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2026-09-22 - City Council Meeting

Summary

Built from the Council's posted Actions (the Council posts Actions rather than narrative minutes). The full meeting is on video.

  • 23 councilors present; Councilor Dahmubed absent.
  • Recommitted the gas company street opening item to the Public Facilities Committee, 23-0-1.
  • Approved the Disability Pride transfer as amended to $582.67, 23-0-1.
  • Referred the $1,900,000 housing trust grant to the Zoning & Planning and Finance Committees, 23-0-1.
  • Accepted committee recommendations 23-0 with one absent on the Waltham Street purchase, Needham Street building, Bullough's Pond, a bond transfer, a Medicare for All resolution, a dog off-leash amendment, utility, settlement and grant items, and appointments.

Gas Company Street Opening Grants of Location

  • Docket 273-26 (Leary, Roche, Dahmubed, Malakie, Albright and Bixby): Public Facilities had approved 8-0. Councilor Kalis moved to suspend the rules and send it back to the Public Facilities Committee; recommitted by voice vote 23-0-1.

Disability Pride Event Funding

  • Docket 261-26: Finance approved $600.00 6-0 (Councilor Silber not voting). Councilor Grossman moved to amend the amount to $582.67; approved as amended 23-0-1.

Affordable Housing Trust Grant

  • Docket 250-26, $1,900,000. Councilor Oliver moved to refer to Zoning & Planning and Finance because it had been referred to Public Facilities and Finance in error; 23-0-1.

Waltham Street Property Purchase

  • Docket 265-26, $2,972,982 purchase and borrowing. Programs & Services approved 6-0 (Councilor Micley not voting), Finance 7-0 (Councilor Kelley not voting); accepted.

Needham Street Four-Story Commercial Building

  • Docket 225-26: Land Use approved 8-0 after continuing the hearing twice; accepted.

Bullough's Pond Project

  • Docket 247-26: Public Facilities approved with a recorded vote of 4-1-2-1 (Councilor Kelley not voting); accepted.

Excess Debt Exclusion Bond Transfer

  • Docket 264-26, $623,130.15; Public Facilities 4-0, Finance 7-0; accepted.

Medicare for All Resolution

  • Docket 217-26: Programs & Services voted No Action Necessary 6-0 (Councilor Malakie not voting); accepted.

Dogs Off-Leash Program Amendment

  • Docket 211-26: Programs & Services approved 6-0 (Councilor Malakie not voting); accepted.

Utility Grants of Location

  • Docket 283-26, Eversource pole on Moody Street: Public Facilities approved 8-0, hearing closed; accepted.

Land Use petitions (accepted)

  • Withdrawal without prejudice approved 8-0 for a detached accessory dwelling unit with reduced setbacks on Rowe Street (Docket 207-26); public hearing closed.
  • Façade ratio relief approved 8-0 for additions on Burdean Road (Docket 280-26) and Pierrepont Road (Docket 281-26); a second front-setback parking stall on Ware Road approved 8-0 (Docket 282-26).
  • Public hearing assigned for September 29 on retaining walls on Dedham Street (Docket 304-26).

Appointments, settlements, grants and licenses (accepted)

  • Conservation Commission: Zoning & Planning approved reappointments of Jeffrey Zabel (term to July 31, 2027, 7-0), Susan Lunin (to May 31, 2028, 7-0) and Kathryn Cade (to July 31, 2029, 7-0), and the appointment of Kevin Mendik (to April 7, 2027, 6-0, Councilor Kalis not voting).
  • Finance approved 6-0 (Councilor Silber not voting) accepting a $23,040.00 Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency preparedness grant (Docket 262-26) and two legal settlements of $11,691.81 (Docket 263-26) and $11,500.00 (Docket 303-26); and 7-0 a three-year flexible spending account contract with two one-year renewal options (Docket 299-26).
  • A request for one new public auto license (Docket 274-26) received No Action Necessary from Public Safety & Transportation, 6-0 (Councilor Golden not voting).

Agenda

Items on Second Call and the consent-style recommendations as listed in the Actions: Dockets 273-26, 261-26, 250-26 (Second Call); 207-26, 225-26, 280-26, 281-26, 282-26, 268-26 to 271-26, 211-26, 217-26, 265-26, 274-26, 247-26, 283-26, 262-26, 263-26, 264-26, 299-26, 303-26 (committee recommendations); hearing assignment 304-26.

Sources

Video

Full Council meeting, September 22, 2026 (linked in the Clerk's Note on the Actions).