New Bedford City Council Meeting - September 11, 2025

The New Bedford City Council met on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 7:02 PM in the City Council Chamber. The meeting included public hearings on utility conduit installations, discussion of Mayor Mitchell's communications regarding the police chief appointment and zoning ordinances, several committee reports recommending no further action, and new business motions. A key point of contention was the mayor's appointment of the police chief without council confirmation, leading to a motion to take no further action. Two zoning ordinances from the mayor were tabled by the council in protest.

Consent Calendar

• C1-C6: Citations honoring Little People's College and three new police officers, street closure requests (Sycamore Street block party and Johnny Cake Hill Wine Festival), a constable bond for Antwaun Murphy, and receipt of meeting minutes from various boards. All were approved or received and placed on file.
• C7-C39: Street obstructions and disturbances listed for various locations (e.g., 741 Purchase Street, County Street, etc.) were received and placed on file.
• C40-C41: Petitions from Eversource for conduit locations on Wood Street and Orchard Street were received and hearings ordered for September 25, 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lee McGill (3 North Street, property owner at 2031 and 2071 Purchase Street) spoke in opposition to items 6 and 7 (Verizon/MassDOT conduit projects). He complained that contractors (Eversource, Verizon, DW White) had repeatedly damaged his property, parked on his land without permission, and failed to restore conditions. He requested coordination and accountability, and asked for a meeting with city officials. The council noted his concerns and committed to facilitating a meeting with DPI and MassDOT.
• William Maniatis (23 7th Street) spoke during the first Eversource hearing, raising concerns about tree limbs growing into power lines on his property and asking if the conduit work could address it. Eversource representative Jessica Elder said she would follow up.

Discussion Items

• Hearings 1-7: Utility conduit requests (Eversource and Verizon) were presented and approved after public hearings. For items 6 and 7 (Verizon/MassDOT), a stipulation was added that Verizon must coordinate with the affected property owner (Mr. McGill) on scheduling and property use.
• M1 – Police Chief Appointment: Mayor Mitchell submitted a letter stating his appointment of the police chief is not subject to council confirmation. Councillors debated at length: Councillors Pereira, Morad, Abreu, Oliver, and Gomes all argued that the council has charter-given confirmation authority over department heads. City Attorney Garatowski opined that the chief cannot legally serve without council confirmation. The council voted 10-0 to take no further action on the communication, signaling their refusal to accept the mayor's position without a formal submission for confirmation.
• M2 (Solar Energy Systems ordinance) and M3 (Accessory Dwelling Units ordinance): Councillor Morad moved to table both items, stating the council would not process the mayor's zoning proposals until the administration shows respect to the council regarding the police chief issue. Both were tabled unanimously.
• M4 – Reappointment of Sean Carney to Conservation Commission: Approved with a roll call vote of 10-0.
• Items 8-16A: A special permit for a club at 34 Beetle Street (Casa Do Benfica) was granted. Committee reports recommending no further action on various motions (rat burrows at E.L. Harvey, signage at Wilks Library, ARPA funds for speed limit signs, special permit authority, body art ordinance, tax/fee ordinance, abutter lots program, EMS enterprise fund) were all adopted with no further action.
• Items 17-20: New business motions were referred to committees:
  • Item 17 (Councillor Oliver): Review tax exemption eligibility age from 70 to 65, referred to Finance.
  • Item 18 (Councillors Abreu et al.): City voluntary benefits package, referred to Appointments & Briefings.
  • Item 19 (Councillors Abreu et al.): Prescription drug plan savings options, referred to Appointments & Briefings.
  • Item 20: New livery license application for New Bedford Transportation LLC, referred to Appointments & Briefings.
• Tabled Agenda: A livery license renewal for Gerana’s Transportation Inc. was not discussed (remained tabled from March 13, 2025).

Key Outcomes

• Police Chief Confirmation: The council took no further action on Mayor Mitchell’s communication, effectively rejecting his position and signaling readiness for legal resolution. The matter remains unresolved.
• Zoning Ordinances Tabled: Both the solar energy systems ordinance and the accessory dwelling units ordinance were tabled by unanimous vote (10-0) in a protest over the police chief issue.
• Utility Conduit Hearings Approved: All seven hearings were approved, with items 6 and 7 containing a stipulation requiring Verizon to coordinate with the affected property owner.
• Sean Carney Reappointment Confirmed: Unanimous roll call vote (10-0).
• Special Permit Granted: Casa Do Benfica’s application for a club/lodge at 34 Beetle Street was approved.
• Committee Reports Adopted: All eight committee reports recommending no further action were passed without objection.
• New Business Referred: Four motions were referred to appropriate committees for further discussion.