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, March 10, 2026

7:00 PM

City Council Chambers

215 Pleasant Street

Malden, MA 02148

Watch the meeting with Teams: https://tinyurl.com/2s3zj4cu

1. CALL TO ORDER

Council President Linehan called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.

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

MEMBERS

An additional moment of silence was offered by Council President Linehan for Stephen

Lewis of Ward 3, who passed away on March 4, 2026.

An additional moment of silence was offered by Councillor Winslow in honor of Arthur

Kahn who passed away on February 27th, 2026, at the age of 92.

3. ROLL CALL

Also in attendance was Lisa Cagno, Prasanna Rajasekaran, Maria Luise, Ron Hogan,

Alicia McNeil, and several members of city staff and residents.

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. GUESTS, CITIZEN ACHIEVEMENT, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Ron Hogan will appear before the Council to

provide an update on school funding requirements for FY27.

177-26

Attachments: FY27 School Funding Overview

5. PUBLIC COMMENT

6. CONSENT AGENDA

One email was received from Bruce Friedman of 8 Marvin Street to speak in opposition of

Paper 123-26, which is now attached to the history of that paper.

Maria Luise of the Mayor's Office spoke in favor of the reappointment of Yem Lip as City

Engineer.

Approval of the Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Councillor Taylor, seconded by Councillor Colon Hayesto

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

Minutes for the meeting of February 24, 2026

142-26

143-26

144-26

The Council Minutes was approved.

Minutes for the meeting of March 3, 2026

The Council Minutes was approved.

Council Reappointment: James Tuxbury of 111 Glen Street, Malden as member of

the Cemetery Trustee Board, said term to expire March 1, 2030. (Confirmation not

required)

Attachments: Council Reappointment Letter - James Tuxbury

The Appointment was placed on file.

The Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School District respectfully

submits their 2025 Annual Report

145-26

Attachments: Northeast Voke Annual Report 2025 Malden

The Communication was received and filed.

Communication from the Mayor regarding Kevin Molis as the Chair of the License

Board.

146-26

Attachments: Mayor's Communication

The Communication was received and filed.

7. APPOINTMENTS & ELECTIONS

Council Reappointment: Robert Donnelly of 38 Goldcliff Road, Malden as part-time

147-26

member of the Board of Assessors, having served since February 15, 2011, said term

to commence upon confirmation by the City Council and expire March 1, 2029.

Attachments: Council Reappointment Letter - Robert Donnelly

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

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

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Yea:

8. COMMUNICATIONS

148-26

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

Taylor, Winslow and Luong

Communication: The Police Community Advisory Council respectfully submits their

Inaugural Recommendation Report, as was submitted to Chief Cronin of the Malden

Police Department for year ending 2025

Sponsors: Carey McDonald

Attachments:

Police Community Advisory Council Recommendation Report

2025-FINAL

MPD Response

MPD. Traffic Analysis 2024

MPD Use of Force Report. 2024

MPD - Statistics, Police Community Advisory Council..

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

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

vote.

A representative from the Solicitor's Office will follow up on Paper 128-26 with an

update to the Council on the investigation into the Open Meeting Law Complaint

filed by Ryan O'Malley of 706A Main Street, Malden on February 17, 2026 (revised

February 19) related to accusations made involving the Executive

Session of February 10, 2026.

179-26

Attachments: 128-26 Response to O'Malley OML Complaint Feb 19 2026

Assistant City Solicitor Zaheer Samee presented on the investigation into this OML

complaint, which basically alleged that there was improper deliberation during the

February 10 Executive Session. After reviewing the open meeting law and a number of

determinations issued by the Attorney General's Office, Attorney Samee has concluded

no improper deliberation, and therefore no OML violation has occurred.

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

Communication be received and that the Legal Department is authorized to

submit the response to complainant and Attorney General's Office. The motion

carried by a 10-0 voice vote. Councillor O'Malley stated present.

A representative from the Solicitor's Office will follow up on Paper 138-26 with an

update to the Council on the investigation into the Open Meeting Law Complaint

filed by Bruce Friedman of 8 Marvin Street on February 19, 2026 related to release

of Executive Session minutes from February 3, 2026.

180-26

Attachments: 138-26 Response to Friedman OML Feb 19 2026

Assistant City Solicitor Prasanna Rajasekaran presented on the investigation into this

OML complaint. This OML alleges a similar argument from the one Mr. Friedman filed two

weeks ago also pertaining to the release of Executive Session minutes. Again, the

response is that since the legal case in question is still pending, the withholding of

Executive Session minutes is not in violation of the open meeting law, as release of

records at this time would defeat the legal purpose of the stated Executive Session.

Attorney Rajasekaran has concluded no OML violation has occurred.

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

Communication be received and that the Legal Department is authorized to

submit the response to complainant and Attorney General's Office. The motion

carried by a 10-0 voice vote. Councillor O'Malley stated present.

City Solicitor Alicia McNeil will appear before the Council with a communication

from the Legal Department regarding procedures on responding to records

requests.

181-26

Attachments:

181-26 Communication about O'Malley Record Request for meeting

minutes 3.10.2026

City Solicitor Alicia McNeil took this opportunity to offer guidance to the City Council on

proper procedures if/when a member of the Body is included on a correspondence

seeking a public records request. The request must not be responded to directly, it

should go through the proper channels via the Public Records Access Administrator.

When this process was recently bypassed by a Councillor, confidential information that

should have been partially redacted was released in full to the public.

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

that the Communication be received and placed on file. The motion carried by a

10-0 voice vote. Councillor O'Malley stated present.

9. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee Report: The Standing Committee on Personnel/Appointments to whom

149-26

was referred Papers 123 and 125 Series of 2026, having considered the same make

the following report: Committee recommends these papers out favorably to the

Full Council.

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

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

vote.

Mayoral Reappointment: Yem Lip of 28 Constitution Road, Boston, as City

Engineer/Director of the Engineering Department, said term to commence upon

confirmation by the City Council and expire on March 1, 2029.

123-26

Attachments: Mayor's Reappointment Letter - Yem Lip

Public Comment on docket #123-26

Public Comment Paper 123-26

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

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

10 -

Yea:

Nay:

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

Winslow and Luong

1 - Sica

Mayoral Reappointment: Anthony Rodrigues of 100 Tremont Street, Malden, as

Director of Information Technology, said term to commence upon confirmation by

the City Council and expire on March 1, 2029.

125-26

Attachments: Mayor's Reappointment Letter - Anthony Rodrigues

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:

10. TABLED PAPERS

127-26

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

Taylor, Winslow and Luong

Petition: Massachusetts Electric Company dba National Grid Plan No. 30967378 -

National Grid to install underground facilities on Newland Street. Work in the city

right of way includes two 4” steel risers on existing pole #3812 and approximately

51 ft of two 4” concrete encased Sch 40 PVC conduits from eastern side of existing

pole #3812 in front of 46 Newland Street continuing in a northern direction towards

the 36-54 Broadway Plaza parking lot to feed the proposed pad-mounted

transformer (XRFM) for a new EV charging station. Malden, MA.

(Hearing Held)

Attachments: 46 Newland Street Petition

Abutters 46 Newland Street

Hearing Notice 46 Newland Street

11. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

12. ADJOURNMENT

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

this meeting be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:43 PM.

CAROL ANN DESIDERIO, CITY CLERK