INVITEES: Dr. Ely Dorsey

INVITEES: Christina E. Cotsoridis

INVITEES: John R. Perry

INVITEES: Mark O’Neal Bernard Ste. Rose

INVITEES: James W. Clark

INVITEES: Aneshia Savino

INVITEES: Pamela Kavanaugh

INVITEES: Jacqueline D’Guzman Carrero

INVITEES: Karla Mejia Abarca

INVITEES: Jerry Gil

11. RELATED MOTION, Councillor Pereira, requesting that the Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners and the Management Team of Peabody Properties for Melville Towers be invited to appear before the Committee on Appointments & Briefings in order to address the issues that were raised by tenants at the June 28, 2022 Appointments & Briefings Committee Meeting. (Ref’d from Committee 06/28/2022) (11/15/2022 – tabled)

12. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, that letters of support be sent to our Federal delegation, Senators Markey, Warren and Congressman Keating, requesting that HUD’s Senior Citizens Housing Rules be reviewed and reverse the current practice of allowing mix-use in Senior Housing, other than 65 and over, and Citizens with disabilities; this request is on behalf of our local Senior population that have been put into a housing situation that is unsafe and detrimental to their quality of life; and further that a letter be sent to HUD’s Boston Regional Office requesting, a meeting with the Council’s Committee on Appointments & Briefings to discuss the Senior housing situation along with testimony from New Bedford’s Senior Citizen population regarding their quality of life and living standards. (Ref’d 07/21/2022) (11/15/2022 – tabled)

13. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings meet with Chairman George Smith and Members of the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities, the Council on Aging Board, the Director or Representative of the New Bedford Housing Authority and a Representative from Peabody Property for the purpose of discussing issues affecting seniors in public and private senior housing throughout the City. (Ref’d 08/18/2022)

14. COMMUNICATION, City Clerk/Clerk of the City Council submitting a copy of an email from Rhonda Siciliano, HUD responding to the residents' issues/concerns at Melville Towers. (Ref’d 01/12/2023)

15. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, requesting, that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings meet with MIS Director, Maria Pina-Rocha, along with City Council Clerk Dennis Farias for the purposes of discussing the creation of a New Bedford City Council Facebook page along with a Twitter page, the creation of these two website pages will give the City Council the opportunity to make sure that it reports out work and proposals along with actions and Committee reports in addition to the work throughout the community and ceremonies that the City Council participate in throughout the New Bedford, these website pages could also contain news faxes, and commentary from City Councillors; and further, that the City Council look into an internship program with local high schools and universities for the Council office in order to assist in making this proposal successful in getting all the information and faxes to the people, of this great City. (Ref’d 01/25/18) (03/16/2021 – tabled) (05/17/2022 – Remain in Committee)

16. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Giesta, Abreu, Carney, Baptiste, Markey, Morad, Council President Lopes, and Councillors Coelho, Gomes and Dunn, requesting, that our Federal Legislative Delegation, Senators Warren and Markey, Congressman Bill Keating and Governor Baker expand the Opportunity Zone Program in New Bedford, the US Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 created the Opportunity Zone Program to provide incentives for investment in low income communities and we are asking that this program be expanded to areas of Ward Two, and other relevant neighborhoods throughout the City; and further, New Bedford is one of the largest Gateway Cities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the expansion of the Opportunity Zone Program would promote economic redevelopment, it is very important that we have a strong and dynamic Downtown, but there are many other areas of the City that should be redeveloped, and we believe the Opportunity Zone Program would help accomplish this mission. (To be Referred to the Planning Department, Derek Santos at the Economic Development Council and the Committee on Appointments and Briefings.) (Ref’d 10/08/2020) (05/17/2022 – Remain in Committee)

17. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Morad and Markey, requesting, that in consideration of the important task the Board of Health will be undertaking related to the approval of the application of Parallel Products to operate expanded operations in the New Bedford Business Park, that a representative of the Administration appear before the Committee on Appointments and Briefings to discuss the expired terms of Board Member Sarah Morris, (term expired April 2020) and Board Member Dr. Craig Longo, (term expired February 2021) and the Administration’s plans for submitting a renewal application for Ms. Morris and a replacement application for Dr. Longo, who is currently not a resident of the City of New Bedford. (To be Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings.) (Ref’d 5/27/2021) (09/30/2021 – tabled)

18. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of CAROL PIMENTEL, New Bedford, MA, to the GREATER NEW BEDFORD REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE; Ms. Pimentel will be replacing Patrick Walsh, who has resigned; this term will expire in May 2026. (Ref’d 07/21/2022) (12/13/2022 – Lack of Quorum, matter not heard) (01/10/2023 – VOTE: To refer to the full City Council with a recommendation for approval – FAILED – Yeas 4, Nays 5; VOTE: To refer to the full City Council with no recommendation – FAILED – Yeas 5, Nays 4; Remain in Committee)

19. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of WILLIAM COMEAU, New Bedford, MA, a United States Army Vietnam Veteran, to the VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD; Mr. Comeau will be replacing Anthony Rezendes, who has resigned; this term will expire in December 2023. (Ref’d 11/10/2022) (12/13/2022 – Lack of Quorum, matter not heard) (01/10/2023 – tabled, applicant not present) (01/11/2023 – communication received from the Administration withdrawing the application for this candidate)

20. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of JAMES R. GAGNON, New Bedford, MA, a United States Airforce Vietnam Veteran, to the VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD; Mr. Gagnon will be replacing Elizabeth C. McNamara, who has resigned; this term will expire in December 2023. (Ref’d 11/10/2022) (12/13/2022 – Lack of Quorum, matter not heard) (01/10/2023 – tabled, applicant not present) (01/11/2023 – communication received from the Administration withdrawing the application for this candidate)

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