Written by: Dan Shibilia
The City Council meets Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Searles Building, 41 Pleasant Street since Monday is a holiday. Using the agenda that was amended on 9-3-2026, here is a full rundown of what’s on it and what it means in practice.
1. Roll Call
The meeting opens with roll call. This is the last “summer meeting” before we get back to our regularly scheduled business.
2. Acceptance of the Agenda
The council will formally accept the agenda as presented, including any amendments. This part can get interesting when you see who gets moved up in the list and why.
3. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation/Moment of Silence
The meeting continues with the Pledge of Allegiance, an invocation, and a moment of silence.
We’ve seen over the last few months that the invocation has leaned heavily on explicitly religious language more often than not. It is worth asking, gently, whether a body that represents every resident, regardless of faith or lack of one, needs a standing prayer line on its weekly to do list right between the Pledge and public comment. A moment of silence covers the same ground and asks nothing of anyone. Beyond that, it’s a public government meeting; religion has no place here.
4. Public Participation
Time is set aside for members of the public to address the council.
5. Organizational Business
No specific items are listed under this heading on the agenda.
6. Reading and Acceptance of Minutes from Previous Meetings
The council will read and accept minutes from the Monday, August 10, 2026 Regular Meeting and the Thursday, August 13, 2026 Special Meeting.
7. Proclamations/Correspondence
No specific items are listed under this heading on the agenda… but this has never stopped them before.
8. Consideration of Appointments
The council will consider the appointment of Matteo Zingales to the Zoning Board of Appeals. He currently serves on the board as an alternate.
I anticipate this passes with little discussion. Zingales is a known name in the City and in the Real Estate world where some of our Councilors spend their days.
9. Presentations/Projects/Department Updates
No specific items are listed under this heading on the agenda.
10. Mayor’s Report
Unfortunately for us, we won’t have the Mayor on hand due to a prior standing Tuesday night conflict but we will have a written Mayor’s report.
11. CAFO Report
Two items are listed under the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer’s report. The first is a request for an update on Searles Estate expenses and revenues, requested by Soto. The second is a request for a status update on outstanding back taxes and the recovery made to date, an item first raised earlier in the year, requested by Drew.
Looking past the Searles Estate as an old and ongoing issue, the back taxes is new. You may have seen the press release of the recent filings for back taxes, some of which were under $100… more on that in a different article. This will be interesting to see evolve.
12. Requests of Councilors
Several councilor requests are on the agenda.
Soto is requesting a cost breakdown and tonnage figures for the Methuen Housing Authority’s trash collection under the city’s municipal trash contract.
This is part of the ongoing retribution against the residents of Housing for telling her and others to resign. This is far from over.
Valley is requesting that the City Solicitor and the DPW build a dedicated section of the city’s website walking residents through the process of getting an unaccepted way accepted, including an application or petition form, eligibility requirements, fees, betterment assessments, timelines, and contact information.
This was disccused at the last meeting. It was agreed upon. This is possibly a holdover or the City isn’t moving fast enough for her liking.
Drew is requesting a status update on the Buildings Audit RFP, a request for city employee email signature standardization, and an update on the review of HHSI permit fees discussed during the FY2027 budget workshop.
All standing issues. I suspect Drew doesn’t get the answers he wants today.
DiZoglio is requesting an update on barrel fee outreach and whether unanswered emails are being followed up with phone calls, and separately, with
DiZoglio continues with his insistence that most of Methuen is purposely withholding barrel fees. This one is comical because we have no idea who has barrels so how can we bill them?
Soto is raising concerns about residents having trouble receiving bills through the Water Department’s and Treasurer’s Office’s billing software.
DiZoglio is also raising an issue with some departments not accepting checks, and is requesting an update on the Methuen 9/11/01 Memorial Service.
13. Public Service
This section of the agenda covers grants, licenses, and contracts.
A. Grants
No specific items are listed under this heading on the agenda.
B. Licenses
Two vehicle for hire company license applications are listed. One is from Juan Lopez for Juan 89, located at 17 Woodland Street (view backup). The other is from BFRANA, LLC, located at 131 Lowell Street, Apartment 3 (view backup).
C. Contract(s)
C-27-27 is with CATALIS TAX & CAMA, Inc. of Alpharetta, Georgia, for a CAMA SAAS AP-5 annual subscription and CAMA SAAS AP-5 permit module maintenance, totaling $83,572.36 over a three year contract. The breakdown is $26,250.90 in FY2027, $27,825.95 in FY2028, and $29,495.91 in FY2029.
C-27-28 is with A/D Instrument Repair, Inc. of Hampstead, New Hampshire, for yearly maintenance only, totaling $63,000 over three years. Year 1 (FY’27) is $18,000 ($1,500 per day), Year 2 (FY’28) is $21,000 ($1,750 per day), and Year 3 (FY’29) is listed at $2,400 per day.
C-27-29 is an amendment of the employment contract between the City of Methuen and Scott J. McNamara. The amendment would now allow McNamara to sell back 14 weeks of unused vacation time.
14. Other Officers and Committee Reports
No specific items are listed under this heading on the agenda.
15. Unfinished Business
Resolution(s)
TR-26-79 is a resolution declaring surplus equipment and authorizing the auctioning of that equipment, sponsored by the mayor and CAFO.
TR-26-81 is a resolution accepting the gift of a Polish American Veterans Monument from the Julian J. Stopyra Veterans Post, requested by Mayor Beauregard.
TR-26-82 is a resolution requesting a transfer of $1,000 from City Council Personal Services to City Council Other Expenses, requested by Clr. Soto.
This is a second read so it will likely pass without much discussion. However, it’s ridicolous of Soto to ask to move $1,000 to an account for food for the Council when we cut so much from everywhere else/
Ordinance(s)
TO-26-19 would amend Chapter 8 of the Methuen Municipal Code to eliminate certain fees for new business registrations, requested by Mayor Beauregard and Chair Soto.
16. New Business
Resolution(s)
TR-26-83 is the FY27 Budget True Up, an order concerning appropriations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. It is listed as EPA requested and brought forward by the mayor and CAFO.
TR-26-84 is a resolution authorizing a transfer of $456,055 from FY27 General Fund Employee Benefits Health Insurance and $40,000 from FY27 General Fund Veteran Benefits Personal Services to various FY27 General Fund Other Expenses lines. It is listed as EPA requested and brought forward by the mayor and CAFO.
TR-26-85 is a resolution authorizing a transfer of $1,181,649 from FY27 General Fund Employee Benefits Health Insurance to various FY27 General Fund Personal Services lines. It is also listed as EPA requested and brought forward by the mayor and CAFO.
The two items above move “new” money into accounts reduced during the budget cycle that stops the furloughs.
TR-26-86 is a Complete Streets grant acceptance resolution for Methuen High School. This is $150,000 for design work for the High School Transportation entrance.
TR-26-87 is a Castle Fund resolution for First Church, Methuen. This is for $3,200 to the First Church Congregational Methuen for a concert to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Methuen and educate attendees about Methuen's history
Ordinance(s)
TO-26-20 would establish a temporary moratorium on data centers in the City of Methuen, requested by Mayor Beauregard. Why it matters: moratoriums like this typically pause new permitting or siting activity for a set period while the city studies or drafts longer term zoning rules for a particular use.
17. Any Other Business for the Good and Welfare of the Community
Time is set aside for any additional matters councilors wish to raise.
Executive Session
The council will vote on entering executive session under Exemption 7 of M.G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(7). If the council votes to enter executive session, it will review and act on an Open Meeting Law complaint filed by Gregory Gallant against the Methuen City Council under M.G.L. c. 30A § 23(b). The council will also discuss and vote, under M.G.L. c. 30A § 22, on the acceptance and disclosure of executive session meeting minutes from the following dates:
2018: 7/26/2018, 7/30/2018, 10/16/2018
2019: 7/20/2019
2020: 5/4/2020, 5/23/2020, 12/14/2020
2021: 1/27/2021, 6/23/2021, 7/6/2021
2022: 1/20/2022, 3/4/2022, 3/16/2022, 3/22/2022, 5/17/2022, 8/1/2022, 11/2/2022, 11/7/2022, 11/21/2022
Following the conclusion of the executive session, the council will adjourn and not reconvene in open session.
How to Watch
The Methuen City Council meets Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Hall, Searles Building, 3rd Floor, 41 Pleasant Street, Methuen, MA 01844.
Residents can watch live on Channel 8 (Comcast) or Channel 32 (Verizon), or stream it online at Methuen.gov/livestream. The meeting will be archived and available on demand within one to three business days at Methuen TV Cablecast.
The full agenda is available at the City of Methuen’s Agenda Center.
Anyone needing an access accommodation to participate in City of Methuen programs or services should contact Sandy Almonte, ADA/DEI Coordinator, at 978-382-2123 or salmonte@ci.methuen.ma.us at least two weeks in advance, or two business days before any board or commission meeting. This notice is available in alternative formats upon request.