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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 2015; organizational meeting January 4, 2016. Council Presidents: Linda M. Morad (2016), Joseph P. Lopes (2017). Ward 3: Henry G. Bousquet resigned effective February 1, 2017; Hugh Dunn is first listed as the Ward 3 councilor on April 27, 2017. The city has not posted council minutes for most meetings from May to December 2017, so those meetings are not here. Covers 44 meetings, January 4 to June 22, 2017.
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.
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Councilors
PresidentJoseph P. LopesCouncil President (2017) · Ward 5 · at 40 of 44 meetings
1st Vice PresidentLinda M. MoradCouncil President (2016); First Vice President (2017) · At-large · at 43 of 44 meetings
Ian AbreuCity Councilor · At-large · at 43 of 44 meetingsHenry G. BousquetCity Councilor · Ward 3 · at 30 of 32 meetings · until Jan 2017
Naomi R. A. CarneyCity Councilor · At-large · at 43 of 44 meetingsDebora CoelhoCity Councilor · At-large · at 43 of 44 meetingsHugh DunnCity Councilor · Ward 3 · at 8 of 8 meetings · from Apr 2017
Brian K. GomesCity Councilor · At-large · at 41 of 44 meetingsSteven MartinsCity Councilor · Ward 2 · at 43 of 44 meetingsJames D. OliveiraCity Councilor · Ward 1 · at 40 of 44 meetingsDana L. RebeiroCity Councilor · Ward 4 · at 43 of 44 meetingsKerry M. WintersonCity Councilor · Ward 5 · at 41 of 44 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 22Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order…Motion: Motion was made to Refer the matter to the Committee on…Failed 5–5 · No: Carney, Dunn, Gomes, Martins, Winterson
June 22, 2017: Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order to accept MGL Chapter 32B, Sections 21 through 23 to provide the City with the tools necessary to implement changes to…
Motion was made to Refer the matter to the Committee on Appointment and Briefings – FAILED
Yes: Abreu, Coelho, Morad, Oliveira, RebeiroNo: Carney, Dunn, Gomes, Martins, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“Motion was made to Refer the matter to the Committee on Appointment and Briefings – FAILED – Yeas 5, Nays 5. (Councillors Carney, Dunn, Gomes, Martins and Winterson OPPOSED.) (Matter #1017).”
Jun 22Ordered, that the City of New Bedford hereby accepts…Motion: Motion was made to Refer the matter to the Committee on…Failed 5–5 · No: Carney, Dunn, Gomes, Martins, Winterson
June 22, 2017: Ordered, that the City of New Bedford hereby accepts M.g.l. Chapter 32B, section 21, 22, and 23, pertaining to health insurance benefits.
Motion was made to Refer the matter to the Committee on Appointment and Briefings – FAILED
Yes: Abreu, Coelho, Morad, Oliveira, RebeiroNo: Carney, Dunn, Gomes, Martins, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“Motion was made to Refer the matter to the Committee on Appointment and Briefings – FAILED – Yeas 5, Nays 5. (Councillors Carney, Dunn, Gomes, Martins and Winterson OPPOSED.) (Matter #1018).”
Jun 22Ordered, that the City of New Bedford hereby accepts…Motion: Motion was made for ADOPTION – FAILEDFailed 0–10 · No: Abreu, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira, Rebeiro, Winterson
June 22, 2017: Ordered, that the City of New Bedford hereby accepts M.g.l. Chapter 32B, section 21, 22, and 23, pertaining to health insurance benefits.
Motion was made for ADOPTION – FAILED
No: Abreu, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira, Rebeiro, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“Motion was made for ADOPTION – FAILED – Yeas 0, Nays 10. (Matter #1018).”
Jun 22Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order…Motion: Referred to the Committee on Appointments and BriefingsReferred 7–3 · No: Martins, Morad, Winterson
June 22, 2017: Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order that the City hereby waives its rights to an appraisal and to damages relating to the temporary easements shown as Te-10,…
Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings
Yes: Abreu, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Oliveira, RebeiroNo: Martins, Morad, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings – Yeas 7, Nays 3. (Councillors Martins, Morad and Winterson OPPOSED.) (Matter #1019).”
Jun 22An Order,Motion: Referred to the Committee on Appointments and BriefingsReferred 7–3 · No: Martins, Morad, Winterson
June 22, 2017: An Order,
Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings
Yes: Abreu, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Oliveira, RebeiroNo: Martins, Morad, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings – Yeas 7, Nays 3. (Councillors Martins, Morad, and Winterson OPPOSED.) (Matter #1020).”
Jun 22Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order…Motion: Motion was made to Refer this matter to the Committee on…Failed 5–5 · No: Gomes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira, Winterson
June 22, 2017: Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order for the Transfer of $1,999,210.00 from Water, Capital Outlay, to Water, Other Charges.
Motion was made to Refer this matter to the Committee on Finance – FAILED
Yes: Abreu, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, RebeiroNo: Gomes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“Motion was made to Refer this matter to the Committee on Finance – FAILED – Yeas 5, Nays 5. (Councillors Gomes, Martins, Morad, Oliveira and Winterson OPPOSED.) (Matter #1021).”
Jun 22Ordered, that the sum of One Hundred Eighty Thousand…Motion: ADOPTED – FAILEDFailed 3–7 · No: Abreu, Carney, Gomes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, Winterson
June 22, 2017: Ordered, that the sum of One Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($180,000.00) now standing to the credit of the account from Free Cash be and the same is hereby transferred and…
ADOPTED – FAILED
Yes: Coelho, Dunn, OliveiraNo: Abreu, Carney, Gomes, Martins, Morad, Rebeiro, WintersonAbsent: Lopes
From the minutes
“ADOPTED – FAILED – Yeas 3, Nays 7. (Councillors Coelho Dunn and Oliviera IN FAVOR.) (Matter #0590).”
Jun 8Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a Resolution…Motion: RECONSIDERATION AdoptedPassed 8–2 · No: Carney, Morad
June 8, 2017: Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to apply for federal financial assistance from the United State of America and submitting the Final Fiscal Year…
RECONSIDERATION Adopted
Yes: Abreu, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Lopes, Martins, Oliveira, WintersonNo: Carney, Morad
From the minutes
“RECONSIDERATION Adopted – Yeas 8, Nays 2. (Councillors Carney and Morad OPPOSED.) (Matter #0870).”
Jun 8Authorizing the Mayor to Apply for Federal Financial Assistance…Motion: RECONSIDERATION AdoptedPassed 8–2 · No: Carney, Morad
June 8, 2017: Authorizing the Mayor to Apply for Federal Financial Assistance from the United States of America Whereas, The City of New Bedford desires to continue its participation in Community Development Block…
RECONSIDERATION Adopted
Yes: Abreu, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Lopes, Martins, Oliveira, WintersonNo: Carney, Morad
From the minutes
“RECONSIDERATION Adopted – Yeas 8, Nays 2. (Councillors Carney and Morad OPPOSED.) (Matter #0871).”
Jun 8Final Fiscal Year 2017 Department of Planning, Housing and…Motion: RECONSIDERATION AdoptedPassed 8–2 · No: Carney, Morad
June 8, 2017: Final Fiscal Year 2017 Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development Action Plan. Received and Placed on File. Councillor Winterson voted on the prevailing side made a motion to Reconsider.
RECONSIDERATION Adopted
Yes: Abreu, Coelho, Dunn, Gomes, Lopes, Martins, Oliveira, WintersonNo: Carney, Morad
From the minutes
“RECONSIDERATION Adopted – Yeas 8, Nays 2. (Councillors Carney and Morad OPPOSED.) (Matter #0872).”
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.
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