MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford City Council · 2026–2027 Council · Organizational meeting · 6:00 p.m.
January 5, 2026
8 recorded votes, 0 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Present: Ian Abreu, Derek Baptiste, Shane A. Burgo, Naomi R. A. Carney, Leo Choquette, Brian K. Gomes, Joseph P. Lopes, Shawn Oliver, Scott Pemberton, Ryan J. Pereira, James Roy
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 05, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., in City Council Chambers, for the following purpose: a. Temporary Organization of the City Council and Election of City Council President…
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 2026. City of New Bedford Board of Election Commissioners 2025 Municipal Election At the Municipal Election held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 8,393 voters or 11.3% of the registered voters in the City of New…
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #002).”
Election of officers
Election of a temporary President (President Pro Tem) to run the organizational meeting
To elect Councillor-Elect Burgo as President Pro Tem
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Councillor-Elect Pereira nominates Councillor-Elect Burgo, Councillor-Elect Baptiste seconds the Nomination. Vote is taken on the Election of Councillor-Elect Burgo as PRESIDENT PRO TEM –Yeas 11, Nays 0.” (Motion: Pereira, second: Baptiste)
Election of the 2026 City Council President
To elect Councillor Ryan J. Pereira as 2026 City Council President
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Councillor Carney nominates Councillor Pereira, Councillor Roy seconds the Nomination. ... Vote is taken on the Election of Councillor Ryan J. Pereira as 2026 City Council President by a roll call vote - Yeas 11, Nays 0.” (Motion: Carney, second: Roy)
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, submitting the Reappointment of Attorney Owen Murphy, Dartmouth, MA, as Assistant City Solicitor for a one year term expiring December 31, 2026.
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
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 Michael J. Harrington, Little Compton, Ri, as Assistant City Solicitor for a one year term expiring December 31, 2026.
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #0004).”
Written Motion, 2025 City Council President Shane Burgo, 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, 2026.
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
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, 2026, from L & S Industries, Inc: Ian McNaught Lakeville , MA Zachary DiRocco Wareham, MA
Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Rule 38 Waived, Reappointment Confirmed and Rule 40 Waived – 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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