Appointments & Briefings Committee Meeting – July 22, 2025

The Appointments & Briefings Committee of the New Bedford City Council convened on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 7:02 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included citizen input, two waiver of residency petitions for a secondhand articles license, the appointment of a constable, and a motor vehicle special permit application. The meeting adjourned at 7:27 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joseph Quigley (192 Walnut Street, #8, New Bedford) spoke on "Tenant Perspectives" for the allotted three minutes. He recounted a historical example from the Whaling Museum's expansion to illustrate displacement of marginalized communities, then described his own experience: he alleged his building was used as a drug house by an LLC, that the landlord colluded with the drug house occupant, and that he was labeled a "nuisance" tenant. Mr. Quigley stated he is 75 years old, has been unhoused twice in three years, and faced eviction when the building was sold. He criticized the city's housing meetings for focusing only on housing stock and costs, and urged the committee to include renters in any housing committee discussions. He also warned that many tenants are unaware of their legal rights, such as waiting for a court notice before arbitration. His item was referred to the Committee on Housing.

Discussion Items

• Petitions for Waiver of Residency – Side Quest Complete LLC (Items 2 & 3): Marc DeCambra (Taunton, MA) and Justin Williamson (Somerset, MA) requested waivers under Section 15-38 of the City Code to obtain a license to deal in junk, old metals, or other secondhand articles at 127 West Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford. They described their business as buying and selling secondhand goods (toys, games, cards) and stated they plan to operate primarily on weekends initially, with the goal of making it full-time. Councilor Pereira noted that the mill location can be busy and asked them to use the loading dock; the applicants said they carry small items by hand. Councilor Abreu encouraged them to be open during weekdays, noting many tenants are only open on weekends. The committee voted to recommend the petitions to the full City Council for approval.
• Appointment of Constable – Antwaun Donyeh Murphy (Item 4): The Mayor submitted the appointment of Antwaun Donyeh Murphy (217 Maple Street, New Bedford) as a constable. Mr. Murphy works for the New Bedford Housing Authority in security and fraud, and also as a loan originator. He stated he is stepping in to replace a retiring constable. Councilor Oliver noted the importance of humility when serving legal documents and that constable work requires self-tutoring; Mr. Murphy agreed and said he has connections in the court system. Councilor Baptiste praised Mr. Murphy's community involvement and character. An initial application discrepancy was corrected before the meeting. The committee voted to recommend the appointment to the full City Council.
• Motor Vehicle Special Permit (Item 5): Adriano Vicente, d/b/a AV Auto Sales, 1532 Cove Road, New Bedford, applied for a motor vehicle special permit for auto sales and/or rentals. Without discussion, the committee voted to waive the reading and refer the item to the full City Council for no further action.

Key Outcomes

• Item 1 (Citizen’s Input): Motion to refer Joseph Quigley’s comments to the Committee on Housing (made by Councilor Abreu, seconded by Councilor Gomes) passed unanimously. Councilor Abreu, chair of the housing committee, stated the next scheduled meeting is in September and that Mr. Quigley will be invited to speak further.
• Items 2 & 3 (Waiver of Residency): Motion to report the petitions to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation (made by Councilor Pereira, seconded by Councilor Abreu) passed unanimously. The petitions will be heard at the August 21, 2025 City Council meeting.
• Item 4 (Constable Appointment): Motion to report the appointment to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation (made by Councilor Oliver, seconded by Councilor Baptiste) passed unanimously. The appointment will be considered at the August 21, 2025 City Council meeting.
• Item 5 (Motor Vehicle Special Permit): Motion to waive reading and refer to the full City Council for no further action (made by Councilor Abreu, seconded by Councilor Burgo) passed unanimously.