Council Recap: April 6, 2026
More of the same from good old Methuen...
Written by: Dan Shibilia
This is the first meeting recap since we launched the pre-meeting agenda breakdown series so we got to see how the preview held up against reality. Spoiler: pretty well. Here’s everything that happened, in order, with my take where it matters.
You can read the agenda breakdown here: April 6th Council Agenda Breakdown
One note before we get in: the Great Hall was standing room only tonight, spilling into the hallways. That doesn’t happen often outside of budget season. The Oakland Avenue School vote drew a crowd, and people showed up to be heard.
Roll Call / Agenda
All nine councilors present. The Mayor had an emergency and couldn’t attend so his Chief of Staff was there in his place.
The agenda got shuffled right out of the gate. DiZoglio moved to pull TR-26-36 (the Motorcycle Safety proclamation) up to the proclamations section. This passed unanimously. Then there was an awkward pause while Soto chatted with Pesce before announcing that TR-26-24A (the Oakland Avenue School sale) would be moved to immediately after the last amendment, stating it was per Simard’s earlier request. Also passed unanimously. The agenda is accepted as amended.
Pledge / Invocation / Moment of Silence
No mention of God tonight. Put that in the win column.
Two names were read for moments of silence. Both Methuen residents. Exactly how it should work.
Public Participation
Vice Chair Pesce read the public comment rules and off we go...
It was a long public comment session tonight, and a lot of it was substantive.
Tim Vermet spoke about the rail trail and a Recreation Committee meeting that happened earlier in the evening. His focus is on the depot overhangs … which, worth noting, the city doesn’t actually own. He also raised the longstanding issue that the rail trail doesn’t receive funding the way other city parks do.
John Hadley addressed comments made by Chair Soto and Councilor Valley on the radio program “Wake Up Lawrence,” where they characterized opposition to turning the Searles Estate into apartments as racism specifically invoking language about keeping out “people who look like me.” Hadley pushed back, in both English and Spanish, acknowledging racism is a real and serious problem but arguing that applying it as a label without foundation is irresponsible. He also called out the habit some councilors have of dismissing residents as a “vocal minority” or as being emotional. He made a simple point: your job is to listen to all of them. Here’s the Facebook link related to the radio interview if you want to judge for yourself.
[My take]: I wasn’t on that radio show. But if what Hadley described is accurate, and he spoke carefully and specifically, then calling constituents racists for opposing a specific development proposal is a serious charge that warrants scrutiny. Residents deserve elected officials who engage with their concerns, not label them. Especially when both Valley and Soto stand to gain from this being residential land.
Steve Gillis read a statement that appeared to be written by someone else and was difficult to follow. Moving on.
Ben Thompson, a PA at the Marsh working with students with ASD, spoke to TR-26-32, the health insurance exploration item. He was measured and fair challenging the assertion previously made by Soto that the city’s current plan is a Cadillac but acknowledging that it’s a good plan, and blamed the city squarely for not properly funding the health insurance trust. He doesn’t want to see employees stuck with GIC again. Worth hearing.
Kara Blatt, co-president of the Teachers Union and chair of the Public Employees Insurance Committee for the city, spoke directly to TR-26-32. She said the resolution came as a surprise, especially after the committee had sent three formal demands to bargain with no response until the night before this meeting. She argued it undermines collective bargaining for every union in the city. She also flagged that retirees weren’t represented on the committee, and that the city pushed a cost increase on retirees without notice. She asked that the item be tabled and said they were meeting with the Mayor on Thursday and hope it can be productive. She was direct and credible.
Rosian Hatem (sorry if I spelled that wrong) spoke passionately about the Searles Estate stating she’s traveled extensively and argues the building has real tourism and filming revenue potential that the city is undervaluing.
Abu Nassar (sorry if I spelled that wrong), chair of the Islamic Academy, spoke in support of the Oakland Avenue School purchase. The school has operated for 25 years without a single neighbor complaint. He cited strong student outcomes, particularly in STEM. His case was quiet and compelling.
Bashir Eldaro, a former principal and neighbor of the former mayor, helped start the school. He clearly loves it. Nothing of note beyond that.
Susan Wheeler, former principal whose son attended the school, gave arguably the most powerful testimony of the night. She recounted the condition of the building when the school took it over… wires ripped out, walls broken, vandalized, windows smashed. They repaired all of it without any city assistance. She described how they work cooperatively with the public schools, police, and fire departments, and carry all the relevant accreditations. Whatever you think about the broader sale, they’ve been good stewards of that building for two decades and they earned the right to be heard.
Raj (didn’t catch the last name) submitted a partial list of the maintenance the school has done over the years and described the financial burden they’ve carried through it all.
A statement from the Cultural Council chair was also read into the record regarding grants issued.
Organizational Business
Minutes from the March 16th meeting were accepted.
Proclamations
Councilor Valley received a congratulatory proclamation for being nominated for the YWCA Tribute to Women Award. The ceremony is at the Andover Country Club on Thursday, May 14th, 12–2 p.m. Tickets are available through the YWCA Northeast event page.
DiZoglio sponsored a Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month proclamation in honor of a friend killed by a distracted driver. His mother has since founded Austin’s Voice Against Distracted Driving and is working across the state to spread awareness. Check them out here. This one meant something.
RECESS
TR-26-24A — Oakland Avenue School Sale
(Moved to this position in the agenda per earlier vote)
Moved by Marsan, seconded by Santos.
Santos asked whether the CAFO had reviewed the school’s profit and loss statement to verify they can afford the agreement. The CAFO said no and the solicitor noted the city wouldn’t normally do this, but pointed out the city holds a mortgage deed and can take the property back if payments fail. Santos also asked about late payment fees and whether the school could refinance. The solicitor confirmed there’s no prepayment penalty so they can pay it off early, and in fact have said they intend to fundraise to do exactly that.
Soto asked to clarify whether any future refinancing would require city approval for cash-out. The solicitor said yes. The school was called to the podium and confirmed they have no interest in a cash-out.
Marsan put forward a friendly amendment to explicitly preserve access to the ball fields. The school is on board and the solicitor confirmed the agreement also locks in the use as a school going forward. DiZoglio said it was his only concern too and he’s satisfied. Valley flagged she hadn’t seen an insurance binder. Solicitor confirmed coverage is maintained per the existing lease. Amendment passes unanimously.
Soto passed the gavel to ask why the CAFO hadn’t reviewed the financials. The solicitor explained that the review happens during the transaction process. Drew pressed on what happens if the CAFO’s review comes back negative… it wasn’t fully resolved, but it was agreed the matter would return to the council for further discussion if needed. The amendment requiring the CAFO to review the P&L passes unanimously.
Passes as amended, unanimously.
[My take]: This was a good night for the Islamic Academy. Twenty-five years of operating a school, maintaining a building the city handed them in disrepair, and not once asking for much in return. They made their case with documentation and dignity, and the council did the right thing. This is how the process is supposed to work.
Appointments
Tristan Hoare, Municipal Assessor. Moved by Simard, seconded by MacLaren. No discussion. Drew, MacLaren, and Simard voted yes. This failed. If you saw the note pushed earlier on our page, you are up to date on the rumors that former Chief Solomon has been lobbying the council to reject this appointment to make room for his daughter to take the position despite not having the credentials.
Daniel Donahue, Assistant Fire Chief. Moved by DiZoglio, seconded by Pesce. The Fire Chief spoke very highly of Donahue’s 30 years of service. Soto noted that Donahue had also applied for chief and was shortlisted so either way, the city wins. Passes unanimously.
Traci Lavigne-Milnes, RN, Board of Health. Moved by Simard, seconded by Marsan. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
Christine Metzemaekers, Commission on Trust Funds (Reappointment). Moved by Pesce, seconded by Marsan. Drew asked why everything in the packet was dated October, why did it take this long to get here? The Chief of Staff explained renewals have been coming through since January for the new council body. Passes 8-1, with Santos voting no.
[My take]: Santos voted no with no explanation. That’s a pattern worth watching. If you have a reason to vote against a reappointment, say it out loud.
Salma Boulal, Cultural Council. Moved by Drew, seconded by DiZoglio. Drew mentioned how impressed he was to see such qualified people coming forward. Passes unanimously.
Luis Sanchez, Cultural Council. Moved by Valley, seconded by Simard. Drew said the resume was lackluster and didn’t give him enough to vote yes. DiZoglio wanted to see an arts background. Passes 6-3 with DiZoglio, Drew, and MacLaren voting no.
Lesly Melendez-Medina, Licensing Board (Alternate). Moved and seconded by Valley. Santos asked whether she could serve on two boards given she’s already on the Cultural Council. Drew called the resume impressive. Passes 6-3 with Valley, DiZoglio, and Santos voting no.
[My take]: I appreciate those who took the time to explain their no vote. That’s transparency at work! Hopefully, the others will take note and try harder.
Presentation: Clean River Project
Rocky Morison presented on illegal dumping in Methuen and his request for city funding to install floating trash booms in the Merrimack and clean the shorelines which is work he does in communities across the region.
I’ll say what Rocky didn’t: Methuen has historically neglected its relationship with the Merrimack River despite having the Clean River Project headquartered right here in town. The CAFO noted the city paid the Clean River Project $35k in 2024, $24k in 2025, and $76k last year. This was something Mayor Perry was good about this in his tenure. Simard asked if Rocky would work with the PD in an RFP process. Rocky explained he works with Inspectional Services in Lawrence to combat dumping and has a more robust operation than the Merrimack Watershed Project which runs on a small boat. DiZoglio asked everyone to work together.
One moment worth noting: Marsan brought up that years ago Rocky made an offhand comment to him implying, as a contractor, maybe Marsan was responsible for some of the dumping. Marsan still carries it with him. Rocky said it was a joke. The awkwardness was real.
Mayor’s Report
The Mayor was absent. Soto said he’d send a written update. We’ve asked for a copy and will update this post when it arrives.
CAFO Report
The CAFO distributed a package to councilors, including the budget schedule, Mass Municipal Association materials on the ongoing state funding crisis, a Capital Improvement Plan status update, an ARPA status report (money must be spent or returned by end of December), a billboard payments accounting, and other incoming funds.
A few notable threads:
Pesce asked what parental leave could cost the city. Drew backed her up as they’ve asked before and never gotten an answer. The CAFO provided birth data from the last three years as context. Pesce drew a direct comparison to how health insurance proposals get treated differently and it was a fair point.
[My take]: Yeah, Pesce has a valid point. We should be consistent but its also very different. A benefit of parental leave in comparison to a money grab for health insurance is not even comparable. We are a first-world nation, parental leave shouldn’t be something we have to debate.
Soto asked about Searles Estate costs. The CAFO confirmed they’re covering electricity and gas from the general fund and anticipates another $100k in insurance for the second half of the year; meaning roughly $200k a year just to insure the building. That’s real money for a property sitting largely unused.
[My take]: Remember the last meeting, when the council approved money to be moved to cover overages in utilities. Well, the CAFO explains that it was because of the Estate but she tried to talk around it saying it wasn’t the Mayor asking for money.
Drew asked about $171k in ARPA funds being returned to the federal government and was told that although those projects were planned, changes beyond the city’s control caused a change in plans.
Contracts
C-26-80 — 2026 Police Harley-Davidson Road Glide from Seacoast Harley-Davidson in North Hampton, NH, $29,870. Moved by DiZoglio, seconded by Valley. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
C-26-81 — Telemedicine Group cardiac/metabolic screening services, $32,340 for 35 employees at $924 each, one year with two one-year extensions. Moved by DiZoglio, seconded by Pesce. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
Committee Reports
Simard — Veterans Committee met. Discussed flag replacement at the cemetery, veteran benefits, and the Memorial Day parade.
Pesce — Memorials Committee met and voted. Something related to softball and a naming is coming forward soon.
Drew — Parks Committee met tonight. Discussed the rail trail overhangs, little libraries, and a community cleanup day on April 26th — sign-ups are coming. Worth getting involved.
DiZoglio — Mentioned interest in making the bird sanctuary handicap accessible and a garden club initiative. Didn’t specify which committee this falls under.
MacLaren — Ad Hoc Committee met today and reviewed survey findings with Karen Hayden from Methuen Community Studios and others.
Unfinished Business
TR-26-26: Moment of Silence Rules (as amended, back from the table)
Removed from the table unanimously. Simard explained the goal: keep it from being political and ground it in Methuen. The new draft was put to a vote. Passes 7-2, with Valley and Marsan voting no.
[My take]: More no votes without a reason. We should build a tracker.
TR-26-30: $16,920 from the Castle Fund for Methuen 300
This one had some drama. Soto thought this was a duplicate request since the original was kicked back by the Trust Fund. The CAFO confirmed the flyers were updated to be more educational to meet the Castle Fund standard. Soto questioned $4,000 for a website “in the age of AI” and noted she still hasn’t received an accounting from Methuen 300 despite asking. Drew reminded the room that Castle Fund recipients are required to provide an accounting back to the trust. Passes 8-1 with Soto voting no.
TR-26-31: $290 from the Castle Fund for Historic Methuen
Moved by Pesce, seconded by Drew. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
TO-26-9: Residential Cottage Food Ordinance (amended, back from March 16th)
Valley moved a friendly amendment to make this a pilot program, capping it at two residential permits issued by the Board of Health to start. The solicitor noted the BOH will need to develop rules and regulations regardless, so the pilot framework works with the existing structure. Friendly amendment passes unanimously with DiZoglio voting present. The main motion passes unanimously.
[My take]: The pilot framing was smart. It gives the Health Department a manageable entry point, keeps the ordinance from sitting idle, and still gets Methuen off the sidelines on this. Good finish for a long-running item.
New Business
TR-26-32: Accepting MGL Chapter 32B Sections 21–23 to Evaluate Health Insurance Options
Moved by Santos, seconded by Valley. Pesce immediately moved to table based on the public comment. The solicitor pushed back. He clarified this isn’t a mandate to switch to GIC, just authorization to explore options. He also noted that without adopting this section, the city is locked out until next year; to get a January 1 effective date they’d need to notify GIC by June 30. He argued it doesn’t violate collective bargaining based on the statute’s plain language.
Simard acknowledged Kara Blatt’s diligence but said the city has an obligation to understand its options. Drew asked why it was time-sensitive if the deadline is June 30, trying to understand why not wait until the next meeting when the Mayor can be present? The solicitor tried to substantiate the urgency but didn’t land it convincingly. The CAFO suggested they could wait and work in parallel. DiZoglio said he’d vote no because he’s a teacher. MacLaren said she didn’t feel fully informed and moved to table.
Tabled 8-1, with Marsan voting no.
[My take]: MacLaren’s statement about not feeling fully informed is arguably the most intelligent thing said on this item. This deserved more time, more transparency, and the Mayor in the room. The unions showed up, did their homework, and made a substantive case. The least the council could do is get the information before voting.
TR-26-33 : Acceptance of MVPC Funding for Merrimack River Cleanup
Moved by Drew, seconded by Valley. No discussion. Passes unanimously, including emergency preamble.
TR-26-34: FY26 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant, $34,988.02
Moved by Drew, seconded by Valley. No discussion. Passes unanimously, including emergency preamble. Free money for the fire department. Easy yes.
TR-26-35: $1,700 from the Castle Fund for the American Legion Post 122 Memorial Day Parade
Moved by Drew, seconded by DiZoglio. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
TR-26-37: Transfer of Currier School to City Government
Moved by Simard, seconded by Santos. DiZoglio stated he was on the school committee when this building was vacated and claimed it was supposed to go to vets and seniors. He openly said he doesn’t want more families coming in. Soto called him out for the families comment and correctly noted it would raise fair housing issues. The solicitor confirmed this vote is just to give the mayor custodial control and it would come back on disposition to the council for another vote. Passes unanimously.
[My take]: I was the chair of the school committee subcommittee that dealt with this transfer last year. That was not in the agreement. It was never in the agreement. DiZoglio is either misremembering or misrepresenting what happened.
TR-26-38: Transfer of Pleasant Valley School to City Government
Moved by Simard, seconded by Valley. Same situation as Currier . both buildings are currently closed and used for storage.
Drew raised the cost-to-carry concern. A discussion ensued with the punchline finally coming out logically that this is “one budget”.
[My take]: The cost to carry these buildings has been in the school department budget for a long time. Moving them to the city government is just shifting budget lines around… It’s not a new expense. It sounded like Drew was suggesting the school budget is at odds with the city budget. It’s also worth noting that the school department currently covers the cost of Ditson Place while DPW and the Fire Department use it without reimbursing the school even though the prior School Committee asked several times to work out a cost share on the building.
DiZoglio again stated he doesn’t want residential development. Passes unanimously.
TR-26-39: FY26 Green Communities Grant from DOER
Moved by Drew, seconded by Santos. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
TR-26-40: Accepting MGL Chapter 200A Section 9A on Unclaimed Property
Moved by Drew, seconded by Valley. Valley explained this allows the city to accept unclaimed funds rather than send them to the state with the requirement that the city manage and eventually reinvest them for public benefit. Passes unanimously.
TO-26-11: Pest Control Ordinance for Demolition and Commercial Waste
Removed from the agenda tonight.
That’s a wrap on April 6th. A full room, a big vote on the school, and a few items worth watching as they come back. The Mayor’s written update will be added to this post when we receive it.
As always, the full agenda is here and meetings are archived at MethuenTV.
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