By Lorna Garey
The Malden City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to request a comprehensive review of the city’s financial management practices, opting for a Division of Local Services engagement over a paid visit from the Office of the State Auditor. But the meeting opened on a somber note of personal privilege from Council President Amanda Linehan, who requested an additional moment of silence for Malden’s Norma-Rose Sédine Termé-Smith, age 12, a seventh-grade student at the Beebe School who passed away recently after a seven year battle with pineoblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer.
Linehan, whose daughter attended Beebe with Smith, described Norma-Rose as having a “bright, sparkling personality” and said she had been able to attend school until very recently.
“Just wanted to have a moment of silence for this darling young girl who’s gone too soon,” Linehan said.
A support fund has been set up for the family. Interested residents can contribute and learn more about Norma-Rose’s life.
Luong presents first paper
Paper 52-26, the first order sponsored by recently elected Councilor-at-Large Michelle Luong, authorizes the Finance Committee and the mayor’s financial team to research the feasibility of applying for a formal financial management review by the Division of Local Services’ Financial Management Resource Bureau, or FMRB.
Unlike the city’s annual external financial audit, this review would take a more expansive view of Malden’s municipal operations, financial practices, and organizational efficiency. The FMRB’s stated mission is to help cities and towns improve the effectiveness of their financial management operations by providing project-based consulting services and training that takes into account goals, challenges, and constraints and delivers practical advice.
Luong noted that while a similar review was conducted in 2011, as is typical during a mayoral transition, the landscape has evolved significantly in the 15 years since.
“Our city has changed, and our way we sometimes do business might change,” Luong said. “I think it’s time for us to also take this moment to review it.”
The vote marked a pivot from an alternative proposal. Councilor-at-Large Karen Colón Hayes had previously introduced Paper 53-26, calling for a formal audit by the office of Auditor Diana DiZoglio. However, Colón Hayes moved to place her own paper on file, effectively withdrawing it in favor of Luong’s proposal. After consulting with the auditor’s office, she learned a formal review could cost the city money and take one to two years to complete. In contrast, the review proposed by Luong is a service provided by the state at no cost to the city.
“I was happy to fully support Councillor Luong’s [paper], which was a different avenue to go and didn’t cost us money,” Colón Hayes said.
Councilor-at-Large Carey McDonald voiced strong support for the switch, clarifying the distinction between standard accounting and management reviews. While independent accountants already verify the city’s books annually, McDonald said the DOR review focuses on financial and planning processes rather than just the numbers.
The full council signed on to cosponsor Luong’s paper, and colleagues congratulated her on a successful initiative.
OML complaint referred to legal
The council also addressed an Open Meeting Law complaint filed by resident John Saia regarding the wording of a previous agenda item, an order discussed at the Jan. 29 meeting regarding the use of city resources for federal immigration enforcement. Saia’s complaint alleged that the agenda language — describing a goal to provide a “safe, livable and welcoming community” — was too vague and failed to inform the public of the “mandatory language” and operational implications regarding police and federal agencies.
The council voted to refer the complaint to the legal department to draft a response. However, several councilors took the opportunity to defend their docketing practices.
Councilor Ryan O’Malley argued that the OML complaint lacked merit, stating that vague language on an agenda often protects the legislative process by preventing “backroom deals” and that putting more generic policy objectives on the docket to be worked out in the public eye forwards the democratic process.
“I don’t think that this was a mistake,” said O’Malley. “I think our legal department will do a fine job responding.”
McDonald, who cosponsored the agenda item in question with Councilor Stephen Winslow, agreed that requiring specific details could stifle debate.
“I think we had a very robust exchange in the council meeting, and that that is what we should be doing,” said McDonald. “The ability to put open-ended conversations on the docket feels really important for the council to be able to do its job, rather than trying to micromanage how those discussions happen before they even get to the agenda. That’s the whole purpose of an open meeting.”
Appointments and executive session
The council unanimously confirmed two mayoral reappointments on motions from Councilor Peg Crowe:
- Catherine Price was confirmed to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board with a term expiring in January 2028.
- Kirk Zmijewski was confirmed to the Conservation Commission with a term expiring in February 2029.
The Council also voted to release executive session minutes from Sept. 30, 2025, regarding a settlement with Tufts Construction, following the court’s acceptance of the agreement.
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