MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford · Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods · 7:04 p.m.
March 19, 2024
13 recorded votes, 1 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Attendance
Present: Derek Baptiste, Leo Choquette, Brian K. Gomes, Joseph P. Lopes, Linda M. Morad, Shawn Oliver, Ryan J. Pereira
Absent: Ian Abreu, Shane A. Burgo, Naomi R. A. Carney, Maria E. Giesta
During the meeting:
- Morad arrived late (7:16)
Every vote, in order
Written Motion, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods, meet with a Representative from the Mayor’s Office, Police Chief Cordeiro, the Community Development Director Patrick Sullivan, the President of Neighborhoods United, Scott Downing, Executive…
To remove the matter from the table.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To remove the matter from the table..” (Motion: Lopes, second: Oliver)
To send a communication to the Administration and the Chief Financial Officer asking that they reach out to the District Attorney’s Office to see if there are any forfeiture funds available that would allow the City to purchase and install crime watch/prevention signs throughout the City.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Pereira, the Committee VOTED: To send a communication to the Administration and the Chief Financial Officer asking that they reach out to the District Attorney’s Office to see if there are any forfeiture funds available that would allow the City to purchase and install crime watch/prevention signs throughout the City..” (Motion: Lopes, second: Pereira)
To send a memo to Department Heads asking them if they have a database of existing neighborhood crime watch signs.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Pereira and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To send a memo to Department Heads asking them if they have a database of existing neighborhood crime watch signs..” (Motion: Pereira, second: Oliver)
To request that Laurie Alfonso look into what the expense would be for the creation of neighborhood crime watch signs, and report her findings back to the Committee on Public Safety & Neighborhoods.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Pereira and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To request that Laurie Alfonso look into what the expense would be for the creation of neighborhood crime watch signs, and report her findings back to the Committee on Public Safety & Neighborhoods..” (Motion: Pereira, second: Oliver)
To table the item for 60 days.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Pereira, the Committee VOTED: To table the item for 60 days..” (Motion: Lopes, second: Pereira)
Report, Committee on Appointments & Briefings, recommending that the City Council request that Attorney Gerwatowski review the current process for granting of Street Disturbance Permits to determine if the current procedure should be modified and provide the Council more direct responsibility in…
To remove the matter from the table. Mr. Justin Chicca, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Public Infrastructure (DPI), was recognized.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To remove the matter from the table. Mr. Justin Chicca, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Public Infrastructure (DPI), was recognized..” (Motion: Lopes, second: Oliver)
To request that DPI give an opinion on if an eight year moratorium on street disturbances for newly paved streets would be acceptable to them under current guidelines, and that they send their response to the Clerk’s Office for dissemination.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Pereira and seconded by Councillor Lopes, the Committee VOTED: To request that DPI give an opinion on if an eight year moratorium on street disturbances for newly paved streets would be acceptable to them under current guidelines, and that they send their response to the Clerk’s Office for dissemination..” (Motion: Pereira, second: Lopes)
That Councillor Morad work with City Clerk Dennis Farias, Legal Counsel Atty. Gerwatowski and a representative from DPI to see what recommendations they have to tighten the code relating to provisionally granted permits, with the intent to refer the recommendations to the Ordinance Committee.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Morad and seconded by Councillor Pereira, the Committee VOTED: That Councillor Morad work with City Clerk Dennis Farias, Legal Counsel Atty. Gerwatowski and a representative from DPI to see what recommendations they have to tighten the code relating to provisionally granted permits, with the intent to refer the recommendations to the Ordinance Committee..” (Motion: Morad, second: Pereira)
To table the matter for 30 days.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Morad and seconded by Councillor Pereira, the Committee VOTED: To table the matter for 30 days..” (Motion: Morad, second: Pereira)
The following items were not read and were taken up together, without objection. Written Motion, Councillors Gomes and Dunn, requesting, that the City of New Bedford and Massachusetts Department of Transportation immediately conduct a traffic study at the Route 140 North exit to Hathaway Road, this…
To receive and place on file three spreadsheets submitted by the Traffic Department listing five years of accident data for the following locations: 140N on and off ramps at Hathaway Road; 140S on and off ramps at Hathaway Road; Hathaway Road at Rockdale Avenue.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Morad and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To receive and place on file three spreadsheets submitted by the Traffic Department listing five years of accident data for the following locations: 140N on and off ramps at Hathaway Road; 140S on and off ramps at Hathaway Road; Hathaway Road at Rockdale Avenue. (Matter #1788).” (Motion: Morad, second: Oliver)
To send letters to Representatives Cabral and Strauss, Mass Dot and Srpedd requesting that in the future, if they receive an invitation to a meeting and they are unable to attend, that they kindly notify the Committee in advance.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To send letters to Representatives Cabral and Strauss, Mass DOT and SRPEDD requesting that in the future, if they receive an invitation to a meeting and they are unable to attend, that they kindly notify the Committee in advance. (Matter #1788).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Oliver)
To table both matters at this time.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To table both matters at this time. (Matter #1788).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Oliver)
On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee Voted: To recommend that the City Council take “No Further Action” on the following matter: Written Motion, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods meet with the New Bedford…
To recommend that the City Council take “No Further Action” on the following matter: Written Motion, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods meet with the New Bedford Police Union for the purpose of discussing the Union’s concerns expressed in a letter from the Union leadership and the vote of no confidence in Police Chief Paul Oliveira; this letter also
The minutes spell one name “Oliveira”; the only councilor with a similar name is Councilor Oliver, so it is read as Oliver. We have asked the City Clerk to confirm (Oct. 1, 2026).
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee VOTED: To recommend that the City Council take “NO FURTHER ACTION” on the following matter: WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods meet with the New Bedford Police Union for the purpose of discussing the Union’s concerns expressed in a letter from the Union leadership and the vote of no confidence in Police Chief Paul Oliveira; this letter also called on City leadership to look into and address the Union’s concerns. (Referred – November 09, 2023.) (Matter ID #1869) (Matter #1869).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Choquette)
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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