Malden council votes to review Flock cameras
The Malden City Council voted unanimously to order a full review of the city's Flock Safety license plate camera program and separately ordained a new ordinance allowing home-based cottage food businesses.
Select Board · Meeting of September 8, 2026
MALDEN — The Malden City Council voted unanimously to order a full review of the city's Flock Safety license plate camera program and separately ordained a new ordinance allowing home-based cottage food businesses. Police Chief Mark Gatcom defended the camera system, saying Malden retains data for only seven days and does not share records with federal agencies, while councilors Michael Colon-Hayes and Ryan O'Malley's resolve sends the matter to a Committee of the Whole for public hearing. Director Alex Pratt told the council the city's 2021 inclusionary zoning policy, requiring 15 percent affordable units in larger projects, produced only four affordable units in five years, prompting a proposed drop to a 10 percent threshold now headed to the Rules and Ordinance Committee ahead of a November 10 deadline.
The cottage food ordinance, sponsored by Councilor Stephanie Luong, takes effect January 1, 2027. "We aren't using the system just to monitor the people simply because we're interested in where they've been," Gatcom said.
In the full story:
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Source: the Select Board meeting of September 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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