Finance Committee — August 17, 2026

The New Bedford Finance Committee, chaired by Councillor Joseph P. Lopes, met on August 17, 2026. The committee voted to refer the orders for the layout and taking of land for the Hillman Street realignment project to the full City Council. The project aims to create a new, safer, signalized intersection. A discussion was held on a 2025 motion regarding the use of a $3.5 million settlement from the MBTA for pedestrian bridge maintenance. City Solicitor Eric Jaikes informed the committee that the city's portion of those funds, about $460,000, had already been absorbed into the general fund two fiscal years prior and was no longer available. The committee tabled the item pending a report from the City Auditor on how the funds were expended.

The committee also addressed several budget transfer requests intended to correct accounting errors in the new fiscal year budget. After questioning City Auditor Quillan Lowney, the committee voted to table transfers for the Mayor's Office ($37,154), the Assessor's Office ($2,000), Labor Relations ($650), and the Zaitarian Theater ($395,000). The decisions to table were made after confirming that essential payments would not be hindered in the short term. However, a transfer of $157,791 for the School Department, moving funds from general expenses to transportation to meet the state's minimum net school spending requirement, was approved for referral to the full council by a 7-1 vote after a lengthy discussion with a school department representative about the department's overall budget shortfall.

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