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Neighborhood Ward Meetings

At a glance

  • What: Council-hosted neighborhood meetings in each ward (Paper 26-024), and a dispute with the Mayor over whether the City publicizes them.
  • Where it stands: Ward 1 met September 23, 2026 (Andrews Middle School, hosted by Councilor Mullane and Councilor Tseng). Ward 5 is set for October 20, 2026 at 7 PM at Missituk Elementary School (hosted by Councilor Callahan and Councilor Tseng). On September 29 the Council approved, 7-0, a resolution objecting to the Mayor's refusal to advertise the meetings.
  • Next: Ward 5 meeting October 20; other ward meetings follow. The resolution asks Mayor Lungo-Koehn to restore listings on the City website and calendar and invites her, staff and department heads to attend.

The dispute (Resolution 26-170, offered by Councilor Mullane and Councilor Tseng)

  • The resolution says the Council asked the Administration to help publicize the meetings, was told the City lacked staff and resources, and that residents volunteered to spread the word. It says that before the first meeting the Mayor relied on unsupported claims about outside political involvement to refuse publicity, suggested possible ethical impropriety by Councilors, and later removed the meeting listings from the City website.
  • It affirms the meetings as official, nonpartisan and open to every resident, and says the Ward 1 meeting drew a cordial discussion of pedestrian safety, noise, public services and improvements.
  • The Mayor's side is not recorded in the minutes.

Votes

  • August 4, 2026: 26-024 referred back to the Resident Services and Public Engagement Committee (Councilor Mullane, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli), 7-0. The committee's September 16 report on 24-354 and 26-024 was approved September 29, 7-0.
  • September 15, 2026: Ward 1 invitation (26-148) approved 7-0.
  • September 29, 2026: Ward 5 invitation (26-168) approved 7-0 (Councilor Tseng, seconded by Councilor Callahan). Resolution 26-170 approved 7-0 (Councilor Tseng, seconded by Councilor Mullane). Four people addressed the Council on 26-170, including Nick Giurleo and Micah Kesselman.

Sources

Log

2026-09-29 - City Council

Ward 5 invitation approved; Resolution 26-170 on publicity for the meetings approved 7-0.

2026-09-15 - City Council

Ward 1 meeting invitation approved 7-0.

2026-08-04 - City Council

26-024 referred back to committee 7-0.

2026-11-04 - Resident Services & Public Engagement Committee Meeting

Paper 26-024 (ward neighborhood meetings) is on the committee agenda. A Ward 2 neighborhood meeting is set for December 2 at Roberts Elementary School (2026-12-02 - City Council Ward 2 Neighborhood Meeting).

2026-11-04 - Resident Services & Public Engagement Committee Meeting

Committee agenda also lists 24-354 (newsletter, Leming and Bears), 26-138 (noise ordinance, Mullane and Tseng) and 26-169 (city website); no minutes yet.