City Council

Quincy City Council — October 6, 2025

This was a regular City Council meeting preceded by four public hearings on utility grants of location. Nine councillors were present. Note: the transcript reflects a different council body than Quincy's known membership — council members named in this meeting include President Cain (or Kaine), and Councillors Ash, Campbell, Divine, DeBona (DiBona), Harris, Leang, McCarthy, and Minton. Names have been normalized where possible based on context.

Ceremonial Recognition: 75 Years of Quincy Youth Football and Cheer

Councillor DeBona led a recognition of the Quincy Youth Football and Cheerleading Association on its 75th anniversary. He recounted the league's founding in 1950 with four neighborhood teams — the North Quincy Apaches, Quincy Point Panthers, Houghs Neck Manets, and what became the West Quincy Elks — and its evolution into the unified "Quincy United" structure adopted in 2018. DeBona noted he played for the Panthers as a child and has coached in the program for years. League President Nathan Nolles addressed the council, thanking Mayor Koch, the Parks Department for maintaining fields "among the finest in the entire region," and the volunteer coaches who have shaped generations of youth. Players, cheerleaders, and flag football participants attended the meeting in uniform. A group photo was taken during a brief recess.

Order 2025-116 — Quincy Retirement Board: Disabled Employee Supplemental Annual Allowance

The mayor's representative, Mr. Walker, explained that prior to 1996, survivors of disability pensioners whose pensioner did not die of the disability for which they received their pension were entitled to a death benefit of only $550 per month. A 2010 special act of the legislature allowed cities and towns to raise that amount to $750 per month. The Quincy Retirement Board recently voted unanimously to recommend the city accept this increase, and Retirement Board Executive Director Brad Kroll submitted a memo supporting the change. There was no public comment or council debate.

Vote: Motion to approve made by Councillor McCarthy, seconded by Councillor Leang. Passed 9–0.

Order 2025-117 — Municipal Broadband Project: Chapter 149A Design-Build Procurement Method

The council took up a corrective order re-approving the use of the Chapter 149A design-build delivery method for the city's municipal broadband project. Councillor McCarthy, who has been closely involved in the project, explained that a technical procedural error had occurred when this method was previously approved, requiring the council to reauthorize it before the project could move forward as originally planned.

Councillor Ash asked for a project status update, noting that the last public update had been issued in March and that constituents in the pilot neighborhoods — Quincy Point and Merrymount — had been asking questions. Councillor McCarthy outlined three parallel workstreams currently in motion: (1) this design-build authorization, which governs construction of the pilot phase; (2) a revenue bond approved by the council and currently awaiting final passage at the state level, where Senator Keenan has been shepherding it through third reading; and (3) an upcoming community engagement process that will begin marketing the service and soliciting subscriber commitments — a critical step, since the revenue bond is funded on the backs of subscribers.

Councillor Divine asked about the broader citywide timeline. McCarthy said construction in the two pilot neighborhoods would realistically not begin until next year, but that a full citywide buildout would take approximately five years under an optimistic scenario, or up to ten years if slower. Mr. Walker clarified that once the pilot is deemed successful, the plan is to move to a full citywide project rather than proceeding neighborhood by neighborhood through many separate phases. McCarthy also thanked the administration and previous councils for more than seven years of work on the project.

Vote: Motion to approve made by Councillor Leang, seconded by Councillor Harris. Passed 9–0.

Public Hearings and Public Works Committee Reports — Utility Grants of Location

Four public hearings were held prior to the council meeting, with no public comment received at any of them. The Public Works Committee chair (Councillor Harris) reported positive recommendations on all four, and the full council voted to approve each:

Traffic Committee Reports

Traffic Committee Chair Leang reported positive recommendations on six traffic orders, all of which passed 9–0:

Additionally, Councillor Divine submitted a new traffic request — adding two stop signs at Kimball Street and Campbell Street to create a four-way stop — which was referred to the Ordinance Committee for an advertising hearing.

Announcements and Member Comments

Councillor Harris noted a time capsule dig scheduled for Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. near the Squantum School and firehouse, open to the public. Councillor Leang wished everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, noting it is one of the most significant holidays across many Asian cultures and centers on family, unity, and community. Councillor Ash announced a Ward 2 fall "Sundays in the Park" event planned for Sunday at Faxon Park (noon to 4 p.m.), weather permitting, and paid tribute to Edith "Edy" Wallace of Quincy Point, who passed away at age 59 following a long illness. Councillor DeBona recognized the Wollaston Neighborhood Association's "Saturdays in the Park" series for a successful September programming run.

Councillor McCarthy requested that Mayor Koch appear before the council at the next meeting (October 20) to present on the city's debt service obligations, following a podcast the mayor recorded with journalist Mark Kerry that McCarthy described as a clear and useful explanation of the city's pension and debt situation. A representative of the mayor's office indicated agreement, and the presentation was expected at the October 20 meeting.

Key Takeaways