MassVoter.com← Medford City CouncilMedford City Council · 2024–2025 Council · Regular meeting
June 11, 2024
21 recorded votes, 8 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: Anna Callahan, Kit Collins, Emily Lazzaro, Matt Leming, George A. Scarpelli, Justin Tseng, Zac Bears
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Announcements, Accolades, Remembrances, Reports, and Records
Approval — Paper 24-405: Resolution: the Medford City Council congratulate Mr
Councillor Scarpelli moved for approval (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Scarpelli moved for approval (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Scarpelli, second: Collins)
Approval — Paper 24-409: Resolution: we congratulate the Medford High School Class of 2024 on their graduation and send them our best wishes as they begin their next adventure
Councillor Tseng moved for approval (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Tseng moved for approval (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Tseng, second: Collins)
Approval — Paper 24-411: Resolution: we congratulate the volunteer organizers, hosts, and attendees of Medford Porchfest 2024 on an incredible day of music and community building
Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Callahan second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Callahan second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Callahan)
Records
Approval — Records of the meeting of May 28th, 2024
Councillor Leming moved for approval (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Leming moved for approval (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Leming, second: Lazzaro)
Reports of Committees
Approval — Paper 23-449: Public Health and Community Safety Committee, June 5, 2024, Report. 23-449
Councillor Lazzaro moved for approval (Councillor Callahan second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Lazzaro moved for approval (Councillor Callahan second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Lazzaro, second: Callahan)
Hearings
Approve the grant of location pending expiration of the six-day public comment period, with the conditions recommended by the City Engineer — Paper 24-357: Legal notice petition for grant of...
Vice President Collins moved to approve the grant of location pending expiration of the six-day public comment period, with the conditions recommended by the City Engineer ( Councillor Callahan second)-approved, pending expiration of the six-day public comment period, with the conditions recommended by the City Engineer, on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the grant of location pending expiration of the six-day public comment period, with the conditions recommended by the City Engineer ( Councillor Callahan second)-approved, pending expiration of the six-day public comment period, with the conditions recommended by the City Engineer, on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Callahan)
Approve the zoning changes to be ordained, including the recommendation from the Community Development Board regarding moving the number 4 superscript for the footnotes from the left-most column...
Vice President Collins moved to approve the zoning changes to be ordained, including the recommendation from the Community Development Board regarding moving the number 4 superscript for the footnotes from the left-most column to the parking column ( Councillor Leming second)-approved to be ordained, including the recommendation from the Community Development Board as noted above, on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the zoning changes to be ordained, including the recommendation from the Community Development Board regarding moving the number 4 superscript for the footnotes from the left-most column to the parking column ( Councillor Leming second)-approved to be ordained, including the recommendation from the Community Development Board as noted above, on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Leming)
Petitions, Presentations, and Similar Papers
Grant the license — Paper 24-406: Petition For a Common Victualler License - Dave's Hot Chicken - CQ Chicken Medford, LLC
Councillor Scarpelli moved to grant the license (Councillor Lazzaro second)-license granted on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Scarpelli moved to grant the license (Councillor Lazzaro second)-license granted on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Scarpelli, second: Lazzaro)
Motions, Orders, and Resolutions
Suspend the rules to take Papers 24-415, 24-045, 24-410, 24-413, and 24-414, and further moved to join those papers for further consideration, and further moved to suspend Rule 21
At 7:44 p.m., Vice President Collins moved to suspend the rules to take Papers 24-415, 24-045, 24-410, 24-413, and 24-414, and further moved to join those papers for further consideration, and further moved to suspend Rule 21 (Councillor Callahan second) -approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“At 7:44 p.m., Vice President Collins moved to suspend the rules to take Papers 24-415, 24-045, 24-410, 24-413, and 24-414, and further moved to join those papers for further consideration, and further moved to suspend Rule 21 (Councillor Callahan second) -approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Callahan)
Communications from the Mayor
Divide the question and further moved to consider each item in the following order: Paper 24-413, the debt exclusion; Paper 24-414, the $3.5 million Proposition 2.5 override proposed by the Mayor;...
Vice President Collins moved to divide the question and further moved to consider each item in the following order: Paper 24-413, the debt exclusion; Paper 24-414, the $3.5 million Proposition 2.5 override proposed by the Mayor; 24-415, the $4 million override proposed by President Bears and Vice President Collins; 24-410, the ARPA allocation; and 24-045, the budget proposal (Councillor Tseng second)-question divided and papers considered as ordered above on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to divide the question and further moved to consider each item in the following order: Paper 24-413, the debt exclusion; Paper 24-414, the $3.5 million Proposition 2.5 override proposed by the Mayor; 24-415, the $4 million override proposed by President Bears and Vice President Collins; 24-410, the ARPA allocation; and 24-045, the budget proposal (Councillor Tseng second)-question divided and papers considered as ordered above on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Strike the words "FY 2025" from the text of the ballot questions in both Papers 24-414 and 24-415, including where the phrase appears a second time in Paper 24-414
Vice President Collins moved to strike the words "FY 2025" from the text of the ballot questions in both Papers 24-414 and 24-415, including where the phrase appears a second time in Paper 24-414 (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to strike the words "FY 2025" from the text of the ballot questions in both Papers 24-414 and 24-415, including where the phrase appears a second time in Paper 24-414 (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Approve the paper for placement on the ballot — Paper 24-413: [A communication from Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn] Ordered: That the City, pursuant to G.L. c.59, §21C(k), shall seek voter approval at...
Vice President Collins moved to approve the paper for placement on the ballot ( Councillor Tseng second)-paper approved for placement on the ballot on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the paper for placement on the ballot ( Councillor Tseng second)-paper approved for placement on the ballot on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Approve the paper for placement on the ballot as amended in action above — Paper 24-414: [A communication from Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn] Ordered: That the City, pursuant to G.L. c.59, §21C(g),...
Vice President Collins moved to approve the paper for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (Councillor Leming second)-approved for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (words "FY 2025" stricken) on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the paper for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (Councillor Leming second)-approved for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (words "FY 2025" stricken) on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Leming)
Approve the paper for placement on the ballot as amended in action above — Paper 24-415: Ordered: That the City, pursuant to G.L. c.59, §21C(g), shall seek voter approval at the biennial state...
Vice President Collins moved to approve the paper for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (Councillor Callahan second)-approved for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (words "FY 2025" stricken) on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the paper for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (Councillor Callahan second)-approved for placement on the ballot as amended in action above (words "FY 2025" stricken) on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Callahan)
Approval — Paper 24-410: Mayor’s request: appropriate an additional One Million Seven Hundred Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and Zero Cents ($1,750,000.00) in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)...
Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Lazzaro)
Approve the FY 2025 budget — Paper 24-045: Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Submissions - Corrected
Vice President Collins moved to approve the FY 2025 budget (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed.
Yes: Bears, Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the FY 2025 budget (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and Councillor Scarpelli opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Approval — Paper 24-404: Offered by Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn Request for a Food Truck Permit for "Chicken and Rice Guys" - June 15, 2024 at Circle the Square On behalf of the below ent
Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Lazzaro)
Motions, Orders, and Resolutions
Receive and place on file — Paper 24-412: Whereas substance use disorder is recognized as a disease by the medical community, and
Councillor Lazzaro moved to receive and place on file (President Bears second)-received and placed on file on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Councillor Lazzaro moved to receive and place on file (President Bears second)-received and placed on file on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Lazzaro, second: Bears)
Suspend the rules to take Paper 24-416 under suspension
President Bears moved to suspend the rules to take Paper 24-416 under suspension (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“President Bears moved to suspend the rules to take Paper 24-416 under suspension (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Bears, second: Tseng)
Approval — Paper 24-416: Resolution: the Medford City Council recognize and celebrate Caribbean- American Heritage Month
Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved for approval (Councillor Tseng second)-approved on a roll call vote of seven in favor and zero opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Tseng)
Unfinished Business
Adjourn at 11:52 p.m
Vice President Collins moved to adjourn at 11:52 p.m. (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and Councillor Leming and President Bears opposed.
Yes: Callahan, Collins, Lazzaro, Scarpelli, TsengNo: Bears, Leming
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to adjourn at 11:52 p.m. (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and Councillor Leming and President Bears opposed..” (Motion: Collins, second: Lazzaro)
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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