Minutes - City Council

Malden City Hall

215 Pleasant Street

Malden, MA 02148

City of Malden

Meeting Minutes - Final

City Council

Council President Amanda Linehan

Councillor at Large Karen Colon Hayes

Councillor Paul Condon

Councillor Peg Crowe

Councillor at Large Michelle Luong

Councillor at Large Carey McDonald

Councillor Ryan O'Malley

Councillor Jadeane Sica

Councillor Chris Simonelli

Councillor Ari Taylor

Councillor Stephen Winslow

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

7:00 PM

City Council Chambers

215 Pleasant Street

Malden, MA 02148

Watch the meeting with Teams: https://tinyurl.com/aapa2pk2

1. CALL TO ORDER

Council President Linehan called the meeting to order at 7:11 PM.

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF SERVICE

MEMBERS

An additional moment of silence was offered by Councillor Condon in honor of retired City

Controller Dom Fermano who passed away on May 21, 2026 after battling neuroendocrine

carcinoma.

3. ROLL CALL

Also in attendance was Chuck Ranaghan, Maria Luise, Ron Hogan, Christopher Mooney,

Lisa Cagno, and several members of the public.

11 -

Present - Councillors:

Karen Colon Hayes, Paul Condon, Peg Crowe, Amanda Linehan, Carey McDonald,

Ryan O'Malley, Jadeane Sica, Chris Simonelli, Ari Taylor, Stephen Winslow and

Michelle Luong

4. PUBLIC COMMENT

Four in-person speakers and one email was read into the record during this evening's

public comment.

Elena Martinez of Clifton Street spoke regarding Paper 292-26, a resolve supporting

language access.

John Butler of Chestnut Street and Steve Mauriello of Charles Street, both spoke in favor

of Paper 293-26, a resolve supporting an audit of the Massachusetts State Legislature.

Email submitted by Jim Sumner of Highland Avenue was also in favor of Paper 293-26.

Former Ward Seven Councillor Neal Anderson of Mills Street spoke in favor of Paper

290-26 to support a restoration project at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

5. CONSENT AGENDA

Approval of the Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Councillor Sica, seconded by Councillor Luong to

approve the Consent Agenda.The motion carried by unanimous vote.

Order: That the appropriation enumerated below, being in the amount of $50,000

be appropriated from the Community Preservation Act Fund for the following

project: Trafton Park Project from Fund Balance to the Office of Strategic Planning

and Community Development (OSPCD) and Department of Public Works (DPW) of

the City of Malden.

289-26

Sponsors: Carey McDonald

Attachments: Trafton Park CPC Recommendation

Letter of Support Mayor Christenson 5 28 2025

The Order was referred to the Finance Committee.

Order: That the appropriation enumerated below, being in the amount of $100,000

be appropriated from the Community Preservation Act Fund for the following

project: Emmanuel Baptist Church Restoration Project from Historic Preservation

Reserve to the Emmanuel Baptist Church.

290-26

Sponsors: Carey McDonald

Attachments: Emmanuel Baptist Restoration Project CPC Recommendation

Mayor Christenson Letter of Support 5 28 2025

The Order was referred to the Finance Committee.

6. APPOINTMENTS & ELECTIONS

Mayoral Reappointment: Denise Balboni-Cowie, 81 Newland Street, Malden, as a

member of the License Board, said term to commence upon confirmation by the

City Council, and to expire June 5, 2032.

291-26

Sponsors: Peg Crowe

Attachments: Mayor's Reappointment Letter - Denise Balboni-Cowie

A motion was made by Councillor Crowe, seconded by Councillor Luong, that the

Appointment be confirmed. The motion carried by the following vote:

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Yea:

Colon Hayes, Condon, Crowe, Linehan, McDonald, O'Malley, Sica, Simonelli,

Taylor, Winslow and Luong

7. MOTIONS, ORDERS, AND RESOLUTIONS

Resolved: That it is the sense of the Malden City Council that the Body supports the

292-26

establishment of a public language access plan and policy.

Sponsors:

Carey McDonald, Michelle Luong, Chris Simonelli, Stephen Winslow, Karen Colon Hayes

and Jadeane Sica

The goal of this resolve by the lead sponsor, Councillor McDonald, is to make sure the

city is building on the work being done over the past few years to increase language

access for all residents of Malden. The city requires a plan that doesn't lie dormant but

instead has force of policy. It is important to establish a multi-year language access plan

that clearly defines the services, systems, technology, and staffing resources that is

sustainable over the next three-plus years.

Councillor O'Malley did not want to simply pass the resolve and make it appear that no

work has been done thus far on language access within the city. He made a motion to

amend the paper to read, "It is the sense of the City Council that the body supports the

adoption of the language access plan and protocol drafted by Language Access

Coordinator Elena Martinez."

Councillor McDonald stated the Body was just issued Ms. Martinez' report at the

beginning of the meeting and has not had the opportunity to read it so it is premature to

vote on adoption. They offered a friendly amendment that Councillor O'Malley did agree

to. "That it is the sense of the Malden City Council that the Body supports the

establishment of a public language access plan and policy building on the draft policy

done by Language Access Coordinator Elena Martinez."

A motion was made by Councillor O'Malley, seconded by Councillor Colon

Hayes, that the Resolution be amended. The motion carried by a unanimous

vote.

A motion was made by Councillor Winslow, seconded by Councillor Simonelli,

that the Resolution be passed as amended. The motion carried by a unanimous

vote.

Resolved: That it is the sense of the Malden City Council that the Body wishes to

express support of an audit of the Massachusetts State Legislature by the State

Auditor, as was voted by a majority of Malden voters during the 2024 State Election.

293-26

Sponsors: Jadeane Sica, Ryan O'Malley, Carey McDonald, Chris Simonelli and Karen Colon Hayes

Attachments: Public Comment City Council agenda item 293-26

The goal of this resolve by the lead sponsor, Councillor Sica, is to support the 72% of

Massachusetts voters who backed a ballot question in 2024 calling for the ability to audit

the State Legislature and to stand against the re-write of the law as voted by the House

and now must go to the Senate. Although put forth by Councillor Sica, this paper then

picked up four co-sponsors during discussion.

Councillor O'Malley stated his opinion that the language passed this month by the House

makes the 2024 bill more opaque and less transparent and the courts must retain the

power to check the executive branch, which is foundational to the separation of powers.

Councillor Winslow spoke of the importance of the people having the ability to check on

their own government. Governmental institutions are obligated to fulfill the will of the

people. Having arbitrary ability to spend public funds without oversight is wrong.

These sentiments were echoed as the general consensus of the Body.

A motion was made by Councillor Simonelli, seconded by Councillor Sica, that

the Resolution be passed. The motion carried by the following vote:

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Yea:

Colon Hayes, Condon, Crowe, Linehan, McDonald, O'Malley, Sica, Simonelli,

Taylor, Winslow and Luong

8. ENROLLED ORDINANCES

Be it ordained by the Malden City Council that the Code of the City of Malden (MCC)

197-26

6.08.070 C(2) LICENSING OF MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS is hereby amended by

inserting ‘, provided that no fewer than five marijuana retailer licenses shall be

made available.’ after ‘Mass. Gen. Laws ch 138 § 15’.

Sponsors: Karen Colon Hayes

A motion was made by Councillor Winslow, seconded by Councillor Colon Hayes,

that the Ordinance be ordained. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

9. COMMUNICATIONS

Communication: On May 13, 2026 a request was made by Bruce Friedman of 8

Marvin Street for the executive session meeting minutes from the Malden City

Council for the date of May 12, 2026 regarding the matter of Benevolent Botanicals

LLC and 926 Eastern Avenue LLC v. City of Malden (MA Land Court Docket No.

22MISC000076)

294-26

Sponsors: Amanda Linehan

What is listed on the agenda regarding this communication is only the title line and does

not reflect the entire body of the paper. Clerk Desiderio read the communication in its

entirety into the record of the meeting in accordance with public records law.

A motion was made by Councillor Sica, seconded by Councillor Winslow, that

the Communication be placed on file. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

10. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee Report: The Standing Committees on Economic Development and Rules

295-26

and Ordinance serving in a joint session to whom was referred Paper 256 Series of

2026, having considered the same make the following report: Under the authority

of Paper 256-26 to draft amendments to the sign control ordinance, Committee

presents the newly written Paper 296-26 as the product of that task, to amend 4.16

SIGN CONTROL. Committee recommends this paper out favorably to the Full

Council.

A motion was made by Councillor Taylor, seconded by Councillor Winslow, that

the Committee Report be received and filed. The motion carried by a unanimous

vote.

Order: Be it hereby ordained by the Malden City Council that the Code of the City of

Malden (MCC) 4.16 SIGN CONTROL is hereby amended as follows:

296-26

Sponsors: Ari Taylor and Stephen Winslow

A motion was made by Councillor Winslow, seconded by Councillor Simonelli,

that the Ordinance be enrolled. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Committee Report: The Standing Committee on Finance to whom was referred

Paper 233 Series of 2026 having considered the same make the following report:

297-26

A motion was made by Councillor McDonald, seconded by Councillor Taylor, that

the Committee Report be received and filed. The motion carried by a unanimous

vote.

Order: The Mayor will submit the Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Appropriation Orders for

the General Fund.

233-26

Sponsors: Carey McDonald

Attachments: Mayor Christenson's Memo

Link to Proposed FY2027 Budget

FY 2027 Summary Report Expenditures by Department for DBB

Finance Schedule of Meetings

FY2027 Budget Overview May 4th 2026

FINAL FINANCE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE FOR DEPARTMENT

MEETINGS FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET

Please read this as my public comment at the June 2nd Public

Hearing 233-26

Comments for Open City Council Meeting Today 233-26

Finance Committee-Superintendent Presentation

Memo from CFO Reporting Error 6226

Mayor's Response to City Council Request to Amend the Budget

Revised Budget Appropriation FY27, as of June 4 2026

Discussion on this paper began with the introduction of a revised FY '27 annual

appropriation submitted by Mayor Christenson after consideration of Council

recommendations in the Finance Committee meeting of June 2, 2026. Clerk Desiderio

read Mayor Christenson's explanatory memo into the record.

Councillor O'Malley made a motion to amend the proposed budget by reducing the line

item for police overtime (acct. 0010-210-5150) in the amount of $289,749.30; fire

overtime (acct. 0010-22-5150) in the amount of $446,303.91; and salary reserve (acct.

0010-996-5110) in the amount of $1,204,639.45 for a total savings of $1,940,692.66.

These reductions would afford the Mayor, if he so chooses, to reinstate a number of

currently proposed layoffs. The motion was seconded by Councillor Colon Hayes.

Council President Linehan made note that members of the Mayor's finance team are in

chamber to take any questions on this proposal. No members of the Council were

interested in discussing the motion and the question was moved. Motion failed by a 2-9

roll call vote.

A motion was made by Councillor O'Malley, seconded by Councillor Colon

Hayes, that the Order be amended. The motion failed by the following vote:

2 - Colon Hayes and O'Malley

Yea:

Nay:

9 - Condon, Crowe, Linehan, McDonald, Sica, Simonelli, Taylor, Winslow and Luong

A motion was made by Councillor Sica, seconded by Councillor Simonelli, that

the Order for the revised budget appropriation of June 4, 2026 be adopted. The

motion carried by the following vote:

9 - Condon, Crowe, Linehan, McDonald, Sica, Simonelli, Taylor, Winslow and Luong

2 - Colon Hayes and O'Malley

Yea:

Nay:

11. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

12. ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Councillor O'Malley, seconded by Councillor Crowe, that

this meeting be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 8:41 PM.