OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Framingham City Council Meeting - October 8, 2025

City Council — Wednesday, October 8, 2025
BodyFramingham, Massachusetts
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, October 8, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:15:30

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

The City Council is the sole legislative body of the city of Framingham and is therefore responsible for passing city ordinances.

0:07

The City Council is made up of 11 members who exercise the legislative powers of Framingham.

0:12

Two of these members are known as counselors at large, and nine members are known as district counselors.

0:16

The city council serves as a link between the citizens of Framingham and their municipal government.

0:21

Counselors help constituents by connecting them to resources, services, and city departments.

0:25

And also serve as advocates for all Framingham residents.

0:29

The following City Council coverage is brought to you by the government channel, a service of the City of Framingham.

0:57

We have a long night this evening.

0:59

Version one of the agenda was posted in the public meeting portal and published to uh legislate on Thursday 10225 call to order.

1:06

We will start with public participation.

1:08

First person on public participation is our city clerk.

1:12

Um Lisa Ferguson.

1:18

Welcome.

1:20

Thank you, Mr.

1:21

Chair.

1:21

Um I'd like to provide the voters with information regarding the upcoming city election.

1:27

The date of the election is November 4th, 2025.

1:31

Um that's four weeks from tonight or today.

1:34

Uh polls are open from 7 a.m.

1:36

until 8 p.m.

1:37

The deadline to register to vote is Saturday, October 25th at 5 p.m.

1:43

in person, um, 1159 online.

1:47

Uh the city clerk's office is going to be open on that Saturday, October 25th from 9 a.m.

1:52

until 5 p.m.

1:53

Uh there is no early in-person voting for a city election.

1:58

If you cannot or you do not want to vote in person on election day, you may vote by mail.

2:04

Uh the deadline to apply for a ballot is October 28th at 5 p.m.

2:09

Absentee ballots are available for voters who will be absent from Framingham on election day during polling hours.

2:16

Um if they have a disability or if they have a religious belief that prevents them from going to a polling location.

2:22

Um also if they're a non-registered voter residing overseas or in the military.

2:27

The information on the ballot is as follows.

2:29

There's one seat for mayor, there's one seat per district for counselor as well as for school committee, six seats for library trustee, three seats for cemetery trustee, and one charter amendment question.

2:42

The ballot is two-sided, the candidates appear on the front side, and the question is going to appear on the back.

2:49

Detailed information about the election was placed on the city's website under elections and voting in June.

2:57

This includes information about the charter question, the summary, the vote of council, the recommendations of the charter review committee, the red line version of the charter that shows the proposal of what is being added to the charter and what is being deleted.

3:13

And also on the website are links to all the meetings pertaining to these amendments.

3:17

So it's a lot of information.

3:19

And I'll also like to briefly discuss the legal mandates that I must follow in timelines regarding the ballot question.

3:26

On August 6th, 2024, uh council voted um to approve the recommendations of the Charter Review Committee and send this question uh to the voters.

3:39

Under the law, the city clerk is required to mail information regarding the question to the voters no later than two weeks before the election.

3:49

September 16th of this year was the city preliminary for District 2 uh school committee.

3:57

Um that was held.

3:59

September 22nd was at 5 p.m.

4:01

was the deadline to object or withdraw from that um preliminary election.

4:06

Um at 501, I drew names for ballot placement for the city election for November 4th, and the printer was notified on what needed to be printed on those ballots.

4:17

On September 25th, ballot proofs were received, reviewed for accuracy, and the ballots were ordered.

4:24

On September 29th, uh the charter question postcard was mailed to the voters.

4:30

This is well in advance of the required two weeks before the election.

4:35

This date was chosen deliberately by me so that not only were the voters who chose who choose to vote in person on November 4th were notified, but also the hundreds of voters that have that are receiving their ballots in the mail this week so that they are also informed about the ballot question.

4:56

The postcard has links to the website and also a QR code for voters who do not use a computer.

5:03

Printed information is located at both libraries, the Callahan Center, the City Clerk's office, and will be available on election day at each polling location.

5:14

Yesterday, October 6th, the ballots were received from the printer.

5:17

Today at 2 30 p.m.

5:19

Everyone who requested a ballot up to date has uh it every all the ballots were mailed to the post office.

5:26

Information about the election and ballot question was shared all summer long and will continue in the next month in a variety of ways.

5:35

Online, social media, newsletters, events, and various speaking engagements, um FSU, the Callahan Center, Farmers Market, Metro West Daily News, Access Framingham, just to name a few.

5:49

Um and I will end by saying that the city clerk is the chief election officer for the city of Framingham.

5:55

I am governed by state and local statutes.

5:59

I must inform the voters of the election, and I must remain neutral and impartial and during interviews or speaking engagements.

6:06

Um I'm either joined by Adam Blummer, who's the chair of the charter review committee, or by counselor Malik.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Racial Equity██████████████████████████████████34%
Procedural███████████████████19%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Public Records Management███████7%
Municipal Events██████6%
Public Safety██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Environmental Protection███3%
Personnel Matters███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Framingham City Council Meeting - October 8, 2025

The Framingham City Council held its regular meeting on October 8, 2025, covering a wide range of topics including election information, public comments, proclamations, a DEI audit presentation, zoning code amendments, and multiple votes on appointments and appropriations.

Consent Calendar

  • Road Acceptance: Unanimously approved (11-0) the acceptance of Candlestick Lane, Gaslight Lane, and Lanton Road as public roadways, including associated easements.
  • Accessible Dock Appropriation: Unanimously approved (11-0) a $75,000 appropriation from the Open Space and Outdoor Recreation reserve for an accessible dock at Wachusett Pond.
  • MRECC Budget: Unanimously approved (11-0) an appropriation of $41,505 for Framingham's share of the Middlesex Regional Emergency Communication Center FY2026 budget.
  • Appointments: Unanimously approved reappointments of Andrew Demico (CDBG), Alyssa Brewster (Team Framingham Steering Committee), Sean Bilodeau (Sustainability Committee), Shamalie Balasubramanian (Traffic Commission), and others.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • City Clerk Lisa Ferguson: Provided details about the November 4, 2025 city election, including voter registration deadlines (October 25), vote-by-mail deadlines (October 28), and ballot contents. She emphasized her statutory duty to remain neutral.
  • Jeff Roos (Team Framingham): Thanked organizers and volunteers for the first annual Team Framingham Fun Run & Walk, listing 255 participants and category winners.
  • Christopher Leonard: Offered a critical reflection on the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, condemning subsequent Israeli military actions and U.S. support, and calling for remembrance of Palestinian casualties and structural racism.
  • Larry Stuton (District 3): Praised Framingham's environmental initiatives (solar arrays, geothermal pilot, EV charging, tree setback program) and urged passage of the municipal opt-in specialized building code, criticizing federal anti-environmental policies.
  • Jerry Bloomfield: Expressed support for Israel's right to self-defense, praised Framingham Family Day, called for improvements to the city charter, and suggested starting a Turning Point USA chapter in Framingham.

Discussion Items

  • Public Records Request Discussion (Item 5): Councilor Bryant initiated a discussion on transparency in handling public records. The administration requested that questions be submitted in advance per charter provisions. After debate, the council voted 8-2 to table the item to a future meeting.
  • DEI Audit Presentation (Item 6): Diversity Officer Jesse Edwards and Bird Guess (Racial Equity Group) presented findings from a $50,000 equity audit. Key data included: Framingham's workforce is 82% white vs. 76% in the relevant labor pool; Black and Asian employees are significantly underrepresented in all job categories; women are significantly underrepresented overall; only 20% of staff of color reported never witnessing unfair treatment. Recommendations included creating a DEI task force, improving diverse recruitment, collecting vendor demographic data, and conducting a community satisfaction survey. Councilors questioned sample sizes and scope, and expressed support for next steps. Jesse Edwards committed to providing an update in four months.
  • Buckley Apartments Rent Increase (Item 9): The Finance Subcommittee recommended rejecting a requested 10% rent increase for affordable units. After discussion (including concerns about legal interpretation and the council's role), the council voted unanimously (11-0) to reject the increase and invited the developer to a future meeting.
  • Zoning Code Amendment (Item 14): Continued review of a proposal to add the city council as a special permit granting authority for large multi-family and mixed-use developments (75,000+ sq ft). Due to lateness, the council voted 8-2 to continue discussion to the October 20 or 21 meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Consent Calendar Items: All votes were unanimous (11-0) unless noted.
  • Tabled Public Records Discussion: 8-2 vote to postpone.
  • DEI Audit: Received and discussed; update expected in approximately 4 months.
  • Rejected Buckley Rent Increase: Unanimous vote to reject; developer invited to a future meeting.
  • Continued Zoning Amendment: 8-2 vote to continue to next meeting.
  • Adjourned: Motion carried after initial failure (5-4), then passed on second attempt (8-2?). Meeting ended after councilor reports.

Meeting Transcript

The City Council is the sole legislative body of the city of Framingham and is therefore responsible for passing city ordinances. The City Council is made up of 11 members who exercise the legislative powers of Framingham. Two of these members are known as counselors at large, and nine members are known as district counselors. The city council serves as a link between the citizens of Framingham and their municipal government. Counselors help constituents by connecting them to resources, services, and city departments. And also serve as advocates for all Framingham residents. The following City Council coverage is brought to you by the government channel, a service of the City of Framingham. We have a long night this evening. Version one of the agenda was posted in the public meeting portal and published to uh legislate on Thursday 10225 call to order. We will start with public participation. First person on public participation is our city clerk. Um Lisa Ferguson. Welcome. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I'd like to provide the voters with information regarding the upcoming city election. The date of the election is November 4th, 2025. Um that's four weeks from tonight or today. Uh polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. The deadline to register to vote is Saturday, October 25th at 5 p.m. in person, um, 1159 online. Uh the city clerk's office is going to be open on that Saturday, October 25th from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Uh there is no early in-person voting for a city election. If you cannot or you do not want to vote in person on election day, you may vote by mail. Uh the deadline to apply for a ballot is October 28th at 5 p.m. Absentee ballots are available for voters who will be absent from Framingham on election day during polling hours. Um if they have a disability or if they have a religious belief that prevents them from going to a polling location. Um also if they're a non-registered voter residing overseas or in the military. The information on the ballot is as follows. There's one seat for mayor, there's one seat per district for counselor as well as for school committee, six seats for library trustee, three seats for cemetery trustee, and one charter amendment question. The ballot is two-sided, the candidates appear on the front side, and the question is going to appear on the back. Detailed information about the election was placed on the city's website under elections and voting in June. This includes information about the charter question, the summary, the vote of council, the recommendations of the charter review committee, the red line version of the charter that shows the proposal of what is being added to the charter and what is being deleted. And also on the website are links to all the meetings pertaining to these amendments. So it's a lot of information. And I'll also like to briefly discuss the legal mandates that I must follow in timelines regarding the ballot question. On August 6th, 2024, uh council voted um to approve the recommendations of the Charter Review Committee and send this question uh to the voters. Under the law, the city clerk is required to mail information regarding the question to the voters no later than two weeks before the election. September 16th of this year was the city preliminary for District 2 uh school committee. Um that was held. September 22nd was at 5 p.m. was the deadline to object or withdraw from that um preliminary election. Um at 501, I drew names for ballot placement for the city election for November 4th, and the printer was notified on what needed to be printed on those ballots. On September 25th, ballot proofs were received, reviewed for accuracy, and the ballots were ordered. On September 29th, uh the charter question postcard was mailed to the voters. This is well in advance of the required two weeks before the election. This date was chosen deliberately by me so that not only were the voters who chose who choose to vote in person on November 4th were notified, but also the hundreds of voters that have that are receiving their ballots in the mail this week so that they are also informed about the ballot question. The postcard has links to the website and also a QR code for voters who do not use a computer.

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