MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford · Committee on Appointments and Briefings · 7:00 p.m.
February 17, 2026
12 recorded votes, 2 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Attendance
Note on these minutes: The minutes list Councilor Baptiste as absent, but also record that a communication from him explaining his late arrival was read into the record. He is counted absent, and no vote in these minutes includes him. We will ask the City Clerk to confirm.
Present: Ian Abreu, 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: Derek Baptiste
During the meeting:
- Roy arrived late (7:02)
Every vote, in order
Public Hearing, Continued, on an Application, Laguerre Pierre Marc, d/b/a L and S Transport, Inc., for a Special Permit for Motor Vehicle Sales and/or Rentals & General Repair, at 724 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02745. (Application Received – November 05, 2025.) (Duly advertised in The…
To close the Public Hearing.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Burgo and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To close the Public Hearing..” (Motion: Burgo, second: Oliver)
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Special Permit, provided that the Committee receives a communication from the Building Commissioner by the February 26, 2026, City Council meeting.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Gomes, the Committee VOTED: to recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the SPECIAL PERMIT, provided that the Committee receives a communication from the Building Commissioner by the February 26, 2026, City Council meeting..” (Motion: Lopes, second: Gomes)
To recommend Approval of the Application, Laguerre Pierre Marc, d/b/a L and S Transport, Inc., for a Special Permit for Motor Vehicle Sales and/or Rentals and General Repair, at 724 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02740.
Yes: Abreu, Burgo, Choquette, Gomes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, RoyNo: Carney, Lopes
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Burgo and seconded by Councillor Abreu, the Committee VOTED: to recommend APPROVAL of the APPLICATION, Laguerre Pierre Marc, d/b/a L and S Transport, Inc., for a SPECIAL PERMIT for MOTOR VEHICLE SALES and/or RENTALS and GENERAL REPAIR, at 724 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02740..” (Motion: Burgo, second: Abreu)
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Appointment of Cristobal Jose Escobar, New Bedford, MA to the Veterans Advisory Board, replacing Christopher Holkamp who has resigned; this term will expire December 2026. (Matter Id #1925) (Referred – December 11, 2025.)
To table the matter at this time.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Abreu and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: to table the matter at this time. (Matter #1925).” (Motion: Abreu, second: Oliver)
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Appointment of Jeffrey David Foisy, New Bedford as a Constable. (Matter Id #1931) (Referred – December 11, 2025.)
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Appointment of Jeffrey David Foisy, New Bedford, MA as a Constable.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Oliver and seconded by Councillor Abreu, the Committee VOTED: To recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the APPOINTMENT of JEFFREY DAVID FOISY, New Bedford, MA as a CONSTABLE. (Matter #1931).” (Motion: Oliver, second: Abreu)
Appointments & Briefings Committee February 17, 2026 Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Appointment of Daniel Luis Reyes Ortiz, New Bedford, MA as a Constable. (Matter Id #0016) (Referred – January 08, 2026.)
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Appointment of Daniel Luis Reyes Ortiz, New Bedford, MA as a Constable.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Gomes and seconded by Councillor Oliver, the Committee VOTED: To recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the APPOINTMENT of DANIEL LUIS REYES ORTIZ, New Bedford, MA as a CONSTABLE. (Matter #0016).” (Motion: Gomes, second: Oliver)
Petition, Ksea Swift and Justin Swift, East Freetown, MA d/b/a Swift Sales, 127 West Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA, requesting a Waiver of Residency in accordance with Section 15-38 of the City Code, to obtain a License to Deal in Junk, Old Metals or Any Other Secondhand Articles.…
To table the matter at this time.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Abreu and seconded by Councillor Pereira, the Committee VOTED: To table the matter at this time. (Matter #1797).” (Motion: Abreu, second: Pereira)
Communication, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for a New Private Livery License, on behalf of Celestin Wilkend, 1 Warwick Street, New Bedford, MA d/b/a Cris Transportation, 1 Warwick Street, New Bedford, MA. (License to expire – June 30, 2026.) (Matter Id #0033)…
To table the matter at this time.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Pereira and seconded by Councillor Abreu, the Committee VOTED: To table the matter at this time. (Matter #0033).” (Motion: Pereira, second: Abreu)
Communication, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for a New Private Livery License on behalf of Suzete Rosa DePina, d/b/a Tia Suzete Transportation, 38 Trinity Street, New Bedford, MA. (License to Expire - June 30, 2026.) (Matter Id #0116) (Referred – January 22, 2026.)
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Application for a New Private Livery License, on behalf of Suzete Rosa DePina, d/b/a Tia Suzete Transportation, 38 Trinity Street, New Bedford, MA. (License to Expire - June 30, 2026.)
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Gomes and seconded by Councillor Lopes, the Committee VOTED: to recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the APPLICATION for a NEW PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE, on behalf of Suzete Rosa DePina, d/b/a TIA SUZETE TRANSPORTATION, 38 Trinity Street, New Bedford, MA. (License to Expire - June 30, 2026.) (Matter #0116).” (Motion: Gomes, second: Lopes)
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 this matter from the Table.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Gomes and seconded by Councillor Abreu, the Committee VOTED: To remove this matter from the Table. (Matter #0116).” (Motion: Gomes, second: Abreu)
To table the matter at this time.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Gomes and seconded by Councillor Roy, the Committee VOTED: To table the matter at this time. (Matter #0116).” (Motion: Gomes, second: Roy)
Written Motion, Councillors Morad, Abreu, Giesta, Oliver, Gomes, Choquette, Lopes, Carney and Baptiste, requesting, that the City of New Bedford Board of Health immediately rescind the recently approved Cigar Minimum Pricing Regulation that was implemented on January 1, 2025 for an eighteen (18)…
To table both matters at this time.
Yes: Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, PereiraNo: Abreu, Burgo, Roy
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Pereira, the Committee VOTED: To table both matters at this time. (Matter #0230).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Pereira)
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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