But do we have a three, four or five?

Oh, we do.

No, we have one.

No, we have six.

Three of the six.

I don't want that.

Oh, so you know I sent you sent you guys on the pending list, guys.

I didn't make any of those motions.

I know.

Yeah, you did.

We have some so old that I must not consolidated products get rid of some stuff.

But Brian, I want to work on the motions.

I want to work on that.

So you want to get rid of it?

Yes.

So I want to make sure we update it, though.

I don't want to get rid of them and don't forget, but we're going to put new ones on the agenda to update.

We will go into now the court case and we're at this point.

Okay.

Some of the stuff is on, but other stuff is so.

Okay.

I got the list.

He comes out.

Let me know when you are ready.

Do you need a mic test?

Testing one, two, three.

Oh, testing tests.

Okay.

Yeah.

Good evening, everybody, and welcome to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings.

It is March 17th, 2026 and is 701.

In the chambers, I would like to sit my calling the government.

We have Councillor Lodge, Ian Abrew, Council Board 2, Scott Pemberton.

Councillor at Lodge, Brian Gomes, Council from Ward 6 and President, Ryan Pereira, Councillor at Large, Shane Burgo, Council Board 3, Sean Oliver, and Councillor at Lodge, James Roy, and myself, Naomi Carney, Council at Large.

Thank you very much all for coming.

No, this meeting is being live streamed and recorded.

City Council and Committee meetings can be viewed on the City of New Bedford's homepage under quick links, then meetings.

Thank you.

Do we have anything to be read in the record?

We do.

We have two letters to read into the record.

This one's from Councillor Lopes.

Dear Chair Carney and honorable members of the committee, I am writing to inform you that I will be unable to attend tonight's committee meeting due to a work commitment.

Please read this letter into the record to make my colleagues in the public aware of the reason for my absence.

Second letter is uh from Councillor Choquette.

I am writing to inform you that I am not able to attend tonight's committee meeting due to a previously scheduled business commitment.

Please read this letter into the record to make my colleagues and the public aware of the reason for my absence.

Second.

Motion made to receive and place on file by Councillor Oliver.

Second by Council Burgo.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

The ayes have it.

Item number one is citizens' input time not to exceed the first thirty minutes of each meeting.

Each individual recognized is allowed to speak for a total of three minutes.

James DuPont.

Mr.

DuPont.

Good evening, Mr.

DuPont.

Can we have your name and address for the record?

James DuPont, one eighteen Elm Street East Rainham for the minutes.

Thank you.

Good evening, Madam Chair and members of the New Bedford City Council.

I come with a message of grave and immediate importance to the property owners and voters of New Bedford, the members of the New Bedford City Council, the administration of the City of New Bedford.

The issue is twofold.

First, it concerns the decades-long underfunding by the Massachusetts State Legislature of the several categories of local aid, including but not limited to Chapter 70, which, as you know, is one of the biggest factors in setting the local property tax rate.

And hence how much the residents and businesses of New Bedford were asked by you to pay.

After Prop 2 and a half, the cities and towns were limited in how much they could raise the prior year's levy, and consequently many local services, mostly education, were annually reduced due to insufficient legislative appropriations to local aid in Chapter 70.

This brings up the second point.

Where does so-called state revenue come from?

In fact, and indeed it comes from every resident and every business in every city and town, including New Bedford, which in turn leads me to ask this question.

Why isn't the money being taken out of cities and towns then appropriate and returned to you in order to reduce how much the city has to ask its property owners to pay?

It's been my experience that our state legislature has never made full funding of aid to education or local aid a priority.

Members of the majority party bemoan how tough things are this year on Beacon Hill.

While the Minority Party members shrug their shoulders and say there isn't anything I can do about it.

Last year, Rainham's budget process resulted in a failure to pay its requested share of the regional school assessment.

After a failed prop two and a half override, a large layoff of BR employees followed.

Forty teachers.

A resident I discussed this with said it sounds like bad management.

I responded that it wasn't bad management, but rather a shortfall caused by our state legislators, not fully funding local aid and Chapter 70.

His response, it sounds like our local officials mismanage their relationships with our state legislators.

Madam Chair, the time has come for all local officials, including the members of the New Bedford City Council to demand that their state legislators change their vote on local aid from the current.

Here's what's left.

As long as our state reps and state senators are lotted for getting half a loaf, then the local residents and businesses will be told to make up the difference.

And you, you people in those seats, you, not the governor of the legislature, will bear the public's ire when taxes go up and services go down.

As the guardians of the local tax dollar, it is time you each of you demand that the legislators who represent New Bedford vote to fully fund all categories of local aid.

So the council won't have to ask the local taxpayers to make up for another shortfall in state funding by raising local taxes or an override of Prop 2 and a half.

If the state then has a shortfall, let them raise taxes or do massive layoffs instead of forcing the City Council to do it for them.

Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the City Council.

I'll leave a copy of my remarks with the Secretary for the record.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Second.

Most to be made by Council Gomes.

Second by Council Virgo.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Thank you.

Stop.

Item number two is communication.

Mayor Mitchell to the City Council, submitting the appointment of Christopher Jose Escobar, New Bedford Mass, to the Veterans Advisory Board, replacing Christopher Holkamp, who is has resigned.

This term will expire December 2026.

It was referred here on December 11th, 2025.

February 17, 2026, it was uh tabled.

Number two is before you and it remains on the table.

Motion made by Council April to move from the table.

Second?

Second by Council Burgo.

All in favor say aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Mr.

Escobar.

Mr.

Escobar.

Table?

Councilor.

Madam Chief through you to the uh the clerk.

Do we have any communication?

This would have been a second time.

Yeah, no, we wouldn't so showed.

We haven't received anything.

Oh, okay.

I was invited, though.

You and I I know that.

Thank you.

So I I would like to make a motion to refer out to the full city council.

No.

Oh, that's from the refer to the full city council with a favorable recommendation.

Motion made by Council Burgo to refer out to the full city council for a favorable recommendation.

Second by second by Council Combs.

Anybody on the question?

Councillor Burgo.

Yes.

So on this item again, uh I've this was referred back in December of 2026, and uh since uh this has been referred, we've had two other veteran advisory board uh appointments.

And I'm very thankful to this body for uh appointing those two appointments since then.

Um I missed this one.

Um it was obviously sent to committee as we normally would.

Um as I I've uh explained on the last two during uh council meetings.

This is the typical process that we would do in any committee uh meeting.

Um the Veterans Advisory Board is going through a very rare um situation right now where they're struggling to build back up to meet a quorum.

Um also they're in a rare situation where all the members are veterans, and a lot of times these uh veterans uh have different ailments, they have different uh limitations when it uh comes to, in this case, maybe attending an in-person city council meeting on the second floor.

Um in this particular matter, I think what might have taken place in I can double check before our next council meeting.

Um, this gentleman might have believed that he was all set.

Um so that's why in this case I uh would ask the body to indulge me in sending this uh out to the full city council for approval, check back in with this candidate to make sure he's aware uh of the situation and ask that we approve this for the full city council to get this board back up and running again, as I reiterated.

This is a board that is lacking in a quorum to meet, and these are uh members that have served our country proudly and are trying to get back on board.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Burgo.

Council Oliver.

Thank thank you, Madam Chair.

Um, although I do understand uh the sentiments of the colleague who spoke before me, um, and I think the body has been uh willing to work with the needs of this board.

Um this board needs people who are gonna show up.

I know I'm gonna sound um uh like I'm against this person uh sitting there, which I I really am not, um, but it is it it it takes communication, whether they you know it or not, uh whether you knew you're supposed to show up in February or now or whatever it may be.

I do know that as my colleague spoke before me said that there are some limitations, but one of those expectations is again to show up.

So um I would like the opportunity to speak with this uh gentleman to make sure that we are on the same page and not just continuing to fill these positions just because the board is struggling to fill them.

So I would um suggest to not send this uh out and uh let's go through the process with this one because maybe something maybe something's up in the person cannot actually commit to the board.

So I will hope that my colleagues will take that in cons into consideration as well.

Uh a letter of invitation was sent out on March 4th to Ms.

Escobar.

Yes.

So we would just double check and to make sure that he was informed of this meeting and um and he was informed of this meeting.

Point of order.

Okay.

Council Roy.

Point of order.

Yes, Council Council.

Did our colleague from Ward 3 make a motion there?

Okay.

No.

So the motion on the floor is still to refer to the full city council for approval.

You can ask for roll call or you can still ask for motion to table.

Motion at the table.

Okay.

So a motion be made to table by counselor Oliver, which does go after the precedes the uh the prior motion.

Second, and second by counselor April.

All those in favor to table say okay.

Say aye.

No, roll call.

Sorry.

On tabling, um Councillor Abrew?

Yes.

Yes, Council April, Council Baptiste?

Yes.

Yes, Council Baptist, Council Burgot?

No.

No Council Carney, Council, no Council Burgo, Councillor Carney?

Yes.

Yes, Council Carney, Council uh Gomes?

Yes.

He has Council Gomes, Councillor Oliver?

Yes.

Yes, Council Oliver, Council Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes, Council Pemberton.

Council Pereira?

Yes.

Yes.

Council Roy?

That passes seven to motion to pass this.

Council Roy, why do we I'm sorry, James.

Okay.

I'm gonna go sit near you.

Okay.

Yes.

I mean, and we go way back too.

I'm so sorry.

Council Roy.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

So that passes eight to one.

That passes eight to one.

And for the record, I'd like to show that Councillor Baptiste from Ward 4 is here, and he came in while we were doing the discussion.

Thank you.

Um a petition.

Uh Casey Swift and Justin Swift, East Free Town Mass, doing business at Swift Sales.

127, West Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford Mass requesting a waiver of residency in accordance with Section 15-38 of the City Code to obtain a license to deal in junk old metals or any other secondhand articles referred here on November 13, 2025.

December 16, 2025, it remained in committee.

And February 17, 2026, it was tabled.

So number three is before you and it remains on the table.

Okay.

Are they present?

Uh do we have uh let's see.

The Swifts.

Major Swifts and Justin Swift in the room.

No.

This would be the third time that it's so uh just a motion to refer out to the full city council for no further action.

Just a parliamentary inquiry, uh Madam Chair and Mr.

Clerk.

Don't we have to remove from the table for us to refer it out?

Yes, so I have motion to remove from the table.

Right.

So we're gonna we're gonna motion to remove from the table.

Remove from the table made by me.

Okay.

Motion motion be made to remove table by Councillor April.

Second by Council Pemberton.

All in favor for moving to the tape removing from the table say aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Motion referral to the full city council for no further action.

Second.

Motion made by Council Virgo.

Second by Council Pemberton.

Roll call on the question.

Really quickly, just for the general public.

Um I looked into this too.

I just want uh the general public to be aware that uh the a letter has been sent to their East Free Town address as well as their new Bedford address.

Um there was an attempt also made by our clerk's office.

Um they are nowhere to be found.

They have they haven't made any inquiries back to us uh on each occasion.

This is third time's the charm, I guess, in that regard.

So um we have done our the office, our uh council office has uh done their due diligence on this matter.

Um I I'm not sure why, so that is why I have made the motion to refer out for no further action.

Just so people are aware we are trying to make the attempt and they're not showing up.

Thank you, Council Burlow.

Anyone else on the question?

Seeing none.

All in favor say aye.

I withdraw my roll call vote.

Okay.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Number four.

It's communication, City Clerk, Clerk of the City Council submitting an application for a new private livery license on behalf of Celeston Wilkend of One Warwick Street, New Bedford Mass, doing business as Chris Transportation One Warwick Street New Bedford Mass, license to expire, June 30th, 2026.

The matter was referred here on June 8, 2026.

On February 17th, 2026.

It was tabled number four is before you and it remains on the table.

Point of information.

Are the applicants here?

Uh they are.

I Celeste Wilkend.

Celeste and Wilkend.

They are not present.

You want to just leave it on the table?

Okay.

We don't have to make it.

We'll just leave it on the table.

Okay.

Number five is a written motion, Councillors Gomes and Oliver requesting that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings meet with the MBTA South Coast Rail officials for the purpose of discussing the safety of the purchase street train corridor.

Uh the installation safety fencing from Minuteman Car Wash South and the support wall on South on Purchase Street from Pennaman Street to the train station, and further requesting that the Purchase Street support wall will have the same facade as the train station.

It was referred here on January 25th, 2024.

On June 17, 2025, it was tabled.

Um before you and it remains on the table.

Madam Chair.

Let it remain on the table.

We don't have anybody here from MBTA.

Nobody here?

No.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

Stays on the table.

Okay.

All right.

So now, number six.

Here's a written motion.

Councillors Gomes.

I'm assuming that you folks are here on St.

Killian's.

Yes.

Okay.

Oh, okay.

Yes, okay.

Do you want to take a meta?

Yeah, we know.

Number six.

There's a written motion.

Councillors Gomes requesting that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings meet with Derek Santos, Executive Director for the New Bedford Economic Development Council, along with board members of the New Bedford Business Park for the purpose of having a discussion on implementing language in the business parks governing rules to protect against any future trash and recycling businesses that handle hazardous waste materials from the being from being located in the business park.

Putting this safeguard in place would protect the business park from any hazardous waste, trash or any other detrimental materials.

It was referred here on December 11th, 2025.

Number six is now before you.

Motion received in place on file.

Second.

Motion made by Councillor Gomes.

Second by Councillor Pemberton.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

That was Derek is here.

Huh?

This is simple.

We shouldn't be too long with this.

No.

Because we have that was we have the other one right behind us.

So I'm just saying in general.

Yes.

This is a yes or no.

Either you can or you can't.

Where is Derek?

Right there.

Derek, you want to come up to the polling?

Thank you, Derek, and thanks for coming.

Good evening.

Thanks for being here.

I think the motion is self-explanatory.

By laws, thank you very much.

I was thinking of something else.

By laws of the um business park.

Yep.

The uh Industrial Foundation places deed restrictions on when it sells a piece of property.

Uh those deed restrictions are in place for a period of thirty years.

Uh those deed restrictions have changed a bit over time when the park was first established and starting selling land in the early 60s.

They were uh they were brief uh restrictions.

Uh sometime around the 80s, they were uh expanded a bit, and then later on they were expanded even further.

Uh on the Industrial Foundation's website and in its printed guide um are the most uh recent uh restrictions on any uh a parcel that was sold by the Industrial Foundation.

If a project, if uh uh if a business in the park wants to do any project at all, uh the first thing that we do is Ramon looks up the deed restriction that was actually recorded because that's which that's what the Industrial Foundation can enforce from a deed restriction.

Um and that's what we ensure uh compliance with.

Uh anything if a project requires any other permitting from the city, state or whatever, if it's the if it's the planning board, for example, they'll ask the Industrial Foundation usually to provide comment.

Um we'll usually provide that comment by saying the deed restrictions were complied with, here's what they are.

And if there are other comments, the Industrial Foundation Executive Committee instructs us what to do, and we communicate that.

There are no more parcels for the Industrial Foundation to sell in the business park.

So there are no more deed restrictions to put on any additional parcels.

So you're telling me that this is a waste of time.

Who's the lands for the you that's I don't mean to do this to you, Derek?

But you've been in this building before and you stood before us and you told me that there was nothing for sale up in in the business park.

Only to see signs up in the business park of of different parcels for sale.

There was one not not too long ago, right after you take it right there, that came up for sale.

There was further up the the parcels for sale.

There's parcels for sale on the other side of Dartmouth.

Matter of fact, a new technology was just done just above uh, I think the Dartmouth line.

Correct.

None of those parcels are being sold by the Industrial Foundation.

Who are they being sold by?

Private parties.

I didn't I didn't realize that private parties own properties within the business park.

I thought the business park was owned basically by the business park.

We had land available.

Um companies would come in and take advantage not take advantage, but take advantage of uh setting up their business there.

I wasn't aware that so uh when the business park started, it was all private land the business park is really no different, Counselor, then imagine a residential subdivision, a road in private lots, the developer sells the lots.

Once those lots are sold, whoever bought that lot, that's their house and their property.

It's the exact same thing.

Okay, so those those lots were sold then?

Yes.

Back in the day.

Yes.

Okay.

So my question, my my motion here was simple.

No more trash, no more things that are detrimental to the city of New Bedford.

The business park originally when it came here, I've been around for a little while, was for the 21st century of uh of um factories uh or manufacturers with in the park.

And that kind of um read it away.

I just want to guarantee that we we do not put ourselves in a situation such as we put in ourselves in with the Polaroid property and how that all took place.

A lot of that many of us were not aware of of what was it was going on at the time in the business park, because maybe some of us would have stood up and said, wait a minute, what's going on?

Let me finish.

Yep.

I want just a guaranteed in somewhere in the bylaws or whatever that this will never happen again in the in the park.

And I believe that this can be done.

I believe that it was there before, and then it was taken away, and then whatever happened happened.

Go ahead.

The uh the deed restriction for the Polaroid property.

Well, you asked the question.

I'm just gonna just try to answer it, right?

Expired about 21 years uh ago.

So there was no mechanism for the Industrial Foundation to enforce a deed restriction that had expired.

There's no mechanism for that.

So the way the to to guarantee what you are looking for, the industrial foundation has no role.

There are no more parcels for it to sell.

It can't put new deed restrictions on anything.

But if you're not a good thing, if someone leaves in the next 10 years and they decide to sell that property, someone can come in in with a crane and knock everything down and put a trash uh place there.

That's what I'm trying to prevent.

If someone if someone sold a piece of property and the deed restrictions were in place, the deed restrictions as they are for every project would get enforced.

If someone sold a piece of property and the deed restrictions were in place, the deed restrictions as they are for every project would get enforced.

Isn't there any bylaws by the park?

So what's what's the what's the industrial uh park about uh the previously and all that.

What was that all about?

The mechanism that the Industrial Foundation used uh well before we got there starting in the 1950s was to sell properties to restrict the not the use.

Use is restricted by zoning.

That's that's what you are talking about is use.

Zoning is forever, and municipal zoning, both in the city and Bedford and the town of Dartmouth is what restricts use.

In terms of site design, landscaping, building materials, that's what you're going to see in the uh in the guidelines for the park.

Uh and for 30 years, right, those restrictions are in place.

After 30 years, as each parcel gets sold at a different time, right?

They're all on a it doesn't all happen at once, it happens over over a period of time.

And if a parcel gets sold and somebody wants to do something that is outside of the deed restrictions, if they still exist, right?

Then Ramona and I review those plans.

We let the executive committee of the Industrial Foundation know.

Um if it will say you, you know, you this is something that you cannot do.

That has happened.

That has happened.

Um there were what happened then with Polaroid if that deed had re um expired for almost 21 years or whatever.

What happened with that that that got to locate uh parallel got to do what they got to do there?

And I don't mean to go there, because I didn't want to go there.

All I wanted was a flat yes or no answer.

Can we put something in place to make sure it never happens again?

You want to no question?

There's no way in there's no way of protecting that park, that that business park in any way of this happening again or something coming to the park that could be detrimental to it.

The Industrial Foundation does not own any of the parcels in the park.

So therefore, no, it cannot enforce deed restrictions on parcels that it does not own.

It can only enforce deed restrictions on parcels where those deeds, where those restrictions still have time left on them.

So any parcel where that was sold in the you know 50s, 60s, early 70s, those deed restrictions have you know expired.

Any parcels that were sold more recently within 30 years, right, those deed restrictions still exist on parcels where the deed restrictions still exist, then the Industrial Foundation enforces those deed restrictions.

Okay.

You're educating me on on the deeds and stuff like that.

Yep.

What?

But so what is your job there, Derek?

How do we get is your job to uh um attract businesses to the to the park?

Am I correct?

Are you mean the EDCs?

You my job is I'm the executive director of the EDC.

Okay.

There are no there are no parcels left to sell in the business park.

There is parcels left to sell, but they're in private um ownership.

Yes.

You've already explained that to me.

Okay.

But uh so uh say I own a piece of property up there and I want to turn it into smash glass, I can just buy the property and and do so.

No.

Okay.

Give me an explanation why no.

If I want to buy a piece of property in the business park and run a smash glass operation, that's an example.

Yeah, to use your to use your example, right?

If that property has deed restrictions on it from the Industrial Foundation, right?

It's unlikely that it would meet the criteria of not being obnoxious use, right?

And you'd be stopped right there.

If you bought a parcel where the deed restrictions had expired, there would be no role for the Industrial Foundation.

That role would be with the City of New Bedford between site plan review and the billing department.

So you would have no say in that, it would come to the city to deal with anything like that.

Correct.

Thank you very much.

Nothing further.

I don't need to any other questions from him.

If my colleagues are happy with that, I apologize for having him in here.

All I was doing was try to protect the park from this ever happening again.

And I understand that this wording was in there somewhere a long time ago in the bylaws, but I guess them have been burnt, and we go on on the on what we have now.

Yes, you are you are right, Council Gomes, because uh Mr.

Davis stood here several years back when the saw stab and it and told us that it was in the bylaws.

So we you didn't make it up.

He he after he resigned, he came here when that whole parallel product was stepped and told us that.

So he didn't.

And uh again, Madam Chairman, I was looking to is to protect the park from anything of the future that could be detrimental as this project that came along has been in the work and the money that has been spent by the taxpayers of the city in New Bedford and the fight continues with everyone against parallel products being there.

That's all I was looking to do.

Derek, thank you very much for being here.

Have a great evening.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, Council Combs.

Council Pereira.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

So Derek, you alluded to it a little bit.

Yes.

However, all parcels in the industrial park and in the city have to follow our zoning laws.

You are correct.

So in our zoning laws where we have now uh made changes to to not allow these certain facilities uh in in all these zones, that will take place in industrial park as well.

You are correct.

Okay.

So we so the council by uh uh passing those certain ordinances in the table of use have protected that all you are correct.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Just to clarify, uh you know, uh I understand uh when this uh happened, uh the you know the council was looking and and and the council to my right knows better than anyone else, uh just about as much as anyone else that we were looking for any and uh every way to stop this from ever happening again.

And and but we the the council did the master of all uh moves by banning it on our zoning, which covers the entire city.

So that that is protected now throughout the city, and that's thanks to to to leadership on this council.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Derek.

Yes, thank you, Council Pereira and clarifying the zoning for the people that are watching, because yes, now the zoning is in place.

Thank you.

Council April.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Derek, very quick.

Um we were discussing a few minutes ago, or was brought up about the bylaws for protection uh through the Industrial Foundation.

Uh I I was looking at you and you kind of made a little face and you were shaking your head a little bit.

And if I misread you, I apologize.

But was that is that not correct?

Like in the past when it was alluded to Mr.

Davis and I just want to clarify that.

Uh yes, Counselor.

So terms get used in an interchanged way.

Um the bylaws for the Industrial Foundation as an organization, like any nonprofit, have existed since its inception.

They make no reference to design standards or uses of the properties in the park.

They refer specifically when you are talking about the bylaws to how that organization is going to run itself, right?

Number of members, officers, meeting times, that type of thing.

They're very typical bylaws, I think from 1955.

The uh regulations, which sometimes get referred to as the parks bylaws, right?

The park regulations, and are posted as the park regulations.

But even if you read the regulations, it says those those are essentially regulations that are restrictions that are placed on the deed.

I fully understand how anybody, a member of the public or anybody else would interchange those.

But they are they are separate legal documents.

Thank you, Derek.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Council April.

Anybody else?

On your second, Council Collins.

Thank you very much, Madam Chairman.

Uh again, thank you for being here.

I know what we were told back in the day, and that's what I was going on.

Um I I understand about the zoning and all that stuff, but I I always thought that the original industrial was a foundation of members that almost like a condo association that watched over the park.

What came into the park, what didn't come into the park.

Just want that to be understood.

No, that's that's that's certainly true.

That's certainly true.

Um we work with park companies uh on almost a weekly basis.

We work with them on enhanced security.

We work with them on enhanced uh maintenance of the park.

We're doing a spring um to-do list.

We do that every spring and every fall.

Um uh we make sure that they are aware of any security updates in terms of notifying police either in New Bedford or Dartmouth if there's an incident in the park, um, whether that be on their site or as the weather gets warmer, Consul, I'm sure you know, there are some folks out there who will drive their cars too fast in the business park from time to time.

We uh give them the protocol on anything like that.

If there's any business in the park that has a question that has is looking to do an expansion, Horatios is a good example, where we worked with those guys on their permitting.

Ramon worked with them specifically on on the incentive package to make that expansion actually happen.

Um so we're constantly working with um working with companies in the park, and when they want to do something, referring them back, because they don't know, back to their own deed restrictions on this is what is applicable, this is what's not.

Almost always the city's zoning requirements and state plan review requirements are more restrictive than the than what's in deed restrictions, almost always.

The Foundation back in 1955 did not choose a model.

We wish they did, where instead of selling land, they entered into ground leases, right, and had perpetual ownership of property.

You understand what this is.

I understand exactly what you want.

No, I I I you understand what I was thinking.

Absolutely.

It's well versed in on that.

No, no, no, no, no.

And that is not an uncommon model.

So it's we fully understand when when anybody would make that assumption, that's a completely valid assumption.

The Industrial Foundation in New Bedford chose not to do that.

They chose to essentially say, we're going to work to essentially build a city street and then we're going to sell off property, right?

And when the revenue from those properties is complete, essentially the foundation will sunset.

The foundation will sunset and will go away probably in somewhere between 12 and 14 years, something like that, with their current current model of finances.

If things stretch out a little bit longer, it might be a little bit longer.

If some expenses are more, it might be a little bit less.

But that organization was designed to sunset and not be perpetual.

If they had held on to the land and had ground leases or even built buildings and had tenants come in, they would have had much more control.

They would have had uh uh perpetual income.

But there was a strategic decision made that said that's not the model that we're going to follow.

And at no point in their history, and not since we've been there, have they decided to change that model?

By the time we got there, there were only two parcels left for the Foundation to sell.

We're Plumber Suppliers now, which Ramon recruited to that site, and uh uh what the parcel is called lot eleven, which DF Prey had, which now is a staging area for EverSource temporarily for their project in the north end.

Ramon also recruited DF Pray there.

Once that's done, there'll be future development at that parcel.

But they have no other parcels to sell.

What's going on right next to the railroad track with that parcel of land that was up that is up for sale.

Are you talking about where the railroad tracks are?

They've put some temporary campers there, but that whole land was cleared.

Cleared.

And the signage is up.

Yep, the foundation sold that parcel to DF Prey for for development.

Um in the interim right now, EverSource had approached DF Prey if they could use that parcel for staging for a lot of the North End projects that Eversource is doing right now.

That's what is happening now.

Um that's what that stone is and all that is about with the fencing in.

Because half of it is not fenced in.

It's just land or whatever.

Correct.

Uh field engineering, who's done a lot of work in the park bob field, um, had worked with DF Prey.

We've we had seen the plans for the uh uh the uh uh schematic concept for development and the Eversource piece is there temporarily.

When those construction projects end for Eversource, they leave, and then DF Prey looks at okay, how do we go back to the redevelopment plan?

Okay.

Um again, Derek, thank you for being here.

Thank you for your explanation.

Please understand that this council is somewhat very frustrated, and you know I am, and many of us are with the project of with the parallel project up there.

And again, all I was looking for from you, sir, was that protection that as the eyes and the ears of the park that something like this never get past you or whatever without you sounding the alarm or whoever is in your place to sound the alarm to the city or at least its representation so immediate action could be taken and we not getting caught up into the run that we got caught up into with parallel products, which was already there, smashing glass and everything, and uh constituent had to call and let me know that that was happening, and then it all broke loose.

We're on the same page.

Thank you.

When we have the tools, we absolutely use them.

Thank you, sir.

Yes, sir.

Ramon, thank you also for being here.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.

No further action.

Thank you, Council Gomes.

Anybody else have any questions for Derek?

Sorry.

See that's okay.

Saying none, motion has been made for no further action.

Made by Council Gomes, second by Council Burgo.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Thank you, Derek and Ramon for coming.

Item number seven is a written motion, Council Gomes requesting that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings meet with the Archdiocese of Boston's planning office for the urban affairs to discuss the project timeline and the proposed design for the former St.

Killian's Church, property on Ashley Boulevard.

It was referred to on January 22nd, 2026.

78.

Motionary season file.

Sorry.

Checked okay.

So 7 and 7A motion received and place on file.

The written motion and the project timeline and design plan.

Council Roy.

Council made my council.

Excuse me.

Motion made by Council Roy, second by Councillor Burgo.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Thank you for waiting for us.

And um you're on now, so you can state your name and address for the record, and then you can get into explaining about the project.

Welcome back to the City of New Bedford again.

Thank you.

Appreciate you being here.

Thank you.

Very much appreciate being invited.

I'm Shayna Corman Houston, the director of real estate.

Oh, thank you, sir.

The director of real estate at the Planning Office for Urban Affairs.

Our office, our offices are at 10 Post Office Square in Boston.

And I do have printed presentation.

Thank you.

Motion received in place on file.

Second.

Second by Council April.

We already received and placed that on file.

That was 7A.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Oh, yes.

Yeah, I think you did.

You added both of them in your motion.

Dennis one for the G is one on my desk.

Just the same one.

Sean?

Is mine on my desk?

No.

It is now.

Council President RIT.

Dennis.

She wanted one on her desk.

Oh, I was going to bring it up for you, but that's fine.

That's mine.

She doesn't have to know why she has I do now, but I'm giving it to you.

Because you know how I feel about the question.

While we're waiting, we appreciate you being here and coming down again.

We had met last year.

And um you know how I felt about this project.

Can you get selection?

Sure.

Thank you.

Again, thank you so much for coming.

It's all coming out.

I'll know how it's so good evening, Counselors, and thank you for having us.

Um as I said, I'm Shayna Corman Houston, Director of Real Estate at the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, and I'm here with uh with Joe Harrington, the Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Fall River.

Uh we're here to discuss uh the proposed redevelopment of St.

Killian's Church at 300 to 306 Ashley Boulevard.

So the planning office was formed in 1969 by the Archdiocese of Boston as an independent nonprofit with uh a mission of developing high quality affordable housing.

Over the past 55 years, we've developed more than 3200 units throughout Eastern Massachusetts with another 12 to 1,500 underway.

We provide diverse housing solutions ranging from mixed income, senior family, and supportive housing for vulnerable populations, as well as homeownership and mixed use development.

All right.

So as you know, St.

Killian's has been vacant for many years, and the Archdiocese was seeking a way to leverage its unused properties in a way that would strengthen the diocese financial position as well as uh advance its social justice mission and benefit the neighborhood.

So PUA has a deep um has deep experience in this sort of project.

And uh so we connected to to work on that.

We initially envisioned a project with 15 workforce homeownership units and a 44 unit rental building with a mix of incomes, focusing though on 30 and 60 percent AMI units.

So uh low and very low-income households, and a design that was intended to respect the neighborhood.

Uh so we met with several of the counselors, including Councillor Gomes as well as uh Josh Amaral from the Office of Housing and Community Development with those uh early plans, and we really appreciate the feedback we got from you and from the mayor via Josh.

Um so the feedback that we heard uh was strong support for the homeownership component, um, a desire for more workforce housing, um, recommendation that parking be secured, which we will do, um, and an interest in preserving the church, which unfortunately we're not able to do.

Um, or uh if that were not possible, a more distinctive design.

So we went back, we put pencil to paper, and this is what we've come up with that we're bringing to you today.

What you see, what you see at the bottom of the page is a four-story, 46-unit affordable and workforce rental building with 49 parking spaces and an outdoor patio.

Up at the top of the page in the church the former church parking lot is 15 for sale townhomes with 16 parking spaces.

All right.

So here's a view of the townhomes, the homeownership townhomes at three stories.

They're, we believe, a very appropriate scale for the neighborhood, and with the pitched roof and the residential character.

They're mostly two bedroom units, a couple of three bedrooms, and they're intended to be for households at 80% of area median income with sales prices that are appropriate for those households.

And I've put up at the top what those incomes are approximately and what we expect those sales prices would be.

So in the coming weeks and months, we'll be bringing it around to various departments.

You all again, I probably public stakeholders for feedback, and all of that is gearing up for the zoning process, which we hope to begin this spring after a conversation with the planning department about whether they have a preferred path.

Um the goal is to have zoning in place and be able to apply for state funding by the end of the year.

Um now to do that we're going to need to ask for a funding commitment from the city.

Um this is a total $38 million project when you combine the rental and home ownership together.

Um and the state would expect some contribution from the city.

And so when the time comes, we would want to have a conversation with you all about what seems fair and appropriate to you.

Um that the home ownership component is going to move a little bit ahead of the rental component, about a year ahead.

Uh and so my goal is that that portion would be under construction by the end of 2027, with the rental um about a year behind.

So that said, thank you for your time.

And uh if you have any questions, thank you.

Okay, Councillor Golmes on your first.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Um when you we've got uh great presentation just as always when we met with your whole staff uh back last late last summer or whatever, most impressed by everything that I seen, and you have my full support, and I told you that, and and I'll stay on that just because of the need and um the vibrance of this project I think resonates with that not resonates, but will rejuvenate some of that area, that neighborhood.

Um not only will it support the stores and things on a cushionate avenue, um it just it it'll do something to a piece of land that we loved as a church, but has uh a time comes when it has to go.

Um what do you when you say you're looking for something from the city, uh money is from the city, and what what do you mean?

And it's a type of grant farm or whatever.

So uh the state the executive office of housing and livable communities, which which provides uh the bulk of the funding for for our projects requires that a municipality make some sort of financial commitment uh a grant or a forgivable loan or uh uh interest free and interest-free deferred loan, something of that nature uh to any project.

And the amount is sort of uh up for discussion.

They they consider the municipality in question and other supports that the municipality might offer.

Would would they consider you know, like um say the city did the road work in the sidewalks?

Is that a contribution that that is certainly a contribution?

I think they would uh they would likely want to see sort of paired with that, a uh at least a nominal financial contribution.

Um but but uh the but seeing uh uh infrastructure work put in by the city would would absolutely count as a tax credit.

That's uh yeah.

Possible too.

Absolutely.

And and I think having a conversation about what seems appropriate to the city and and what it is that the city has uh to bring to bear is is something that would be very important to us.

Full support of your project.

Um it's been uh great with your staff and everything when we met.

Um it was plain and simple.

It was put out there, and we knew that it was needed, and it was uh very enlightening, at least to this council, and I'll stand where I stood with you that day.

Anything that you need, we've got to move things along, the permitting or whatever.

Once this you get the shovels in the ground, we want to be there to help you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you, Council Combs.

Council Council Pepperton.

Hi.

I just want to thank you again for uh being here.

That was a good presentation.

Uh I actually uh represent that area.

So it's uh actually a uh very uh delightful to see something that's gonna happen there.

Um I hate to see the church go, but uh, you know, it was a beautiful church, but the uh but it's much needed apartment.

So uh and by looking at the design, it's actually a beautiful design.

Uh so anything that I can do as well uh uh support this.

Uh and I I we might number my card after that.

But uh again, thank you again.

Thank you, and very nice to meet you.

How's that?

How's that anybody else?

I'll look at each other who's gonna be.

Thank you for the way about thank you for Pereira.

Um with the with the home ownership piece, I know this is still kind of in its infancy, and there's still a lot of um is the idea to um uh are you uh uh is somebody gonna be in charge of the property, or when you're selling them uh off each unit, uh is that homeowner now in charge of the property, or is there gonna be a management company for that entire site?

Um the what I envision and what we've done previously is that uh there will be a homeowners association, people will pay fees.

Um the management company for the rental building across the street will be in charge of snow removal and and facilitating trash and things of that nature, but it will be a very limited role.

Um there will not be in t uh interior shared hallways or anything of that nature.

So uh so the management needs should be should be limited.

They'll uh make sure the landscaping is taken care of and the outside lights are uh stay on, but um inside the four walls is the responsibility of the owner.

Okay.

And the um the rental property across the street where the church sits now, does once that project once the project is up and running, if everything goes to plan, does the uh diocese have any more uh stake in the property or it's gone over to this new um management team?

Yeah.

So we've talked about two models.

Um we've talked about uh a uh outright sale model, and we've talked about a ground lease model, and I don't think we've come to final um conclusion on that yet.

But uh I think our vision was uh was a partnership, um, an ongoing partnership uh in terms of the relationship uh regardless of the ownership structure.

Yeah, yeah.

One one of the things that we one of the models that we talked about was possibly having uh community action for better housing, which is the ministry of the diocese of Fall River involved in the program management after the development is done.

So uh so the diocese looks at this as a long-term partnership.

Yeah.

Um I guess closest to where we are here in the city of New Bedford, what's a project that my colleagues in the general public can look to that you guys have already done similar to this?

That's a very good question.

I should have brought I should have brought a map or a list with me.

Um could you could you provide uh a list uh to our clerk and yes, you can send it as a later data.

Yes.

I'll email it.

That way that way we can all take a look at it and absolutely I'll email it.

We have um we have one we have a number underway in Alborough and Brockton.

Um I'm gonna have to look at a map to see what we have that's closer than that.

That's fine.

But you do get you guys have stuff in the pipeline relatively close to us that we could you know, okay.

So if you could get that information to our clerk, so we could take a look at it.

And then um again, I think you alluded to it, but um uh I assume that there's gonna be some sort of public outreach as well, like a neighborhood meeting or things like that.

Okay.

Absolutely.

Awesome.

All right.

So definitely link up with the good counsel from Ward 2.

He puts on some meetings throughout the ward so that way uh folks can come and hear um you know what it is that you guys are looking to do.

So thank you.

This is all good information.

I appreciate the time, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Council Oliver.

Council Burga.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming tonight and uh presenting and uh giving us an update on this presentation.

Um I was really excited uh one of uh myself and uh my colleague was were able to um see these plans originally.

Um obviously I'm disappointed um that you're in the situation that you're in having to increase the uh AMI situation uh from 14 to 44 percent for the 80 percent.

But I I know uh the situation that you're in uh due to our administration um who does not care for uh affordable housing uh in that regard.

Um I hope that you don't have the same issues in Attaborough or Brockton with the other projects that you have.

Um recently I had gotten to a lot of hot water when I criticize this administration because when people ask what are the barriers to affordable housing in this city, and I said it's this corner office.

You you are just one example of many in this city that come in trying to help the residents of New Bedford in this situation, and this administration anyway.

I'll get off my soapbox in regards to that.

But my question is more so in regards to the timeline.

If this administration, which they're known for dragging their feet uh when it comes to people trying to do business in this city, um whether their market rate or affordable, whatever the case, workforce you name it, trying to get work done in this city takes a lifetime.

And I know I know it's not in this presentation, but in the original presentation when we met uh this you know last year, um there was a time span uh obviously starting now in 2020, well now we're in 2026, and then 2027, I know closing and what have you, and it wasn't going to be a completion date until 2029, I believe was the original expectation.

Um we still on task to meet those kind of time frames of completion for this large project, or is the log jam in this administration in their hindrance to build housing in New Bedford going to stall even harder for you?

So we have two key milestones to achieve this year in order to stay on track.

And one is zoning the property.

If the property is not zoned by December, then um there will be a delay.

Uh and the other is have is that by December um we need to be able to show some uh resource commitment from the city.

Um the reason for those two things is that the state funding round is going to be early this year.

It's going to be in December, and those are two threshold items for them to even consider the application.

Um so in order to stay on track, those are the two things we need to achieve.

Um we I heard from Josh Amarall this afternoon.

Um he's uh coordinating a meeting with the mayor for us.

Um so that is good movement.

Um and so I'm hopeful that that we'll be able to move forward.

Great.

That's wonderful.

I I have full faith in Director Amarall.

Um stick by him and he'll lead you there.

Um the other one, I don't know.

But um that's great.

And I I know that Director Amrol will definitely connect you to the resource.

I know he's already shared with you uh during our previous meeting uh the possible resource grants that the city might be able to award, not maybe in the amount that you're looking for, but something, uh which is great.

So I know I'll be following along.

I'm sure our c my colleague that has mentioned from Ward 2 will be following along in regards to making sure it's zoned by December 26th.

That sounds like the most immediate deadline uh December of this year, making sure that that's the first uh of many uh goalposts.

Um please reach out to the council if we can be of any assistance uh in this project, because I think it will be very beneficial uh not only to that area, but to the city as a whole.

So thank you for coming again tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Burgo.

Anybody else?

Great.

Um councillor, would we like to just I don't know how the council feels about the project?

I I hope they support the project as you've heard from a few of us or whatever.

Excuse me.

I like to leave this here so that we had something here, just in case we are contacted by the diocese or yourself that we need to talk to the council, or we we need assistance in something that we able to bring this back up.

I don't know how the council feels about that, but I instead of you know filing a new motion, we have this here.

As this project moves along, if it needs to be used, we will use it in the manner that we can to assist you.

Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely.

Again, we can keep this on the table.

Yes.

We can move to table it and keep it here.

Motion.

Before before we go into the motion to table again, I'm going I want to thank you for being here tonight.

It's been a pleasure to work with you.

I uh you know it was funny because I forgot that our city council president also was at the meeting along with former counselor Maria Giesta, who now uh um the councillor Pemington is the um newly elected uh counselor for that ward.

So you you will be dealing with him.

But just want you to know that uh we're here to support this project.

I am very excited and uh just as excited when we met you on that day.

Thank you home ownership good rents a place to put your head down you you you seem to cover it all and that's what was most impressive to this councillor when this project was put forth and I appreciate you I do belie I do believe that uh you've got the full council support on this project.

Um this seems like a great project I'm sad to see the church has to come down.

I've been in that St.

Killian's many times it's beautiful it's it's gonna be sad to see it come down like any other churches but anyways it's it's for a good cause and it's on holy ground.

So that means a good thing.

So if if just brief to the diocese um if if this all comes to fruition and the church is taken down would you please consider um some type of uh um pieces of the church right like the bricks something there's many people in this community and I'm sure you've heard and we've heard the stories they got married there the kids were baptized there the mother wo uh came here that they there's a lot of um connection with that church and if in some way somehow during the demolition that um some pieces of rock or the the building itself could be offered to those that would like it I would appreciate that.

Thank you.

Yeah or or even if we had something prior to the demolition out in the parking lot in front of the church for the parishioners that used to attend there and a lot of the Catholic diocese that's around here that would like to go and pay homage to that that land before it comes down that would be great if we could do that get the community together to do that would be great.

I know a lot of people will show up.

We have a good strong faith Catholic group in this area so I think that would be great.

And it will be an opportunity for the diocese to show off what they are attempting to do here in the city of New Bedford.

Absolutely thank you for we do have more churches did you look at the rest of them we have a motion that Council Roy made a motion at the table second by council Pemberton all in favor of the table say aye motion to adjourn the ayes have it motion to adjourn by Council Roy second by Council Pemberton all in favor say aye.

Aye opposed the ayes have it we adjourned at eight oh seven thank you all for coming just this alone