Council Recap: October 5, 2026
Written by: Dan Shibilia
If you only have time for one thing from Monday night, it’s TR-26-90: the joint resolution from the Mayor and Simard asking the feds to reopen the investigation into the former leadership of the Methuen Police Department.
It passed its first read 5-4. Then the emergency preamble failed 4-5. That sets up a second read at the next meeting, and the math gets interesting fast when you know the facts behind the scenes. This is where we learn a lot about our elected officials and who they have decided to support in their roles.
An emergency preamble “EPA" is a motion that makes a resolution active after one read instead of requiring two reads.
Spoiler alert: it is not always the taxpayers.
The rest of the night had a little of everything. A Great Hall that’s an acoustic mess. A Little Free Pantry debate that somehow involved allergies, animal-proofing, and a legal notice we were told we don’t need. A Housing Authority trash price Soto wants to understand before she tries it on the condos. And three contracts that passed without anyone saying a word.
Also: the invocation was about leadership. Hold that thought because it becomes comical in a sad way at the end of the night.
You can read the letter to the feds here, the agenda is here, and the video is on the Methuen Meetings YouTube channel.
Here’s everything, in order.
Roll Call / Agenda
All present and accounted for.
The Mayor pulled C-27-34 and C-27-37 from the agenda. The agenda passes with that one change.
Pledge / Invocation / Moment of Silence
Santos delivered an invocation about leadership. Since I knew what was coming later in the meeting, it was comical, and it set up the Solomon letter discussion perfectly. Self-awareness was not on the agenda or a skill processed by our esteemed chair and her servants.
Public Participation
Larry Smith, author of the Methuen-famous 6 Degrees of Corruption book, spoke first. He told the council about the whistleblower case that is pending in Suffolk County against the MPTC board. He also said the court is using the 8th Amendment to give officers back their pensions, and he’s concerned that’s where Fountain and Solomon are headed. He reminded the city that we’re on the hook for everything Fountain did, and said he thinks the state is hanging Methuen out to dry.
When he finished, Soto asked, “who is MPTC?” Smith explained it’s the Municipal Police Training Committee.
Arthur Hardy, a longtime Methuen cop and former Patrolman Union President, recounted how he was a target of Solomon and spent over a year on suspension until it was overturned. He explained how it all stemmed from how he was tasked with training Fountain and asked too many questions. He recounted that after a few days of training Fountain was promoted to Detective. Hardy said he raised concerns about Fountain, and that’s what put the target on his back. He described Solomon as having total control over the department and advocated for the federal review.
[My take]: Soto asking who the MPTC is, in a room where that exact question was the whole point of the speaker’s remarks, is concerning given her role and tenure on the Council. It’s a basic piece of the story the council was about to vote on.
Also, Hardy left out a major piece of the puzzle… He didn’t mention that the City lost in Court thanks to Solomon’s handling of the matter and we had to give him all the back pay. This fact helps present a more accurate picture.
Minutes
The minutes from the Monday, September 21, 2026 Regular Meeting and the Thursday, September 24, 2026 Special Meeting both pass. Pesce voted present on the 21st since she wasn’t at that meeting, which makes sense.
Soto asked about how her question was recorded: whether the council was bringing back the letter from Chief MacNamara. The Solicitor said he didn’t read the minutes (not his job), but confirmed everything was done properly.
[My take]: This was on purpose. Soto needed to sound like she’d been paying attention to the bigger issues and care about the City before turning her back on the citizens later in the night.
Presentation: Great Hall Audio, Visual & Lighting Assessment Report
MacLaren read into the record the report prepared by Karen Hayden, Director of Methuen Community Studios. The long and short of it is that the room is an acoustic mess because of the hard design and high ceilings. Lighting can be updated and window treatments added, but that’s a small band-aid. The real problem is the reverberation off the ceilings.
DiZoglio suggested using electrical services from GLTS. Hayden didn’t know their capabilities, but said the height may be a concern. Drew pointed out that a scissor lift can’t get up to the Great Hall, so any work would have to be done on scaffolding.
… This is another project that has little benefits with potential neverending costs that we don’t need right now. We should just hold the meetings somewhere else that is more practical.
Mayor’s Report
The Mayor started with TR-26-90 and read the letter into the record. He said the past council spoke with one unified voice and hopes this council can do the same.
Other items:
Little Free Pantry: The program is getting a grant. It’s the same idea as the little free library but for shelf-stable food.
Website: Progress is being built in response to Valley’s request.
Housing Authority trash: Already discussed; he’s happy to take questions.
Buildings audit: They found another community that did the audit Drew is asking for, and used it to show cost and how much bigger Methuen is. He said funds are available.
Email signatures: Per the signature item, an email is out to adopt the new standard.
Barrel fees/trash: The Mayor met with DiZoglio on trash.
GIC: Moving forward; open enrollment is open.
Methuen Literacy Book Buddy program: Ties 3rd graders with a pen pal. Sign up at Methuenreads.org.
5 Wallace St: this location was one of the sites linked to the human trafficking. It is inow a YWCA, which he called coming full circle. People can go there for help to get their lives on track.
Savings: He also hit on savings thanks to the electric aggregation program.
Events: He listed off many new events coming up.
Valley asked about Echo Lane. The Mayor is still working on it and said a response is coming.
CAFO Report
Searles Estate Expenses & Revenues (Req. of Soto): About $14k in new expenses. Most of it is tied to National Register prep work, plus new locks and other items.
Outstanding back taxes and recovery to date (Req. of Drew): Drew asked at the beginning of the year what progress had been made in collections. Two summaries were provided. One shows $6.1M collected since 2019. The other is an analysis of the $7M still outstanding.
Requests of Councilors
Housing Authority Trash Collection (Soto): Soto requested clarification on the cost breakdown and tonnage fees for Methuen Housing Authority trash collection through the city’s municipal trash contract. The fee per the Mayor’s report is $190/w, but Soto said she called Harvey (the trash provider) and wants this on the agenda to understand the real price. If it’s that low, she wants to start providing condos and others others currently not serviced by City trash services with trash pickup.
The Mayor explained some condos use dumpsters, and said he offered developments dumpsters and was turned down with a response that was essentially “curb side or nothing.”
Unaccepted Ways Roadmap (Valley): Valley asked the City Solicitor and DPW to develop a dedicated page on the city website with a step-by-step roadmap for accepting unaccepted ways, including the process, an online application or petition, eligibility and documentation, fees and betterment assessments, timelines, and contacts.
The Solicitor said it’ll be up this week. Valley was upset, since that’s the same answer she got last week. The Solicitor explained he can put it up, but it’s not done.
Echo Lane Sewer Connection Costs (Valley): Betterment fees and upfront costs mentioned by the Mayor. Addressed earlier in the Mayor’s report.
Buildings Audit RFP (Drew): The Mayor restated what he said in his report.
Email Signature Standardization (Drew): All set, but Drew wants a percentage. The Mayor doesn’t have one, but restated that adoption is rolling out.
HHSI Permit Fees Review (Drew): No update, due to other issues that came up.
Barrel Fees Follow-Up (DiZoglio): DiZoglio said he’ll be meeting with the Mayor this week.
Public Service
Vehicle for Hire License: Zanr Transportation, LLC (Joseph J. Aime, 93 Haverhill Street)
Moved by Drew, seconded by DiZoglio. No discussion. Passes unanimously.
C-27-35: EPlus Technology, Inc., Virus Protection, $34,291.49
Passes unanimously without a single word.
C-27-36: Energy Source, LLC, Energy Conservation Project and Building Maintenance Upgrades at the Timony Grammar School, $300,000.00
Project total is $300,000. Of that, $222,580.00 is paid directly from a City grant and $77,420.00 is paid with utility incentives paid directly from National Grid and Eversource to the vendor. Passes unanimously with no discussion.
Order Calling for State Election, November 3, 2026
Passes unanimously, again with no discussion.
New Business / Resolutions
TR-26-89 — Resolution to Amend TR-13-8: Annual Performance Evaluations for City Council Employees
Moved by Santos, seconded by DiZoglio.
This was brought forward by Soto to create a uniform review process for council employees, though it’s housed with HR. It covers the two clerks and the Solicitor. Drew asked who creates the form. Soto said the standard form used by the state is attached. Drew then asked who’s covered, which Soto had just stated. Maybe he couldn’t hear in the Great Hall. The evaluations would be anonymous.
Passes 8-1. There was no roll call or mention of who voted no.
TR-26-90 — Joint Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Calling for the Reopening of the Federal Investigation into Corruption Involving the Former Leadership of the Methuen Police Department (EPA requested) (Mayor Beauregard and Simard)
Soto passed this straight to Simard without getting a motion and a second. Simard started, and the Solicitor helped correct the misstep.
Simard recounted his experience with the harassment lawsuit Fountain filed against him, which was dismissed. “This is what happens when you fight bullies in this City, they go after you in district court,” he said, referring to Fountain suing to silence him years back. He believes there are unindicted co-conspirators. “Who you are and who you know,” Simard said, tying people to the company they keep. If nothing was done wrong, he said, there should be nothing to worry about. He hoped the council could vote unanimously.
Marsan was not in favor. He doesn’t think it helps us move forward, and doesn’t think going after those people would help us. He doesn’t think there’s new evidence (he’s also not an investigator), and he wants to be done with it. (Worth remembering he’s a friend of Solomon.)
DiZoglio voiced his support, but hopes it goes beyond the PD and covers all involved. He believes the council should do this for the citizens.
MacLaren was in favor. She agreed with Marsan that we need to heal, but said, “we can’t begin to heal until adequate justice is done.” She shared that from those she has spoken too many believe adequate justice was not done.
Pesce started by acknowledging her personal connection to the saga, given her father was mayor at the time and her personal connections with Solomon (she didn’t say that but that’s the connection). She said everyone knows Methuen because of this drama, and believes it started as a witch hunt. She said she too wants to know the hows and whys. She’s voting in favor, but doesn’t believe anything will come of it. She said, in a very political way, that she’s voting this way to keep people happy, but wants it over.
Pesce is right on one point: the council has no authority here. This is a plea and a hope and nothing more.
Simard addressed Marsan, calling out the elephant in the room: Marsan was on the council when all this started, making Solomon the highest-paid police chief in the nation and passing the Superior Officers Union contract. Simard graciously said Marsan had the wool pulled over his eyes. Simard also called out Marsan’s statements about the people he’s talked to, essentially implying he doesn't believe him and that we need to serve all the people who were wronged and the residents.
Santos asked how much this would cost the city in legal fees. The Solicitor said if any, minimal. The Mayor added that while there’s no cost with this, if anyone files against the city over Fountain and Solomon’s actions, it could be a lot.
Soto asked if the Solicitor had drafted the letter. He said no. She wanted the federal decision referenced in the letter attached so she could read it. She called Simard and the Mayor emotionally driven. She said we can’t move forward if we focus on the past. “I agree that the sentiment is very strong for those who lived it but personally I didn’t,” she said. She also focused on the statute of limitations and called this a waste of time. She took issue with statements of fact in the letter, though she didn’t say which ones.
The Solicitor tried to explain this would be a grand jury process, not something done by the City or through FOIA. Soto also asked why we aren’t just focusing on MPTC. She was concerned about who would represent her if she signed on and it came back and she got sued. The Solicitor explained city officials are immune, and that when he reviewed the letter he didn’t see anything that wasn’t true or already determined true by a court. She said she’d rather see the Mayor and Simard send it without the council, or have concerned citizens sign a petition.
She then said she’s consistent in how she votes, citing the GLTS issue over the superintendent’s pay, where she said she didn’t need to sign the letter because she “doesn’t have a problem with how much he makes.” She tried to make light of the fact that she’ll “get killed” (on social media) whether she votes yes or no, so “bring it on.” She said, “I don’t think this is necessary” and that she “feels uncomfortable signing on to this.”
The Solicitor reminded the body that nobody has to sign even if it passes.
The Mayor came back with answers. He’s going to send this letter regardless. “Everything we have done to this point has been done in a united sense,” he said. He talked about the effect a communication like this can have, recalling that a letter to the State Inspector General started this process. He said, “I am willing to testify under oath” that the week after Mayor Perry passed, he learned the coming indictments had been abandoned by the feds. He acknowledged that even if the chance is small, he has an obligation to run with this.
Drew said he doesn’t feel as jaded since he didn’t live here when it happened, but everyone he’s talked to wanted this, and he acknowledged he works for the people.
Marsan spoke up, upset about the “wool pulled over his eyes” comment. He feels he was lied to, too.
Soto interjected here, telling them she will not allow a back-and-forth exchange between the Councilors… but continued to taunt and provoke Simard, who, in typical fashion, kept his cool.
Simard reminded her of the multiple campaign of letters to multiple agencies about voter irregularities (after a voter was told she needed to check two boxes in a district race, Soto sent multiple letters, and Simard read them all), and asked, “where is your conviction here?” He added, “I think we owe the Citizens.”
After telling Simard and Marsan there wouldn’t be a back and forth between councilors, Soto told Simard he’s holding a grudge on the City Clerk’s behalf, and that this is clearly personal for him and others. But not her. “Nothing is going to come from it, why would I sign it,” she said. “If you’re a councilor sitting here for personal vendettas, you shouldn’t be sitting here, none of us should.”
[My take]: “Nothing is going to come from it, so why would I sign it” is a strange argument against a letter that costs nothing. If it doesn’t hurt, why not, Madam Chair? And the consistency defense, comparing this to a superintendent’s pay letter, tells you something. The council works for the people of Methuen. It isn’t a one-councilor show. Seems she doesn’t understand that.
The resolution passes 5-4, with Marsan, Santos, Valley, and Soto voting no.
The vote on the EPA had no discussion except a snarky remark from Soto to Simard that he always votes no on EPAs but will vote yes on this one. Marsan, Pesce, Santos, Valley, and Soto voted no. The EPA fails 4-5.
Here’s the fun part. This was a first read. Since the EPA failed, the resolution has to come back at the next meeting. Pesce is scheduled to be away with her family and miss that meeting. So unless someone changes their vote, this letter dies on a 4-4 vote.
[My take]: Was Pesce’s vote on the EPA strategic? I believe so. She’s not stupid and she knows what she’s doing. She voted yes on the first read, which she all but said was about electability and saving face then voted no on the EPA, forcing a second read when she knows full well it will fail. This is smart, manipulative, and very political of her.
TR-26-91 — Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of a $7,500 2026 Catalyst Fund Grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation for the Little Free Pantry Initiative (EPA requested) (Director of Public Health Caeli Tegan Zampach)
View summary and letter & agreement on the agenda.
Moved by Santos, seconded by DiZoglio.
Drew asked who maintains the boxes after installation. The Mayor said Health and Human Services will. Marsan asked if they’re just like the library boxes. The Mayor restated everything he’d already said. Drew asked about liability if someone gets sick, and was told HHSI will monitor. Apparently Pesce made a comment off-mic that Soto repeated, asking about people with allergies who get sick. Director Zampach explained there are protections and no liability on the city.
Pesce asked who else does this and whether we’ve looked at how they manage. Zampach said that’s part of the planning, and that the city is copying from somewhere else.
Marsan wanted to leave a sign saying people shouldn’t fill the boxes, which suggested he didn’t understand how these mini libraries and pantries work. The Director cleared it up. Drew wanted a legal notice and is also concerned about the boxes being animal-proof.
DiZoglio worried about homeless people coming onto school property to get food. The Director said this is being considered and the city has a good pulse on the unhoused population. MacLaren defended those who need the help and tied it back to her time at MPS and the need to be more caring. DiZoglio defended his stance on access for people who shouldn’t be there.
Pesce moved the question. Passes unanimously. The EPA passes too.
TR-26-92 — Resolution Accepting a Gift of 9/11 Memorial Banners (Sponsored by DiZoglio)
DiZoglio bought the banners and doesn’t want to hold them. He wants them used. Drew was concerned about who’s going to store them. Passes unanimously.
New Business / Ordinances
TO-26-21 — Ordinance Amending the Wage and Salary Classification Plan, Unaffiliated, to Add the Position of Sealer of Weights and Measures
Moved by Santos, seconded by Simard. Soto asked for clarification on what’s allocated and when. The CAFO explained the position is hourly, not to exceed 15 hours a week. Passes unanimously.
Executive Session
The council voted on entering Executive Session under Exemption 7, M.G.L. c. 30A § 23(b), to discuss and vote on acceptance/disclosure of executive session minutes for July 1, 2024; September 16, 2024; February 6, 2025; July 6, 2026; August 13, 2026; and September 8, 2026. After the executive session, the council would adjourn without returning to open session.
Passes 5-4. The council goes into executive session.
That’s a wrap on October 5, 2026. The full agenda is available at the City of Methuen website and meetings are archived at MethuenTV.
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