COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2006

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 6:02 p.m.

Adjourned: 8:10 p.m.

 

Present were:      Chairperson Councilor Michael C. Perotto

                             Councilor Joffrey A. Smith

                             Councilor Philip P. Palmieri

 

Also:                     City Manager Michael V. O’Brien

                             Assistant City Manager Julie Jacobson

                             Director of Development Timothy McGourthy

                             Development Staffperson Paul Morano

                             Development Staffperson George Ciccone

                             Cultural Development Staffperson Erin Williams

                             City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

 

Communications of the City Manager

 

1.       Relative to an Economic Development Action Plan.

          #8G CM October 14, 2003

          In Committee June 30, 2004 – Held

          In Committee February 16, 2005 – Held

          In Committee January 25, 2006 – Held

Recommend File

 

2.       Relative to Regional Competitiveness Council Report.

          #8B CM February 10, 2004

          In Committee February 16, 2005 – Held

Recommend Hold

 

3.       Relative to the 2004 Greater Worcester Area Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee Annual Report.

          #8B CM October 12, 2004

          In Committee February 16, 2005 – Held

Recommend Hold

 

4.       Relative to the status of the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the North Main Street Economic Development Strategy Area.

          #8A CM April 25, 2006

          In Committee May 15, 2006 – Held

Recommend Hold

 

5.       Relative to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Worcester and the Worcester Historical Museum for the redevelopment of the Rome Building.

          #41CC June 6, 2006

Recommend File

 

6.       Transmitting informational communication relative to a Financing Update on the Hadley Residential Project on Main/Madison Street.

          #9A CM July 18, 2006

          In Committee for informational Purposes

Recommend Hold

 

7.                 Informational communication regarding the Economic Development Small Business Retention and Recruitment Efforts.

#8J CM August 29, 2006

Recommend File

 

8.       Relative to the redevelopment of Washington Square.

#8C CM April 4, 2006

In City Council May 23, 2006 Report #40 CC Order Adopted – Item Held In Committee for Informational Purposes Only

Recommend Hold

 

9.       Request City Council’s Deliberation, Consideration and Referral to the Commerce and Development Committee the Attached Resolution to Decertify the Certified Project for GKN Sinter Metals of Worcester (Formerly the Presmet Corporation) located at 2 Sherman Street

          #8A CM August 29, 2006

Recommend Approval to Decertify

 

10.             Recommend City Council adoption a proposed amendment to the Gateway Park Master Plan as Proposed by Gateway Park LLC.

#8D CM August 29, 2006

Recommend Approval of Amendment to Gateway Park Master Plan on a vote of 2-1 with Perotto and Smith in favor and Palmieri in opposition

 

11.     Relative to Cultural Economic Development Initiative.

          #8B CM June 14, 2005

Recommend File

 

12.     Relative to Economic Development Initiatives Report June 2006.

          #2A CM June 13, 2006

Recommend File

 

13.     Transmitting Economic Development Monthly Report for July 2006.

          #8A CM July 18, 2006

Recommend File

 

14.     Transmitting informational communication of the Economic Development Report for August 2006.

          #8I CM August 29, 2006

Recommend File

 

COMMUNICATIONS OF ROBERTA SCHAEFER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORCESTER REGIONAL RESEARCH BUREAU

 

15.     Transmitting Benchmarking Economic Development in Worcester:  2002

#20 CC November 19, 2002

In Committee January 25, 2006 – Held

Recommend Hold (Invite Dr. Schaefer to the next Committee meeting.)

 

16.     Transmitting Benchmarking Economic Development in Worcester:  2003

          #78 CC November 18, 2003

          In Committee January 25, 2006 – Held

Recommend Hold

 

17.     Transmitting Benchmarking Economic Development in Worcester:  2005.

          #46 CC November 22, 2005

Recommend Hold

 

18.     Transmitting communication relative to Destination Worcester: What’s the “Convention-al Wisdom?”

          #54 CC March 28, 2006

Recommend Hold

 

19.     Transmitting communication relative to Downtown Worcester Office Occupancy: 2006 Survey.

          #44 CC September 26, 2006

Recommend Hold

 

CREATIVE CITY INITIATIVE - WORCESTER WAY

 

20.     Communication of the City Manager relative to Worcester Creative City Initiative.

          #8B CM February 8, 2005

Recommend File

 

21.     Communication of the City Manager relative to an overview of the Creative City/Worcester Way Initiative to date.

          #8B CM October 25, 2005

Recommend File

 

22.     Communication of the City Manager request the transfer of $9,113.28 be transferred from Account #91C780, Citywide Capital Equipment, and appropriated to Account #14C707, Signage Program. This transfer, in addition to the $40,886.72 available balance in the signage capital account is needed to provide the $50,000 in matching funds to the Worcester Cultural Coalition for the “Worcester Finding Your Way” initiative.

          In City Council June 13, 2006 #10B CM Order adopted 9-0 In Committee for Informational Purposes only.

Recommend File

 

BLACKSTONE GATEWAY VISITORS CENTER

 

23.     Communication of the City Manager relative to the status of the budget and current funding sources for the Blackstone Gateway Visitor Center in Quinsigamond Village.

          #39 CC January 24, 2006

Recommend File

 

24.     Communication of the City Manager recommend a Loan Order in the amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) to be appropriated to Account #91C766 Blackstone Gateway Visitors Center, for the purpose of funding the construction of the Blackstone Gateway Visitors Center in Quinsigamond Village.

          In City Council March 7, 2006 #16 CC Loan Order adopted on a roll call 8-2 In Committee for Informational Purposes only on a roll call 7-3.

Recommend File

 

25.     Resolution of Councilor Palmieri-That the City Council go on record to be in support of the Blackstone Gateway Visitors Center using federal and state funds in conjunction with leases & investments from the Historical Museum and the Worcester Country Visitors Bureau with the support and coordination with the City Administration seeking all the funding revenue resources before any tax levy is used before the city’s commitment.

#146 CC March 14, 2006

Recommend File

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

26.     Communication of Mayor Timothy P. Murray transmitting communication relative to Worcester Brownfields: A Synopsis of Selected Sites. Presented at the Turning Brownfields to Gold: II, A Brownfields Workshop held at WPI on June 14, 2006.

          #50 CC June 20, 2006

Recommend Hold

 

27.     Communication of the City Manager request review and adoption of the attached Order to file a Home Rule Petition with the Great and General Court to amend the existing Convention Center Bond Bill, Chapter 152 of The Acts of 1997, as amended, to create a Special Finance District Zone in the City of Worcester.

#3B CM June 20, 2006

In City Council June 20, 2006 #3B – Order adopted 11-0.

Recommend Hold

 

28.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the Number of Jobs that have been Created in Worcester within the Life Science Field.

          8H CM August 29, 2006

Recommend File

 

29.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to CitySquare DIF Amendment approval by the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council.

          #8B CM September 26, 2006

Recommend File

 

30.     Communication of the City Manager regarding the Gateway Park Master Plan Amendment.

#8A CM September 12, 2006

Recommend File

 

31.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting Informational communication regarding the October 3, 2006 Economic Development Report.

          #8A CM October 3, 2006

Recommend File

 

Chairman’s Orders

 

1.     Request the City Manager provide the City Council with a report subsequent to any discussions with the developers of CitySquare.

2.     Request the City Manager provide the City Council with a report outlining all of the known proposed condominium construction/conversion projects citywide.

3.     Request the City Manager provide the City Council with periodic reports that describe the technical and/or financial assistance that the City provided to a developer subsequent to the project’s completion. Said report to also identify the name of the project, the developer and the number of full and part-time jobs created.

4.     Request the City Manager to assign members of his Administration to meet with neighborhood business associations to develop a format and formula that the Administration may use to reach out to retain existing businesses and to attract new small businesses to the City.

5.     Request the City Manager to report to the City Council concerning the development of a new signature event for the City of Worcester.