CITY OF WORCESTER

Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 5:37 P.M.

Adjourned: 6:47 P.M.


Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

 

www.worcesterma.gov

 

Clerk of the City Council
Nikolin Vangjeli

Committee Members

Chairperson Joseph M Petty
Vice Chairperson Donna M Colorio
Councilor Morris A Bergman
 
Councilor Khrystian E King
Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson
Councilor Sarai Rivera
Councilor Sean M Rose
Councilor Gary Rosen
Councilor George J Russell
Councilor Kathleen M Toomey
Councilor Matthew E Wally

City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts


Present Were:All members were present with the Mayor as the Chair.
 
Also:City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. Acting Chief Financial Officer Kathleen Johnson City Auditor Robert V. Stearns City Solicitor Michael Traynor City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli, clerk
 
1.

Approval of the Minutes

1a.

Order - That the City Council Standing Committee of Finance hereby approves the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting on June 9, 2020.

View Budget

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays.

2.

Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

2a.

Communication of the City Manager submission of the Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Operating Budget for City Council review and consideration. # 8.36A CM May 12, 2020

In Committee May 19, 2020 - Held In Committee May 26, 2020 - Held In Committee June 2, 2020 - Held In Committee June 9, 2020 - Held

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed items that would need to be carried over from the previous fiscal year, monies allocated for COVID-19, the timetable for certifying free cash and the body camera pilot program with the City Manager.

Councilor Colorio then put forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the amount of free cash monies in the FY20 budget once the amount has been certified.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed the importance of social workers in schools with the City Manager.

Councilor King then put forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools to adjust the school budget in order to eliminate/reduce the charge for assigned police officers. Further, request City Manager encourage the Superintendent of Public Schools to work towards reallocating said funds to the positions of School Social Worker and/or Adjustment Counselor.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed removing intergovernmental charges associated with School Resource Officers with the City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed adding social workers to schools as a means to help students cope with COVID-19 related issues.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Rivera, who discussed implementing the hiring of more school social workers.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed procedures associated with reallocating funds for school adjustment counselors and school resource officers, the process for terminating teachers prior to them reaching professional status and costs associated with a body camera program for Worcester Police Officers with the Superintendent of Public Schools and the Acting Chief Financial Officer.

Councilor Russell then put forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to the potential budgetary impact associated with the termination of teachers who have not reached professional status. Said report should include information relative to the teachers’ eligibility for collecting unemployment and whether the city would pay said unemployment.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson who discussed seeking clarification on the Chairman’s Order brought forth by Councilor King with the City Clerk, Councilor King and the Superintendent of Public Schools.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Colorio for a second time, who discussed the funding reallocation associated with the Chairman’s Order brought forth by Councilor King.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King for a second time, who discussed using a clinical and complete approach as a means to improve school conduct.

Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to recommend the Chairman’s Order brought forth by Councilor King be sent to City Council for final approval. Chairman’s Order recommended for approval on a roll vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays.

Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to collectively recommend approval of the item and the Chairman’s Order associated with #2a.

Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays.

Chairman's Orders

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the amount of free cash monies in the FY20 budget once the amount has been certified. (Colorio)

Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools to adjust the school budget in order to eliminate/reduce the charge for assigned police officers. Further, request City Manager encourage the Superintendent of Public Schools to work towards reallocating said funds to the positions of School Social Worker and/or Adjustment Counselor. (King)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to the potential budgetary impact associated with the termination of teachers who have not reached professional status. Said report should include information relative to the teachers’ eligibility for collecting unemployment and whether the city would pay said unemployment. (Russell)

3.

Communications of the City Manager

3a.

Recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2021 proposed Capital Improvement Plan for the City of Worcester. # 8.36B CM May 12, 2020

In Committee May 19, 2020 - Held In Committee May 26, 2020 - Held In Committee June 2, 2020 - Held In Committee June 9, 2020 - Held

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved.

Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays.

3b.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the total number of hours and wages for all snow removal inspectors and the total number of snow removal inspectors so employed for FY16 - FY19. # 9.5C CM May 26, 2020

In Committee June 2, 2020 - Held In Committee June 9, 2020 - Held

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to take items #3b, #3c and #4a collectively and recommend the items be filed.

Recommend File on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

3c.

Transmitting informational communication relative to a status report on finances for City parking garages. # 9.5B CM May 26, 2020

In Committee June 2, 2020 - Held In Committee June 9, 2020 - Held

Attachments

Recommend File on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #3b)

4.

Communication of the City Auditor

4a.

Transmitting an informational communication regarding the passage of time taken to develop the Madison Properties' effect on the timing of the receipt of revenues required to service Series A bonds. # 8b CC June 4, 2019

In Committee June 11, 2019 - Held In Committee May 19, 2020 - Held In Committee May 26, 2020 - Held In Committee June 2, 2020 - Held In Committee June 9, 2020 - Held

Attachments

Recommend File on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #3b)

5.

Miscellaneous Item

5a.

Order of Councilor Khrystian E. King, Mayor Joseph M. Petty and Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey - Request City Manager consider revising the Financial Integrity Plan for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) to allocate excess New Growth above budgeted to: 1) The High School Building Fund; and 2) The City Manager Capital Campaign Fund, to prepare for the capital costs for the South Division Fire Station and the city wide Financial Management System. # 10b CC May 12, 2020

In Committee May 19, 2020 - Held In Committee May 26, 2020 - Held In Committee June 2, 2020 - Held In Committee June 9, 2020 - Held

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the process for amending the Financial Integrity Plan with the City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who clarified that the item would be only amending the Financial Integrity Plan for FY21.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed whether it would be more appropriate to discuss the item once the amount of free cash was certified and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson for a second time, who spoke to the process for holding the item.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the process for holding items in committee with the City Solicitor.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed funding allocations for the building of new public schools with the City Manager.

Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote on Councilor Bergman’s motion to recommend the item be held. Councilor Bergman’s motion failed on a roll call vote of 4 Yeas and 7 Nays (Yeas – Bergman, Colorio, Mero-Carlson, Russell) (Nay – King, Rivera, Rose, Rosen, Toomey, Wally Petty).

Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved.

Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 7 Yeas and 4 Nays (Yeas – King, Rivera, Rose, Rosen, Toomey, Wally, Petty) (Nays – Bergman, Colorio, Mero-Carlson, Russell).