Appointments & Briefings Committee Meeting - September 15, 2026

The Appointments and Briefings Committee met on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 7:02 PM in Council Chambers. The agenda included citizen input, an appointment to the Election Commission, a host community agreement for a cannabis business, updates on County Street construction, South End sewage odor complaints, and an update on South Coast Renewables litigation. Several items were tabled, and one appointment was forwarded to the full council.

Public Comments & Testimony

• William Lacey (914 Lucy Street) spoke about unsafe driving by New Bedford police officers on Lucy Street. He described an incident at dusk on a long summer day where three police Ford Explorer SUVs transited from Bartlett Street to LaPage Street at speeds over 50 mph with lights only, activating sirens only after reaching Route 18 and Cushnet Avenue. He expressed concern for pedestrian safety, noting a recent fatal accident involving a five-year-old autistic boy. He suggested enacting a quiet time for sirens (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) and urged the council to prevent future incidents. He answered a question confirming the time was near sunset (8:30 p.m.).
• Items 1c (Carmen Norman), 1d (Catherine Synnott), and 1e (Brian Santerre) were not addressed as speakers were absent; 1d and 1e were rescheduled to the October meeting.

Discussion Items

• Appointment of Brian J. Sousa to the Election Commission: Sousa, a lifelong New Bedford resident with prior service as an auxiliary police officer, EMT, police officer, pastor, and deputy director of emergency management, answered questions about accountability (to voters and election laws) and his motivation (election integrity). Councillor Burgo and Baptiste expressed support despite delays in the appointment process. A motion to correct the spelling of his name from "Sousa" to "Sousa" with a Z was made but deemed unnecessary. The committee voted to report the appointment to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation.
• Host Community Agreement (HCA) for Houz of Diesel (THConnect, LLC): City Solicitor Eric Jaikes reported that the HCA screening committee met, reviewed the proposal, found technical errors, sent questions, and received responses that afternoon. He stated he was satisfied and expected likely approval, but could not commit for the whole committee. Shamar James, CEO, and Connie Sousa expressed readiness and asked the city to adopt the CCC template to expedite the process. Councillor Baptiste praised the thorough application. Councillor Gomes emphasized continuing progress. The item was tabled to allow further review.
• County Street Construction Project: Jim Costa (Wastewater Superintendent, DPI) provided an update: phase two (Rivett Street to Allen Street) utility work is complete, binder pavement installed, sidewalk work will finish this fall. Phase three coordination with Eversource is beginning. Councillor Pereira requested better temporary yellow line markings for safety. Councillor Baptiste raised concerns about residential access, trash pickup, and mail delivery during construction. Councillor Lopes asked to keep one lane open and minimize porta-potty placement duration, especially before snow. Costa confirmed these would be addressed. The item was tabled.
• South End Sewage Odor Complaints: Councillor Pereira and others discussed ongoing odor issues near the South Rodney French Boulevard treatment facility. Jim Costa provided a summary of 2026 odor complaint logs (calls to Veolia, texts/calls to DPI, and NB 311 reports). Councillor Pereira noted that the administration had claimed only out-of-town residents complain, contradicting a petition from South End residents. Residents Tracy Wallace and Wendy Morrill questioned whether NB 311 complaints are effectively logged and pushed to Veolia without city follow-up. They reported that a resident who called the plant directly was told the employee did not know how to handle it. Public-facing data from Veolia’s odor monitors is expected soon. The item was tabled pending further review in the Environmental Affairs Committee.
• South Coast Renewables (formerly Parallel Products) Appeal: Wendy Morrill updated that an appeal hearing was held on September 3, 2026, with 17 community members (including Councillor Choquette and former Councillor Morad) present. The judge asked clarifying questions of attorneys for SCR, the Board of Health, and Conservation Law Foundation. The judge acknowledged the community’s interest and noted the hearing was unusually long. A decision is due by October 23, 2026. Morrill hopes the Board of Health’s denial is upheld. The item was tabled.

Key Outcomes

• Brian J. Sousa appointment to the Election Commission was voted to be reported to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation (voice vote, no opposition). Spelling of his name was corrected to "Sousa" with a Z.
• Items 3 (Houz of Diesel), 4 (County Street), 5 (South End odor), and 6 (South Coast Renewables) were all tabled by voice votes.
• Items 7 and 8 were waived and reported out to the full council with no further action.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:58 PM.