CITY OF WORCESTER
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
JOURNAL
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
– June 21, 2005
Convened: 7:26 P.M.
Adjourned: 9:08 P.M.
1. INVOCATION Deacon David Vaillancourt
St. Stephen’s Church
2. PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE/STAR SPANGLED BANNER
3. ROLL
CALL
4. ITEMS
OF CITIZEN INTEREST
4a. ITEMS
OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST
5 -7 REFERRED TO PLANNING BOARD
5. Yetvart Penbeyan request to extend the RG-5 zoning area to include the entire parcel of land located at 120 Lincoln St. Currently the lot is split between RG-5 and BL-1.0 (Attachments)
6. Leo and Joan Bernard request to extend the adjacent BL-1.0 zone to include 110 West Boylston St. in its entirety. (Attachments)
7. John Shea, Chairman of the Planning Board, request consideration of the omnibus Zoning Ordinance Amendment. (Attachments)
8-13 REFERREDTO PUBLIC WORKS
8. Ann Costello request sidewalk repair at 776 Pleasant St. (Attachments)
9. Mayor Timothy Murray and Councillor Thomas White on behalf of Gail Randall request sidewalk repair on Berwick St. (Attachments)
10. Michael Kosiba, Sr. request sidewalk repair at end of driveway at 184-186 Canterbury St. (Attachments)
11. Leo McManus request sidewalk repair in front of 14 Montvale Rd. (Attachments)
12. Juxhin Miraka request sidewalk repair in front of 31 Valley Hill
Dr. (Attachments)
13. Kevin Taylor request sidewalk repair on the Hillcroft Ave. side
of 6 Bluehill Rd. (Attachments)
14-17
REFERREDTO TRAFFIC & PARKING
14. James Galvin request removal of handicap parking at 178 Vernon St. (Attachments)
15. Daniel Dick et al request Caution Children Playing on Street sign on Iroquois St. (Attachments)
16. Mary MacInnes, Administrator of WRTA, request to install bus signs as enclosed by August 27, 2005 and remove bus signs as enclosed as of August 27, 2005. (Attachments)
17. Richard Lacroix request to have no parking in front of 2 Ames St. (Attachments)
CHAIRMEN’S
ORDERS
18-20a FROM JOINT COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC
WORKS
18. Request City Manager to provide City
Council with examples of processes wherein the City offered parking spaces to
entice development in the central business district. (Attachments)
Placed on file
19. Request City Manager to request Desman Associates to provide the City Council with additional data concerning the parking arrangements that were made between the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cleveland Indians and the City of Cleveland when the teams were enticed to move into their downtown. (Attachments) Placed on file
20. Request City Manager to request Desman
Associates to provide the City Council with revised parking revenue projections
for the CitySquare development using a new scenario that Building J is not
constructed. (Attachments)
Placed on file
20a. Request the City Manager to provide the City
Council with timelines and guarantees for construction of Phase One of
CitySquare. Irish recused on roll call 10-0. Tabled under privilege -Lukes (Attachments)
21. Request City Manager
designate the Night Life Program at the Worcester Public Schools and the City
Clerk Department as E-Commerce pilot demonstration projects, and, further
request that the Administration provide the City Council with a plan and
timeline for delivery of a full E-Commerce roll-out for all City Departments.
(Murray, Petty) (Attachments) Adopted
22. Request City Manager to explore ways in which additional periodic cultural and entertainment events and venues might be arranged to be held in the City under a public/private partnership involving our many educational and cultural institutions and businesses. (Petty, Palmieri) (Attachments) Adopted
23. Request City Manager to provide the City Council with an update regarding the entertainment license issued to Paris Cinema, 68 Franklin St. (Palmieri, Petty) (Attachments) Adopted
24. Request the Mayor consider
formulating a committee to annually select five Worcester residents to be named
to a Resident Hall-of-Fame. Said selection would recognize public service,
volunteerism, activism, initiative and/or charitable work by inscribing the
recipient’s names in a plaque or stone slab in a prominent publicly accessible
location. (White) (Attachments) Referred to Administration & Public
Works Committee
25. Request the Administration
report and make recommendations as to financial incentives available to
downtown property owners to convert former office space to residential use.
(Lukes) (Attachments)
Adopted
25a. Request City Auditor to insert the date of completion for phase one of the CitySquare project within the May 2005 Auditor’s report. (Lukes) Motion @ # 27 CC – Denied on roll call vote of 2 yeas (Gomez, Lukes) & 8 nays (Clancy, Haller, Palmieri, Perotto, Petty, Rushton, White, Murray) (Irish absent) (Attachments)
25b. Request City Clerk to research the authorizing sale of Tax Liens and report to the City Council if 100 percent of sale could be applied to lower the tax rate. (Irish) Motion @ # 39C CC – Adopted (Attachments)
25c. Request the Administration
work with the downtown landlords to remove old signs along the Main Street
corridor. Gomez – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
26. RECESS
TO FINANCE AND ORDINANCE:
FINANCE
a) #21A CM May 3, 2005
Communication of the City
Manager concerning hours of operation at the Frances Perkins Branch
Library. (Attachments)
Recommend file - See #41b
b) #47 CC May 24, 2005
Communication of the City
Manager transmitting City of Worcester FY06 Municipal Budget. (Attachments)
Recommend adopt See #41a
c)
#31CC June 7, 2005
Communication of the City
Manager transmitting communication relative to requests made by City Council
during budget hearing on May 31, 2005:
1) Short and long term plans for relocation of Office of Neighborhood
Services; 2) Feasibility of splitting City into 4 or 5 quadrants and having one
neighborhood person as the point person within City’s Planning Dept.; 3)
Recidivism rates for individuals in Violent Offenders Return to Work
Program. (Attachments)
Recommend file - See #41c
d)
#33CC June 7, 2005
Communication of the City
Manager relative to finance requests that were made during budget hearing on
May 31, 2005 – Budgeted positions by department and division from Fiscal Year
2001 through 2006 and allocation of all City side fringe benefits for Fiscal
Year 2006 by respective departments and divisions. (Attachments) Recommend file - See #41d
e) #33b CC June 7, 2005
Communication of the City
Manager in response to City Council budget requests of May 31, 2005 – Job
descriptions Commissioner of Economic & Neighborhood Development and
Director of Economic Development. (Attachments)
Recommend file - See #41e
COMMUNICATIONS
27. James A. DelSignore, City Auditor transmitting May 2005 Auditor’s Report. (Attachments) Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
28. James A. DelSignore, City
Auditor transmitting analysis of financial plan for CitySquare project. (Attachments)
Councillor Irish recused on roll call 10-0. Placed on file.
29. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager recommending that the City Manager, with approval of the City Auditor,
be authorized to make adjustments to City accounts to balance the Fiscal Year
2005 budget. (Attachments)
Order adopted on roll call 11-0.
30. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager transmitting award notification regarding the FF04 Citizen Emergency
Response Team (CERT) Program prepared by Gerard A. Dio, Fire Chief. (Attachments)
Referred to Public Safety Committee
31. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager recommending that $1,346.33 be transferred from Account #720-92000,
Parks Dept. Ordinary Maintenance & appropriated to Account #720-93000,
Parks Capital Outlay to provide funds for the purpose of purchasing a park
bench, per the request of Robert C. Antonelli, Acting Commissioner, Parks,
Recreation & Cemetery. (Attachments) Order adopted on roll call 11-0.
32. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager requesting adoption of a Resolution to file and accept a Federal Fiscal
Year 2005 Department of Homeland Security Staffing for Adequate Fire &
Emergency Response (SAFER) grant funds to support 16 newly hired firefighters
over a 5-year period. (Attachments) Resolution adopted and referred to Public
Safety for informational purposes only.
33. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager transmitting notification regarding the FY05 Firefighter Public Safety Equipment Grant program, prepared by Gerard A. Dio, Fire Chief. (Attachments) Placed on file
34. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager requesting adoption of a Resolution to file & accept a FY06 Tobacco
Control Program Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health,
Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (MTCP). (Attachments)
Resolution adopted
35. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager transmitting communication relative to 2006 Motor Vehicle Excise
Exemptions. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
36. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager transmitting proposed Salary Ordinances relative to Occupational Group
A – Administrative & Supervisory, Group EM – Executive Management, Group B
– General Administrative, Group C – Information Services, Group E – Fiscal and
Group R – Laborer and Craftsman. (Attachments)
Voted to advertise proposed Ordinance
37. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager recommending that the FY06 recommended budget be amended by transferring $150,000.00 from Account #040-93000, Streets & Sidewalks Capital Outlay to Account #041-92000, Worcester Marketing Ordinary Maintenance to provide funds to enhance marketing efforts for the City of Worcester during FY06. (Attachments) Order Adopted on roll call 11-0
38. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager transmitting responses to Chairmen’s Orders from the Joint Committee of Commerce and Development & Public Works relative to the CitySquare project. (Attachments) Irish recused on roll call 10-0. Placed on file
39. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager recommending that effective July 1, 2005, as part of the FY06 budget
that $150,000.00 be raised by taxation and appropriated to accounts (as
enclosed) to provide funds to increase hours to 5 days a week for the Frances
Perkins & Great Brook Valley Branch Libraries and open the main library for
a total of 17 Sundays for FY06. Further, recommending that the Table of
Organization for the Worcester Public Library be amended by adding full &
part-time positions at the Perkins Branch Library. (Attachments)
Order adopted on roll call 11-0.
39a. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager transmitting communication recommending Twenty-eight Thousand One Hundred and Five dollars and Twenty-six cents ($28,105.26) currently available in Account #250-91000, Police Department Personal Services be reappropriated to pay a settlement agreement with a Worcester Police Department employee. (Attachments) Placed on file
39b. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager
transmitting communication relative to the CitySquare Development Project and
copies of the PowerPoint presentation made to the Joint Committee of Commerce
and Development and Public Works on June 20, 2005. (Attachments)
Placed on file
39c. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager transmitting communication relative to the City of Worcester’s Tax Lien Assignment sale that was held on June 16, 2005. (Attachments) Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
39d. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager transmitting communication relative to the performance evaluation
report of the City Manager. (Attachments) Held to be 1st item of business
for June 28, 2005.
RESOLUTION
39e. Resolution – That the City Council hereby
requests that revenues from the Telecommunications Act be applied to the tax
rate. Petty - Suspension of rules - Adopted on roll call 11-0
REPORTS
40-41
RFERREDTO LAND USE
40. REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the petition of Attorney Samuel DeSimone on behalf of owner of property at 651 Plantation St. request to change the Zoning Map of the City of Worcester from BL-1 to RG-5 by extending the RG-5 zone from its current location on the property at 651 Plantation St. easterly to the property’s frontage on Plantation St. (Attachments)
41. REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the petition of Anthony Dascanio, Christine & James Bruso & Alice Lareau request to extend the BL-1 zone to include 800, 828 and 830 Grafton St. (Attachments)
41a. ACCEPTED AND ORDER
ADOPTED ROLL CALL 11-0. RECONSIDERATION DENIED ON ROLL CALL 0-11.
41a. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting City of
Worcester FY06 Municipal Budget: recommend adoption of the accompanying
order. (Attachments)
41b-e
ACCEPTED
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
FINANCE Upon the following communications: recommend communications be
placed on file.
41b. Communication of the City Manager concerning hours of operation at
the Frances Perkins Branch Library. (Attachments)
41c. Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication
relative to requests made by City Council during budget hearing on May 31,
2005: 1) Short and long term plans for
relocation of Office of Neighborhood Services; 2) Feasibility of splitting City
into 4 or 5 quadrants and having one neighborhood person as the point person
within City’s Planning Dept.; 3) Recidivism rates for individuals in Violent
Offenders Return to Work Program. (Attachments)
41d. Communication of the City Manager relative to finance requests that
were made during budget hearing on May 31, 2005 – Budgeted positions by
department and division from Fiscal Year 2001 through 2006 and allocation of
all City side fringe benefits for Fiscal Year 2006 by respective departments
and divisions. (Attachments)
41e. Communication of the City Manager in response to City Council
budget requests of May 31, 2005 – Job descriptions Commissioner of Economic
& Neighborhood Development and Director of Economic Development. (Attachments)
41f. REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE
& DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Communication of the City Manager
requesting adoption of four Orders:
designating the DIF District Boundary, approving the DIF Development
Program, authorizing the filing of Special Legislation, and an Order of Taking
acquiring the easements for the new public streets, advertisement of a DIF Loan
Order authorizing the borrowing of $89.085 million and advertisement of an
Ordinance establishing permit and inspection fees: recommend adoption of the accompanying four Orders (Order of
Taking as amended), adoption of the accompanying Loan Order and passage of the
accompanying proposed Ordinance. (Tabled under privilege –Lukes –
Suspension of rules) (Attachments)
REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON
COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS Upon the following Communications
of the City Manager: recommend
Communications be placed on file. (Tabled under privilege-Lukes-
Suspension of rules)
41g. Transmitting communication relative to the Downtown Parking Study. (Attachments)
41h. Transmitting communication relative to schedule of events relative to the CitySquare Project. (Attachments)
41i. Transmitting communication relative to the CitySquare Project and the District Improvement Financing (DIF) law. (Attachments)
41j. Transmitting communication relative to information on the impact of the Responsible Employer Ordinance on the CitySquare Project. (Attachments)
41k. Transmitting communication relative to the first of several reports which contains responses to questions raised both by the Joint Committee of Commerce & Development and Public Works and the City Council concerning the proposed CitySquare Project. (Attachments)
41L. Transmitting communication relative to supplemental information from Berkeley Investments in response to the items requested by both the Joint Committee of Commerce & Development and Public Works and the City Council concerning the CitySquare Project. (Attachments)
41m. Transmitting communication relative to CitySquare Parking Program Financial Assessment, prepared by the City’s independent parking consultant DESMAN Associates. (Attachments)
TO BE ORDAINED
42-53
ORDAINED RC 11-0
42. Amending Chapter 5, Section 26 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 relative to Sewer User Charge. (Attachments)
43. Amending Chapter 5, Section 6 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 relative to Capacity Fee. (Attachments)
44. Amending Section 40 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to provide for Resident Permit Parking in front of 3 and 5 Adams St. (Attachments)
45. Amending Section 43 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to Reverse the winter ban on Rena St. on the odd numbered side of Rena St. (Attachments)
Amending Section 40 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to provide for Resident Permit Parking on the even numbered side of Rena St. (Attachments)
46. Amending Section 40 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to rescind Resident Parking on Alpine St. from Vernon St. to Sterling St. (Attachments)
47. Amending Section 40 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to provide for Resident Permit Parking in front of 183 and 183 ˝ Austin St. (Attachments)
48. Amending Section 29 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 providing for Stop Signs on Dewey St. at Parker St. to face northbound and southbound traffic on Dewey St. (Attachments)
49. Amending Section 29 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 providing for a Stop Sign on Grand St. and Hollis St. to face south-eastbound traffic on Grand St. (Attachments)
50. Amending Section 42 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to provide for Handicap Parking in front of 256 Lincoln St. (Attachments)
51. Amending Section 42 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to provide for Handicap Parking on Merrick St. opposite 2-A Pelham St. (Attachments)
52. Amending Section 42 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to rescind Handicap Parking in front of 13 South Ward St. (Attachments)
53. Amending Section 40 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 1996 to provide for Resident Parking on the north side of Chestnut St. Ext. from Irving St. to a point 158' east of Irving St. (Attachments)
54. Order – Request City Council to vote its opposition to any
raises for City Council for the 2006 term. (Lukes) (Tabled January 18, 2005)
(Attachments)
No Action Taken
55. DECREE TO MAKE PUBLIC: MIAMI ST. (Tabled April 12, 2005) No
Action Taken
56. REPORT ON THE COMMITTEE ON ORDINANCES Upon the Report of the
Planning Board Upon the Petition of Katherine Robertson, Project Manager,
Gardner-Kilby-Hammond LLC request City of Worcester close, abandon and remove
from the Official Map that portion of Tainter St. between #34 and #60 Tainter
St. to facilitate construction of the proposed new Boys and Girls Club and
Clark University athletic fields: recommend adoption of the accompanying
Order. (Tabled April 12, 2005) (Attachments) Taken off table
and referred to Public Works Committee meeting for June 28, 2005.
57. REPORT ON THE COMMITTEE ON ORDINANCES Upon the Report of the
Planning Board Upon the Petition of Katherine Robertson, Project Manager,
Gardner-Kilby-Hammond LLC request City of Worcester close, abandon and remove
from the Official Map that portion of Ripley St. from southeast lot line of #41
to its terminus with current Tainter St. to facilitate construction of the
proposed new Boys and Girls Club and Clark University athletic fields: recommend
adoption of the accompanying Order.
(Tabled April 12, 2005) (Attachments) Taken
off table and referred to Public Works Committee meeting for June 28, 2005.
58. Communication of the City Manager relative to itemization of
costs for daylighting Beaver Brook Culvert.
(Tabled June 7, 2005) (Attachments) Taken
off table and referred to Youth, Parks and Recreation Committee
59. Communication of the City Manager recommending that Twenty Eight
Thousand One Hundred Five Dollars and Twenty Six Cents ($28,105.26) currently
available in Account #250-91000, Police Department Personal Services be
re-appropriated to this same account to pay for a settlement agreement with a
former City of Worcester employee. (Tabled
June 7, 2005) (Attachments) Taken
off table-Order adopted on roll 11-0.
_____________________________________________________________
SCHEDULED MEETINGS OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEES
|
JUNE 20, 2005 7:00
P.M. |
JOINT PUBLIC WORKS & COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT |
AUDITORIUM JEWISH COMMUNITY CTR. 633 SALISBURY ST. RE: CITYSQUARE & DIF |
|
JUNE 22, 2005 7:00 P.M. Rescheduled fromJune 15, 2005 CANCELLED |
JOINT PUBLIC WORKS & COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT |
MAIN BALLROOM BEECHWOOD HOTEL 363 PLANTATION ST. RE: CITYSQUARE & DIF |
|
JUNE 27, 2005 6:00
P.M. |
TRAFFIC & PARKING |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
JUNE 28, 2005 12:00 NOON |
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
JULY 12, 2005 7:00 P.M. |
LAND USE |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
EVALUATION OF THE CITY MANAGER
June 28, 2005 – 7:00 P.M.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
July 19, 2005 – 4:00 P.M.
August 16, 2005 – 4:00 P.M.
FY06 BUDGET HEARINGS
Tuesday, June 21, 2005 –
4:00 P.M.
Planning & Regulatory Public Works
Neighborhood Development Parks & Hope Cemetery
DCU
Center
DPW
Communications Sewer
Building Insurance Golf Course
Court Judgments
Auditing
Capital
Retirement
Retirement Contribution Capital Investment Program