New Bedford City Council Meeting: April 9, 2026

The New Bedford City Council met on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM, with Council President Ryan Pereira presiding. The meeting covered public hearings for utility infrastructure projects, mayor's communications, and several council orders. The meeting adjourned at 7:39 PM.

Public Hearings & Utility Work

• Item 1A (Cushman Avenue): Jessica Elder (NStar/Eversource) presented a proposal for 62 feet of conduit and one handhole at 1780 Cushman Avenue, expected to take 1–2 days. No public comment; the order was adopted.
• Item 2A (Union Street): Eversource proposed 244 feet of conduit and enlargement/reconstruction of three existing manholes to serve 193 Union Street, expected to take 2–4 days. No public comment; the order was adopted.
• Items 3–5A (Ashley Boulevard, Nash Road, Belleville Avenue): John Perrin (Cornerstone Energy Services) and Anthony Velou (Eversource) presented a major underground 115 kV transmission line project (4.1 miles) to replace two lines built in 1949 and 1951. The project had already received nine road grants; three more were needed. Work began in fall 2025, with completion expected around 2027–2028. Councillors discussed traffic mitigation, business access, and restoration plans including $20 million for sidewalks, curbs, and trees. A member of the public, Bob Burgess (property at 2324 Ashley Boulevard), asked about the start date and duration for his area. The orders were adopted.

Mayor's Papers & Appointments

• M1A (School Tuition Revolving Fund): The council accepted Mass General Law Chapter 71, Section 71F to allow the school department to establish a non-resident tuition revolving fund. Unanimously adopted.
• M2A & M3A (Outstanding Invoices): Authorized payments of $4,182.01 (Treasurer-Collector) and $450 (Facilities & Fleet) from prior fiscal years. Unanimously adopted.
• M4A (Form-Based Code Zoning Amendment): Referred to the Committee on Ordinances and the Planning Department.
• M5–M10A (Reappointments): The council reappointed Glenn Chandler, Ann R. O'Leary, Rosemary Saber (Library Trustees), Brian Ayotte (Community Preservation Committee), Diana Henry (Historical Commission), and Adriana Baptista (Constable). All passed 10-0.

Council Orders & Reports

• Item 6 (Gomes School Loan Order): Approved a $13,787,624 loan order for roof replacement and accessibility upgrades at Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School. Passed 10-0.
• Item 7 (COLA Base Increase): Approved increasing the COLA base from $14,000 to $16,000, effective July 1, 2026, as recommended by the Committee on Finance and the New Bedford Retirement Board. Passed 10-0.
• Item 8 (CPA FY26 Funding): Approved $2,227,341 in Community Preservation Act funding for 20 projects. Passed 10-0.
• Item 9 (2026 FIFA World Cup Promotion): Councillor Abrew introduced a motion urging the city to actively engage in regional planning and promotion for the five group-stage matches at Gillette Stadium (June 13 – July 9, 2026). The motion, which calls for a targeted marketing strategy and a report from the Tourism Office to the Economic Development Committee, was adopted.
• Items 10–18 (License Applications & Renewals): A new private liberty license application (Six Sister Express Transport) was referred to the Licensing Committee. Renewals for 11 private liberty licenses (Mel Transportation, Tia Suzette Transportation, Yeswe Van LLC, Bizarro Transportation, Bluebird Transportation, For Transportation, JSR Transportation LLC, and Elite Transportation) were granted.

Key Outcomes

• All three utility public hearing orders were adopted.
• All mayor's communications (M1–M10) were approved or referred as noted.
• The $13.79 million loan for Gomes School passed unanimously.
• The COLA base increase to $16,000 passed unanimously.
• CPA funding of $2.23 million for 20 projects passed unanimously.
• A motion to promote New Bedford for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was adopted, with a follow-up report requested.
• All license renewals were granted.