New Bedford City Council Meeting Summary - January 8, 2026

The New Bedford City Council convened on January 8, 2026, at 7:01 PM to address a series of mayoral reappointments, board appointments, and zoning ordinances. The meeting featured significant debate regarding the appointment of the new Chief of Police and the procedural adequacy of public notification for a parking requirements zoning amendment. While most routine matters were passed unanimously, the Council voted against sending a parking ordinance to a second reading, citing the need for further public input, but ultimately failed to table the motion, passing the ordinance to second reading instead. Several public safety and property disposition motions were referred to their respective committees for further action.

Consent Calendar

• Motion to Accept Letters: Received and filed the letter from Councillor Lopes citing a prior commitment for absence.
• M1 (Port Council): Approved the reappointment of Mr. Gordon Carr as Port Council Chairman representing New Bedford for 2026 (10-0).
• M2 (Traffic Commission): Granted the reappointment of Michael J. Paiva to the Traffic Commission for a term expiring December 2028, waiving rules 38 and 40 (10-0).
• M3 (Council on Aging): Granted the reappointment of Reverend Dr. Sandra Gatlin Whitley to the Council on Aging for a term expiring December 2028, waiving rules 38 and 40 (10-0).
• M4 (Veterans Advisory Board): Granted the appointment of Wayne Edwards to the Veterans Advisory Board, waiving the standard screening rule 40 to expedite filling vacancies and noting the volunteer nature and specific experience of the applicant (10-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Councillor Leo Choquett: Expressed strong opposition to the lack of public notice for the parking ordinance public hearing held before Christmas. The Councillor argued that a significant number of Ward 1 residents were excluded from the record due to poor advertising and holiday timing, stating that "representative government is supposed to allow the people to speak" and that the community deserves an opportunity to be heard before the item proceeds. (Position: Support for returning item to committee for additional public hearing).
• Councillor Shane Burgo: Countered by stating that the public hearing was properly advertised in the Standard Times and on the City website as required by law. The Councillor criticized the notion that "a small amount of people" were upset, characterizing the reaction as "short-sighted" and reflecting a "not in my backyard" mentality in Ward 1, while asserting that the rest of the city is trying to facilitate housing and development.
• Councillor Sean Oliver: Expressed support for the petition to return the parking ordinance to committee, aligning with the sentiment that "this is the people's house" and that the Council must grant the community an opportunity to speak if they were unaware or unable to attend the previous hearing.
• Councillor Councillor Carney: Noted that she had spoken to constituents who were unhappy with the ordinance and believed in holding further discussions to address specific concerns regarding the footprint of developments in Ward 1. The Councillor emphasized the importance of listening to these concerns even if the ordinance proceeds, aiming to minimize tax burdens citywide through development.
• Councillor Sean Oliver (Parking Lot): Expressed frustration regarding the Phillips Avenue School property, noting that the City drove out a developer previously. The Councillor supported the motion to begin the disposition process to stop the property from decaying further, acknowledging that the current parking situation is essentially a storage lot rather than active use.

Discussion Items

• Appointment of Chief of Police (Item 3):

  • Proposal: Consideration of Jason Thody (Jason Thodthy) as the new Chief of Police, with a motion to grant the appointment and waive Rule 40.
  • Debate: Councillor Naomi Carney expressed a formal opposition (position: No), arguing that the Mayor should prioritize a "homegrown" candidate with over 25 years of service in the department (Captain Nate Rodriguez) rather than an outsider. The Councillor stated that failing to look internally demoralizes uniformed officers. However, the Councillor welcomed Chief Thody to the city.
  • Outcome: The appointment passed 9-1 after the roll call vote.
  • Oath: Chief Thody was sworn in, pledging to perform duties faithfully, impartially, and with compassion, courage, and integrity.

• Parking Requirements Zoning Ordinance (Item 7):

  • Proposal: Ordinance amending Chapter 9 (Comprehensive Zoning) regarding Appendix C, Table of Parking and Loading Requirements.
  • Debate: A heated discussion ensued. Councillor Choquett and Councillor Gomes argued for sending the item back to the Committee on Ordinances for additional public input and a new public hearing. Councillors Burgo, Gomes, and others initially argued against this, citing the legal sufficiency of prior advertisements. Councillor Carney inquired with Legal Counsel, who confirmed that sending the item back would trigger a new public hearing, restarting the 90-day clock for voting, whereas the current 45-day Planning Board clock had already elapsed.
  • Procedural Motion: A motion was made to table the item to send it back to committee for an additional public hearing (Motion to Table). This motion failed 4-6.
  • Final Vote: Councillor Burgo made a motion to pass the item to a second reading (final action). This motion passed with no opposition (Ayes received).

• Zoning Ordinances (Items 5 & 6):

  • Proposal: Ordinance 5A amends zoning to add Section 4200D (Solar Energy Systems); Ordinance 6A amends zoning relative to Accessory Dwelling Units.
  • Outcome: Both items passed to a second reading unanimously (Ayes received).

• Municipal Parking Lot Acquisition (Item 13):

  • Proposal: Referral to the Committee on City Property to meet with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River regarding leasing a 25,000 sq ft parking lot at Ashley Blvd and Earl Street.
  • Debate: Councillor Pemberton proposed the motion to alleviate parking shortages. Councillor Gomes objected, arguing that a proposal exists to redevelop the adjacent church into housing, making the acquisition of the parking lot a waste of time and contrary to generating tax revenue. Councillor Abreu countered that the property has been listed for over 600 days with no buyer and acquiring the lot could prevent future density issues similar to the Phillips Avenue controversy.
  • Outcome: The motion to refer the item was approved (Ayes received).

• Phillips Avenue School Disposition (Item 14):

  • Proposal: Referral to the Committee on City Property to begin the disposition process for the Phillips Avenue Elementary School.
  • Debate: Councillor Gomes acknowledged previous failures to develop the property but reiterated that the Council drove the developer away in the past and should not repeat the error by allowing the property to decay while shifting parking concerns to other locations. Councillor Oliver supported the motion to initiate disposition to avoid demolition costs and get the property back on the tax roll.
  • Outcome: The motion to refer the item was approved (Ayes received).

Key Outcomes

• Appointments Approved: Gordon Carr (Port Council), Michael J. Paiva (Traffic Commission), Rev. Dr. Sandra Gatlin Whitley (Council on Aging), Wayne Edwards (Veterans Advisory Board), and Jason Thody (Chief of Police).
• Zoning Passed: Solar Energy Systems (Item 5A) and Accessory Dwelling Units (Item 6A) ordinances passed to second reading.
• Voting on Parking Ordinance (Item 7): The motion to table the parking ordinance for an additional hearing failed (4-6). The motion to pass the parking ordinance to a second reading passed, constituting the Council's decision to continue the legislative process for this item.
• Referrals Approved:
  • Coral Street no-parking signage to the Traffic Commission (Item 12).
  • Diocese parking lot lease feasibility to the Committee on City Property (Item 13).
  • Phillips Avenue School disposition to the Committee on City Property (Item 14).
• Other Actions: Adoptions of orders for Whalen Development donation (Item 1), Parkland grants (Item 2), and George Viveris appointment to Park Commissioners (Item 4).
• Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:02 PM.