CITY COUNCIL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025
7:00 PM

1.   HEARING, Verizon New England, Inc. for location of underground Conduit line to bring service to an antenna on a light pole in COUNTY STREET, between North Street and Hillman Street. (Public Hearing continued to Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 7:00 pm, in City Council Chambers.)

1a.  AN ORDER, (Public Hearing continued to Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 7:00 pm, in City Council Chambers.)

2.   HEARING, Network Building + Consulting on behalf of Verizon New England, Inc. for location of one (1) 50 foot midspan pole and one (1) 1½ meter Cable attachment to proposed pole in PHILLIPS ROAD, near the address of 2284 Phillips Road.

2a. AN ORDER,

M1.  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.

M2.  COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the REAPPOINTMENT of GONCALO MEDEIROS COELHO, New Bedford as a CONSTABLE

M2a.    APPLICATION,

M3.   COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the REAPPOINTMENT of AMANCIO SOARES RIBEIRO, New Bedford as a CONSTABLE

M3a.  APPLICATION,

M4.   COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of JEFFREY DAVID FOISY, New Bedford as a CONSTABLE

M4a.   APPLICATION,

3.  LOAN ORDER, appropriating $21,865,465.00, for accelerated repair projects at the Sgt. William Carney Memorial Academy, Hayden-McFadden Elementary School and Casimir Pulaski Elementary School. (Passed to a Second Reading – November 25, 2025.)

4.  LOAN ORDER, appropriating $7,911,603.00, for accelerated repair projects at the Elwyn G. Campbell Elementary School, Ellen R. Hathaway Elementary School and Carlos Pacheco Elementary School. (Passed to a Second Reading – November 25, 2025.)

5.  LOAN ORDER, appropriating $5,703,804.00, to pay costs of an accelerated repair project at the Whaling City Jr./Sr. High School. (Passed to a Second Reading – November 25, 2025.) 

6.  LOAN ORDER, appropriating $200,000.00, to pay the costs of a schematic design/feasibility study as required by the Massachusetts School Building Authority with respect to the proposed accelerated repairs to the Trinity Day Academy. (Passed to a Second Reading – November 25, 2025.)

7.  REPORT, Special Committee on Environmental Affairs, recommending to the City Council ADOPTION of the RESOLUTION, approving the 2025 City of New Bedford Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. 

7a. RESOLUTION, adopting the 2025 City of New Bedford Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. (Referred to the Special Committee on Environmental Affairs – October 23, 2025.)

8.  REPORT, Special Committee on Environmental Affairs, recommending that the City Council take “NO FURTHER ACTION” on the WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Morad, requesting that the Department of Public Infrastructure Commissioner Jamie Ponte, Department of Resilience and Environmental Stewardship Director Michele Paul and the Health Department Director Damon Chaplin appear before the Committee on Environmental Affairs to provide the City Council a detailed briefing on the proposed Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection mandated Title 5 regulations as related to property owners with septic systems in the City of New Bedford; and further, that the New Bedford City Council immediately send correspondence to the members of our State Legislative Delegation and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection indicating our opposition to the mandated Title 5 regulations and affirming our support of their request for a delay in the regulations until funding can be appropriated for the property owners and the City of New Bedford in implementing these changes.   

8a. WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Morad, requesting that the Department of Public Infrastructure Commissioner Jamie Ponte, Department of Resilience and Environmental Stewardship Director Michele Paul and the Health Department Director Damon Chaplin appear before the Committee on Environmental Affairs to provide the City Council a detailed briefing on the proposed Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection mandated Title 5 regulations as related to property owners with septic systems in the City of New Bedford; and further, that the New Bedford City Council immediately send correspondence to the members of our State Legislative Delegation and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection indicating our opposition to the mandated Title 5 regulations and affirming our support of their request for a delay in the regulations until funding can be appropriated for the property owners and the City of New Bedford in implementing these changes. (Referred to the Special Committee on Environmental Affairs – January 26, 2023.)

9.   REPORT, Special Committee on Environmental Affairs, recommending that the City Council take “NO FURTHER ACTION” on the LOAN ORDER, in the amount of $6,800,000.00 to pay the costs of Buttonwood Park Pond and Dam Rehabilitation and Dredging Project. 

9a.  LOAN ORDER, in the amount of $6,800,000.00 to pay the costs of Buttonwood Park Pond and Dam Rehabilitation and Dredging Project. (Referred to the Special Committee on Environmental Affairs - March 14, 2019.)

10.  WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Pereira, requesting, that the Committee on City Property meet with the Department of Public Infrastructure and the Administration to review the current policy governing tree plantings on city-owned grass ribbons on newly paved streets throughout the City.

11.   WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Appointments & Briefings meet with Derek Santos, Executive Director for the New Bedford Economic Development Council, along with Board Members of the New Bedford Business Park, for the purpose of having a discussion on implementing language in the Business Park’s governing rules to protect against any future trash and recycling businesses that handle hazardous waste materials from being located in the Business Park; putting this safeguard in place would protect the Business Park from any hazardous waste, trash and other detrimental materials.

12.   WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Gomes and Oliver, requesting, that the City Council send a letter to State Representative Christopher Markey, Representative Steven Xiarhos, and the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, regarding Bill H.4736, pertaining to establishing penalties for reckless or negligent operation of a vehicle and hindering the movement of other vehicles, seeking consideration of an amendment to the bill to include a penalty of a five-year driver’s license suspension for violators, as well as a five-year bar on obtaining a new license for anyone found in violation of the proposed legislation.

13.   WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that a letter be sent to the New Bedford School Committee asking that they consider naming the new elementary school currently being built in the South End the “Congdon-DeValles-Oliveira Elementary School” after the late Bruce Oliveira, a long-term School Committee member who worked tirelessly on behalf of the students and schools throughout the City of New Bedford; and further, that the School Committee consider placing portraits of all three men in the entrance lobby of the school, with a synopsis of their contributions.

14.   COMMUNICATION, Councillor Morad, submitting a letter from Eric Cohen, Executive Director for the New Bedford Contributory Retirement Board, regarding the FY27 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) base increase for retirees. (To be Referred to the Committee on Finance.)

C1.   CITATIONS, Councillor Gomes, honoring CARL AMADO, SONNY ALMEIDA, MARK DEBRITO, MANNY DEBRITO, JOHN THOMAS, BRENDA GRACE, RITA RIBEIRO, LORRAINE TELO, RAMONA SILVA, VIOLA PINA, CECILIA BRITO, DANNY SANTANA, RON BOTELHO, NELLIE RAPOSO, FAITH BARROS GOODINE, PHIL YOUNG and PAULA SANTOS YOUNG, LESHIA JEN SOUTO, KIM CARVALHO WAGNER, EMANUELA ALVES, TINY TAVARES, KARYL RYAN and RANDY BUTLER, in recognition of their contributions to the community on the 41^st Annual Cape Verdean Thanksgiving Eve Celebration.

Adopted, to be presented at a later date.

C2.   CITATIONS, Councillor Gomes, honoring AMANDA BAPTISTE, HOWIE MALLOWES and ALBERT SANTOS, Off the Boulevard Grille and Pizzeria, in recognition of the Grand Opening and your commitment and dedication to making New Bedford work again.

Adopted, to be presented at a later date.

C3.  CITATIONS, Councillors Gomes and Morad, honoring LIEUTENANT KEVIN FARNWORTH, FIREFIGHTER JONATHAN RIOUX, FIREFIGHTER SCOTT ALMEIDA, FIREFIGHTER KYLE KING, FIREFIGHTER MICHAEL DESOUZA, FIREFIGHTER NICHOLAS CORVI, FIREFIGHTER JONATHAN PACHECO, CAPTAIN ROBERT FERREIRA, FIREFIGHTER ERIC DOSENBERG, FIREFIGHTER MASON LONDON and FIREFIGHTER JON KYLE CARLSON, in recognition of their performing life-saving rescues of accident victims. 

Adopted, to be presented at a later date.

C4.   CITATIONS, Councillors Gomes and Morad, honoring CAPTAIN JEREMIAH ROCHON, CAPTAIN DAVID VALENZUELA, LIEUTENANT CORY BOUCHER, LIEUTENANT JASON HINCHLIFFE, LIEUTENANT RYAN LEMIEUX, LIEUTENANT KYLE MARTIN, LIEUTENANT ARTHUR MELLO, LIEUTENANT WILLIAM ROBERTSON and LIEUTENANT MANUEL VALENZUELA, in recognition of their promotions within the New Bedford Fire Department. 

Adopted, to be presented at a later date.

C5.   CITATIONS, Councillors Gomes and Morad, honoring ANDREW CORMIER, TEVIN BELL, CHANDLER FURTADO, KYLE MEDEIROS, RYAN DOSENBERG and MATTHEW PEREIRA, in recognition of their appointments as New Bedford Firefighters. 

Adopted, to be presented at a later date.

C6.   WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Baptiste, requesting, that the following street(s) BE CLOSED: PURCHASE STREET, from Union Street to William Street, on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025, from 3:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M., for the purpose of AHA! Night NB Festive Event. (PLEASE NOTE: This is an additional street being added to a Closing approved on a previous agenda.)

GRANTED PROVISIONALLY BY THE 2025 CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT SHANE A. BURGO ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2025, TO BE RATIFIED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025. 

Received and Action of the City Council President Ratified.

C7.   PETITION/ INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, Mohsin Ali, on behalf of 775 Brock Avenue Convenience Store, Inc., 775 Brock Avenue, New Bedford MA 02744, for permission to Erect and Maintain a 10ft. illuminated in the parking lot at 775 Brock 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.

C8.   COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to City Council, notifying that the Office of the City Clerk has received Meeting Minutes from the Board of Assessors for meetings held on October 30, 2025 and November 13, 2025; the Cemetery Board for a meeting held on August 27, 2025; the Library Board of Trustees for a meeting held on September 23, 2025; the Public Health Excellence Collaborative for meetings held on November 12, 2025 and November 26, 2025; and the Redevelopment Authority for a meeting held on October 20, 2025.

Received and Placed on File.

C9.       0 Leonards Wharf

C10.     4 North Sixth Street

C11.     Linden Street, County Street to State Street

C12.     WS Acushnet Avenue, Foley Drive (N.S.) 124’ @ Acushnet Avenue

C13.     888 Hillcrest Road

C14.     6 Rockdale Avenue

C15.     19 Landry Street

C16.     834-836 Purchase Street

C17.     State Street, from Linden Street to Weld Street

C18.     ES Phillips Road 136/0309

C19.     619 County Street

C20.     278 Union Street

C21.     19 Landry Street

C22.     Weld Street, from State Street to the Route 18 Ramp at Purchase Street

C23.     Linden Street, County Street to State Street

C24.     WS Acushnet Avenue, Foley Drive (N.S.) 124” @ Acushnet Avenue

C25.     888 Hillcrest Road

C26.     6 Rockdale Avenue

C27.     19 Landry Street

C28.     834-836 Purchase Street

C29.     State Street, from Linden Street to Weld Street

C30.     ES Phillips Road 136/0309

C31.     619 County Street

C32.     278 Union Street

C33.     19 Landry Street

C34.     Weld Street, from State Street to the Route 18 Ramp at Purchase Street

C35.     Poplar Road @ Laurelwood Drive, working on Poplar Road

C36.     226 Sawyer Street

C37.     52 Blaze Road

C38.     38 Hassey Street

C39.     Intersection of Collette Street @ Ashley Boulevard

C40.     Holly Tree Lane, from Hillcrest Road to Pine Hill Road, including intersections

C41.     Longview Road, from the intersection at Pine Hill Drive to Birchwood Drive

C42.     River Road, from Wood Street to 20 River Road, including intersections

C43.     56 Blueberry Terrace

C44.     6 Greenbrier Drive

C45.     540 Prescott Street

C46.     22 Robeson Street

C47.     25 Babbitt Street

C48.     58 Fair Street

C49.     29 Arch Street