CITY COUNCIL
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025
7:00 PM

M1.  COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of ANGELA CLARKE, New Bedford, MA, to the COMMISSION FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES; Ms. Clarke will be replacing Heather Sylvia Chew, who has resigned; this term will expire in May 2026.

M2.  COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of JAMES (JIM) MCKEAG, New Bedford, MA, to the PLANNING BOARD as an ALTERNATE MEMBER; Mr. McKeag will be replacing Shayne M. Trimbell, who has been appointed as a full-time member; this term will expire in September 2027.

1.  REPORT, Committee on Finance, recommending to the City Council ADOPTION of AN ORDER, for the Community Preservation Act FY25 Funding Recommendations for 23 projects totaling $2,000,000.00.

1a.  AN ORDER,

2.  REPORT, Committee on Ordinances, recommending to the City Council, APPROVAL of the ORDINANCES, amending Chapter 17 - Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, amending Chapter 17, Section 17-18 - Noncriminal disposition of violations of certain ordinances, rules and regulations and amending Chapter 17, Section 17-28 - Chapter 40U of the Massachusetts General Laws.

2a.  AN ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 17 – Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions. (Referred to the Committee on Ordinances – January 23, 2025.)

2b.  AN ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 17, Section 17-18 – Noncriminal Disposition of Violations of Certain Ordinances, Rules and Regulations. (Referred to the Committee on Ordinances – January 23, 2025.)

2c.  AN ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 17-28 – Chapter 40U of the Massachusetts General Laws. (Referred to the Committee on Ordinances - January 23, 2025.)

3.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Gomes and Pereira, requesting, on behalf of the Clarks Point Neighborhood Association, that the City and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Beaches look to install a solar beacon light on the lighthouse located on top of Fort Taber; and further, that Parks, Recreation and Beaches Director Mary Rapoza obtain an estimate for the cost of the solar beacon, including installation. (To be Referred to the Committee on Appointments & Briefings.)

4.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Baptiste, requesting, that P.A. Landers, Inc., be asked to come before the Committee on Appointments and Briefings to explain to the Council why they are not informing businesses or the Department of Public Infrastructure why they are beginning work without the proper notification.

5.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Morad, that Director of Personnel, Jose Gouveia, provide to the City Council's Budget Quasi Committee of the Whole a listing by City Department and Enterprise Fund of all vacant  positions as of May 15, 2025; said listing shall include the date each position became vacant, the status of said position, i.e. currently advertised, pending paperwork/ approval for advertising, etc.; and if the position has been advertised, the number of applications received and candidates currently being interviewed by the Department for hiring; and further, this listing is to be updated as of May 31, 2025 and June 14, 2025 and forwarded to the City Council Office for distribution to the members of the City Council's Budget Quasi Committee of the Whole. (To be Referred to the City Council's Budget Quasi Committee of the Whole, the Director of Personnel and the Chief Financial Officer.) 

6.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Morad, requesting, that Chief Financial Officer Robert Ekstrom provide to the City Council's Budget Quasi Committee of the Whole a listing of all active and inactive Revolving Funds by City Department and Enterprise Fund; said listing shall include the amount that was authorized by the City Council for FY2023, FY2024 and FY2025 along with the balance currently reflected in the Revolving Fund as of April 30, 2025. (To be Referred to the City Council's Budget Quasi Committee of the Whole and the Chief Financial Officer.)

7.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Morad, requesting that Joshua Amaral, Director of Housing and Community Development, provide the Committee on Finance a complete listing of all projects funded within the Community Development Block Grant Funding Budgets for FY2021, FY2022, FY2023, FY2024 and FY2025; said listing is intended to provide the reader with a comparative overview to determine the changes in projects funded and/or the amounts granted over the five (5) year period. (To be Referred to the Committee on Finance and the Director of Housing and Community Development.)

8.  COMMUNICATION/DEMOLITION, Anne Louro, Preservation Planner, to City Council, re: BUILDING DEMOLITION REVIEW: 1007 ROCKDALE AVENUE, (MAP 62, LOT 06), a Circa 1911 Wood  Framed Shed Structure, advising that “the structure is not located in a National Register Historic District; the structure is of no notable historic significance either recorded or found with the existing condition of the structure; the structure is in poor condition “in light of these findings, the Preservation Planner has determined that the shed structure at 1007 Rockdale Avenue is neither a Historically Significant nor a Preferably Preserved Structure.”

9.  COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for RENEWAL of a PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE on behalf of Gabriel DaRosa, 56 Westwood Drive, Dartmouth, MA, 02747, d/b/a BLUEBIRD TRANSPORTATION, 458 Dartmouth Street, New Bedford, MA. (Term of License July 01, 2025 - June 30, 2026.)

10.  COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to City Council, submitting a request from Jose S. Castelo and Rene Trial to Rezone SS Bates Street, Plot 108 – Lot 317, from INDUSTRIAL “A” to RESIDENTIAL “C”. (To be Referred to the Committee on Ordinances and the Planning Board.)

11.  COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting a PETITION, Dionne R. Reyes, Fall River, MA d/b/a SAVERS THRIFT DEPT. STORE, 1014 King’s Highway, 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.

03/13/2025    COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for RENEWAL of a PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE on behalf of Ana L. Valentin Burgos, 627 Allen Street, New Bedford, MA, d/b/a GERANA’S TRANSPORTATION, INC., 211 Weld Street, New Bedford, MA. (Term of License July 01, 2025 - June 30, 2026.)

C1.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Abreu, requesting that the following street(s) be CLOSED: PURCHASE STREET, from Union Street to William Street, ON SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025, AT 11:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M., for the purpose of a BENEFIT POKER RUN to benefit K9’s for Warriors & Legends Never Die.

Permission Granted.

C2.  WRITTEN MOTION,  Councillor Carney, requesting, that the following streets be CLOSED: BEDFORD STREET, from Pleasant Street to South Sixth Street AND WING STREET, from Pleasant Street to South Sixth Street, (Location - Serenity Gardens Open Space at 41 Bedford Street) on SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2025, FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M., for the purpose of the GO GREEN CAMPAIGN “EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY” PLEASE NOTE: RAIN DATE OF SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2025.

Permission Granted.

C3.  PETITION/INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, George M. Caggiano, Jr., on behalf of Lamacchia Realty , Inc., 451 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02452, for permission to erect and maintain a non-illuminated, 18” x 120” (10’), projecting sign at 86 Rockdale Avenue, New Bedford, MA. Provisionally Granted, subject to the approval of Commissioner of Inspectional Services and subject to ratification by Mayor and City Council.

Received and Action of the City Clerk Ratified.

C4.  CONSTABLE BOND, REBEKAH TOMLINSON, Acushnet, MA, in the amount of $5,000.00 with Western Surety Company.

Adopted.

C5.  COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to the City Council, submitting the Notice of License Application pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 91 Waterways License Application by the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency.

Received and Place on File.

C6.  COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to the City Council, notifying that the Office of the City Clerk has received Meeting Minutes from the Board of Assessors for a meeting held on January 13, 2025; the Board of Health for a meeting held on April 02, 2025; and the Park Board for meetings held on February 8, 2025 and February 19, 2025.

Received and Placed on File.

C7.  COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council Dennis Farias submitting a response from Legislative Counsel David Gerwatowski regarding the Open Meeting Law Complaint from Patrick Higgins of Patrick Higgins and Associates of Northport, AL. 
Received and Placed on File.

C8.    90 Bonney Street
C9.    231 Walnut Street
C10.  77 Newton Street
C11.  717 Pine Hill Road
C12.  ss Hapwell Street Lot 1 – 154 Hapwell Street
C13.  ss Hapwell Street Lot 2 – 160 Hapwell Street
C14.  81 Chancery Street
C15.  1157 Acushnet Avenue
C16.   2147 Acushnet Avenue
C17.   684 Purchase Street
C18.   209 State Street
C19.   126 Hawthorn Street
C20.   171 Cedar Street
C21.    229-241 Coffin Avenue
C22.    252 Coffin Avenue
C23.    SS Hammond Street, Plot 123A / Lot 53
C24.    86 Court Street
C25.    Plot 134 / Lot 0307, end of Bartlett Street
C26.    315 County Street

C27.    90 Bonney Street
C28.    231 Walnut Street
C29.    77 Newton Street
C30.    717 Pine Hill Road
C31.    ss Hapwell Street Lot 1 – 154 Hapwell Street
C32.    ss Hapwell Street Lot 2 – 160 Hapwell Street
C33.    81 Chancery Street
C34.    1157 Acushnet Avenue
C35.    2147 Acushnet Avenue
C36.    684 Purchase Street
C37.    209 State Street
C38.    126 Hawthorn Street
C39.    171 Cedar Street
C40.    229-241 Coffin Avenue
C41.    252 Coffin Avenue
C42.    SS Hammond Street, Plot 123A / Lot 53
C43.    86 Court Street
C44.    Plot 134 / Lot 0307, end of Bartlett Street
C45.    315 County Street
C46.    36 Belleville Road
C47.    Spooner Street, from Lombard Street to Dartmouth Street (including intersections)
C48.   Tobey Street, working from Acushnet Avenue to 1113 Tobey Street (including intersections)
C49.    Tobey Lane, working from Tobey Street to end of road (including intersections)
C50.    Morton Avenue, working from Ivers Street to Tobey Street (including intersections)
C51.    Ivers Street, working from Acushnet Avenue to Belleville Avenue (including intersections)
C52.   Carriage Drive, working from Bryant Lane to Oakdale Street (including intersections)
C53.    207 Sawyer Street
C54.    107 Ridgewood Road
C55.    119 Lowell Street
C56.    245 - 247 Irvington Street

C57.    121 Durfee Street
C58.    123 Deane Street
C59.    1421 Cove Road
C60.    52 Cottage Street
C61.    96 - 98 Clara Street
C62.    115 - 117 Belleville Road
C63.    900 Belleville Avenue
C64.    124 Bedford Street
C65.    2004 Shawmut Avenue
C66.    Rockland Street, Dartmouth Street - Bolton Street, street & street to houses (including intersections & 50 ft in all directions)
C67.    20 Branscomb Street

C68.     23 Robeson Street

C69.  PETITION, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy for location of approximately 27’ of Conduit and one handhole in WARREN STREET, this work is necessary to provide electric service to the new City lighting cabinet on the north side of Warren Street close to the corner of Rodney French Boulevard.

RECEIVED AND HEARING ORDERED FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025.