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. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council Dennis Farias, submitting a request to increase fees for Dog License Violations, Second-Hand Dealers and various City Council licenses. (Matter ID #1322) (Referred – August 25, 2026.)
INVITEES: Dennis W. Farias, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel
2. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Burgo and Roy, requesting that the Legislative Counsel draft a Home Rule Petition to authorize the City of New Bedford to implement a randomized lottery system for ballot placement of candidates to ensure fair ballot placement for all candidates. (Matter ID #0367) (Referred – March 26, 2026.)
INVITEES: Manuel DeBrito, Election Commissioner; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Representative, Mayor’s Office
3. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting that the City Council go on record opposing the sale of nitrous oxide canisters and cylinders within the City to anyone under the age of 21; and further, requesting that the Committee on Ordinances draft an Ordinance to ban the sale of nitrous oxide containers and cylinders in New Bedford; this request is made in light of the increasing use and the serious and devastating effects associated with it. (Matter ID #0108) (Referred – January 22, 2026.)
INVITEES: Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Stephanie Sloan, Director, Health Department
4. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Abreu, Choquette and Pemberton, requesting that the Committee on Ordinances consider drafting an Ordinance prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide–related products to individuals under the age of twenty-one (21) within the City of New Bedford, in response to growing public health and safety concerns surrounding the misuse of nitrous oxide, commonly sold as whipped cream chargers or similar products, which can cause serious neurological, respiratory, and long-term health harms, particularly among youth, and to ensure appropriate enforcement provisions and any necessary exemptions for legitimate commercial or medical use are considered. (To be Referred to the Committee on Ordinances, the Mitchell Administration, Health Department Director Stephanie Sloan, Police Chief Jason Thody and City Solicitor Eric Jaikes.) (Matter ID #0109) (Referred – January 22, 2026.)
INVITEES: Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Stephanie Sloan, Director, Health Department
5. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Choquette, requesting, that the Planning Department and the Planning Board cease conducting Zoom meetings for Site Plan Review proceedings and hold all such public meetings in person where all members of the public have the opportunity to attend; and further, that failure to properly notify abutters shall automatically invalidate any meeting for which the required abutter notifications were not properly provided. (Matter ID #0647) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
INVITEES: Jennifer Carloni, City Planner, Planning Department; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor
6. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Choquette, requesting, that Jennifer Carloni, Director of Planning, and Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor, appear before the Committee on Ordinances to discuss procedural violations regarding the notification of abutters related to the Hangar project at the New Bedford Regional Airport. (Matter ID #0648) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
INVITEES: Jennifer Carloni, City Planner, Planning Department; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor
7. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting that the Committee on Ordinances meet to discuss drafting an Ordinance that would address Airbnb rental properties in the City; and further that these properties would come under the hotel guest tax and be classified as commercial properties, furthermore, key aspects for the proposed Ordinance should be: Primary Residence Requirement: operators must live at the address for at least nine months of the year; Occupancy Limits: Maximum of 8 guests, or 2 guests per bedroom, whichever is fewer; Registration & Inspections: Annual registration with the City’s Inspectional Services Department is required; Safety Requirements: Strict standards for smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers and Restrictions: Renting of separate bedrooms to multiple parties is prohibited; only one party of renters is allowed at a time. (Matter ID #0531) (Referred – April 23, 2026.)
INVITEES: Jennifer Carloni, City Planner, Planning Department; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor
8. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting that the Committee on Ordinances establish an Ordinance regulating the use of electric bikes, scooters and minibikes; said Ordinance would establish laws for the use of said electric devices on our City’s streets, sidewalks, parks and walkways, these devices have become a safety problem throughout the City. (Matter ID #1122) (Referred – June 25, 2026.)
INVITEES: Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Jason Thody, Police Chief
9. COMMUNICATION, Councillor Burgo, submitting a letter from Police Chief Jason Thody containing recommendations for a framework to establish an Ordinance governing Automated License Plate Readers (“ALPR”) and Mass Location-Technologies, balancing City Council oversight with public safety efficiency and the operation effectiveness of covered technology. (Matter ID #1561) (Referred – September 24, 2026.) (October 26, 2026 - tabled)
INVITEES: John Costa, Director, Information Technology; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Jason Thody, Police Chief
10. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Burgo, requesting that a copy of the Opinion and Order issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in United States of America v. Melisa Susan Kyle, concerning the warrantless retrieval and use of historical automated license plate reader (ALPR) data be provided to the Committee on Ordinances for its information and consideration in connection with any pending or future legislation concerning ALPR technology and municipal data privacy. (Matter ID #1644) (Referred – October 08, 2026.) (October 26, 2026 - tabled)
10a. OPINION AND ORDER, United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in United States of America v. Melisa Susan Kyle. (Matter ID #1645) (Referred – October 08, 2026.) (October 26, 2026 - tabled)
INVITEES: Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Jason Thody, Police Chief
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