MassVoter.com← Medford City CouncilMedford City Council · 2024–2025 Council · Regular meeting
August 5, 2025
17 recorded votes, 8 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Note on these minutes: The roll call lists Anna Callahan as both present and absent; this councillor is counted absent unless shown voting. The roll call marks Anna Callahan absent.
Present: Kit Collins, Emily Lazzaro, Matt Leming, George A. Scarpelli, Justin Tseng, Zac Bears
Absent: Anna Callahan
Every vote, in order
Announcements, Accolades, Remembrances, Reports, and Records
Approve — Records of the meeting of July 15, 2025
Councilor Leming moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Councilor Leming moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Leming, second: Lazzaro)
Reports of Committees
Approve the committee report — Paper 19-070: Committee of the Whole, July 15, 2025, Report
Councilor Lazzaro moved to approve the committee report (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Councilor Lazzaro moved to approve the committee report (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Lazzaro, second: Collins)
Approve the committee report — Paper 24-033: Planning and Permitting Committee, July 16, 2025, Report
Vice President Collins moved to approve the committee report (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli), and one absent (Callahan).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve the committee report (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli), and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Leming)
Petitions, Presentations, and Similar Papers
Table — Paper 25-121: Petition for a Common Victualler's License - CB Scoops
Councilor Scarpelli moved to table (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Councilor Scarpelli moved to table (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Scarpelli, second: Leming)
Suspend the rules to take papers 25-127, 25-128, 25- 125, and 25-126 out of order
Vice President Collins moved to suspend the rules to take papers 25-127, 25-128, 25- 125, and 25-126 out of order (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to suspend the rules to take papers 25-127, 25-128, 25- 125, and 25-126 out of order (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Leming)
Approve — Paper 25-127: Commission Medford Call For Election September 2025
Vice President Collins moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Lazzaro)
Approve — Paper 25-128: Commission Medford Election Warrant September 2025
Vice President Collins moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Lazzaro)
Motions, Orders, and Resolutions
Approve — Paper 25-125: Offered by Isaac Bears, Council President MBTA Bus Stop Improvements Presentation
Vice President Collins moved to approve (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli), and one absent (Callahan).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli), and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Leming)
Communications from the Mayor
Approve — Paper 25-126: Medford Community Garden Commission Appointment - Mark L. Lalli
Councilor Leming moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Councilor Leming moved to approve (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Leming, second: Lazzaro)
Motions, Orders, and Resolutions
Table — Paper 25-103
Vice President Collins moved to table (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to table (Councilor Leming second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Leming)
Waive the reading for a summary by the proponent
President Bears moved to waive the reading for a summary by the proponent (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli) and one absent (Callahan).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“President Bears moved to waive the reading for a summary by the proponent (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli) and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Bears, second: Lazzaro)
Approve for first reading — Paper 25-105: Proposed Medford Values-Aligned Local Investments Ordinance CHAPTER 2
President Bears moved to approve for first reading (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli) and one absent (Callahan).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“President Bears moved to approve for first reading (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli) and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Bears, second: Lazzaro)
Approve a B-paper requesting that the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability release a statement articulating the recommendations of the Community Development Board regarding the...
Councilor Scarpelli moved to approve a B-paper requesting that the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability release a statement articulating the recommendations of the Community Development Board regarding the approved Salem Street Neighborhood Corridor District zoning and which recommendations the Council voted to accept (President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan).
From the minutes
“Councilor Scarpelli moved to approve a B-paper requesting that the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability release a statement articulating the recommendations of the Community Development Board regarding the approved Salem Street Neighborhood Corridor District zoning and which recommendations the Council voted to accept (President Bears second)-approved on a roll call vote of six in favor and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Scarpelli, second: Bears)
Approve for main paper — Paper 25-123: Whereas, on July 16, 2025, the Council President outlined a shared path forward for Medford's Zoning Updates Project that outlined a clear and responsive approa
President Bears moved to approve for main paper (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli) and one absent (Callahan).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, TsengNo: Scarpelli
From the minutes
“President Bears moved to approve for main paper (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli) and one absent (Callahan)..” (Motion: Bears, second: Lazzaro)
Table — Paper 25-124: Tree Committee Ordinance
Councilor Leming moved to table (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and two absent (Callahan and Tseng).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, ScarpelliThe records list Justin Tseng as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Councilor Leming moved to table (Vice President Collins second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and two absent (Callahan and Tseng)..” (Motion: Leming, second: Collins)
Communications from the Mayor
Approve for third reading — Paper 25-118: Personnel Ordinance
Vice President Collins moved to approve for third reading (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of four in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli), and two absent (Callahan and Tseng).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, LemingNo: ScarpelliThe records list Justin Tseng as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Vice President Collins moved to approve for third reading (Councilor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of four in favor, one opposed (Scarpelli), and two absent (Callahan and Tseng)..” (Motion: Collins, second: Lazzaro)
Adjournment
Adjourn at 1:35 a.m
Councilor Leming moved to adjourn at 1:35 a.m. (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and two absent (Callahan and Tseng).
Yes: Bears, Collins, Lazzaro, Leming, ScarpelliThe records list Justin Tseng as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Councilor Leming moved to adjourn at 1:35 a.m. (Councillor Lazzaro second)-approved on a roll call vote of five in favor and two absent (Callahan and Tseng)..” (Motion: Leming, 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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