Malden City Council Committee of the Whole 04-28-2026

• Governing Body: Malden City Council Committee of the Whole
• Date: April 28, 2026
• Meeting Type: Committee of the Whole
• Attendees: President Amanda Linehan, Councillors Karen Colón Hayes, Paul Condon, Peg Crowe, Carey McDonald, Ryan O'Malley, Jadeane Sica, Chris Simonelli, Ari Taylor, Stephen Winslow.
• Staff Present: City Solicitor Alicia McNeil, Zane Luma (National Grid).

The Council voted to suspend the rules to allow public comment.

• Steven South (Secretary-Treasurer, Teamsters Local 25): Expressed opposition to proposed layoffs, noting that the city recently hired 22 new employees while laying off senior staff like Michelle Conley (41 years of service). He stated, "Laying off the lowest paid and replacing them with the highest paid on overtime... That's fake. That's not saving money." He noted the union has filed three labor charges with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations.
• Denise Belboni-Cowie (81 Newland Street): Urged the Council to prioritize essential services and public safety over non-essential projects, citing her own personal financial discipline following the loss of her husband.
• Michelle Connolly (258 Lebanon Street): Read a letter from Shanae Igbenosa, a police cadet and single mother facing layoff. The letter stated, "I believe in the value of commitment, hard work, and showing up for our community. And I believe those things should matter."
• Dave Ball (79 Wade Street Extension): Questioned why the Teamsters union did not provide more active support or outreach during the Proposition 2 1/2 override campaign to prevent the current fiscal situation.

• Paper 153-26: Petition to install underground facilities at 1100 Main Street (car wash).
  • Action: Tabled by voice vote (unanimous) to allow for further coordination with the property owner regarding screening and fencing of equipment.
• Paper 150-26: Petition for underground conduits at 204 Main Street.
  • Action: Granted by voice vote (unanimous) with conditions: 1) Engineer must be called when DigSafe is notified; 2) Streets/sidewalks restored to DPW satisfaction.
• Paper 151-26: Petition for underground conduits at 213 Main Street (former Salvation Army site).
  • Action: Granted by voice vote (unanimous) with the same conditions as Paper 150-26.

President Linehan read a memo from Mayor Gary Christenson regarding the proposed FY 2027 budget. Key financial details include:

• Structural Deficit: Approximately $10,000,000 following the failed Proposition 2 1/2 override.
• Proposed Cuts: $4,500,000 across multiple departments (Public Works, Library, Police, Fire, and City Hall).
• Reserve Usage: $5,200,000 from reserves to mitigate deeper service impacts.
• Action: Referred to the Finance Committee.
• Schedule:
  • June 2, 2026: Public Hearing.
  • June 9, 2026: Final Council Vote.

• Paper 234-26: Open Meeting Law complaint by Bruce Friedman (April 16, 2026) regarding Executive Session minutes. Referred to the Legal Department for response.
• Paper 235-26: FY 2027 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) communication. Received and placed on file.
• Paper 236-26: Communication regarding the release of Executive Session minutes from April 14, 2026. Minutes from April 7, 2026, remain withheld under attorney-client privilege. Received and placed on file.
• Paper 203-26: Update on OML complaint by Bruce Friedman (April 7, 2026). The Solicitor's investigation found the withholding of specific session purposes was reasonable to protect the session's intent. The Council authorized sending the report to the Attorney General.

City Solicitor Alicia McNeil provided an update on court proceedings regarding Benevolent Botanicals:

• The court is leaning toward a determination that Benevolent Botanicals does not require a special permit to operate.
• The judge ordered the city to work in good faith to establish a "pathway" for the business to open.
• Deadlines: Benevolent must provide a proposed procedure by May 8; the City must respond or provide its own viewpoint by May 20, 2026.
• The Solicitor noted the judge stated she "was not very clear in her previous decision" and intends to issue a clarifying ruling.