NOTE: 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.
1. CITIZEN’S INPUT TIME – Not to exceed the first thirty (30) minutes of the meeting.
1a. Annette Saulnier, 49 Ashley Street, Apt. 2S, New Bedford, MA, 02744, speaking on the “Homeless and Housing Situation in New Bedford”. (Referred – December 12, 2025.)
1b. Allen Ganeto, 415 County Street, Apt. 105, New Bedford, MA, 02740, speaking on the “former Cape Verdean Youth Athletic Association”. (Referred – January 06, 2026)
1c. Christopher Lamontagne, 236 Hemlock Street, Apt. 2S, New Bedford, MA, 02740, speaking on the “The Effects of Social Sanctioning”. (Referred – January 16, 2026)
1d. Kevin Mello, 236 Hemlock Street, New Bedford, MA, 02740, speaking on “Public Records Documentation Facts”. (Referred – January 16, 2026)
INVITEES: Annette Saulnier; Allen Ganeto; Christopher Lamontagne; Kevin Mello
2. PUBLIC HEARING, CONTINUED, on an APPLICATION, Laguerre Pierre Marc, d/b/a L and S Transport, Inc., for a SPECIAL PERMIT for Motor Vehicle Sales and/or Rentals & General Repair, at 724 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02740. (Application Received November 05, 2025.) (Duly advertised in The Standard-Times on Tuesday, December 02, 2025 and Tuesday, December 09, 2025.) (December 16, 2025 - Public Hearing continued to Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers.)
INVITEES: Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Laguerre Pierre Marc, Applicant; Danny Romanowicz, Commissioner, Department of Inspectional Services
3. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of CRISTOBAL JOSE ESCOBAR, New Bedford, MA to the VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD, replacing Christopher Holkamp who has resigned; this term will expire December 2026. (Matter ID #1925) (Referred – December 11, 2025.)
INVITEES: Cristobal Jose Escobar, Appointee
4. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of JEFFREY DAVID FOISY, New Bedford as a CONSTABLE. (Matter ID #1931) (Referred – December 11, 2025.)
4a. AN APPLICATION, (Matter ID #1932) (Referred – December 11, 2025.)
INVITEES: Jeffrey David Foisy, Applicant
5. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of DANIEL LUIS REYES ORTIZ, New Bedford, MA as a CONSTABLE. (Matter ID #0016) (Referred – January 08, 2026.)
5a. AN APPLICATION, (Matter ID #0017) (Referred – January 08, 2026.)
INVITEES: Daniel Luis Reyes Ortiz, Applicant
6. PETITION, Ksea Swift and Justin Swift, East Freetown, MA d/b/a SWIFT SALES, 127 West Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA, 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. (Matter ID #1797) (Referred – November 13, 2025.) (December 16, 2025 – Remain in Committee)
INVITEES: Justin Swift, Co-applicant; Ksea Swift, Co-applicant
7. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for a NEW PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE, on behalf of Celestin Wilkend, 1 Warwick Street, New Bedford, MA d/b/a CRIS TRANSPORTATION, 1 Warwick Street, New Bedford, MA. (License to expire – June 30, 2026.) (Matter ID #0033) (Referred – January 08, 2026.)
INVITEES: Celestin Wilkend, Applicant
8. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for a NEW PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE on behalf of Suzete Rosa DePina, d/b/a TIA SUZETE TRANSPORTATION, 38 Trinity Street, New Bedford, MA. (License to Expire - June 30, 2026.) (Matter ID #0116) (Referred – January 22, 2026.)
INVITEES: Suzete Rosa DePina, Applicant
9. COMMUNICATION, Councillor Gomes, submitting a Host Community Agreement Proposal Application on behalf of Shamar James, Founder/CEO of THConnect, LLC, dba Houz of Diesel, seeking to operate a co-located adult-use marijuana retail and product manufacturing establishment at 301 Herman Melville Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02740. (Matter ID #0116) (Referred – January 23, 2025.) (February 18, 2025 – tabled) (September 16, 2025 – tabled w/ a RELATED MOTION that a letter be sent to CCC staff asking why they did not attend the meeting and request that the Mayor reconvene the HCA Screening Committee as soon as possible.) (November 18, 2025 – tabled) (December 09, 2025 – tabled w/ a RELATED MOTION that a letter be sent to the Mayor asking him to enter into a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with the Houz of Diesel enabling the organization to seek reimbursement from the State for funds previously expended.)
INVITEES: Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Shamar James, Founder/CEO of THConnect, LLC, dba Houz of Diesel; Representative, Mayor’s Office
10. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Abreu, Oliver, Lopes, Choquette and Carney, requesting, that a representative from the New Bedford Board of Health or the New Bedford Health Department appear before the Committee on Appointments & Briefings to discuss the Board’s recent vote to adopt a new Cigar Minimum Pricing Regulation, effective January 1, 2025, which restricts the sale of tobacco and nicotine delivery products; and further, that the Committee on Appointments & Briefings also hear from local business owners in the City of New Bedford who retail cigars to discuss the potential economic impacts this may have on their industry. (To be Referred to the Committee on Appointments & Briefings, the New Bedford Health Department, the Administration, a representative of the New England Convenience Store & Energy Marketers Association, and local New Bedford-based convenience, liquor, cigar and retail business community.) (Matter ID #0114) (Referred – January 23, 2025.) (February 18, 2025 – tabled)
10a. NEW BEDFORD TOBACCO REGULATIONS, (Matter ID #0115) (Referred – January 23, 2025.) (February 18, 2025 – tabled)
INVITEES: Peter Brennan, Executive Director of New England Convenience Store & Energy Marketers Association; Megan DaCosta, Public Health Program Manager; Stephanie Sloan, Director of Public Health; Representative, Mayor’s Office
11. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Morad, Abreu, Giesta, Oliver, Gomes, Choquette, Lopes, Carney and Baptiste, requesting, that the City of New Bedford Board of Health immediately rescind the recently approved Cigar Minimum Pricing Regulation that was implemented on January 1, 2025 for an eighteen (18) month period; and further, that the New Bedford Board of Health seek additional grant funding to allow the Health Department Sanitarians to continue their efforts in education of the City's youth regarding the dangers of tobacco and nicotine product use and to increase the Health Department's ability to police City's retail establishments that are legally selling tobacco and nicotine products; and further, that representatives of the New Bedford Board of Health appear before the Committee on Appointments & Briefings in six (6) months, twelve (12) months and eighteen (18) months to update the Committee regarding their efforts of education and policing. (To be Referred to the Committee on Appointments & Briefings and the Board of Health.) (Matter ID #0230) (Referred – February 27, 2025.)
INVITEES: Megan DaCosta, Public Health Program Manager; Stephanie Sloan, Director of Public Health; Representative, Mayor’s Office
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if any accommodations are needed, please contact the City Council Office at 508-979-1455. Requests should be made as soon as possible but at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.