Quincy City Council: February 2, 2026

City Council
February 2, 2026
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AI Disclaimer: Summaries and transcripts above were created by various AI tools. By their nature, these tools will produce mistakes and inaccuraies. Links to the official meeting recordings are provided for verification. If you find an error, please report it to somervillecivicpulse at gmail dot com.

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Executive Summary

The Quincy City Council meeting held on February 2, 2026, focused on establishing formal procedures for public participation and addressing the controversial pay raises for the Mayor and City Council. The Council referred several orders to repeal the raises to the Ordinance Committee and discussed transparency regarding city-owned property and short-term rental enforcement. Additionally, the Council approved a resolution supporting state legislation for public access television funding and requested a comprehensive briefing on the city's response to the January 2026 winter storm.

Meeting Metadata

  • Date: February 02, 2026
  • Governing Body: Quincy City Council
  • Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
  • Attendees:
    • President Anne Mahoney
    • Councilor Richard Ash
    • Councilor Noel DiBona
    • Councilor Walter Hubley
    • Councilor David Jacobs
    • Councilor Maggie McKee
    • Councilor Deborah Riley
    • Councilor Virginia Ryan
    • Councilor Ziqiang Yuan
  • Staff Present: Town Clerk/City Clerk

Procedural Matters and Rule 23B Interpretation

  • Rule 23B Discussion: Councilor Yuan requested a formal interpretation of Rule 23B regarding objections. The City Clerk, acting as parliamentarian, clarified that an objection stops deliberation immediately and pushes the measure to the next agenda, but only when a measure is being passed through all stages of legislation in a single session.
  • President's Clarification: President Mahoney noted that for the previous meeting, the objection did not stand because the items were merely being referred to committee, not voted on for final passage.

Open Forum (Public Comment)

  • Hank Dondero (65 Manitowoc): Expressed concern over low voter turnout and the 'vitriol' surrounding pay raises. He criticized the 20-minute limit on public comment, stating, "If there are 30 people here that want to be heard, 30 people should be heard."
  • Joe Hershey (Jackson Street): Spoke in favor of rescinding raises for the Mayor and Council, citing a lack of public mandate. He urged the Council to address housing costs and property taxes for working-class families.
  • Veronica Bertrand (195 Copeland Street): Criticized the city's $1.6 billion debt and the Mayor's 79% pay raise. She also spoke against past remarks made by the Mayor regarding the LGBTQ+ community and the Catholic Church.
  • Kathy Thrun (234 Everett Street): Supported transparency ordinances and the repeal of raises, though she noted elected officials deserve an appropriate raise through a proper process. She also advocated for better sidewalk clearing during snowstorms.
  • Joanne Collins (88 Hillside Ave): Thanked the Council for implementing the public comment period to ensure transparency.
  • Jocelyn Sedney (85 Monroe Road): Raised financial concerns regarding the Quarry Hills lease. She noted that in Q4 2023, the city received only $128,719.95 of a calculated $863,290.89 rent payment because the lessee deducted previous quarterly payments, a practice she claimed is not permitted in the lease.
  • William Farrell (43 Corey Street): Opposed the 'ridiculous' pay raises and supported the Council regaining fiscal control.
  • Bill Zamzo (46 Children's Circle): Supported the open forum and agreed with the President's interpretation of Rule 23B.
  • Stuart Rowe (53 Woodbine Street): Requested improved enforcement of sidewalk snow removal, particularly for commercial properties, and a public map clarifying snow removal responsibilities between the city and the MBTA.

Item 2026-008: Public Participation Procedures

  • Action: Order amending council rules to establish formal public participation procedures.
  • Outcome: Referred to the Rules Committee on a motion by Councilor Riley, seconded by Councilor Ryan.

Items 2026-013 through 2026-031: Repeal of Elected Official Raises

  • Summary: Councilor McKee introduced several orders to repeal the raises previously passed under Ordinance No. 2024-055 (Mayor's Raise), Ordinance No. 2024-056 (Councilor's Raises), and Ordinance No. 2024-090 (Annual Raises).
  • Legal Context: Councilor Yuan explained that under MGL Chapter 43, Section 17A and the Quincy City Charter, salary reductions cannot take effect during the term in which they are voted. Consequently, the repeal for Councilors would not take effect until the 2028 term. Councilor Yuan noted that several councilors intend to donate their current raises to non-profits in the interim.
  • Outcome: All related items (2026-013, 2026-014, 2026-015, 2026-016, 2026-029, 2026-030, 2026-031) were referred to the Ordinance Committee.

Item 2026-032: Monroe Building Transparency

  • Action: Order requiring disclosure of tenancies, lease terms, and financials for the city-owned Monroe Building (1227-1259 Hancock Street).
  • Details: The order requests a report within 30 days including tenant names, square footage, rent escalations, and any arrears owed to the city.
  • Outcome: Referred to the Oversight Committee on a motion by Councilor Ryan, seconded by Councilor Yuan.

Item 2026-033: Short-Term Rental Regulations

  • Action: Resolution to review policies, procedures, and enforcement of short-term rental regulations.
  • Outcome: Referred to the Oversight Committee on a motion by Councilor Riley, seconded by Councilor Yuan.

Item 2026-035: QATV Funding Support

  • Action: Resolution urging passage of Massachusetts House Bill 91 and Senate Bill 2556 to evolve funding mechanisms for public access television (QATV) to include streaming services.
  • Vote Outcome: Passed 9-0 via roll call vote (Ash, DiBona, Hubley, Jacobs, McKee, Riley, Ryan, Yuan, Mahoney all voting 'Yes').

Item 2026-037: Winter Storm Response Briefing

  • Action: Resolve requesting a briefing from the DPW Commissioner, Superintendent, and Emergency Management Director regarding the January 24-27 winter storm.
  • Amendment: Amended to include the Code Enforcement Officer and the Director of Elder Services to discuss sidewalk enforcement and assistance for seniors.
  • Outcome: Referred to the Oversight Committee.

Approval of Minutes

  • Action: Approval of the January 20, 2026, meeting minutes.
  • Amendment: Councilor Yuan moved to amend the minutes to explicitly record her challenge of Rule 23B and the subsequent parliamentary ruling.
  • Vote on Amendment: Passed 9-0 via roll call vote.
  • Outcome: Minutes approved as amended.

Remembrances

  • Andrew Smeaton: A 23-year Squantum resident and father of seven who passed away unexpectedly.
  • Mary 'Terry' Pescevich: A 64-year Quincy resident and active member of Sacred Heart Parish who passed away at age 95.

Last updated: Feb 14, 2026

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