LIVE: Quincy City Council (Public Hearing, Ordinance Committee, City Council) - May 11, 2026

• Governing Body: Quincy City Council
• Meeting Type: Public Hearing, Ordinance Committee, and Regular City Council Meeting
• Date: May 11, 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, Council President Anne Mahoney, and City Solicitor Jim Timmons.

The Council held two public hearings regarding utility grants of location:

1. Council Order 2026-067: Utility Grant of Location, Mass Electric and Verizon, 46-50 Winter Street (Pole Move). No public comments were made. The hearing closed at 6:31 PM.
2. Council Order 2026-068: Utility Grant of Location, Mass Electric and Verizon, 46-50 Winter Street (Pole Installation). No public comments were made. The hearing closed at 6:31 PM.

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

• Administrative Deferments: Councilor McKee explained that while the raises remain on the books, many councilors have voluntarily deferred their pay to the previous rate of approximately $29,700 via letters to the Office of Municipal Finance to avoid conflict of interest issues identified by the State Ethics Commission.
• Councilor Actions:
  • Councilor Ryan: Deferred salary to $29,700 effective January 2026 and donated the difference to non-profits.
  • Councilor Jacobs: Donated $3,000 to the Quincy Band Boosters.
  • Councilor Yuan: Donated the first quarter of his raise ($1,000 each) to Francis Parker, Squantum Harbor, and Lincoln Hancock elementary schools.
  • Councilor McKee: Deferred pay to the previous level and donated to local food pantries (Interfaith Social Services, QCAP).
• Legal Opinion: Solicitor Timmons stated that pensions are calculated based on actual pay received: "Whatever you're actually paid is the basis for your pension. It's not what the ordinance may state."
• Repeal vs. Delete: A legal dispute arose regarding the term 'repeal.' Solicitor Timmons warned that a full repeal of the salary ordinance could technically reduce salaries to zero, suggesting 'delete' or 'amend' as safer alternatives.

Ten residents spoke during the open forum on various topics:

• Hank Dondero: Criticized the Council's behavior toward the City Solicitor, calling the proceedings "an embarrassment."
• Gail Callahan: Supported the raises and the ENC purchase, noting the Mayor manages a city of over 100,000 people.
• Jocelyn Sedney: Questioned the maintenance costs of the ENC campus, asking, "Who will mow the grass? Who will pay the utilities?"
• Heather Doney: Raised concerns about water bill abatements for golf courses and suggested the Monroe Building be used for micro-business incubation.
• Sue Daugherty: Expressed concern over the city's $1.8 billion debt and the lack of a maintenance plan for existing infrastructure.
• Helen Schreiner & Kathleen Tile: Spoke in strong support of the ENC acquisition to preserve the 24-acre campus and its arboretum.
• Bill (Resident): Noted the recent bond rating downgrade and argued the actual budget spending is closer to $502 million when accounting for bond premiums.

Solicitor Timmons provided an update on the Letter of Intent (LOI) for the city to purchase the ENC campus for $21,000,000.

• Deadlines: The seller (ENC) has set a hard deadline for Council approval by June 15, 2026, with a proposed closing date of July 10, 2026.
• Valuation: The property is currently assessed by the city at $58 million, though a third-party appraisal has been conducted.
• Regulatory Oversight: The sale must be approved by the Massachusetts Attorney General because ENC is a non-profit entity.
• Potential Uses: Discussion included using the site for a new Wollaston branch library, Quincy College facilities, and preserving open space to mitigate flooding.

Councilor Yuan introduced an order requesting a comprehensive two-year capital bonding plan and financial projections for major projects, citing the city's $1.8 billion debt and recent Moody's downgrade.

• Requirements: The order asks for detailed costs, grant offsets, and borrowing needs for the ENC purchase, seawall projects, and MSBA school repairs.
• Amendment: Councilor McKee moved to amend the order to include the Department of Public Buildings in the reporting requirements and to set a presentation deadline of June 1, 2026.
• Vote on Amendment (to refer to Finance Committee):
  • Yeas: Ash, Hubley, Jacobs, McKee, Riley, Ryan, Yuan, Mahoney.
  • Nays: DiBona.
  • Result: Passed 8-1.
• Vote on Main Motion (as amended):
  • Yeas: Unanimous (9-0).
  • Result: Referred to Finance Committee for a June 1st hearing.

• Gift Acceptance: The Council approved a $1,000 gift from the Quincy Police Patrol Officers Association to the D.A.R.E. program (9-0 vote).
• Utility Grants: The Council approved Council Orders 2026-067 and 2026-068 following the earlier public hearings.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned following a moment of silence for Firefighter Neil Leonard and resident Mary Perdios.