Malden City Council 2026-01-27

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM by Council President Amanda Linehan.

• Attendees:
  • Councillor Karen Colón Hayes
  • Councillor Paul Condon
  • Councillor Peg Crowe
  • Councillor Luong
  • Councillor Carey McDonald (Remote via Teams)
  • Councillor Ryan O'Malley
  • Councillor Chris Simonelli
  • Councillor Ari Taylor
  • Councillor Stephen Winslow
  • Council President Amanda Linehan
• Absent: Councillor Jadeane Sica.
• Special Recognition: A moment of silence was held for veterans and for Alex Preddy, an individual recently killed during an incident involving federal agents.

Representatives from Malden Reads announced the 2026 book selection for the 'One City, One Book' program.

• Selection: Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.
• Themes: The program will focus on civic ideals, democracy, and Malden's role in the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
• Key Events:
  • Kickoff Event: February 9, 2026, at the Malden Public Library featuring protest music and art exhibitions.
  • Citizen Lyceum: A four-part series on the foundations of American government.
  • Mayor's Book Discussion: Scheduled for March 11, 2026.

The Council received extensive public input regarding Paper 72-26.

• In-Person Comment: Alana Russell (54 Kimball St.) spoke in support of Order 72-26, stating, "Malden should be a city where our immigrant and undocumented populations feel safe and supported."
• Written Correspondence: The Clerk received 36 emails: 33 in full support, 2 in support with amendments, and 1 in opposition.
  • Opposition: John Sayah expressed concerns that the proposal was a rushed attempt at sanctuary status that could jeopardize federal funding.
  • Support with Amendments: Ty Lamb and Bob Fitzpatrick suggested narrowing the language to specifically name the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to avoid unintended consequences for other federal cooperation.
  • General Support: Multiple residents cited recent aggressive ICE tactics in Malden and Minneapolis as reasons for the city to formally refuse assistance to federal agents.

The Council discussed an order sponsored by Councillors McDonald and Winslow to dedicate city resources exclusively to local needs and prohibit assistance to federal immigration enforcement.

• Proposed Language: "No city employees, departments, appointees, processes, or representatives shall assist in fulfilling the unique and separate responsibilities of the federal government, including immigration enforcement, or cooperate with any federal agencies or policies contrary to the stated goal of this order."
• Police Department Position: Police Chief Molis spoke in opposition, arguing the order is "unenforceable" and could jeopardize critical partnerships with the FBI, DEA, and Secret Service. He noted that the department already complies with Lunn v. Commonwealth, which prohibits holding individuals solely for civil immigration reasons.
• Action: The Council voted to refer the matter to the Public Safety Committee for further deliberation.
• Vote: Unanimous (10-0).

The Council considered an appropriation of $300,000 from the Water Sewer Enterprise Fund to settle a legal dispute with Tufts Construction Incorporated.

• Discussion:
  • Councillor O'Malley objected, characterizing the settlement as a "defamation case" and questioning the legality of using Water Sewer funds for such a purpose.
  • Special Counsel Mark Rumley and Controller Charles Rannigan clarified that the litigation stemmed from water/sewer contracts and that the settlement was a prudent move to avoid a potential multi-million dollar jury verdict.
  • Controller Rannigan confirmed the funds were from unappropriated reserves and would not impact lead pipe replacement projects.
• Action: The Council voted to suspend the rules and adopt the order.
• Vote to Suspend Rules: 8-2 (O'Malley and Colón Hayes voting No).
• Vote to Adopt Order: 8-2 (O'Malley and Colón Hayes voting No).

The Council voted on several municipal positions:

• Lisa Cagno: Reappointed as Clerk of Committee through January 31, 2028. (Confirmed 10-0).
• Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board: The following were reconfirmed through January 31, 2028:
  • Angie Lau (Paper 57-26)
  • Roxanne Redington Wilde (Paper 58-26)
  • Brian Slater (Paper 59-26)
• Vote: 9-0 (O'Malley absent).

The Council passed several orders related to the 2026 election cycle:

• Paper 60-26: Opted into early in-person voting for the Special Municipal Election (March 16–26, 2026). (Adopted 10-0).
• Paper 61-26: Designated standard polling places for the 2026 cycle. (Adopted 10-0).
• Paper 62-26: Authorized a minimum of one police officer per polling building. (Adopted 10-0).

The Council addressed a complaint filed by Bruce Friedman (Paper 73-26) regarding an emergency meeting held on January 20, 2026.

• Discussion: Councillor O'Malley stated for the record that he did not believe an emergency existed and viewed the meeting as a violation.
• Action: The matter was referred to the Legal Department to draft a response, with authority for the Chair to request an extension from the complainant.
• Vote: 8-1 (O'Malley voting No).

The Council approved reports from the License and Public Property Committees.

• License Committee (Paper 74-26): Approved a series of renewals and new licenses for amusement machines, Class 2 auto dealers, and livery services. (Approved 9-0).
• Public Property Committee (Paper 75-26): Voted to sell five properties (141 Pierce St Unit 14, 19 Murray Hill Park, 109 West St, 157 Columbia St, and 195 Beltran St) following tax title litigation. (Approved 9-0).