Quincy City Council - May 18, 2026

• Governing Body: Quincy City Council
• Meeting Type: Public Hearing, Ordinance Committee, and Regular City Council Meeting
• Date: May 18, 2026
• Attendees:
  • Councilor Richard Ash
  • Councilor Noel DiBona
  • Councilor Walter Hubley
  • Councilor David Jacobs
  • Councilor Maggie McKee
  • Councilor Deborah Riley
  • Councilor Virginia Ryan
  • Councilor Ziqiang Yuan
  • President Anne Mahoney
  • City Solicitor Jim Timmons
  • Mayor's Representative Christopher Walker

The Council held two public hearings regarding utility infrastructure:

1. Council Order 2026-067: Utility Grant of Location for Mass Electric and Verizon at 46 to 50 Winter Street for a pole move. No public comments were received. The hearing closed at 6:31 PM.
2. Council Order 2026-068: Utility Grant of Location for Mass Electric and Verizon at 46 to 50 Winter Street for a pole installation. No public comments were received. The hearing closed at 6:31 PM.

Action Taken: Both orders received a positive recommendation from the committee and were subsequently approved by the full Council.

The committee discussed the status of salary raises passed in June 2024, which set the Mayor's salary at $285,000 and the Council's at $44,500.

Key Discussion Points:

• Conflict of Interest: Solicitor Timmons noted that the State Ethics Commission raised concerns about politicians taking raises in the same term they were voted upon.
• Administrative Deferment: As a workaround, councilors can voluntarily defer their raises via a letter to the city.
• Councilor Disclosures:
  • Councilor Ryan: Deferred salary to $29,700 effective January 2026 and donated the difference to non-profits.
  • Councilor Jacobs: Deferred raise to the level of the former Council in mid-April.
  • Councilor Riley: Pledged to donate the net difference in pay to charities including Interfaith Social Services and Dove.
  • Councilor Yuan: Donated the first quarter of his raise ($1,000 each) to Francis Parker, Squantum (Snug Harbor), and Lincoln Hancock schools.
  • Councilor McKee: Requested her pay be lowered to the previous level on April 10 and donated to various food pantries.
• Legal Dispute: Councilor McKee expressed intent to repeal the ordinances entirely. Solicitor Timmons warned that using the word "repeal" could be "fatal," potentially wiping out the entire salary line and reducing pay to zero, suggesting "delete" or "revise" instead.

Summaries of public comments:

• Hank Dondero: Criticized the Council's behavior toward the Solicitor, calling the proceedings "gamesmanship" and an "embarrassment."
• Gail Callahan: Supported the raises and the ENC purchase, noting the Mayor's responsibility for over 100,000 residents.
• Jocelyn Sedney: Questioned the long-term maintenance costs of the ENC campus and suggested building high-end senior housing to maximize revenue.
• Heather Dhoni: Raised concerns about water bill abatements for the golf course and subsidized rents for private businesses in the Monroe Building.
• Sue Doherty: Expressed concern over the city's debt and the lack of a concrete plan for the ENC property.
• Helen Schreiner: Supported the ENC acquisition as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to preserve 24 acres for the neighborhood.
• Kathleen Kyle: Urged the Council to vote in favor of the ENC purchase to prevent outside developers from changing the neighborhood's nature.
• Bill (Eastwood): Noted the recent bond rating downgrade and discussed the use of $9.6 million in bond premiums to cover short-term interest.
• Kathy Thrun: Clarified that the previous election was not stolen and accepted her loss.

Solicitor Timmons provided an update on the Letter of Intent (LOI) for the 24-acre ENC campus.

• Financials: The agreed-upon purchase price is $21 million, with a total bond request of $22.5 million to cover acquisition and initial costs. The property is currently assessed at $58 million.
• Deadlines: The seller has set a deadline of June 15, 2026, for the Council to authorize the acquisition and funding. A closing date is proposed for July 10, 2026.
• Attorney General Review: Because ENC is a non-profit, the sale must be approved by the Massachusetts Attorney General.
• Council Concerns: President Mahoney and Councilor Jacobs expressed frustration over the $1.8 billion debt and the lack of a detailed operational plan or a list of properties the city intends to sell to offset the cost.

Councilor Yuan introduced an order requesting a comprehensive two-year capital bonding plan.

Key Provisions of the Order:

• Requires the administration to provide a detailed overview of all major projects requiring bond authorizations through June 2026.
• Requests specific data on the Houseneck Sewer Project, seawall protections, and school building repairs.
• Asks for clarification on the status of the DeLaChiesa Early Learning Center and the proposed Monroe Building demolition.
• Amendment: The order was amended to include the Department of Public Buildings in the reporting requirements.

Action Taken: The Council voted to refer the order to the Finance Committee to be taken up on June 1, 2026, alongside the ENC acquisition discussion.

• Gifts: The Council accepted a $1,000 gift from the Quincy Police Patrol Officers Association to Councilor DiBona for community purposes.
• Traffic Orders: Several traffic changes were referred to committee, including new handicap parking on Martinson Street and Hobart Street, and parking restrictions on Phipps Street and Vane Street.
• Council Rules: Order 2026-084, regarding electronic delivery of meeting notices, was referred to the Rules Committee.
• Memorials: The Council observed a moment of silence for Quincy firefighter Neil Leonard and long-time resident Mary Perdios.