint with a paper. The city’s Municode library has council records back to 2003; MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. Not here: regular meetings with no posted records (June 19, September 18 and October 16, 2018; March 10, 2020; March 8, 2022), two 2020 records the library lists but will not open (February 25 and April 28, 2020), special and joint meetings in 2026 with an agenda but no posted minutes (January 21, March 31, April 8, April 14, May 13, May 27, June 3, June 11 and June 24, 2026), and meetings after August 4, 2026 (the September 15 and September 29, 2026 minutes are not posted yet); MassVoter is asking the City Clerk. Two 2018 records were posted with fonts that do not copy as text, and eight records from 2019–2021 were posted as scans (some sideways); MassVoter recovered the text and read them. Medford’s records state most votes as a count, naming any councilor who voted no or was absent (“approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one opposed (Councilor Scarpelli)”), and the roll call at the top lists who was present. When the count adds up with the roll call, we show each councilor’s vote: those named as voting no or abstaining as recorded, those named as absent left out, and the other councilors present voting yes. When the records name the councilors on one side and give only a number for the other, and the numbers add up, the other councilors present are shown on the other side, with a note. Councilors the records say were out of the room, arrived late or left early are left out of the votes taken while they were out, with a note. When a count does not add up with the roll call, we show the count only, with a note (7 votes). Many votes, mostly before 2021, were recorded only as “passed” or “approved” with no count; those 2,352 votes show the result only and are never assumed unanimous. The records usually say who made and seconded each motion; we show both. Elections of the Council President and Vice President are shown as votes for the person elected. The records spelled the title “Councillor” until 2025 and “Councilor” since. We will ask the city to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 21Approval, with a request that DCR hold a pre-…Motion: Vice President Knight moved for approval, with a request that DCR…Passed 6–0 · see note
December 21, 2021: Approval, with a request that DCR hold a pre- construction meeting with abutters — Paper 21-634: Clippership Drive, Medford, Massachusetts Approval of Easement
Vice President Knight moved for approval, with a request that DCR hold a pre- construction meeting with abutters (Councillor Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor, zero opposed, and Councillor Morell briefly absent from the Chamber.
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Falco, Knight, Marks, ScarpelliThe records list Nicole Morell as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Vice President Knight moved for approval, with a request that DCR hold a pre- construction meeting with abutters (Councillor Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor, zero opposed, and Councillor Morell briefly absent from the Chamber..” (Motion: Knight, second: Bears)
Dec 14NOT to adopt a small commercial exemptionMotion: Vice President Knight moved NOT to adopt a small commercial exemption…Passed Unanimous, 7 present · see note
December 14, 2021: NOT to adopt a small commercial exemption
Vice President Knight moved NOT to adopt a small commercial exemption (Councillor Falco second)-small commercial exemption NOT adopted on a roll call vote of seven in favor of not adopting and zero opposed to not adopting.
The motion was not to adopt; a yes vote was a vote not to adopt, and the motion carried.
From the minutes
“Vice President Knight moved NOT to adopt a small commercial exemption (Councillor Falco second)-small commercial exemption NOT adopted on a roll call vote of seven in favor of not adopting and zero opposed to not adopting..” (Motion: Knight, second: Falco)
Dec 14NOT to adopt an open space discount — Paper…Motion: Vice President Knight moved NOT to adopt an open space discount…Passed Unanimous, 7 present · see note
December 14, 2021: NOT to adopt an open space discount — Paper 21-625: Tax hearing
Vice President Knight moved NOT to adopt an open space discount (Councillor Scarpelli second)-open space discount NOT adopted on a roll call vote of seven in favor of not adopting and zero opposed to not adopting.
The motion was not to adopt; a yes vote was a vote not to adopt, and the motion carried.
From the minutes
“Vice President Knight moved NOT to adopt an open space discount (Councillor Scarpelli second)-open space discount NOT adopted on a roll call vote of seven in favor of not adopting and zero opposed to not adopting..” (Motion: Knight, second: Scarpelli)
Dec 7Approval — Paper 21-627: Resolution: the Traffic Engineer evaluate…Motion: Councillor Falco moved for approval (Vice President Knight second)-approved.Passed · see note
December 7, 2021: Approval — Paper 21-627: Resolution: the Traffic Engineer evaluate the recent traffic signal change at the intersection of Harvard Street and Mystic Avenue in the interest of public safety
Councillor Falco moved for approval (Vice President Knight second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Falco moved for approval (Vice President Knight second)-approved..” (Motion: Falco, second: Knight)
Dec 7Approval — Paper 21-628: Resolution: the DPW repair the…Motion: Councillor Falco moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.Passed · see note
December 7, 2021: Approval — Paper 21-628: Resolution: the DPW repair the road in front of 31 Wildwood Road in the interest of public safety
Councillor Falco moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Falco moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved..” (Motion: Falco, second: Scarpelli)
Dec 7Grant the license — Paper 21-629: Petition for Common…Motion: Councillor Scarpelli moved to grant the license (Vice President Knight second)-granted.Passed · see note
December 7, 2021: Grant the license — Paper 21-629: Petition for Common Victualler License by Serina Nazzaro, 14 Putney Circle Billerica, MA 01821 for Assetta Enterprises, Inc
Councillor Scarpelli moved to grant the license (Vice President Knight second)-granted.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Scarpelli moved to grant the license (Vice President Knight second)-granted..” (Motion: Scarpelli, second: Knight)
Dec 7Approval on Agreement 1 — Paper 21-630: Contract OrdinanceMotion: Vice President Knight moved for approval on Agreement 1 (Councillor Bears…Passed 4–3 · No: Falco, Marks, Scarpelli
December 7, 2021: Approval on Agreement 1 — Paper 21-630: Contract Ordinance
Vice President Knight moved for approval on Agreement 1 (Councillor Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of four in favor (Councillor Bears, Vice President Knight, Councillor Morell, and President Caraviello) and three opposed (Councillor Falco, Councillor Marks, and Councillor Scarpelli).
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Knight, MorellNo: Falco, Marks, Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Knight moved for approval on Agreement 1 (Councillor Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of four in favor (Councillor Bears, Vice President Knight, Councillor Morell, and President Caraviello) and three opposed (Councillor Falco, Councillor Marks, and Councillor Scarpelli)..” (Motion: Knight, second: Bears)
Dec 7Approval on Agreement 2 — Paper 21-630: Contract OrdinanceMotion: Councillor Bears moved for approval on Agreement 2 (Vice President Knight…Passed 4–3 · No: Falco, Marks, Scarpelli
December 7, 2021: Approval on Agreement 2 — Paper 21-630: Contract Ordinance
Councillor Bears moved for approval on Agreement 2 (Vice President Knight second)-approved on a roll call vote of four in favor (Councillor Bears, Vice President Knight, Councillor Morell, and President Caraviello) and three opposed (Councillor Falco, Councillor Marks, and Councillor Scarpelli).
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Knight, MorellNo: Falco, Marks, Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Councillor Bears moved for approval on Agreement 2 (Vice President Knight second)-approved on a roll call vote of four in favor (Councillor Bears, Vice President Knight, Councillor Morell, and President Caraviello) and three opposed (Councillor Falco, Councillor Marks, and Councillor Scarpelli)..” (Motion: Bears, second: Knight)
Nov 23Approval — Paper 21-619: Resolution: the Medford City Council…Motion: Vice President Knight motioned for approval (Councillor Falco seconded)-- approvedPassed · see note
November 23, 2021: Approval — Paper 21-619: Resolution: the Medford City Council thank the Sloane Family and all of Century Bank's staff for their philanthropy and contributions to City of Medford
Vice President Knight motioned for approval (Councillor Falco seconded)-- approved
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Knight motioned for approval (Councillor Falco seconded)-- approved.” (Motion: Knight, second: Falco)
Nov 23We need a Committee of the Whole meeting to…Motion: Councilor Marks motioned that We need a Committee of the Whole…Passed · see note
November 23, 2021: We need a Committee of the Whole meeting to bring us up to date after Thanksgiving to discuss the ongoing audit being done in the Clerk collections department. We could…
Councilor Marks motioned that We need a Committee of the Whole meeting to bring us up to date after Thanksgiving to discuss the ongoing audit being done in the Clerk collections department. We could invite the city administration President Caraviello believes Lorry Goldberg o K P Law wants two clerks from two different towns to review the Clerk's office Vice President Knight (point of information) K P Law was cut out of the budget. Councillor Morell: Are personnel going to be discussed at the Committee of the Whole they are given proper notice. Councillor Marks- how is a city vendor able to issue an audit of a city department? Our City Solicitor Kim Scanlon is a capable city solicitor. Why is a vendor starting an audit. It makes no sense at all. Vice President Knight agrees with Councillor Marks We need to have a meeting to discuss this situation. Councillor Falco this situation is frustrating to me as a councillor. I would like to see the timeline of when events began. Vice President Knight It should be a Wednesday night meeting. Public discussion Patricia B. Doherty 235 Winthrop Street, Medford, MA Vice President Knight It is under purview of the administration that has a department head in the board that's required to make sure that they are in compliance. Councillor Bears the election has been certified. Deborah O'Malley from the Secretary of States Office no voter did anything wrong everybody that voted voted legally Public discussion Andrew Castanetti 23 Cushing Street,
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councilor Marks motioned that We need a Committee of the Whole meeting to bring us up to date after Thanksgiving to discuss the ongoing audit being done in the Clerk collections department. We could invite the city administration President Caraviello believes Lorry Goldberg o K P Law wants two clerks from two different towns to review the Clerk's office Vice President Knight (point of information) K P Law was cut out of the budget. Councillor Morell: Are personnel going to be discussed at the Committee of the Whole they are given proper notice. Councillor Marks- how is a city vendor able to issue an audit of a city department? Our City Solicitor Kim Scanlon is a capable city solicitor. Why is a vendor starting an audit. It makes no sense at all. Vice President Knight agrees with Councillor Marks We need to have a meeting to discuss this situation. Councillor Falco this situation is frustrating to me as a councillor. I would like to see the timeline of when events began. Vice President Knight It should be a Wednesday night meeting. Public discussion Patricia B. Doherty 235 Winthrop Street, Medford, MA Vice President Knight It is under purview of the administration that has a department head in the board that's required to make sure that they are in compliance. Councillor Bears the election has been certified. Deborah O'Malley from the Secretary of States Office no voter did anything wrong everybody that voted voted legally Public discussion Andrew Castanetti 23 Cushing Street, Medford, MA President Caraviello on the motion of Councillor Marks as amended by Vice President Knight that a Committee of the Whole meeting be held as soon as possible ( seconded by Vice President Knight) motion-- passed.” (Motion: Marks, second: Knight)
From the Medford City Council’s official records (its minutes), posted in the city’s Municode document library (Council Records) and on its CivicClerk meeting portal. We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Councilor photos: City of Medford (medfordma.org), cropped from the captioned 2026 City Council photo on the official City Council page (Gotta Know Media). Justin Tseng: Harvard Law School. Former councilors show initials.
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