Council moves on debt rescission, revolving funds, loan orders and budget transfers; several items sent to Finance

The New Bedford City Council handled a package of finance and administrative items on May 22, 2025, moving several measures to committee and passing others on the floor.

Why it matters: The council referred the mayor's request to rescind authorized unissued debt totaling $118,876,793 to the Committee on Finance and made multiple decisions about revolving funds, loan orders and transfers. Several items were severed for additional review while many smaller revolving-fund orders were adopted without change.

Key decisions and directions

- Debt rescission (M2): The council received Mayor Mitchell's communication asking to rescind authorized but unissued debt of $118,876,793. The council's motion received and placed the item on file and referred it to the Committee on Finance.

- Revolving funds (M3'M28): The council reviewed a long list of revolving-fund authorizations proposed by the mayor. Members agreed to receive the materials and adopt many of the orders as presented, but the council severed and referred these items to the Committee on Finance for further review: M3 (Supportive Recreation Revolving Fund), M4 (Quest Center Revolving Fund), M9 (Health Department Compliance Programs), M12 (Tangible Supply Disposition), M16 (Vacant Building), M17 (Demolition of Buildings and Structures), M18 (Fort Table Revolving Fund), M19 (Supportive Recreation again), and M24 (Adult Social Day Program). The remaining revolving-fund items were received and adopted as presented. Councilors said the items changed in some cases by amounts that warranted committee review; the severed items were called out because their FY25-to-FY26 changes exceeded a $10,000 threshold cited by Councilor Linda Morad during the meeting.

- Loan orders to second reading (M8, M9): The council voted to pass two larger borrowing measures to a second reading: a $38,100,000 loan order to finance water-distribution and treatment-system capital projects including a lead-service abatement program and transmission-main inspection work (M8), and a $32,200,000 loan order for projects in the long-term CSO control and integrated capital-improvements plan, including wastewater-collection and pump-station improvements (M9). Both orders were referred for a second reading rather than adopted at the meeting.

- Wastewater transfer (M10): The council adopted an order transferring $3,851,210 from Wastewater retained earnings to the Wastewater Special Projects Fund (M10). The committee report recommended adoption and the council approved the transfer by roll call.

- Miscellaneous transfers and personnel items (M31'M39): A slate of budget transfer orders submitted by the mayor and described in the committee report was received and adopted by roll call; the council recorded a roll-call adoption for those items.

- Tabled items (M29, M30): Two mayoral requests to transfer enterprise-fund free cash into FY26 enterprise budgets (Cable Access and Downtown Parking) were placed on the table for later discussion at the request of councilors. Councilor Morad said department heads will appear in early June as part of budget conversations and asked that the items be tabled so questions can be addressed during those hearings.

What councilors said: Councilor Morad explained the group of revolving funds were reviewed with department heads and that she had severed certain items because the proposed amounts changed by more than $10,000 compared with the prior year; she asked that those items be sent to Finance for more detailed review. Councilors also discussed the scheduling benefits of tabling M29 and M30 so department heads can appear during budget hearings rather than at a separate Finance meeting.

Next steps: Severed revolving-fund items (listed above), the mayor's debt-rescission order (M2) and other referred materials were sent to the Committee on Finance for further review. Loan orders M8 and M9 were moved to a second reading. Tabled transfer items M29 and M30 will return to a future meeting after department-level budget discussions.

Items noted in the record (selected clarifications)

- M2 amount: $118,876,793 (mayor's communication to rescind authorized unissued debt). - M3: Supportive Recreation Revolving Fund limit proposed to change from $55,000 to $105,000 for FY25. - M4 (Quest Center Revolving Fund): $208,514 (listed in the mayor's papers). - Loan orders: M8 $38,100,000 (water distribution/treatment projects); M9 $32,200,000 (CSO and wastewater/infrastructure projects). - M10 wastewater transfer: $3,851,210 from Wastewater retained earnings to Wastewater Special Projects Fund (adopted).

The council recorded the procedural votes and roll calls for the actions above; items remained on committee calendars for further review where noted.