MassVoter.com← New BedfordMunicipal votes · 2014–2015 Council
New Bedford City Council
How the New Bedford City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 11 councilors: 5 at-large and 6 ward councilors. Elected November 2013; organizational meeting January 6, 2014. Council Presidents: Joseph P. Lopes (2014), Brian K. Gomes (2015). The city has posted only agendas for the January 9 to April 10, 2014 council meetings, and no council minutes after June 2015, so those meetings are not here. Covers 29 meetings, January 6 to June 25, 2015.
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)Your New Bedford ballot: 15 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Council sessions
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read New Bedford’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Councilors
David AlvesCity Councilor · At-large · at 29 of 29 meetingsHenry G. BousquetCity Councilor · Ward 3 · at 29 of 29 meetings
Naomi R. A. CarneyCity Councilor · At-large · at 29 of 29 meetingsDebora CoelhoCity Councilor · At-large · at 28 of 29 meetings
Joseph P. LopesCouncil President (2014) · Ward 5 · at 29 of 29 meetingsSteven MartinsCity Councilor · Ward 2 · at 29 of 29 meetings
Linda M. MoradCity Councilor · At-large · at 29 of 29 meetingsJames D. OliveiraCity Councilor · Ward 1 · at 28 of 29 meetingsDana L. RebeiroCity Councilor · Ward 4 · at 28 of 29 meetingsKerry M. WintersonCity Councilor · Ward 5 · at 28 of 29 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
Not here yet: the City Clerk has not posted minutes for the February 26, August 25, September 15 and September 24, 2026 meetings, the May 15, 2024 special meeting, or the November 18, 2025 tax classification meeting. For 2022–2023, committee meetings listed on the city calendar without minutes (for example Ordinances on March 16 and December 13, 2022, Finance on December 15, 2022, and Airport on December 14, 2022 and April 20, 2023) are not included. Informal council gatherings and celebration meetings, where no business is voted, are left out. They will be added when posted. On October 7 and 8, 2026 the City Clerk posted corrected minutes for the February 12, March 5, March 12, April 9, April 23, June 11 and June 22, 2026 council meetings, and the February 17, 2026 Appointments and Briefings minutes; those meetings now follow the corrected minutes. A few other minutes have possible errors (noted on those meetings and votes); we have asked the City Clerk to confirm them and will update the record if they are corrected.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Jun 25Written Motion, Councillor Rebeiro, requesting, that Cynthia Wallquist, Director…Motion: Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings – FAILSReferred 5–6 · No: Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira, Winterson
June 25, 2015: Written Motion, Councillor Rebeiro, requesting, that Cynthia Wallquist, Director of Community Services, Debra Lee, Director, Council on Aging, members of the Council on Aging Board, CFO Ari Sky and Seniors…
Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings – FAILS
Yes: Alves, Carney, Coelho, Gomes, RebeiroNo: Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira, Winterson
From the minutes
“Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings – FAILS – Yeas 5, Nays 6 (Councillors Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Oliviera and Winterson OPPOSED.) (Matter #1259).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 9–2 · No: Gomes, Oliveira
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the Chief Financial Officer, Charges and Services by $4,000.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Carney, Coelho, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, WintersonNo: Gomes, Oliveira
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 9, Nays 2. (Council President Gomes and Councillor Oliveira OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 8–3 · No: Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the City Clerk, Salaries and Wages by $2,863.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Carney, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, WintersonNo: Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 8, Nays 3. (Councillor Coelho, Council President Gomes and Councillor Oliveira OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 9–2 · No: Gomes, Oliveira
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the City Council, Salaries and Wages by $4,788.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Carney, Coelho, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, WintersonNo: Gomes, Oliveira
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 9, Nays 2. (Council President Gomes and Councillor Oliveira OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 7–4 · No: Carney, Gomes, Oliveira, Winterson
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, and Rebeiro, duly seconded, to cut the Labor Relations, Salaries and Wages by $55,452.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Coelho, Lopes, Martins, Morad, RebeiroNo: Carney, Gomes, Oliveira, Winterson
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 7, Nays 4. (Councillor Carney, Council President Gomes, Councillors Oliveira and Winterson OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 7–4 · No: Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira, Rebeiro
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the Library, Charges and Services by $10,000.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Carney, Lopes, Martins, Morad, WintersonNo: Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira, Rebeiro
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 7, Nays 4. (Councillor Coelho, Council President Gomes, Councillors Oliviera, and Rebeiro OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 6–5 · No: Carney, Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira, Winterson
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, and Rebeiro duly seconded, to cut the Mayor, Salaries and Wages by $161,969.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, RebeiroNo: Carney, Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira, Winterson
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 6, Nays 5. (Councillors Carney, Coelho, Council President Gomes, Councillors Oliveira, and Winterson OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 7–4 · No: Carney, Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the Mayor, Charges and Services by $10,000.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Lopes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, WintersonNo: Carney, Coelho, Gomes, Oliveira
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 7, Nays 4. (Councillors Carney, Coelho, Council President Gomes, and Councillor Oliviera OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Bousquet, Lopes, Morad, Rebeiro…Motion: AdoptedPassed 6–5 · No: Carney, Gomes, Martins, Oliveira, Winterson
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Bousquet, Lopes, Morad, Rebeiro and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the Mis, Salaries and Wages by $423.00. Adopted – Yeas 10, Nays 1. (Council President…
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Coelho, Lopes, Morad, RebeiroNo: Carney, Gomes, Martins, Oliveira, Winterson
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 6, Nays 5. (Councillor Carney, Council President Gomes, Councillors Martins, Oliviera, and Winterson OPPOSED.).”
Jun 22A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Martins, Morad,…Motion: AdoptedPassed 9–2 · No: Lopes, Oliveira
June 22, 2015 (Special meeting): A written motion by Councillors Alves, Bousquet, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro and Winterson duly seconded, to cut the Planning, Salaries and Wages by $2,738.00.
Adopted
Yes: Alves, Bousquet, Carney, Coelho, Gomes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, WintersonNo: Lopes, Oliveira
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 9, Nays 2. (Councillors Lopes and Oliviera OPPOSED.).”
Committees
Much of the council’s work starts in committee. Each committee’s members, meetings and the recommendations it sent to the full council.
From the official minutes kept by the New Bedford City Clerk (agendas and minutes). The minutes are text documents; we read every action, check every roll-call count against the councilors named, and quote the exact wording. Most items pass by voice vote, and the minutes record only the result for those; how each councilor voted is shown only for roll calls. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Councilor photos: cropped from the City of New Bedford's official 2026 City Council photo (newbedford-ma.gov). The 2024–2025 group photo, and the photos of Maria E. Giesta and Linda M. Morad cropped from it: City of New Bedford, provided by the City Clerk.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →