OPENING OF SESSION BY: CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RYAN J. PEREIRA
PRAYER LED BY: MORGAN PROUDFOOT, PASTOR, GRACE HARBOR CHURCH
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL
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. HEARING, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy for location of approximately 215' of Duct encased in concrete in COFFIN AVENUE, this work is necessary to provide upgraded service to 229 Coffin Avenue.
1a. AN ORDER,
2. HEARING, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy for location of approximately 58’ of Duct encased in concrete in ACUSHNET AVENUE, this work is necessary to provide upgraded service to 229 Coffin Avenue.
2a. AN ORDER,
3. HEARING, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy for location of 118’ of Conduit in FOLEY DRIVE, this work is necessary to provide service to Lot 132 on Foley Drive.
3a. AN ORDER,
MAYOR'S PAPERS
M1. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of KENDRA PARKER, as ACTING ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS.
M2. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a request for a waiver for the education and experience requirements for the position of Administrative Assistant to the Board of Assessors.
M3. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a LOAN ORDER appropriating $13,787,624.00 for the purpose of paying the costs of replacement of the roof and accessibility upgrades at the Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School located at 286 South Second Street.
M3a. LOAN ORDER,
M4. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting AN ORDINANCE, amending Chapter 16, Article VIII-Stormwater Management.
M4a. AN ORDINANCE,
M5. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting AN ORDINANCE, amending Chapter 9, Section 4100A, RELATIVE TO MUNICIPAL FACILITY CONVERSION.
M5a. AN ORDINANCE,
M6. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of RENEE LEDBETTER, New Bedford, to the ELECTION COMMISSION, replacing Donald Gaudette, Jr., who has resigned; this term will expire April 2027.
M7. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of VIRGINIA J. SENNA-DAVIS, New Bedford to the VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD, replacing William Andrews whose term has expired; this term will expire December 2028.
4. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Appointments & Briefings meet with James Marshall, Director of Cable Access, for the purpose of discussing why the Educational Channel was changed from 9 to 96 and why the Government Access Channel was changed from 18 to 97; and further, requesting that Cable Access return the channels to their original listings, as this change has been very troubling to many Cable Access viewers.
5. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Public Safety & Neighborhoods meet with DPI Commissioner Jamie Ponte, Police Chief Jason Thody, Fire Chief Brian Medeiros, Emergency Management Director Brian Nobrega, Cable Access Director James Marshall and a representative from the Mayor’s Office, to recap the blizzard of 2026 and put a blizzard storm playbook together for future use, in anticipation of another blizzard of this magnitude; discussion can include what went right, what went wrong, and how we can improve our response next time, as well as snow removal equipment, the safety of our Police, Fire and EMS personnel, and the effects this storm had on the entire City as a whole.
6. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, on behalf of Pastor Harold Taylor of the United House of Prayer for All People, that Emerson Street, between Mill Street and Kempton Street in a north and south direction, be renamed “Charles Manual Bishop Daddy Grace Way” in recognition of his contributions and historical significance to the City of New Bedford. (To be Referred to the Special Committee on Memorials & Dedications.)
7. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, submitting an Application for RENEWAL of a PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE on behalf of Franklin Lobo, 2220 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA, d/b/a FRANK’S TRANSPORT SERVICE, 2220 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA. (Term of License July 01, 2026 - June 30, 2027.)
8. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to City Council, submitting an Application for a RENEWAL of a PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE on behalf of Camille Taylor, 14 Beetle Street, Apt. 1, New Bedford, MA, d/b/a CT LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE TRANSPORTATION, INC., 14 Beetle Street, Apt. 1, New Bedford, MA. (Term of License July 01, 2026 - June 30, 2027.)
9. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, to City Council, submitting an Application for a RENEWAL of a PRIVATE LIVERY LICENSE on behalf of Isabel Gomez Hernandez, 92 Ruth Street, Apt. 1, New Bedford, MA, d/b/a YESSICA COREAS TRANSPORTATION, 92 Ruth Street, Apt. 1, New Bedford, MA. (Term of License July 01, 2026 - June 30, 2027.)
10. COMMUNICATION, Janine da Silva, Chairperson, Community Preservation Committee, submitting the Community Preservation Committee’s FY26 Project Funding Recommendations. (To be Referred to the Committee on Finance.)
11. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council, Dennis Farias, submitting a copy of a letter sent to the Office of the Attorney General notifying them of two Ordinances that were passed/amended regarding Chapter 9, Comprehensive Zoning, in compliance with MGL C. 40A, S.5. (To be Received and Placed on File.)
TABLED AGENDA: NO ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA.
C1. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Baptiste, requesting, that the following street(s) be CLOSED: ACUSHNET AVENUE, from William Street to Union Street; BARKER’S LANE, from Acushnet Avenue to North Second Street; (Parade will be handled by NB Police Detail) ON THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2026, FROM 3:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M., for the purpose of AHA! NIGHT: PROJECT PLANET CELEBRATION 2026.
Permission Granted.
C2. 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 February 04, 2026; the Community Preservation Committee for meetings held on January 22, 2026 and January 28, 2026; the Park Board for meetings held on November 19, 2025 and January 10, 2026; the Planning Board for meetings held on November 12, 2025, December 10, 2025 and January 14, 2026; the New Bedford Redevelopment Authority for a meeting held on January 12, 2026 and the Regional Refuse Management District Committee for a meeting held on January 15, 2026.
Received and Placed on File.
C3. Macarthur Drive, closest to 180 Macarther Drive
C4. 643 Union Street
C5. 155 Bullock Street
C6. South Second Street, working between Walnut Street and School Street
C7. 164 Harwich Street
C8. 228-230 Rockdale Avenue
C9. 456 Rockdale Avenue
C10. 464 Rockdale Avenue
C11. MacArthur Drive, closest to 180 MacArthur Drive
C12. 643 Union Street
C13. 155 Bullock Street
C14. South Second Street, working between Walnut Street and School Street
C15. 164 Harwich Street
C16. 228-230 Rockdale Avenue
C17. 456 Rockdale Avenue
C18. 464 Rockdale Avenue
C19. 70 Ridgewood Road
C20. Ivy Rd, between Intersection of 100 Birchwood Dr. & Ivy Rd to intersection of 12 Birchwood Dr. and Ivy Rd.
C21. 280-282 Ashley Boulevard
C22. 228 Highland Street
C23. 111 Plymouth Street
C24. 36 Seventh Street
PETITIONS FOR LOCATIONS
C25. PETITION, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy for location of 58’ of Conduit encased in concrete in SOUTH STREET, this work is necessary to provide electric service to 65 Potomska Street for an Electric Bus Charging Station.
RECEIVED AND HEARING ORDERED FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2026.
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