MassVoter.com← Medford City CouncilMedford City Council · 2022–2023 Council · Regular meeting
March 21, 2023
25 recorded votes, 23 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF)
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: Zac Bears, Richard F. Caraviello, Kit Collins, Adam Knight, George A. Scarpelli, Justin Tseng, Nicole Morell
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Announcements, Accolades, Remembrances, Reports, and Records
Approval — Paper 23-064: Resolution: the Medford City Council send its deepest and sincere condolences to the family of Vincent DiClemente on his recent passing
Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved..” (Motion: Caraviello, second: Scarpelli)
Approval — Paper 23-075: Resolution: the Medford City Council commend and congratulate Joan Gatto on being selected as this year's Citizen of the Year
Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved..” (Motion: Caraviello, second: Scarpelli)
Records
Approval — Paper 23-075: Resolution: the Medford City Council commend and congratulate Joan Gatto on being selected as this year's Citizen of the Year
Vice President Bears moved for approval (Councillor Knight second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved for approval (Councillor Knight second)-approved..” (Motion: Bears, second: Knight)
Reports of Committees
Approve the report — Paper 20-020: February 28, 2023 Committee of the Whole Report. 20-020
Councillor Caraviello moved to approve the report (Councillor Collins second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Caraviello moved to approve the report (Councillor Collins second)-approved..” (Motion: Caraviello, second: Collins)
Approve the report — Paper 22-605: March 8, 2023 Subcommittee on Ordinances and Rules Report. 22-605
Vice President Bears moved to approve the report (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved to approve the report (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved..” (Motion: Bears, second: Caraviello)
Approve the report — Paper 19-070: March 8, 2023 Committee of the Whole Report. 19-070
Councillor Collins moved to approve the report (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Collins moved to approve the report (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved..” (Motion: Collins, second: Caraviello)
Approval — Paper 22-514: March 15, 2023 Committee of the Whole Report. 22-514
Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved..” (Motion: Caraviello, second: Scarpelli)
Motions, Orders, and Resolutions
Approval — Paper 23-065: Resolution: the City Administration provide a dollar-for-dollar breakdown and explanation of all ARPA expenditures to date
Councillor Knight moved for approval (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Knight moved for approval (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved..” (Motion: Knight, second: Caraviello)
Approval — Paper 23-066: Resolution: the Medford City Council request that the potholes on Lawrence Road between Lincoln Road and Governors Avenue be addressed
Councillor Knight moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Knight moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved..” (Motion: Knight, second: Scarpelli)
Approval — Paper 23-067: Resolution: the illegal dumping on Doonan Street be addressed by the City Administration
Councillor Knight moved for approval (Vice President Bears second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Knight moved for approval (Vice President Bears second)-approved..” (Motion: Knight, second: Bears)
Approval — Paper 23-068: Resolution: the Council Leadership and City Clerk implement new agenda and meeting management software for Council agendas, documents, and meetings
Councillor Knight moved for approval (Councillor Tseng second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Knight moved for approval (Councillor Tseng second)-approved..” (Motion: Knight, second: Tseng)
Approval as amended — Paper 23-069: Resolution: the Medford City Council expresses its support of HD.577 and SD.1144, "An Act relative to pesticides." Be it Further Resolved that the City Clerk...
Vice President Bears moved for approval as amended (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved as amended.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved for approval as amended (Councillor Caraviello second)-approved as amended..” (Motion: Bears, second: Caraviello)
Approval — Paper 23-070: Resolution: the Medford City Council again request funding for legal counsel to complete the zoning process in Medford
Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Knight second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Caraviello moved for approval (Councillor Knight second)-approved..” (Motion: Caraviello, second: Knight)
Approval — Paper 23-073: Resolution: the City Administration present an update on the Capital Improvement Plan
Vice President Bears moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved for approval (Councillor Scarpelli second)-approved..” (Motion: Bears, second: Scarpelli)
Refer the paper to the Committee of the Whole — Paper 23-074: Resolution: we meet in Committee of the Whole to discuss options to increase transparency, accountability, and democratic oversight in...
Vice President Bears moved to refer the paper to the Committee of the Whole (Councillor Knight second)-referred to the Committee of the Whole.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved to refer the paper to the Committee of the Whole (Councillor Knight second)-referred to the Committee of the Whole..” (Motion: Bears, second: Knight)
Communications from the Mayor
Approve the paper for first reading — Paper 23-044: Loan Order Opinion $1,500,000 Sidewalk Construction and Equipment Bonds
Councillor Collins moved to approve the paper for first reading (Councillor Tseng second)-approved for first reading on a roll call vote of five in favor and two opposed (Councillor Knight and Councillor Scarpelli).
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Collins, Morell, TsengNo: Knight, Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Councillor Collins moved to approve the paper for first reading (Councillor Tseng second)-approved for first reading on a roll call vote of five in favor and two opposed (Councillor Knight and Councillor Scarpelli)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Suspend the rules to take Paper 23-071
At 9:02 p.m., Councillor Knight moved to suspend the rules to take Paper 23-071 (Vice President Bears second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“At 9:02 p.m., Councillor Knight moved to suspend the rules to take Paper 23-071 (Vice President Bears second)-approved..” (Motion: Knight, second: Bears)
Approval — Paper 23-071: Use of Free Cash
Councillor Scarpelli moved for approval (Vice President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Scarpelli moved for approval (Vice President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Scarpelli, second: Bears)
Revert to the regular order of business
At 9:10 p.m., Vice President Bears moved to revert to the regular order of business (Councillor Tseng second)-approved.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“At 9:10 p.m., Vice President Bears moved to revert to the regular order of business (Councillor Tseng second)-approved..” (Motion: Bears, second: Tseng)
Approve for first reading, but to exclude the Mayor and the City Council — Paper 23-059: Proposed Wage Adjustment for Non-Union Personnel
Vice President Bears moved to approve for first reading, but to exclude the Mayor and the City Council (Councillor Collins second)-approved for first reading, with the Mayor and City Council excluded, on a roll call vote of five in favor and two opposed (Councillor Knight and Councillor Scarpelli).
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Collins, Morell, TsengNo: Knight, Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved to approve for first reading, but to exclude the Mayor and the City Council (Councillor Collins second)-approved for first reading, with the Mayor and City Council excluded, on a roll call vote of five in favor and two opposed (Councillor Knight and Councillor Scarpelli)..” (Motion: Bears, second: Collins)
Approve the appropriation of $378,453.90 — Paper 23-060: Use of Free Cash
Councillor Collins moved to approve the appropriation of $378,453.90 (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and two opposed (Councillor Knight and Councillor Scarpelli).
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Collins, Morell, TsengNo: Knight, Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Councillor Collins moved to approve the appropriation of $378,453.90 (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and two opposed (Councillor Knight and Councillor Scarpelli)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Approve the rest of the bullet points in item one — Paper 23-060: Use of Free Cash
Councillor Collins moved to approve the rest of the bullet points in item one (Vice President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Caraviello, Collins, Knight, Morell, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Councillor Collins moved to approve the rest of the bullet points in item one (Vice President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Bears)
Refer the paper to the Committee of the Whole — Paper 23-061: Stabilization Fund Establishment and Funding
Vice President Bears moved to refer the paper to the Committee of the Whole (Councillor Caraviello second)-referred to the Committee of the Whole.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Vice President Bears moved to refer the paper to the Committee of the Whole (Councillor Caraviello second)-referred to the Committee of the Whole..” (Motion: Bears, second: Caraviello)
Table and further moved to request a legal opinion from the City Solicitor on whether a vote a previous Council has taken still stands, based on that cited legal opinion from the City Solicitor —...
Councillor Knight moved to table and further moved to request a legal opinion from the City Solicitor on whether a vote a previous Council has taken still stands, based on that cited legal opinion from the City Solicitor (Councillor Caraviello second)-tabled.
The records give the result only, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“Councillor Knight moved to table and further moved to request a legal opinion from the City Solicitor on whether a vote a previous Council has taken still stands, based on that cited legal opinion from the City Solicitor (Councillor Caraviello second)-tabled..” (Motion: Knight, second: Caraviello)
Adjournment
Adjourn at 10:37 p.m
Councillor Knight moved to adjourn at 10:37 p.m. (Vice President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Knight moved to adjourn at 10:37 p.m. (Vice President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Knight, second: Bears)
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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