MassVoter.com← New Bedford City CouncilNew Bedford · Special Committee on Special Permits and Licensing · 6:30 p.m.
September 17, 2026
3 recorded votes, 0 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Your New Bedford ballot: 15 quizzes, about a minute each.
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, Naomi R. A. Carney, Leo Choquette, Joseph P. Lopes
Absent: Scott Pemberton
During the meeting:
- Carney arrived late (6:33)
Every vote, in order
Communication, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the Appointment of Gerald L. Ribeiro, New Bedford, as a Constable. (Matter Id #1191) (Referred – July 16, 2026.)
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Appointment of Gerald L. Ribeiro, New Bedford, as a Constable.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee VOTED: to recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the APPOINTMENT of GERALD L. RIBEIRO, New Bedford, as a CONSTABLE. (Matter #1191).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Choquette)
Communication, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to City Council, submitting a Petition, Marc DeCambra, Somerset, MA d/b/a Side Quest Complete, 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…
To recommend to the City Council Approval of the Petition, Marc DeCambra, Somerset, MA d/b/a Side Quest Complete, 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.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee VOTED: to recommend to the City Council APPROVAL of the PETITION, Marc DeCambra, Somerset, MA d/b/a Side Quest Complete, 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. (Matter #1321).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Choquette)
This motion was not read. 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…
To receive and place on file the letter submitted by Chief Thody.
From the minutes
“On motion by Councillor Lopes and seconded by Councillor Choquette, the Committee VOTED: to receive and place on file the letter submitted by Chief Thody. (Matter #0179).” (Motion: Lopes, second: Choquette)
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.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →