Committee sets full-council roundtable with mayor on downtown safety, asks DPI to study weekend trash pickup

The New Bedford City Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods convened downtown business owners, property managers and service providers April 23 and voted unanimously to refer a request for a roundtable discussion with the mayor and other department heads to the full City Council. Committee members also asked the city to explore expanding downtown trash pickup to weekends.

Councilor Gomes, who organized the meeting, told attendees the session was intended to gather ideas from downtown stakeholders after the recent debate over a business improvement district. “We had an obligation as a city to the businesses and the property owners downtown to make sure that you have the same cleanliness… and a safe business district,” Gomes said.

Speakers representing restaurants, retailers, property managers and nonprofits described an increase in visible street activity they said was harming commerce and safety. Father Allen Wharton, who identified himself as representing Our Lady’s Chapel, said groups had taken up space on the library steps and that incidents there had included a stabbing. “I called the police a number of times… it was very disorderly, very disturbing,” he said.

Alyssa Paquette, president of Downtown New Bedford Inc., urged consistent services over time: “We’ve been talking about the same problems in Downtown New Bedford for the last 25 years… Trash and litter pickup since the beginning of time.” Several speakers urged reinstating a dedicated downtown community police officer and a daytime drop-in center for people experiencing homelessness.

Deputy Chief Bilo of the New Bedford Police Department said he heard the stakeholders’ concerns and promised to bring them to the police chief for a plan to increase proactive patrols when staffing allows. “I will take all of this that I’ve heard tonight back to the chief and we will develop a plan… and I can promise you you’ll see some more police presence,” he said. He also described limitations caused by department vacancies and competing calls for service.

The committee adopted two formal actions. Councilor Derek Baptiste moved that the committee refer a roundtable meeting with the mayor, department heads and downtown stakeholders to the full City Council to be held at the downtown library; the motion passed 11–0. Separately, the committee voted to send a letter to the Department of Facilities and Fleet Management asking the department to explore the feasibility of expanding trash pickup to include weekends in downtown and the North End and South End business districts.

Department of Public Infrastructure (DPI) coverage was described in a written note read at the meeting: DPI staff sweep downtown mornings Monday through Friday, operate a mini sidewalk sweeper and perform landscaping and targeted pickups; Capital Waste Service performs regular trash collection in most downtown locations. Deputy Chief Bilo and other officials said the city is working on a camera replacement project and partnerships with private businesses to share camera feeds for investigations.

What happens next: The referral sends a request to the full City Council to schedule a roundtable with the mayor and relevant department heads; the Facilities and Fleet request will generate a staff response on weekend pickup feasibility. Stakeholders asked that the mayor attend the roundtable and that the city consider short-term steps, including better signage about free weekend parking, improved wayfinding for parking apps, and stronger coordination among public safety, DPI and service providers.