New New Bedford City Council Council President

Ward 4 City Councilor Bruce Duarte Jr was voted the new President of the New Bedford City Council on a unanimous 10-0 vote with Councilor Debra Coelho absent.

Duarte is the first Ward 4 councilor to serve as Presidnet since 1985. Duarte acknowleged that he intends to establish a special committee on employment opportunites aimed at insuring all city residents have a chance at jobs and said that the Mitchell administration must provide the city council with sufficient financial information before it will approve money transfers.