CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 7:04 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:50 P.M.

Mayor
Konstantina B. Lukes

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Michael V. O'Brien

City Auditor
James A. DelSignore

Councilors

RESOLUTION - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby recognizes and extends its gratitude to Robert Williams and Bobby Genese for the extraordinary success establishing the Elias Tembenis Walk for Autism and for their extreme perseverance in completing this cross-country walking marathon breaking down the mystery of autism and educating thousands of Americans about treatment options available for autism. (Rushton)

RESOLUTION - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby recognizes Firefighter Frank P. Raffa, President and Lt. Donald J. Courtney, Vice-President of Local 1009 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, for their many years of selfless service to the membership of their union. (Petty, Clancy, Eddy, Germain, Haller, Palmieri, Rosen, Rushton, Smith, Toomey, Lukes)

Communication of Joseph E. Connarton, Executive Director of PERAC, furnishing required appropriation for Fiscal Year 2010 Retirement System. (Tabled - Lukes December 2, 2008)

Vernell Frazier & Bart Lewandowski, Jr. request private street maintenance for the entire length of Tyson Rd.

Ralph Cobb request to remove handicap parking in front of 86 Lakewood St.

Ralph Cobb request to remove "No Parking Anytime" and install handicap parking in front of 97 Houghton St.

Claudine Chin of the Kumon Learning Center request installation of a 30 minute parking zone in front of 482 Park Ave., starting at the corner of Fairfield St.

Councilor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. on behalf of Richard June request handicap parking space in front of 93 Loxwood St.

Michael Grandone requesting the mandating of a new City Ordinance stating: "The City of Worcester and all departments under the City of Worcester, shall only ask, allow and accept RFP's from businesses inside the City of Worcester and furthermore, only award said bid to the highest and/or most qualified bidder who has a base of operation within the City of Worcester, and furthermore is a taxpayer in good standing with said City of Worcester.

William S.Coleman, III request City Council honor Robert J. O'Keefe who served as the Eighth Clerk of the City for forty-five years with a plaque or naming a room in the City Clerk's Office after him.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION - Request City Manager request National Grid provide the City with a history of the past five year's power outages in the Tatnuck Square neighborhood, highlighting the outages of Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15, 2008 with explanations of solutions to temporary fixes and secondary cabling and include timetables and cost estimates for permanent corrective action to be installed to avert future outages in both the Tatnuck Square and June Street neighborhoods.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION - Request Administrator of the Worcester Regional Transit Authority to attend a future meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation to discuss their overall operations.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION - Request City Manager inform the City Council with progress with public meeting notices in the general circulation print media.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION - Request City Council accept the following report concerning the status of the goals of the Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation as approved in City Council on August 12, 2008: 1) To improve service in and out of Union Station; Goal met and ongoing progress being made, 2) To re-establish passenger service in and out of Worcester Regional Airport, and that a long range alternative use plan be established for all property and facilities at the airport if passenger service is not restored by the time the contract with MassPort expires; Goal met and ongoing progress being made with MassPort, 3) To increase ridership on all Worcester Regional Transit Authority routes: Goal met, 4) To obtain and fully utilize the services of a transportation planner: Request pending before the City Manager, and 5) To implement a plan to retain Worcester Municipal employees as residents of the City of Worcester; Request pending before the City Manager.

Request City Manager provide a report on the cost benefit analysis regarding the usage of fleet cars vs. personal cars with mileage reimbursement. Further, request Administration provide a plan to reduce the cost of fleet cars in preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. (Toomey, Smith)

Request City Manager request the Acting Director of Human Resources provide City Council with data as to the number of City of Worcester retirees who are approved for Medicare low-income subsidy which qualifies each of them for a subsidy of their prescription coverage, part D. Further request an explanation of the process for qualifying. (Petty)

Request City Manager request the Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Parks to consider the feasibility of rehabilitating and maintaining the nine City of Worcester swimming pools over the course of the next ten years. (Rushton, Rosen, Palmieri, Smith)

SEWER BETTERMENT ASSESSMENT: MYRNA ROAD

That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby notifies the appropriate federal and state authorities that it favors a more deliberate, scientific and experimental eradication approach to the removal of infested, suspect and host hardwood trees in the Greendale and Burncoat sections of Worcester as opposed to the proposed plan to cut down 20,000 trees, thousands of which might not even be infected with Asian Longhorned Beetles. (Rosen, Smith, Rushton, Haller, Palmieri)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION Upon the Petition of Nancy LaFlash request street light across the street from 18 Dutton St: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION Upon the Petition of Councilor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. on behalf of Ronald Pilski request street light on pole #8 at the corner of Arbutus St. and Stoneham Rd: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication provided by National Grid regarding the process and proposed changes that are in place to notify residents about planned power outages in the City of Worcester: recommend Communication be placed on file.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication regarding scheduled power outages in the Chandler, Pleasant, June, Amherst and Newton Square Neighborhoods: recommend Communication be placed on file.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION Upon the Petition of Councilor Philip P. Palmieri request to replace the old street light with a new updated street light at the corner of Harlow St. and Lincoln St: recommend Petition be placed on file.

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)

Communication of the City Manager recommending the Adoption of a Loan Order in the amount of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($300,000.00) to be appropriated to Account #91C778, Providence Street Tot Lot, for the purpose of funding the construction of the planned playground at Providence Street. (Tabled - Lukes July 17, 2007)

Grant permission to NATIONAL GRID for conduit system in KANSAS ST. (Tabled - September 18, 2007)

Order of Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Manager report to City Council whether a claims process exists which is available to commercial users who experience electric power outages and surges caused by National Grid. (Tabled - Lukes February 26, 2008)

Order of Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Manager report on the number and location of National Grid equipment stations located on public property, whether the City receives any revenue from the use of public land, and if not, whether the city can charge for said use. (Tabled - Lukes February 26, 2008)

Order of Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Manager report to City Council regarding National Grid services in the city based on data filed with the Department of Telecommunications and Energy specifically addressing the number of outages, the locations of the outages, causes of the outages and the fines, if any, paid by National Grid in 2007. (Tabled - Lukes February 26, 2008)

Petition of NATIONAL GRID for cable and conduit system in: PLANTATION ST., CLARENDON ST. & ALMONT AVE. (Tabled - Palmieri March 18, 2008)

Proposed Ordinance amending the Montvale Historic District by the adoption of a new map enlarging the District. (Tabled Under Privilege - Palmieri March 25, 2008)

Order of Councilor Michael J. Germain - Request City Manager consult with the Worcester Sharks regarding the possible management and redevelopment of the Charles Buffone Arena Ice Skating Rink on Lake Ave. (Tabled - Palmieri October 1, 2008)

Order of Councilor Michael J. Germain - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby accept and adopt Section 19 of the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 32B, allowing for coalition bargaining for health benefits in the City of Worcester. (Tabled - Lukes October 21, 2008)

Order of Councilor Frederick C. Rushton - Request City Manager request the City Solicitor to report to City Council what basis the City is using to delay the public records request by the Worcester Telegram in light of the Globe Newspaper Company v. Commissioner of Education, 439 Mass. 124 (2003) ruling whereby the Supreme Judicial Court ruled public records must be released for inspection and copying without unreasonable delay, that is, within ten days of the receipt of a request for them. (Tabled - Haller November 25, 2008)

Motion Clancy @ #6a CC - Request City Auditor report to City Council the best and worst case scenarios with regard to pension costs and the impacts to the FY 2010 budget.

Motion Toomey @ #12a CC - Request City Manager contact Congressman McGovern's representatives and request that he contact all the Congressional New England Representatives and request support and advocacy to eradicate the Asian Longhorned Beatle.

PETITION - Councilor William J. Eddy request sidewalk repair on the Kensington Rd side of 884 Pleasant St.

PETITION - Councilor Joffrey A. Smith request to amend the winter parking ban in the vicinity of 661 Millbury St.

PETITION - Councilor Joffrey A. Smith request sidewalk repair on the Barry Rd. side of 14 Birchwood Rd.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication requesting review, deliberation and adoption of amendments to Chapter Twelve, Snow Removal Ordinance and Chapter Fifteen, Fines and Penalties Ordinance: recommend passage of the accompanying two proposed Ordinances.

CHAIRMAN'S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS - Request City Manager arrange to have a flyer inserted into each of the December, 2008 real estate tax bills that outlines the points in the beefed-up snow removal ordinance to all City of Worcester property owners.

CHAIRMAN'S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS - Request City Manager report to City Council the mechanics of the involvement of the four groups that he has engaged to assist with the implementation of the beefed-up snow removal ordinance.