Malden City Hall  
215 Pleasant Street  
Malden, MA 02148  
City of Malden  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Finance Committee  
Councillor McDonald, Chair  
Councillor Taylor, Vice Chair  
Councillor Condon  
Councillor Luong  
Councillor Sica  
Councillor Simonelli  
Tuesday, January 13, 2026  
6:00 PM  
City Hall, Room #105  
215 Pleasant Street  
Malden, MA 02148  
Watch the meeting with Teams: https://tinyurl.com/ybxywk2n  
Roll Call  
6 -  
Present:  
Carey McDonald, Ari Taylor, Paul Condon, Michelle Luong, Jadeane Sica and Chris  
Simonelli  
Also Present: Council President Linehan, Councillors Colon-Hayes, Crowe,  
O'Malley, Winslow  
Maria Luise-Special Assistant to the Mayor  
Carol Ann Desiderio-City Clerk  
Christopher Mooney-Assistant City Solicitor  
Daniel Grover-Treasurer  
Ron Hogan-Strategic Planner  
Councillor McDonald called the meeting to order at 6:09 PM.  
There will be audio and video via TEAMS for this meeting.  
Minutes to be Approved  
473-25  
Minutes of December 9, 2025 to be approved.  
A motion was made by Councillor Condon, seconded by Councillor Simonelli,  
that the Committee Minutes of December 9, 2025 be approved. The motion  
carried by a unanimous vote.  
34-26  
Minutes of December 16, 2025 to be approved.  
A motion was made by Councillor Simonelli, seconded by Councillor Condon,  
that the Committee Minutes of December 13, 2025 be approved. The motion  
carried by a unanimous vote.  
Business  
434-25  
Order: That during the City of Malden Special Municipal Election to be held on  
February 10, 2026, the following debt exclusion ballot question be included:  
Shall the City of Malden be allowed to temporarily assess an additional $36,000,000  
in real estate and personal property taxes through a debt/expenditure exclusion,  
for the specific purpose of paying for the construction of the Northeast  
Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical School, for which the monies will be  
used for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2052?  
A yes vote would support a temporary increase in real estate and personal property  
taxes beginning with fiscal year 2027 (07/01/2026 to 06/30/2027) until fiscal year  
2052 (07/01/2051 to 06/30/2052).  
A no vote would make no change to the current tax structure.  
Sponsors: Ryan O'Malley, Karen Colon Hayes and Stephen Winslow  
Attachments:  
FW_ override general question_concern for tonights meeting to be  
entered into record  
434-438 Public Comment  
Estimates for $5.4 and $8.2  
Final Paper: 434-25 Debt Exlusion Ballot Question - Voke  
Councillor McDonald explained we are discussing Paper 434-25 Voke debt exclusion and  
we are able to discuss this paper tonight in this session because we are just in the first  
month of this session and we have not taken the vote on which Papers to bring forward.  
We are hearing this paper tonight in committee and on the floor in hopes of coming to a  
decision on this paper so that the Clerk's office can move forward with preparation of the  
ballot for the Special Election on March 31, 2026. The floor was turned over to Councillor  
O'Malley for a brief explanation of the Paper.  
Councillor O'Malley explained that the debt exclusion proposal aims to cover the capital  
costs of building a new school, which would alleviate over $1,000,000 from the annual  
budget and comply with legal requirements for capital improvements. The proposal was  
considered as a stopgap in case other override measures did not pass, and would not  
cover increased operating costs associated with the new school. This would just cover  
the debt we are required to pay for the Voke not the increased costs we will be facing  
when it comes to their operations which are the costs of running the school which will be  
increasing. This is to defer the capital costs to build the school over the next 20 years.  
If we were to take action on this paper we would have to update the date we picked in  
March and he is here to answer any questions. He mentions the Treasurer also has  
information about the tax impact of what it might cost the average homeowner which is a  
range or a ballpark figure.  
Dan Grover provided a breakdown of the annual tax impact for various property types,  
based on a $39,734,470 which is actual liability, estimating costs such as $62.86 for a  
median-value home and $93.24 for a single-family home, with the surcharge applied  
annually through 2055. The amounts could fluctuate depending on the city's share of  
school enrollment and other factors.  
Councillor O'Malley asked if he is saying we aren't locked in when they decided to build it,  
every year our share of paying for the building changes.  
Ron they have an additional capacity of about 200 kids with the new school if a  
disproportionate number of those students come from Malden our ratio of the overall debt  
will go up.  
Councillor McDonald clarified this is discussion of the debt exclusion which is different  
from a operating override in that the operating override raises the amount of taxes we  
raise in an on going way and the debt exclusion is a charge separate from what is in that  
override limit.  
Dan said it would be in your tax bill but would be added in by the Assessor  
Councillor Simonelli asked Councillor O'Malley if he was looking to add this to the ballot  
of the Special Election with the override  
Councillor O'Malley said yes and we are trying to get the information for the City Clerk to  
be able to move forward with the ballot with this vote  
Councillor Simonelli expressed concerns that adding the debt exclusion question to the  
ballot alongside other override questions would confuse voters. He would suggest tabling  
the paper but he is not for adding this to the ballot for the Special Election. In the long  
run he supports looking into this but not at this time.  
Councillor Condon he asked Ron how he feels about it does he feel it would burden the  
constituents  
Ron said the docketing of this creates awareness around something that will force us to  
have a discussion about this going forward when we are looking at debt for anything is it  
something that could be funded through the general fund. He feels it creates the  
awareness that the discussion of what we are doing for borrowing can be absorbed in to  
the tax space that being said he feels three questions is overwhelming or confusing.  
They are two of one nature and one of another and can be confusing.  
Councillor McDonald will ask for a recommendation in this Committee on this tonight vote  
it up or down but to send it to the floor for discussion where we can vote on this with the  
Full Council, table or place it on file.  
Councillor O'Malley thanked everyone involved the Finance Committee and the  
Administration for giving him the respectful dialogue of this and having the opportunity to  
present it however it goes he is ok with that he would like it to be on the ballot it is a  
good example of even if we have different opinions we can still have dialogue and  
discussion of it if this comes up in the future.  
Councillor McDonald stated that from the Chair before the override question discussion  
this would have been a great idea as Chair we needed to deal with the override questions  
before we brought this up this and also agrees with colleagues however it could be  
revisited in the future if the financial situation changes or if the override fails.  
Motion was made to report this paper out unfavorably to the Full Council by Councillor  
Sica and seconded by Councillor Simonelli. Roll Call Vote: Condon-yes Luong-yes  
Sica-yes Simonelli-yes Taylor-yes McDonald-yes  
6/0  
A motion was made by Councillor Sica, seconded by Councillor Simonelli, that  
the Order be recommended unfavorably to the City Council. The motion carried  
by a unanimous vote.  
Order: The Finance Committee will vote whether to go into Executive Session with  
Legal Counsel in accordance with Exemption One, Massachusetts General Laws  
Chapter 30A Section 21(a)(1), and Exemption Seven, Massachusetts General Laws  
Chapter 30A Section 21(a)(7), to comply with or act under the authority of any  
general or special law, specifically to comply with the provisions of Massachusetts  
General Laws Chapter 30A Section 23(b), to act on the pending Open Meeting Law  
Complaint filed by Brian DeLacey of 1 Earl Street on December 12, 2025 against the  
Finance Committee of the Malden City Council related to the December 9, 2025  
duly posted Finance Committee meeting. And if so allowed by the Committee, to  
487-25  
admit the City Council.  
(Roll Call Required)  
Sponsors: Carey McDonald  
Attachments: Finance OML Response 11326  
Final Paper: 487-25 Executive Session DeLacey OML on Finance  
Councillor McDonald clarified this not a vote to go into executive session we voted not to  
go into executive session to address the paper. This is the Paper which in regards to the  
open meeting law complaint, filed by Brian Delacy, alleged that the Finance Committee  
violated the law by discussing alternative amounts and ballot wording not explicitly listed  
on the agenda during the December 9, 2025 meeting. We are coming back to receive  
the report from the legal department which we asked them to prepare. This is addressed  
to the Finance Committee so we do not have to go before the full council for a vote.  
Chris explained that the committee's discussion of alternative amounts and ballot wording  
was a natural extension of the agenda items, and that the mayor's letter, sent on the day  
of the meeting suggesting alternative amounts, did not constitute a violation since the  
mayor is not a committee member and the topic arose unexpectedly. He said he still  
does not think this committee committed an open meeting law violation if when drafting  
and posting the meeting this letter was not added to the agenda. He feel it was  
appropriate for the committee to discuss that letter. It needed to be discussed in order to  
get the ballot wording done.  
Councillor Crowe said she feels that at the previous meeting Councillor Winslow proposed  
alternative language for the ballot in that Finance Meeting and that is why the Mayor  
responded to that. She feels it was very much in our purvue to have this discussion.  
Motion was made to allow the Legal Department to submit a response to the complaint  
on behalf of the Finance Committee by Councillor Taylor and seconded by Councillor  
Sica. All in favor.  
Councillor McDonald explained this motion has been approved and thanked Chris. We  
look forward to your coming back with the determination.  
A motion was made by Councillor Taylor, seconded by Councillor Sica, that the  
Order be recommended favorably to Legal Department to allow Christopher  
Mooney, Assistant City Solicitor to submit respond to the OML Complaint against  
the Finance Committee to the Attorney General's Office. The motion carried by a  
unanimous vote.  
Other Business  
The Committee will discuss scheduling of educational forums in advance of the  
upcoming Special Municipal Election in March.  
Councillor McDonald explained this agenda item is to have a little discussion about some  
community education opportunities about the issues that prompted this override and  
wanted to be clear that we cannot use City time, resources or facilities to campaign for or  
against a local ballot initiative. This would not be that instead it would be an opportunity  
for educational purposes. The forums will feature standardized content about the city  
budget and ballot questions, similar to previous public presentations, and will include  
opportunities for attendees to ask questions. The committee emphasized the importance  
of using consistent, updated information and making materials available online and in  
multiple languages. There has been back in forth with Maria and the Mayor's office to  
get some dates together and explains this is a good time to share ideas about the  
forums.  
Maria said in her discussions with the Mayor they mentioned starting sooner but thought  
early February and spread them out as we approach March 31st. They propose 4 forums  
to be spread out throughout the City to educate. They were thinking school buildings,  
preferably auditoriums and cafeteria at Beebe, Salemwood and Linden. She also said  
there is parking at all these facilities and the fourth forum would be held online. We  
would like to start confirming dates so that if they need to hold more they could and they  
are opened to any ideas suggestions or locations.  
Councillor Linehan said the locations sound great the geographic spread is important and  
parking and transit is also. She feels the sooner we can get them scheduled the better  
and there is a balance of getting it to a time when people could be there and not making  
it to soon so people can get it on their calendar and they can attend and getting it closer  
to the election the fresher it is in their minds as well.  
Councillor Taylor feels that the locations are great and asked if you would consider one at  
the Senior Center in the afternoon for people who can attend then.  
Councillor Colon Hayes said that sounds great and wanted to clarify that this will be held  
through the Finance Committee not the CEIC  
Councillor McDonald said that is correct through the Finance Committee and the Mayor's  
Office will co-host like the last Forum. It is also important that all of the information will  
be posted and shared for constituents. There are other places will everyone can share  
that content and feels that is very important to share the information. The forums will  
feature standardized content about the city budget and ballot questions, similar to  
previous public presentations, and will include opportunities for attendees to ask  
questions and emphasized the importance of using consistent, updated information and  
making materials available online and in multiple languages.  
Councillor Colon Hayes asked if they are allowed to discuss the actual questions and  
how they are going to vote. For example she has already gotten questions of where can  
we vote no. They thought no override. She feels those are the types of questions we may  
get a lot.  
Carol Ann explained when they see the sample questions they will understand. The  
yes/no statements have been removed. It will just be the questions they fill in a yes or  
no vote or bubble that needs to be filled in. How people should vote is off the table to  
discuss with constituents. She discussed common voter questions about the ballot,  
such as how to vote 'no' on override questions, and explained that the state requires  
specific ballot formats without explicit yes/no statements. Sample ballots will be posted  
online and distributed at forums to help voters understand the process.  
Councillor McDonald asked if there are resources from the State on this.  
Councillor Linehan referenced a page from OCPF that she would send to the Councillors  
with public information the OCPF GUIDE-17 Public Employees, Public Resources and  
Political Activity (Guide)  
Here is the link she was referencing: https://www.ocpf.us/PublicSearch/ViewDocument?  
id=3018  
Councillor O'Malley said we are not allowed to use city resources but we can use our  
campaign funds for that.  
Councillor Luong this past election you went to the senior buildings explaining the ballot  
and will you do the same for this was that part of your plan  
Carol Ann said she has planned on a few outreachs right now with her staff but wanted to  
get the feel of what how this body was moving forward first before she scheduled election  
outreach.  
Councillor McDonald encouraged the Councillors to collaborate on forum planning and  
outreach, with a focus on reaching diverse populations, including seniors and residents in  
different neighborhoods. The committee agreed to reconvene with feedback and finalize  
plans for the educational events.  
Tabled Papers  
Be it ordained by the Malden City Council that the Code of the City of Malden (MCC)  
9.20.050 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL WASTE is hereby amended by striking  
Subsections A, B, and C in their entirety and inserting the following in their place:  
433-25  
Sponsors: Stephen Winslow  
Attachments: Current 9.20.050 Provisions Applicable to All Waste  
Adjournment  
A motion was made by Councillor Taylor, seconded by Councillor Condon, that  
this meeting be adjourned at 6:57 PM. The motion carried unanimously.  
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