MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford City Council · 2020–2021 Council · Organizational meeting · 6:06 p.m.
January 6, 2020
8 recorded votes, 0 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Present: Ian Abreu, Derek Baptiste, Naomi R. A. Carney, Debora Coelho, Hugh Dunn, Maria E. Giesta, Brian K. Gomes, Scott J. Lima, Joseph P. Lopes, William “Brad” Markey, Linda M. Morad
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Communication, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, notifying of Organizational Meeting of City Council to be held on Monday, January 6, 2020, at 6:00 p.m., in City Council Chambers, for the following purpose: 1. Temporary Organization of the City Council and Election of City Council President Pro…
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #0001).”
Communication, Election Commission reporting the Election of Municipal Officials for 2020. City of New Bedford Board of Election Commissioners 2019 Municipal Election At the Municipal Election held on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, 9,785 voters or 16.4% of the registered voters in the City of New…
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #0002).”
Election of officers
Election of a temporary President (President Pro Tem) to run the organizational meeting
To elect Councillor-Elect Brian K. Gomes as President Pro Tem
From the minutes
“Councillor-Elect Joseph P. Lopes nominates Councillor-Elect Brian K. Gomes. Motion seconded by Councillor-Elect William Brad Markey. City Clerk/Clerk of the Council Dennis W. Farias closes the nominations. Vote is taken on the Election of Councillor-Elect Brian K. Gomes as PRESIDENT PRO TEM –Yeas 11, Nays 0..” (Motion: Lopes, second: Markey)
Election of the 2020 City Council President
To elect Councillor Joseph P. Lopes as 2020 City Council President
From the minutes
“Councillor Hugh Dunn Nominates Councillor Joseph P. Lopes, Councillor Debora Coelho seconds the Nomination. Councillor Hugh Dunn to give Nomination speech on behalf of Councillor Joseph P. Lopes. A ROLL CALL is taken on Election of the President - Yeas 11, Nays 0. President Pro Tem Gomes announces the results of the vote and declares Councillor Joseph P. Lopes Elected President of the City Council for 2020..” (Motion: Dunn, second: Coelho)
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, submitting the Reappointment of Attorney Kreg R. Espinola, New Bedford, MA 02740, as Assistant City Solicitor for a one-year term expiring December 31, 2020.
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Giesta, Gomes, Lima, Lopes, Markey, Morad
From the minutes
“Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #0003).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, submitting the Reappointment of Attorney Eric Jaikes, New Bedford, MA 02740, as Assistant City Solicitor for a one-year term expiring December 31, 2020.
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Giesta, Gomes, Lima, Lopes, Markey, Morad
From the minutes
“Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #0004).”
Written Motion, 2019 City Council President Linda M. Morad, submitting to the Full City Council, the Reappointment of Attorney David J. Gerwatowski, New Bedford, MA 02745, as Legislative Counsel to the City Council for a one-year term, expiring December 31, 2020.
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Giesta, Gomes, Lima, Lopes, Markey, Morad
From the minutes
“Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #0005).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, submitting the Reappointment of Weighers of Merchandise for a one-year term expiring December 31, 2020, from L & S Industries, Inc: Ian McNaught New Bedford, MA Eugene Medeiros Fairhaven, MA Daniel McNaught Lakeville, MA
Rule 38 waived and Reappointments Confirmed
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Carney, Coelho, Dunn, Giesta, Gomes, Lima, Lopes, Markey, Morad
From the minutes
“Rule 38 waived and Reappointments Confirmed – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #0006).”
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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