OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Somerville Council Committee on Appointments and Personnel Matters - March 31, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, March 31, 2026
BodySomerville, Massachusetts
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, March 31, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 59:38

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Just give it one moment to there we go.

0:07

Welcome everyone.

0:08

I'm the vice chair of this committee, and we're having technical issues.

0:10

So we're gonna promote Councillor Mbah, who's the chair of the committee, uh, to be a panelist, and then he can actually start the meeting properly.

0:20

Thank you, Mr.

0:21

Vice Chair.

0:22

I have sent through that permission.

0:25

Just wait for it to kick in.

0:29

There we are.

0:47

Wow.

0:48

My God.

0:52

Mr.

0:54

I'm not even sure where to start when you make enter a meeting where you know everybody is there waiting for you.

1:01

I think uh apologize for my late entrance.

1:07

Uh so with the clerk, is it is it mic?

1:11

Good evening, Mr.

1:12

Chair, yes.

1:13

Okay.

1:14

Um let me just see.

1:25

Yeah.

1:26

I think let's just roll, you know, we will figure this thing out as we get along.

1:31

I don't know what happened, you know, with my uh I did not get the link.

1:36

I got the link, my computer doesn't charge.

1:39

So let's let's roll.

1:41

Let's roll.

1:41

Hit hit that button.

1:44

Mr.

1:44

Chair Through, yep, we are live.

1:50

Okay, are we live?

1:52

Mr.

1:53

View, yes, we are.

1:54

You just read it in the beginning of the meeting.

1:56

Oh, thank you, Mr.

1:57

Vice Chair.

1:58

I appreciate that.

1:59

Uh good evening, everybody.

2:00

I called this meeting to order.

2:02

This is the council's committee on confirmation of appointments and personnel matters.

2:07

It's Monday, March 30th at uh 6 32 p.m.

2:12

Pursuant to chapter two of the acts of 2025.

2:15

This meeting of the city council committee will be conducted via remote participation.

2:21

We'll post an audio recording, audio video recording, transcript, and other comprehensive records of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerville website and local cable access government channel.

2:36

Club, would you please call the role?

2:38

Absolutely, Councillor McLaughlin.

2:43

Councillor Hart.

2:45

Here.

2:46

Councillor Link.

2:49

Councillor Ewan Campin.

2:51

Here.

2:52

Chairman Barr.

2:53

Present.

2:54

With four present and one absent.

2:56

We have you have a quorum.

2:58

Thank you, Clerk.

2:59

Um, I think we will proceed.

3:03

What's the next item on the agenda?

3:04

I think the first one is the approval of the minutes, you know, of the previous meeting.

3:09

Uh, we will lay that item, you know, on the table to take it at the end for approval.

3:16

And before we we proceed, uh, I think there's a couple of it's like one item or so that we need to take it out of order.

3:25

I'm not sure which I think they uh uh uh the chief administrative officer mentioned we'll probably have to take item item five out of order.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████████████████████████████53%
Procedural██████████████17%
Elections████████████14%
Public Safety█████6%
Community Engagement█████6%
Public Engagement███3%
Immigration Policy█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Somerville Council Committee on Confirmation of Appointments and Personnel Matters - March 31, 2026

This meeting of the City Council Committee on Confirmation of Appointments and Personnel Matters was called to order at 6:32 p.m. on March 31, 2026, via remote participation. The committee considered several appointments and promotions, including two police sergeant promotions, a municipal hearing officer, and members for a new ranked‑choice voting committee. All appointments were approved unanimously after public testimony and an executive session for personnel matters.

Appointments and Promotions – Public Session

  • Jessica Smith – Public Financing of Campaigns Committee: Appointed unanimously (4‑0). Smith expressed support for lowering barriers to entry for candidates and committed to ensuring transparency in the use of public funds.
  • Ashley Catado – Promotion to Police Sergeant: Chief Benford introduced Det. Catado, noting her 15+ years of service, advanced degrees, and that her appointment represents a 100% increase in female officers at the supervisory rank. Catado stated her deep community ties and commitment to equitable policing. Following an executive session, the promotion was approved unanimously (5‑0).
  • Courtney Reese – Promotion to Police Sergeant: Chief Benford noted Det. Reese’s 11 years of service, psychology and criminal justice degrees, and that her appointment brings a 200% total increase in female supervisors in under a year. Reese emphasized leading by example and community policing. After executive session, the promotion was approved unanimously (5‑0).
  • James Plocken – Municipal Hearing Officer: City Clerk/CAO Claire Wells introduced Plocken, who has served as a hearing officer since 2001. Plocken described his approach of treating respondents with respect, especially those with language barriers or who appear without legal representation. Approved unanimously (5‑0).
  • James Leo Bedard & Crystal Huff – Ranked Choice Voting Committee: Bedard was not present; Huff testified about her academic work on group decision‑making and mutual aid involvement. Both appointments were approved together unanimously (5‑0). Councillor Hart and Councillor Ewan Campen expressed strong support. Councillor McLaughlin noted his personal preference that ranked‑choice voting not be applied to at‑large races.

Executive Session

  • The committee entered executive session (5‑0) under M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 21 to discuss confidential personnel matters related to the police sergeant promotions. No votes were taken in executive session; all votes occurred in open session.

Minutes and Adjournment

  • The minutes of the previous meeting were tabled and later approved unanimously (5‑0).
  • The meeting adjourned by unanimous voice vote.

Key Outcomes

  • All four appointments and two promotions were recommended for approval by the full City Council.
  • The committee acknowledged the historic increase in female supervisory officers within the Somerville Police Department.
  • The ranked‑choice voting committee will begin its work with two appointees; one candidate (Bedard) may appear at a future meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Just give it one moment to there we go. Welcome everyone. I'm the vice chair of this committee, and we're having technical issues. So we're gonna promote Councillor Mbah, who's the chair of the committee, uh, to be a panelist, and then he can actually start the meeting properly. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. I have sent through that permission. Just wait for it to kick in. There we are. Wow. My God. Mr. I'm not even sure where to start when you make enter a meeting where you know everybody is there waiting for you. I think uh apologize for my late entrance. Uh so with the clerk, is it is it mic? Good evening, Mr. Chair, yes. Okay. Um let me just see. Yeah. I think let's just roll, you know, we will figure this thing out as we get along. I don't know what happened, you know, with my uh I did not get the link. I got the link, my computer doesn't charge. So let's let's roll. Let's roll. Hit hit that button. Mr. Chair Through, yep, we are live. Okay, are we live? Mr. View, yes, we are. You just read it in the beginning of the meeting. Oh, thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. I appreciate that. Uh good evening, everybody. I called this meeting to order. This is the council's committee on confirmation of appointments and personnel matters. It's Monday, March 30th at uh 6 32 p.m. Pursuant to chapter two of the acts of 2025. This meeting of the city council committee will be conducted via remote participation. We'll post an audio recording, audio video recording, transcript, and other comprehensive records of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerville website and local cable access government channel. Club, would you please call the role? Absolutely, Councillor McLaughlin. Councillor Hart. Here. Councillor Link. Councillor Ewan Campin. Here. Chairman Barr.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com