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The moment had arrived to vote on the supplemental budget for the Zeiterion theater, and the roll call came to Ward 4 Councilor Derek Baptiste.
He was silent.
“So we’re just going to vote without any conversation about what’s going on?” Baptiste asked.
“We just had a conversation,” responded Council President Shane Burgo.
Indeed, the council had debated for the previous 30 minutes, and Baptiste himself had risen to address the council. He had spoken out against the Zeiterion, saying he wished the nonprofit operating the city-owned theater did more to bring arts to the community. He said he also wished the nonprofit received the same questioning as other city departments during the budget process.
“The question at hand is a motion for adoption,” Burgo said. He reminded the crowded chamber of all that had just occurred, though it was what most of them had come to see. A motion to send the deliberations to a committee meeting failed. The legislative body was voting now, either to fund the theater or not.
Baptiste began to reiterate points from his earlier remarks. “It doesn’t make sense to make a motion [requiring the Zeiterion to report to the council] after we give them the money, instead of doing it beforehand. I know you’re scared of not getting votes, but…”
“Debate is over. The question is either yes or no on adoption,” Burgo said.
“Charter rule,” Baptiste said, attempting a legislative tactic that a colleague, Linda Morad, used to delay another vote. But the council’s attorney blocked the attempt, saying once the voting had begun, this tactic wasn’t allowed.
“You have to vote either yes or no,” Burgo told Baptiste.
“I think it’s bulls—, but I’ll vote it in,” Baptiste answered.
And that was how the Ward 4 councilor voted to fund the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, the Georgian Revival building in the heart of his district that stands out as one of the most beloved of all New Bedford landmarks.
Only a few minutes later, Baptiste left his seat and retired to the council’s antechamber. He returned to his seat briefly, then departed the meeting at 8:37 p.m., 45 minutes before the council concluded its business.
Naomi Carney, another councilor who had previously flipped her vote, also voted to fund the Zeiterion. Brian Gomes, the last councilor who had flipped, apologized to the public for remaining silent on the issue, but defended his stance to not fund the Zeiterion: “I think it’s one of the most beautiful treasures of the City of New Bedford … but I want to know what kind of revenue you’re generating to sustain yourself.”
The passage of the Zeiterion’s supplemental budget in a 7-4 vote marks the end of a saga that began on June 23, when the City Council made its annual cuts from the mayor’s proposed budget. On Thursday night, the Zeiterion’s funding was the only supplemental budget that passed. The rest of the supplemental funding items — including for the school district, school buses, health insurance, waste collection, and information technology — will head to a finance committee meeting for further discussion.
Another high-interest budget item, the mayor’s announcement that he would close the Casa da Saudade library branch, was not addressed during Thursday’s meeting. As of Friday morning, there has been no update on when its doors might close — or what measures could be taken to save the nation’s only Portuguese-language library.
Earlier on Thursday, Ward 6 Councilor Ryan Pereira added his voice to the community’s dissent. “There’s no real cost savings,” Pereira said about closing the branch. “It’s just a political move that I feel is highly targeted toward the Portuguese and Cape Verdean communities and myself as the ward councilor and a Portuguese American.”
But without that item on the agenda, councilors focused on the supplemental budgets in front of them. And for the most part, they decided that further investigation and debate was required.
The city’s chief financial officer, Bob Ekstrom, said he wasn’t surprised that councilors sought to deliberate further in a committee meeting. “These departments can operate as normal until we resolve the budget issues,” Ekstrom said.
The school district’s superintendent, Andrew O’Leary, said he had productive conversations with council members. “I have no doubt about the councilors’ support for fully funding the school budget,” he said.
Supplemental budgets for education included $3.2 million to meet the state’s minimum funding level, and another $803,586 for a school bus contract, an amount Mayor Jon Mitchell neglected to include in his original proposal.
Earlier this week, School Committee members said they hoped the City Council would fully fund the supplemental budget for the school district. School Committee members said they did not support the council’s strategy of cutting funds below the state-mandated minimum, only to restore the funds later. “The strategy we advocate for is the School Committee has its own process,” said member Colleen Dawicki. “We approved a budget we supported.”
“Moving forward, we’ll start inviting these colleagues to attend our April and May budget meetings so their questions can be hashed out before voting happens,” said Melissa Costa, another School Committee member.
The other supplemental budgets before the council on Thursday were to restore funding for health insurance, the city’s waste contract, and information technology.
On health insurance, the administration requested an additional $750,000 to fund what it called an “inevitable expenditure.” Last year’s cuts forced the city to dip into a reserve account to fund its employees’ premiums, a financial move that put New Bedford on a “watchlist” from the Department of Revenue.
Ekstrom, the chief financial officer, said he was concerned about “the weakening of a key reserve fund and the adverse effect it will eventually have in the eyes of our bond rating agencies” if the city didn’t budget enough for health insurance again.
On the waste contract, the administration sought an additional $175,000, writing that “there is no margin for error in the coming year” in the funding request. Councilors had stripped away costs for curbside pick-up for recycling, mattresses, TVs, and bulk waste during their June “cut night,” but provided enough funding to cover the base amount of the contract.
And on information technology, Ekstrom said he delivered as many cuts as possible without affecting core services. The request for $63,662 comes after $98,992 in additional cost-savings measures, including rolling back the policy that every city employee has an email address.
City councilors said that their work in the finance committee, a date for which has not yet been scheduled, will review the cuts that the administration delivered, and further weigh its requests to restore funding. The final approval for these supplemental budgets will take place at the Aug. 21 meeting of the City Council.
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org
While it might have been necessary to avoid litigation it does nothing to restore faith in their commitment to the arts, education or public safety and thus New Bedford’s future. I can only hope each and every one of them faces a serious electoral opponent and is forced to answer for their votes on these issues.
Counselor’s have their priorities messed up. Sorry about the Z but now it’s back to being funded and the waste and education is put on hold until August. What the fudge. Waste! Are you kidding me. You all need to have a reality check, guess what, that time is now!
Who’s paying for all this additional spending?
Once again the spineless City Council folded, looking for votes, and not thinking about the taxpayers. Come the fall election those councilors that flipped their votes and approved this should be voted out of office and when the Mayor comes up for election it’s time to send him packing too. Taxpayers of New Bedford deserve better.
One can only hope!
The Mayor’s office and City Council members should be thanked for listening to the concerns of residents to support the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
with a positive vote on the Supplemental Budget. The Zeiterion represents what makes New Bedford a ‘Shining City on the Hill’ and support bodes well for New Bedford’s future.
Sorry J. E. not everyone feels this way, when the city of New Bedford struggles and has to rely on State Aid and Raising Taxes to squeak by to pay it’s bills, giving the Z a 99 year lease, not having to pay yearly taxes, and also giving them $500 thousand dollars in operating cost a year is a complete and total financial disgrace. Who’s next the Star Store? The city is already on it’s way to giving them the same deal. Time for the Mayor and Council to be voted out of office. The taxpayers of New Bedford deserve better.
Jeff for mayor! Jeff for mayor! Finally someone with common sense. All your comments have been logical. I’d support you!
When the city begins to stink due to non support of trash pick up, you can comment then. In this day and age, they certainly have their priorities screwed up. We the residents will pay. Look at the way the trash is picked up now. We are going back in time, back to a person manually handling each and every trash bin. Those people should be one of the highest paid in the City, instead the Mayor picks a lower bid but we have a lower service. You wouldn’t last a day as a sanitary worker. REALITY!
It seems like the City Council doesn’t like when voters pay attention! They reversed course on this REAL fast. Thanks to The Light for providing accurate and thorough coverage!
I wonder what we could get them to do about the existential addiction and homelessness crises right outside their chambers and across the city with a little more pressure! The NB Health Department, last I checked, is sitting on over $2M earmarked to end this epidemic and to date has only managed to issue one RFP and see its new Deputy Director depart after barely two years on the job.
Seems like there might be a story there for The Light…
I am glad to see the Z funding restored. And I am thankful to those CC’s who made this reversal possible.
Do you realize school funding cut means meals cut. Some kids only eat at school maybe they can go to the Z and the hunger pains will go away. Clueless!