CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Council Chamber

Convened: 7:05 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:40 P.M.

Mayor
Konstantina B. Lukes

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Michael V. O'Brien

City Auditor
James A. DelSignore

Councilors

Mayor Lukes read a proclamation concerning motorcycle safety week.

Attorney Samuel DeSimone request to change the Zoning Map of the City of Worcester from RG-5 to BG-4 at the southerly corner of the intersection of College St. and Southbridge St..

Attorney Samuel DeSimone request to change the Zoning Map of the City of Worcester from RG-5 to IN-S zone from the easterly side of College St. to the westerly side of College St.

John Dower request that an appropriate amount of street lighting be installed in newly constructed Heath St. from Malvern Rd. northerly to approximately #34 Heath St.

Shirley Johnson request sidewalk repair in the north side of Salisbury St. from Humboldt Ave. to Park Ave.

Linda Davis request repair of sidewalk caused by trash truck in area of 9 Stockholm St.

Lena Goldberg et al request Sherwood Rd. be repaved.

Gloria Hermanson request resident sticker parking in Sterling St. from Alpine St. to Hillside St.

Gloria Hermanson request to rescind handicap parking space in front of 21 Sterling St.

Wilmary Cruz request resident sticker parking in Pelham St. from Merrick St. to Russell St.

Laura Perreault request handicap parking space at 176 Vernon St.

Linda Davis et al request handicap parking space at 9 Stockholm St.

Joseph Cory and Vicki Truelson request install "No Parking" sign at 51 Haven Lane in front of Maple tree to keep cars from blocking handicap ramps.

Dele Onayemi request removal of handicap parking sign in front of 71 Hollis St.

Raymond Mariano, Executive Director of the Worcester Housing Authority, request the alteration of Great Brook Valley Ave. to provide on-street parallel parking spaces.

Michael Cronin request to install a traffic light, with walk-light capacity, in Belmont St. in front of UMass Memorial Hospital.

Dwight Cornwell request to lengthen the time on the meters on Pearl Street from 30 minutes to one hour.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to New Services at DPW&P Customer Service Center.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Tatnuck Square Traffic Study.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the City of Worcester's Spring Cleanup Program for 2007.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Abandoned Vehicle Status Report.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Department of Environmental Protection's Unfunded Mandates Proposed on the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Arbor Day 2007.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Park Permits for 2007.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Tree City USA and Growth Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Indian Hill Master Plan.

Recommend City Council's Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept a FY'07 SAFE Grant.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept Council on Aging Formula and Service Incentive Grants from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept a Grant from the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept a Grant from the U.S. Dept. of Labor to be Administered by Senior Service America, Inc.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the 2007 Rabies Clinic.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept MEMA Grant Funds for Equipment for the Worcester Regional Medical Reserve Corps

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept a Pandemic Influenza Phase II Amendment Grant.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept a National Association of County and City Health Officials Grant.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Status of the City's Bond Rating.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the City of Worcester being Awarded the 2007 E-Government from Common Cause Massachusetts.

Recommend that Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($350,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C702, Land Acquisition, and be appropriated to DPW Account #45C786, Water Land Acquisition to provide necessary funding for watershed land acquisition.

Recommend that One Hundred Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($109,900.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C727, Franklin Street Fire Station, and be appropriated to DPW Account #41C726, Franklin Street Fire Station, to allow for the payment of current and anticipated obligations for Franklin Street Fire Station project.

Recommend that Seventy Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($75,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C724, Traffic Signal Equipment, and be appropriated to DPW Account #40C704, Traffic Signals to allow for the purchase and payment of new traffic signal equipment.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of the Worcester Housing Authority request the City of Worcester approve certain changes to the streets within the Worcester Housing Authority property known as the Curtis Apartments located at Tacoma St. and Great Brook Valley Avenue in Worcester.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the petition of Attorney Joe Boynton on behalf of Holy Cross Hill Realty, LLC request to remove from the official map the portion of Kendig St. from the terminus of the public portion of Kendig St. to the northwesterly boundary of Clay St.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Attorney Joe Boynton on behalf of Holy Cross Hill Realty, LLC request to remove from the official map the portion of Attleboro St. from the northerly terminus of the opening of said way approved by the Planning Board on November 30, 2005, to the northerly boundary of Kendig St. at its intersection with Attleboro St.

Order of Mayor Timothy P. Murray - That the ordinance relative to the Police Department License Board as it relates to taxi regulations be rescinded. (Tabled - Murray April 25, 2006)

Order of Councilor Barbara G. Haller and Councilor Gary Rosen - Request the City Manager take all steps to have the WRTA #11 bus rerouted to serve the Island part of Harding Street (south of Kelley Square) to take residents, especially the elderly, to and from the Route 20 Fair Shopping Plaza. Further request that this service be provided several times in the mornings and again in the afternoons, both outbound and inbound. This service was formerly provided by the old #4 Millbury City Line and eliminated on January 28th, 2006 creating a serious hardship and reduction in the quality of life for residents in the Green Island neighborhood. (Tabled - Haller August 29, 2006)

Chairman's Order from the Committee on Military Affairs - Request City Manager consider communicating to City Council a recommendation for funding section 2 of Chapter 157 of M.G.L. in the amount of $1.1 million. (Tabled - Clancy March 6, 2007)

Order of Councilor Frederick C. Rushton, Councilor Dennis L. Irish, Councilor Joseph M. Petty, Councilor Paul P. Clancy, Jr., Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey, Councilor Philip P. Palmier, Councilor Michael C. Perotto and Councilor Joffrey A. Smith - Request City Manager request City Solicitor to draft an Ordinance that allows the City Council to suspend it’s most recent pay raise and return to the previous level until the end of Fiscal Year 2008. (Tabled - Rushton March 13, 2007)

Order of Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Manager request the City Solicitor to draft an ordinance which permanently reduces the salary of the City Council to that amount which was in effect on January 9, 2007 and which ordinance eliminates any cost of living increase. (Tabled - Rushton March 13, 2007)

Motion-Rushton @ # 8.12A CM - Request City Manager establish external and internal controls similar to Somerville's SomerStat program.

Motion-Haller @ #8.12A CM - Request City Manager distribute copies of Items 8.12A, 8.12C, and 8.12D from the April 3, 2007 agenda to all the neighborhood centers.

Motion-Perotto @ #8.12B CM - Request City Manager moved forward with submitting the Project Notification Form (PNF) pertaining to the Chandler Street/Mill Street intersection so it will not hinder Councilor Smith's Traffic and Parking subcommittee regarding those recommendations.

Motion-Perotto @ #8.24A CM - Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report pertaining to any incidences of poisoning relative to the supply of pet food in the City.

Motion- Toomey @ #8.12E CM - Request City Manager provide the City Council as to whether there are any Educational Programs pertinent to lowering nitrogen and phosphorus limits.

Motion-Rosen @ #8.12E CM - Request the City Manager send all data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to WPI for study as a means of challenging the science of their findings.

Motion-Rosen @ #8.12E CM - Request City Manager request the City Solicitor provide the City Council with a report pertaining to the legality of the EPA and DEP mandates.

Motion-Lukes @ 8.12E CM - Request City Manager request the City Solicitor provide his legal opinion as to whether the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District (UBWPAD) mandates from EPA and DEP are an appropriate topic to be discussed in Executive Session and further request if Worcester can withdraw from the district.

RESOLUTION - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby thank the Patrick-Murray administration for the 4.2 million dollar funding for the Union Station Garage project. (Irish)

Motion-Lukes - Suspension of Rules - Request City Auditor explain in detail the discrepancy in public statements regarding the deficits/surpluses in the Police Department overtime account.