Meeting report · City Council
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City Council — April 28, 2026
The meeting was marked by high-stakes testimony regarding illegal layoffs, a massive structural deficit, and legal setbacks involving the City Solicitor.
Public impact
Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01
FY 2027 Budget Cuts
$4.5 million in cuts and $5.2 million in reserves used to cover a $10 million deficit Affected: All Malden residents and municipal employees
budget cut
02
Municipal Staff Layoffs
Multiple layoffs affecting long-term employees and seniority protections Affected: Teamsters union members and municipal staff
service reduction
Decisions logged
Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Motion to suspend rules to allow public comment.
A vote was held to allow the public to comment during the Committee of the Whole.
Approved
Motion to table National Grid petition (Paper 127).
The motion was made to allow for further coordination with property owners regarding screening and equipment location.
Approved
Motion to untable Papers 124 and 125.
Items regarding 204 and 213 Main Street were brought back to the floor.
Approved
Motion to grant Papers 124 and 125.
Granted with conditions that the engineer be called when Dig Safe is notified and streets/sidewalks be restored to the satisfaction of the DPW.
Approved
Motion to refer FY 2027 Budget to Finance Committee.
The proposed budget was referred for detailed review.
Approved
Motion to refer Open Meeting Law complaint to the legal department.
Referral to allow the legal department to respond within the 14-day deadline.
Approved
Motion to authorize sending the investigation report to the complainant and attorney.
Authorization regarding the Bruce Friedman complaint investigation.
Approved
Adjournment of the meeting
Motion to adjourn by Councilor Winslow, seconded by Councilor Taylor.
Unanimous
Topics discussed
Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 18:06 Suspension of Rules for Public Comment
The Council voted to suspend its rules to allow for public comment during a Committee of the Whole meeting due to a large audience presence.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Councilor O'Malley, Councilor Winslow
▶ 20:38 Labor Concerns and Layoffs
Public testimony regarding alleged illegal layoffs of Teamsters union members, specifically noting violations of seniority and 'bumping' rights, and the recent hiring of new employees.
Speakers: Steven South, Shanay Egbenosa, Dave Ball
▶ 37:48 National Grid Underground Conduit Petition
A public hearing regarding National Grid's plan to install underground facilities on Main Street, including discussions on equipment screening and site redesign.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Zane Juma, Councilor O'Malley, Councilor Siega
▶ 52:08 FY 2027 Budget Proposal
The Mayor submitted the proposed FY 2027 budget, which includes $4.5 million in cuts and the use of $5.2 million in reserves to address a $10 million structural deficit.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Councilor McDonald, Councilor O'Malley, Councilor Clone Hayes
▶ 1:04:04 Open Meeting Law Complaint
Discussion regarding a complaint by Bruce Friedman concerning the release of executive session minutes.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Alicia McNeal
▶ 1:12:10 Driscoll Corporation v. City of Malden Litigation
An update on court proceedings regarding a marijuana establishment (Benevolent) and the requirement of a special permit. The City Solicitor provided an update on a court hearing regarding Benevolent Botanicals. The discussion focused on whether the company requires a special permit to operate and the court's directive for the City and the plaintiff to establish a pathway for the business to open.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Alicia McNeal, Councilor O'Malley, Councilor Winslow, Councilor McDonald, Councilor Colone-Hayes
▶ 1:22:00 Agenda Docketing Clarification
Councilors questioned why the agenda listed 'Drees' instead of 'Benevolent Botanicals.' The Solicitor explained that the hearing was unexpectedly converted from a Drees matter to a Benevolent matter by the court.
Speakers: Councilor O'Malley, Councilor Colone-Hayes, Speaker A (City Solicitor)
Controversy & dissent
Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.
Potentially controversial issues
01
Alleged Illegal Labor Layoffs
Union representatives and affected employees allege the city is violating collective bargaining agreements by ignoring seniority and 'bumping' rights in favor of recent hires.
Board position: The Council acknowledged the testimony but did not provide a direct rebuttal or specific response to the allegations of illegality during the meeting.
high concern
02
FY 2027 Budget and Structural Deficit
The budget addresses a $10 million structural deficit through $4.5 million in cuts and the use of $5.2 million in reserves, directly impacting municipal services and resident stability.
Board position: The Council referred the budget to the Finance Committee for detailed review, acknowledging the 'painful' nature of the choices ahead.
high concern
03
Driscoll Corporation v. City of Malden Litigation
A court has indicated the City treated the marijuana establishment (Benevolent Botanicals) unfairly, requiring the City to establish a pathway for them to open.
Board position: The Board is tasked by the court with finding a procedural pathway to resolve the conflict with the plaintiff.
medium concern
Community vs. board tension
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Action items
Who owes what, by when.
Conduct overview meeting with Mayor's finance team and subsequent department reviews.
Assigned: Finance Committee · Due: Ongoing (45-day review period)
Respond to the Open Meeting Law complaint from Bruce Friedman.
Assigned: Legal Department · Due: 14 business days from April 16th
Coordinate with property owners regarding fencing/screening and equipment placement.
Assigned: Zane Juma (National Grid) · Due: Next scheduled hearing
Provide the court and the city with a proposed procedure/pathway to move forward and open their business.
Assigned: Benevolent Botanicals (Plaintiff) · Due: 2026-05-08
Provide the court with the City's viewpoint on the proposed process if no agreement is reached with the plaintiff.
Assigned: City of Malden · Due: 2026-05-20
Confer on outreach to Benevolent Botanicals and schedule an executive session, potentially including the Building Commissioner and Ron Hogan.
Assigned: a speaker (City Solicitor) and Council President
Notable statements
The city's proposed layoffs violate collective bargaining agreements regarding seniority and bumping rights. — Steven South (Teamsters Local 25) · Testifying during public comment regarding municipal staff layoffs. ▶ 21:00
The budget process involves only painful and bad choices at this point given the structural deficit. — Councilor McDonald · Summarizing the financial outlook during the budget discussion. ▶ 1:00:30
The proposed budget includes $4.5 million in cuts and $5.2 million in reserves to lessen the impact on core services. — Mayor Christensen (via memo) · Reading the formal budget transmittal letter into the record. ▶ 52:08
The court in a nutshell said that the city has treated Benevolent unfairly. She wants the city to treat them fairly. — Speaker A (City Solicitor) · Reporting the judge's sentiments regarding the ongoing litigation. ▶ 1:18:47
I would be willing to serve that role [leading outreach to Benevolent Botanicals and the solicitor's office] if that is of interest. — Councilor Winslow · Suggesting proactive engagement to resolve the conflict before the executive session. ▶ 1:23:57
Public comment
What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
4
Total speakers
0
Addressed
1
Partial
3
Not addressed
Steven South
Not addressed
As the secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 25, he alleges that the City of Malden is conducting illegal layoffs that violate collective bargaining agreements regarding seniority. He points out that long-term employees are being laid off while recent hires are being retained, and he claims the city is misattributing the budget crisis to residents' voting decisions.
Key concern
Allegations of illegal layoffs violating seniority rights and union contracts.
Board responseThe board did not provide a direct response to the specific allegations during the public comment period, though the topic of the budget was discussed later in the meeting by the Council.
The speaker provided information and documents regarding union grievances and litigation, but the Council did not respond to his specific allegations of illegal activity or the specific employee cases mentioned.
Unidentified speaker
Partial
The speaker shares her personal experience of financial hardship following the unexpected loss of her husband. She uses her struggle to urge the City Council to practice financial discipline and prioritize essential services and infrastructure over non-essential projects.
Key concern
Urging the Council to practice fiscal responsibility and prioritize essential community needs in the upcoming budget.
Board responseThe Council President thanked the speaker, and Councilor McDonald later addressed the general sentiment regarding budget difficulties and the upcoming public hearing process.
While no councilor addressed her personal story, the Council Chair subsequently addressed the overarching theme of budget responsibility and the upcoming budget review process.
Shanay Egbenosa (via reading by a resident)
Not addressed
A resident read a letter from Shanay Egbenosa, a police cadet and single mother, who was notified of her layoff. She expressed her dedication to her career path and requested fairness, noting that newer employees are being retained while she is being let go.
Key concern
Fairness in the layoff process regarding seniority and the impact on staff livelihoods.
Board responseThe board did not respond directly to the letter.
The speaker's personal plea for job security and fairness was not directly addressed by any board member.
Dave Ball
Not addressed
A member of the Malden Fire Department expressed frustration that the Teamsters did not do more to encourage members and retirees to vote for the Proposition 2 1/2 override. He believes that if the union had mobilized its membership, the city might have been in a better financial position to avoid current layoffs.
Key concern
Lack of union mobilization for the recent override vote.
Board responseThe Council President thanked him for his comments.
The council acknowledged the speaker but did not engage with his criticism of the union's political activity.
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Report composed by
grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-02.