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Special City Council Meeting — March 5, 2026
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0:48
Hey Pemberton, did any one of your colleagues— I told you, I don't have your phone number, you have to give it to me.
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0:55
Check, check.
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0:57
How's that?
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1:00
Yep.
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1:01
The Friendly Sons event Saturday.
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1:05
Check, check.
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1:06
College incentive to get in touch with you, so obviously you didn't since you're looking at me like— Every time I sent out the thing, I said somebody get in touch with you because I don't have your number.
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1:15
Good.
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1:16
It's on Saturday night.
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1:21
This Saturday night, like the day after tomorrow.
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1:29
Oh, cool.
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1:31
Nice.
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1:31
Oh, nice.
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1:33
Hey, nice.
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1:34
What do you got, Nelson?
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1:36
You got a letter?
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1:37
Yeah.
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1:38
Got a letter.
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1:46
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
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1:48
It is Thursday, March 5th, 2026 at 7 PM.
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1:51
And special City Council meeting of the New Bedford City Council.
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1:55
Opening of the session is by myself, City Council President Ryan Pereira.
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1:59
This time we don't have a member of the clergy, but I would like to offer up a moment of silence and, uh, a special recognition too for those service members who have fallen overseas.
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2:09
But if we could have a moment of silence, please.
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2:19
Thank you.
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2:20
Tonight we'll be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Ward 1 City Councilor Leo Shokat.
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2:25
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
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2:48
I am joined tonight in the City Council chambers by my colleagues, Ward 2 City Councilor Scott Pemberton, Ward 1 Councilor Leo Choquette, Ward 5 Councilor Joseph Lopes, Councilor at Large Brian Gomes, Councilor at Large James Roy, Councilor at Large Naomi Carney, Councilor at Large and First Vice President Shane Burgo, and Councilor of Ward 4 Derek Baptiste.
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3:11
I would like to note that this meeting is being livestreamed and recorded.
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3:14
City Council and committee meetings can be viewed on the City of New Bedford's homepage under Quick Links, then Meetings.
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3:20
I'll ask the clerk if there are any letters to be read into the record.
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3:23
Mr. President, I have one from Councilor Abreu.
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3:26
Dear Council President Pereira and honorable members of the council, I am writing to inform you that I'll be unable to attend the special City Council meeting on Thursday, March 5th, 2026.
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3:36
Due to a previously scheduled work-related commitment.
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3:39
Please read this letter into the record to make my colleagues and the public aware of the reason for my absence.
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3:44
Sincerely, Ian Abreu, Councillor at Large.
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3:49
Second.
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3:50
A motion to receive and place— a motion to receive and place on file the communication was made by Councillor Lopes, seconded by Councillor Roy.
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3:57
Any discussions on receiving and placing on file?
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4:00
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.
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4:03
Opposed?
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4:03
The ayes have it.
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4:04
I would just, uh, also before I ask the clerk to read the rest of this, I would just like to thank my colleagues and the public for bearing with us, uh, with that monstrous snowstorm we had last week and, uh, calling the special city council meeting to get through the business that we had.
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4:20
And, uh, I also would think on behalf of all of my colleagues, I say thank you to the members of DPI, DFFM, and the city staff who work diligently to cleared the city streets and worked, uh, multiple, multiple days, uh, without sleep and seeing their families to get our streets open.
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4:35
So thank you.
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4:37
I'll ask the clerk to read item number 1.
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4:39
Mr. President, item 1 is communication from the council president to Dennis Farias, the city clerk, calling a special city council meeting for Thursday, March 5th, 2026 at 7:00 PM for the purpose of hearing the items on the city council agenda, meeting agenda, meeting agenda previously scheduled for Thursday, February 26th Said meeting was canceled due to severe weather conditions.
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5:02
Second.
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5:02
A motion to receive and place on file was made by Councilor Burgo, seconded by Councilor Carney.
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5:07
Any questions?
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5:08
All those in favor say aye.
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5:10
Aye.
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5:10
Opposed?
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5:11
The ayes have it.
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5:12
I will ask the clerk to read item number 1, please.
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5:13
Mr. President, M1 is a communication from the mayor to the council submitting an ordinance amending Chapter 10 by inserting a new Section 10-86.1 Voluntary electronic email delivery of real estate and personal property tax bills after Section 10-86.
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5:29
M1A is the ordinance.
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5:32
Second.
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5:33
A motion was made to refer to the Committee on Ordinance by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councilor Carney.
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5:37
Any discussion on referral?
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5:38
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.
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5:40
Aye.
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5:41
Opposed?
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5:41
The ayes have it.
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5:42
I'll ask the clerk to read item M2.
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5:44
Mr. President, M2 is communication from the mayor to the council submitting an order for the transfer of $1,070,555 from state aid And an order for the transfer of $314,530 from State Aid 950 to the School Department General Expense.
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6:00
M2A is the order and M2B is also the order.
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6:05
Second.
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6:07
Motion to refer to the Committee on Finance made by Councilor Burgos, seconded by Councilor Carney.
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6:11
Any discussion?
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6:12
All those in favor on referral say aye.
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6:14
Aye.
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6:15
Opposed?
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6:15
The ayes have it.
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6:16
I will ask the clerk to read item M3.
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6:18
Mr. President, M3 is communication from the mayor to the council submitting an order for the transfer of $368,000 from the general Fund stabilization to snow removal purchase of services.
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6:28
M3A is the order.
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6:31
Motion to adopt the order made by Councilor Burgo, seconded by Councilor Baptiste.
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6:36
Any discussion on adoption?
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6:39
I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
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6:41
Councilor Baptiste?
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6:43
Yes.
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6:43
Councilor Burgo?
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6:45
Yes.
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6:45
Councilor Carney?
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6:46
Yes.
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6:46
Yes.
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6:47
Councilor Choquette?
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6:48
Yes.
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6:48
Yes.
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6:49
Councilor Gomes?
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6:50
Yes.
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6:50
Yes.
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6:51
Councilor Lopes?
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6:51
Yes.
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6:52
Yes.
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6:53
Councilor Pemberton?
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6:54
Yes.
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6:55
Yes.
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6:55
Councilor Pereira?
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6:56
Yes.
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6:57
Yes.
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6:57
Councilor Roy?
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6:58
Yes.
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6:58
Yes.
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6:59
Passes 9 to 0.
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7:00
Item passes 9 to 0.
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7:03
I'll ask the clerk to read item M4.
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7:06
Mr. President, M4 is communication from Mayor Mitchell to the City Council submitting the reappointment of Mark O'Neill, St. Rose of New Bedford, Massachusetts, as a constable.
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7:15
M4A is his application.
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7:17
Motion received and placed on file.
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7:19
Waive Rule 38 and waive Rule 40.
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7:20
And adopt the application as presented.
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7:23
Motion to waive Rules 38 and 40 and approve the application made by Councillor Lopes, seconded by Councillor Burgo.
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7:30
Anyone on the question?
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7:32
Seeing none, I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.
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7:34
Councillor Baptiste?
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7:36
Yes.
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7:36
Councillor Burgo?
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7:37
Yes.
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7:38
Councillor Carney?
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7:39
Yes.
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7:39
Yes.
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7:40
Councillor Choquette?
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7:40
Yes.
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7:41
Yes.
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7:42
Councillor Gomes?
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7:42
Yes.
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7:43
Yes.
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7:43
Councillor Lopes?
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7:44
Yes.
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7:45
Yes.
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7:45
Councillor Pemberton?
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7:46
Yes.
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7:47
Yes.
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7:47
Councilor Pereira.
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7:48
Yes.
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7:49
Yes.
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7:49
Councilor Roy.
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7:50
Yes.
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7:51
Yes.
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7:51
Passes 9 to 0, Mr. President.
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7:53
Item passes 9 to 0.
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7:55
Moving on to new business, I'll ask the clerk to read item number 2.
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7:59
Mr. President, item 2 is an ordinance amending Chapter 9 of the Comprehensive Zoning, Section 4200D, Solar and Energy Systems.
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8:07
This was passed with second reading on January 8th, 2026.
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8:15
Move to ordain made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councilor Virgo.
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8:19
Anyone on the discussion?
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8:22
All right, I will ask the clerk to call the roll.
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8:24
Councilor Baptiste?
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8:26
Yes.
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8:26
Councilor Virgo?
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8:27
Yes.
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8:28
Councilor Carney?
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8:29
Yes.
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8:29
Yes.
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8:30
Councilor Chaucaire?
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8:31
Yes.
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8:31
Yes.
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8:32
Councilor Gomes?
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8:33
Yes.
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8:34
Councilor Lopes?
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8:34
Yes.
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8:35
Yes.
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8:36
Councilor Pemberton?
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8:37
Yes.
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8:38
Yes.
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8:38
Councilor Pereira?
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8:39
Yes.
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8:39
Yes.
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8:40
Councilor Roy.
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8:41
Yes.
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8:41
Yes.
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8:42
Passes 9 to 0.
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8:43
Item passes 9 to 0.
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8:45
I'll ask the clerk to read item number 3, please.
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8:48
Mr. President, item 3 is a report from the Committee on Appointments and Briefings recommending to the council approval of an application from Laguerre Pierre Marc, doing business as L&S Transport Incorporated, for a special permit for motor vehicle sales and/or rentals and general repair located at 725 Ashley Boulevard in New Bedford.
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9:06
02745, 3A is the application.
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9:10
Mr. President, we received communication from the director.
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9:16
If we could receive and place on file this communication.
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9:18
I don't know if the clerk received this.
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9:19
We're just going to verify the clerk has a copy, but I know I have one on my desk.
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9:23
So then my motion would be to receive and place on file the report from the committee and the communication from— How did you get this communication?
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9:30
It was just on our desk.
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9:31
Oh, I don't have it.
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9:32
Director— Commissioner Romanowicz, Director of Inspectional Services, and then, uh, grant the, uh, special permit application.
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9:42
Okay, so a motion has been made to receive and place on file the communication and grant the special permits by Councilor Burgo.
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9:51
It was seconded by Councilor Roy.
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9:53
Do you want that?
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9:55
Okay, that's fine.
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9:56
All right, any discussion?
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9:58
Seeing none, I'll— yep, on the question, Councilor Berg.
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10:02
Well, just for the general public that might be saying, what paper is he talking about?
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10:05
Because I guess the clerk didn't receive one.
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10:07
Uh, as we talked about in committee, for those, uh, the concern was that the applicant did not have the proper MDC trap.
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10:15
The letter from, uh, Mr. Romanowicz states that he does have the proper trap, so there is no concern.
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10:22
It can move forward.
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10:23
And that's all.
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10:24
So we can now approve this.
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10:26
It will now move forward to the licensing board for them to duplicate the exact same thing we already did, which was a waste of time.
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10:32
And so now it will be approved here and go to licensing for them to do the further work that they can do, and him to— the, the business owner to pay even more money to the city.
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10:41
Thank you.
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10:42
Thank you, Councilor Burgos.
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10:43
Anyone else on the question?
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10:46
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.
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10:49
Opposed?
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10:50
The ayes have it.
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10:51
I'll ask the clerk to read item number 4, please.
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10:53
Mr. President, item 4 is a report from the Committee on Appointments and Briefings recommending to the City Council approval of the application for a new private livery license on behalf of Suzette Rose at the Pina of New Bedford, Mass., doing business as Tia Suzette Transportation at 38 Trinity Street in Massachusetts.
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11:09
And this license will expire on June 30th of this year.
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11:11
4A is her application.
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11:14
Motion received and placed on file and approve the application.
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11:18
Motion to grant the livery license made by Councilor Burgos, seconded by Councilor Baptiste.
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11:23
Anyone else on the question?
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11:26
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.
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11:28
Opposed?
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11:29
The ayes have it.
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11:30
I'll ask the clerk to read item 5.
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11:31
Mr. President, item 5 is a report from the Committee on Appointments and Briefings recommending to the council approval of the appointment of Jeffrey David Foisy of New Bedford, Massachusetts as a constable.
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11:40
5A is his application.
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11:42
Without objection, take 6 at the at the same time.
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11:44
Without objection, I'll ask the clerk to read item 6 as well.
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11:47
Mr. President, item 6 is a report from the Committee on Appointments and Briefings recommending the City Council approval of the appointment of Daniel Luis Reyes Ortiz of New Bedford, Massachusetts, also as a constable.
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11:57
6A is his application.
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11:58
Make a motion to receive items 5, 5A, 6, 6A, follow recommendation of the Committee on Appointments and Briefings, and grants the appointment of constables.
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12:05
Second.
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12:06
Motion received and placed on file.
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12:07
The reports from the committee and grant the appointments as constables, made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councilor Gomes.
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12:14
Any discussion?
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12:15
All those in favor say aye.
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12:17
Aye.
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12:18
Opposed?
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12:19
The ayes have it.
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12:20
Mr. President?
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12:20
Yes.
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12:21
Motion to waive the reading and take no further action on items 7 through 11A.
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12:26
Motion's been made to waive the reading and take no further action on items 7 through 11A.
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12:32
Is there a second?
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12:33
Second.
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12:34
Second.
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12:34
Seconded by everybody.
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12:37
All those in favor say aye.
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12:38
Aye.
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12:39
Opposed, the ayes have it.
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12:41
Item number 12 is before us.
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12:42
Yes, Mr. President.
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12:43
Item 12 is communication of demolition from Anne Laurel, the preservation planner, to the city council regarding a building demolition review for South Water Street, Map 47, Lot 199.
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12:55
This is the former Eversource office building, a circa 1911 brick masonry and aluminum-clad vacant building, advising that the structure was initially constructed as a private garage and reflects the evolutionary development of the city's waterfront.
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13:08
With buildings that illustrate a diverse range of uses.
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13:12
The structure is not located within a National Register Historic District.
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13:15
The structure has been modified and is of no notable historic significance, either recorded or found with the existing condition of the structure.
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13:23
In light of these findings, the preservation planner has determined that the brick masonry aluminum-clad vacant building located on South Water Street is neither historically significant nor is it preferably preserved.
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13:35
Motion received in place on filing, grant the demolition.
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13:37
Second.
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13:39
Motion to grant the demolition.
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13:40
Demolition made by Councilor Burgo, seconded by Councilor Baptiste.
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13:43
Any discussion on granting the demolition?
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13:46
All those in favor say aye.
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13:47
Aye.
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13:48
Opposed?
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13:49
The ayes have it.
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13:51
Motion to take up and adopt consent.
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13:53
Second.
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13:53
Motion to take up and adopt consent made by Councilor Burgo, seconded by Councilor Carney.
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13:58
Any discussion on taking up and adopting consent?
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14:01
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.
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14:03
Aye.
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14:04
Opposed?
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14:05
The ayes have it.
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14:06
Motion to adjourn made by Councillor Burgo.
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14:11
Second by— second by Councillor Pemberton.
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14:14
Any discussion on adjournment?
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14:16
All those in favor say aye.
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14:17
Aye.
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14:18
Opposed?
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14:19
The ayes have it.
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14:19
We are adjourned at 7:14 PM.
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14:21
Thank you, everybody.
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