MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford City Council · 2026–2027 Council · Regular meeting · 7:02 p.m.
August 20, 2026
19 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
Resolution Commemorating the 250TH Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) of the Founding of the United States of America Whereas, July 4, 2026, marked the 250th Anniversary, or Semiquincentennial, of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia in…
Adopted
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #1289).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a Veto of the Ordinance, amending Chapter 19 of the City Code, Relative to Paid Family Leave. (Veto received in the City Council Office – July 10, 2026.) Veto Received and Ordered Spread on the Record – July 16, 2026.
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #1180).”
An Ordinance, amending Chapter 19 of the City Code, Relative to Paid Family Leave. Passed to be a Second Reading – May 28, 2026. Passed to be Ordained – Yeas 10, Nays 0 - June 25, 2026. Presented to the Mayor for approval June 29, 2026. Veto submitted by the Mayor on July 10, 2026. Veto Received…
Passed to be Ordained notwithstanding the disapproval of the Mayor and Rule 40 Waived
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Passed to be Ordained notwithstanding the disapproval of the Mayor and Rule 40 Waived – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #0903).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order for the Appropriation of $39,303.75 from the HousingWorks grant, through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and within the custody of the Department of Public Infrastructure, to Public Way Layout…
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #1290).”
Ordered, that the sum of Thirty-nine Thousand, Three-hundred Three and ¾ Dollars ($39,303.75) now standing to the credit of the account from the Housing Works grant through the Massachusetts Executive Office of housing and Livable Communities within the custody of the Department of Public…
Adopted
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Adopted – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #1291).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting an Order for the proposed lease assignment between Friend Street Realty LLC and Comcast LLC.
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #1292).”
Ordered, that Jonathan F. Mitchell, Mayor of the City of New Bedford, is hereby authorized to consent to the assignment of the Ground Lease between Fsr LLC and Comcast LLC and to execute all agreements, certificates, notice, and other documents necessary or appropriate to effectuate such…
Adopted
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a Sewer Abatement Request for Tarkiln Hill Realty Corp, 627 Tarkiln Hill Road, New Bedford, MA, in the amount of $26,574.44. Abatement Granted – Yeas 11, Nays 0.
Abatement Granted
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Abatement Granted – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #1294).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a Sewer Abatement Request for Tamara Ramsay, 161 Campbell Street, New Bedford, MA, in the amount of $1,607.07. Abatement Granted – Yeas 11, Nays 0.
Abatement Granted
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Abatement Granted – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #1295).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a Sewer Abatement Request for Shavoryia Mcelroy, 234 Austin Street, New Bedford, MA, in the amount of $235.00. Abatement Granted – Yeas 11, Nays 0.
Abatement Granted
Yes: Abreu, Baptiste, Burgo, Carney, Choquette, Gomes, Lopes, Oliver, Pemberton, Pereira, Roy
From the minutes
“Abatement Granted – Yeas 11, Nays 0. (Matter #1296).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Reappointment of Scott Grant, New Bedford, MA to the Conservation Commission; this term will expire June 2029.
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 #1297).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Reappointment of Rebeca Linhart, New Bedford, MA to the Conservation Commission; this term will expire June 2029.
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 #1298).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Appointment of Brian J. Sousa, New Bedford, MA to the Election Commission; this term will expire April 2029.
Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings
From the minutes
“Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings. (Matter #1299).”
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Reappointment of Joseph Latimer, New Bedford, MA as a Constable.
Received and Placed on File
From the minutes
“Received and Placed on File. (Matter #1300).”
An Application, Joseph Latimer, New Bedford, MA, Reappointment as a Constable.
Confirmed
Written Motion, Councillor Gomes, requesting that the Committee on Public Safety & Neighborhoods immediately meet with Police Chief Jason Thody, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, and a representative from Flock Safety; this meeting is to bring all parties together for the purpose of…
Tabled
Written Motion, Councillors Burgo, Lopes and Abreu, requesting that the Committee on Public Safety & Neighborhoods meet with representatives of the New Bedford Police Department, the City Solicitor, the Information Technology Department, and any other appropriate officials to discuss the City’s use…
Tabled
Written Motion, Councillors Burgo, Abreu and Lopes, requesting that the Committee on Ordinances consider whether the appropriate policy outcome is either the complete removal and abolition of automated license plate reader systems and other similarly invasive surveillance technologies within the…
Tabled
Written Motion, Councillor Choquette, requesting that the City of New Bedford immediately cease the use of Flock cameras and that the New Bedford Police Department take down, physically obstruct or cover all ALPR technology equipment citywide until which time permanent legislation can be enacted as…
Tabled
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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