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Malden City Council confirms new public works director, enrolls marijuana license floor and refers zoning and budget papers
Summary
At its regular meeting the council confirmed Paul Myers as Director of Public Works, enrolled an amendment to guarantee at least five retail marijuana licenses, referred several FY2027 restricted funds and a data‑center zoning amendment to committee, and approved site conditions for a utility installation.
The Malden City Council took several procedural and formal actions including a confirmation vote for the director of public works, an ordinance enrollment on marijuana retail licenses, committee referrals on budgets and zoning, and approval of a site petition with landscaping and fencing conditions.
On the mayoral appointment of Paul Myers as Director of Public Works, Councilor Crowe reported that Myers had been serving in an interim capacity, described plans to upgrade department technology and operations, and moved to confirm. The council confirmed Myers by roll call; the transcript records unanimous 'Yes' votes from the councilors present.
The council also enrolled an amendment to the city code (Paper 197‑26) to clarify that no fewer than five marijuana retail licenses shall be made available consistent with Mass. Gen. Laws chapter 138, section 15; the Rules & Ordinance committee had recommended the change to maintain a clear floor tied to the liquor‑license percentage calculation.
On zoning, Councilor Taylor introduced Paper 276‑26, a proposed amendment to Title 12 to define data centers so the city may impose a temporary moratorium if desired. Staff including the city planner participated in drafting the language; the council referred the amendment to a joint hearing of the Rules & Ordinance and Planning Board for further work.
Budget papers (Paper 275‑26) involving the FY2027 appropriation orders for the water and sewer enterprise fund, community preservation fund and cable access fund were referred to the finance committee for review; Councilor McDonald said these restricted funds typically come forward alongside the general fund budget and asked for finance committee consideration before final action.
On a land‑use petition (paper 153‑26) involving relocation of electrical equipment and associated screening, the council approved the petition with standard conditions: Dig Safe notification and street/sidewalk restoration to the satisfaction of the director of public works, plus specific cedar fencing and landscaping per submitted plans and final ward councilor review. Councilor O’Malley said the parties (including National Grid, the property owner and city staff) had reached general agreement on the equipment’s relocation and screening.
Assistant City Solicitor Prasanna Rajasekeran told the council the legal department had received an open meeting law complaint (filed May 13 by Bruce Bruce Friedman) and requested authority to investigate; the council voted to refer the matter to the legal department for response by the statutory deadline.
Several license renewals and one new Class Two auto dealer application were approved after the License Committee reported compliance checks found no issues; one conditional 90‑day license was extended to Dec. 31, 2026.
Next steps: referred papers will return to committee for hearings or final votes; the legal department will prepare a response on the open meeting law complaint by the applicable deadline.
