Finance Committee — October 19, 2026

The New Bedford City Council Committee on Finance met on October 19, 2026, chaired by Ward 5 Councillor Joseph P. Lopes. The committee considered nine separate orders from Mayor Jon Mitchell authorizing the payment of prior fiscal year (FY26) unpaid bills from current fiscal year (FY27) appropriations. In total, the items discussed represented approximately $34,000 in late or unencumbered invoices across several municipal operations, including the Water Enterprise Fund, Department of Public Infrastructure, Zoo, Library, Cable Access, and Airport.

During discussion, Committee Chairman Lopes and Councillor Shane A. Burgo expressed significant frustration with the recurring practice of using current-year appropriations to satisfy past-year obligations, which they noted amounted to 21 total obligations citywide totaling roughly $73,000. City Auditor Quillan Lowney and DPI Commissioner Jamie Ponte explained that invoices were either received after the July 15 encumbrance deadline, exceeded initial purchase orders due to expanded work scopes, or suffered from delayed vendor billing. Other department leaders, including Acting Zoo Director Shara Rapoza and Library Director Olivia Melo, explained unique invoicing delays related to outside testing labs and newspaper subscriptions.

All nine orders for unpaid bills were individually or collectively voted out of committee with recommendations for approval by the full City Council for the November 12, 2026 meeting. The committee also voted to waive the reading and take no further action on items 10 and 11 before adjourning at 7:42 PM.

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