Council adopts several ordinances, refers short-term rental rules to Finance; refuse billing change fails

The Brockton City Council completed multiple ordinance actions during its meeting: it adopted changes to the planning and development director’s term, enacted new procedures for release of towed motor vehicles, and approved amendments concerning problem properties and the youth council. At the same time, the council rejected an ordinance to change refuse billing to quarterly $130 payments after a 4–4 tie vote.

On the planning and development matter, the ordinance amending Chapter 17 to set the director’s term to three years passed on a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript as six in favor, one opposed; the chair declared the ordinance ordained. The towed-vehicle release ordinance passed its third reading by roll-call (the clerk recorded seven in the affirmative) and was declared ordained. Ordinances updating rules for problem and vacant/abandoned properties and youth council language were passed by roll call (recorded as eight in the affirmative). A separate youth-council technical amendment was deferred to the ordinance committee.

A proposal to change refuse/trash billing to quarterly payments (four bills of $130) failed. The clerk noted the roll call returned a 4–4 result and that the ordinance did not receive a favorable vote.

The short-term rental ordinance covering World Cup event dates (04/01/2026–07/31/2026) passed third reading as amended on the floor and the council voted to send it to the Finance Committee for a May 4 public hearing and to the Planning Department for review.

Votes were recorded by roll call in the transcript; names and recorded votes appear in the clerk’s roll-call record in the meeting minutes.