MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford · Special Committee on Special Permits and Licensing · 6:35 p.m.
March 19, 2026
5 recorded votes, 0 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
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Start my ballot →Special Committee on Special Permits and Licensing: committee votes are recommendations to the full council, which takes the final vote. About this committee
Attendance
Present: Ian Abreu, Leo Choquette, Brian K. Gomes, Shawn Oliver, Scott Pemberton
Absent: Naomi R. A. Carney, Joseph P. Lopes
Every vote, in order
Public Hearing on an Application, Moses N. Kisembo, d/b/a Knd Auto Rentals, LLC, for a Special Permit for Motor Vehicle Sales and/or Rentals, at 297 Belleville Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02746. (Application Received – February 19, 2026.) (Duly advertised in The Standard-Times on Thursday, March 05,…
To open the Public Hearing.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Choquette and seconded by Councillor Pemberton, the Committee VOTED: To open the Public Hearing..” (Motion: Choquette, second: Pemberton)
To close the Public Hearing.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Pemberton and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee VOTED: To close the Public Hearing..” (Motion: Pemberton, second: Choquette)
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Application, Moses N. Kisembo d/b/a Knd Auto Rentals, LLC, for a Special Permit for Motor Vehicle Sales and/or Rentals at 297 Belleville Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02746.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Pemberton and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee VOTED: To recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the APPLICATION, Moses N. Kisembo d/b/a Knd Auto Rentals, LLC, for a SPECIAL PERMIT for Motor Vehicle Sales and/or Rentals at 297 Belleville Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02746..” (Motion: Pemberton, second: Choquette)
Written Motion, Councillors Abreu and Oliver, requesting that the City Council engage the appropriate City department heads to explore the feasibility of permitting Host Community Agreements (HCAs) for onsite cannabis consumption establishments, commonly referred to as cannabis consumption lounges…
To Table the item.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Choquette and seconded by Councillor Pemberton, the Committee VOTED: to TABLE the item. (Matter #0178).” (Motion: Choquette, second: Pemberton)
Related Motion, Councillor Lopes, requesting that the City Council engage the appropriate City department heads to explore the feasibility of permitting onsite tobacco consumption, commonly referred to as Cigar Lounges. (To be Referred to the Special Committee on Special Permits and Licensing,…
To Table the item.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Choquette and seconded by Councillor Pemberton, the Committee VOTED: to TABLE the item. (Matter #0179).” (Motion: Choquette, second: Pemberton)
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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