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2026-09-29 - City Council

Summary

Built from the posted agenda and the official minutes. No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing.

  • Sixteenth Regular Meeting; all seven members present at the start, President Bears presiding. Assistant City Clerk Eliseo sat inside the rail.
  • Resolution supporting striking Encore casino workers passed 7-0 after two workers spoke.
  • Inclusionary Housing fractional payment zoning amendment approved 7-0 after a public hearing.
  • Supplemental FY2027 appropriation cut by $340,060, with $42,507.63 funded to the Law budget, 7-0.
  • Police Chief search appropriation (26-133) tabled 6-0 with Councilor Scarpelli absent for that vote.
  • Private ways liability order referred to the Public Works and Facilities Committee, 7-0.
  • Election call and warrant for November 3, 2026 approved 7-0 (Director of Elections James Blatchford and others spoke). See Capital Stabilization Fund Requests for the Mayor's request (road resurfacing, Hormel Stadium, Medford Connects), approved 7-0.
  • Motion to adjourn passed 5-1 (President Bears opposed, Councilor Mullane absent).

Neighborhood Ward Meetings

  • Resolution 26-168 inviting residents to the Ward 5 meeting on October 20 approved 7-0 (Tseng moved, Callahan seconded).
  • Resolution 26-170 objecting to the Mayor's refusal to advertise the meetings approved 7-0 (Tseng moved, Mullane seconded). Four people spoke, including Nick Giurleo and Micah Kesselman.
  • Resolution 26-169 on improving the city website was referred to the Resident Services and Public Engagement Committee, 7-0.

Encore Casino Strike Support

  • Resolution 26-162 approved 7-0 (Scarpelli moved, Mullane seconded), with a copy to go to the General Manager of Encore Boston Harbor. A union chief steward and one other worker addressed the Council.

Inclusionary Housing Fractional Payment

  • Public hearing on paper 25-136; Danielle Evans (Senior Planner) and two residents (Marie Izzo and Jeremy Martin) spoke. Leming moved approval, Callahan seconded; approved 7-0.

Zoning Consultant RFP

  • Paper 26-033 referred to the September 30 Committee of the Whole on Leming's motion (Callahan seconded), 7-0.

Law Department Budget

  • Paper 26-142 (supplemental appropriation): Chief of Staff Nazarian spoke. Tseng moved (seconded by Mullane) to cut $340,060 and fund $42,507.63 to the Law budget; 7-0.
  • Paper 26-142B: Scarpelli moved a C paper asking the Fire Chief to appear October 13, amended by Callahan to ask the Mayor whether, if the Council funded the City Solicitor salary for the full year, she would post the job or use the money for outside counsel; 7-0. Tseng then moved to table to October 13; 7-0.

Private Ways Liability

  • Order 26-172 (place acceptance of M.G.L. c. 40, section 6C before voters in November 2027), offered by Scarpelli, referred to the Public Works and Facilities Committee on his motion, 7-0.
  • Paper 26-133 tabled on Tseng's motion (Callahan seconded), 6-0.

Capital Stabilization Fund Requests

  • Paper 26-167 taken out of order (7-0). Owen Wartella, MaryAnn O'Connor, Catherine Dhingra, Kevin Bailey and Micah Kesselman spoke. Scarpelli moved, Tseng seconded; 7-0. The appropriation tables were images, so amounts are not in the minutes text.

Other business

  • Condolences to the Police Department on the passing of a police K-9 (26-173), taken under suspension, 7-0; Fire Prevention Day invitation (26-171) 7-0; records and a Resident Services committee report approved 7-0.
  • Petition for grant of location (National Grid/Verizon, North Street and Walkling Court) approved subject to the City Engineer's conditions, 6-0.
  • Public participation: Micah Kesselman, Angelo Murphy and Zoe Dukach.
  • Food truck request for a school fall fest on October 4 approved 7-0.
  • Unfinished business: City Messenger appointment still tabled; Disabilities Commission Ordinance still listed as eligible for third reading. Reports due: University Accountability Report (next due November 2026), quarterly financial health presentation, monthly warrant articles.

Agenda

Invitation resolutions for Ward 5 neighborhood meeting and Fire Prevention Day; Zoning Consultant RFP referral to Committee of the Whole; resolution on improving the city website.

Sources