MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford · Committee on Appointments and Briefings · 6:07 p.m.
December 9, 2025
3 recorded votes, 1 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Attendance
Present: Ian Abreu, Derek Baptiste, Shane A. Burgo, Naomi R. A. Carney, Brian K. Gomes, Linda M. Morad, Shawn Oliver, Ryan J. Pereira
Absent: Leo Choquette, Joseph P. Lopes
During the meeting:
- Pereira arrived late (6:16)
Every vote, in order
Communication, Councillor Gomes, submitting a Host Community Agreement Proposal Application on behalf of Shamar James, Founder/CEO of THConnect, LLC, dba Houz of Diesel, seeking to operate a co-located adult-use marijuana retail and product manufacturing establishment at 301 Herman Melville…
To remove the matter from the table.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Gomes and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To remove the matter from the table. (Matter #0116).” (Motion: Gomes, second: Oliver)
To immediately send a letter to the Mayor asking him to enter into a Host Community Agreement (Hca) with the Houz of Diesel enabling the organization to seek reimbursement from the State for funds previously expended. This passed on a roll call vote of Yeas 9, Nays 0.
The minutes record 9–0, more votes than the 8 councilors listed as present; this looks like a typo. Individual votes are not shown until it is confirmed. We have asked the City Clerk to confirm (Oct. 1, 2026).
From the minutes
“The Committee VOTED: To immediately send a letter to the Mayor asking him to enter into a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with the Houz of Diesel enabling the organization to seek reimbursement from the State for funds previously expended. This passed on a roll call vote of Yeas 9, Nays 0. (Matter #0116).”
To Table the matter at this time.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Gomes and seconded by Councillor Burgo, the Committee VOTED: to Table the matter at this time. (Matter #0116).” (Motion: Gomes, second: Burgo)
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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