CITY OF WORCESTER
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
JOURNAL
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
NOVEMBER 19, 2002
7:00 P.M.
Convened: 7:05 P.M.
Adjourned: 10:25 P.M.
1. INVOCATION - Rev. Thomas Schade
First Unitarian Church
2. PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE/STAR SPANGLED BANNER
3. ROLL
CALL All present
TAX CLASSIFICATION HEARING -
7:00 P.M.
4. To determine tax rates for residential, commercial, industrial
and personal properties for Fiscal 2003. (Attachments)
The Mayor opened the Tax Classification
Hearing at 7:10 P.M.
Speaking in favor of the lowest
residential tax rate were:
Leonard Ciuffredo, 289
Harrington Way
William Swartz, 8 Bailin Dr.
Anthony Petrone, 49 Wilson
St.
Wayne Griffin, 12 Chamberlain
Parkway
Peter Caparso, 4 Wheeler Ave.
Steven Gordon, 4 Old Colony
Rd.
Jose Zayas, Upland Gardens
Dr.
Speaking in favor of a more favorable
commercial rate were:
Theodore Coughlin, 68 Gates
Rd.
Julie Jacobson, 13 Brigham
Rd., Paxton
Gerald Gates, 5 Clearings
Way, Princeton
Mark McNamara, 28 Kanes Crossing
Paul Barbour, 24 Brantwood
Rd.
Mark Love, 41 Hancock Hill
Dr.
Walter Thomas, 19 Bailin Dr.
Ed Bourgault, 822 Pleasant
St.
Chris Liazos, 5 Townsend St.
Councillor Clancy made a
Motion to set the Residential Tax Rate at $15.34 and the Commercial Tax Rate at
$34.28.
Councillor Gomez made a
Motion to set the Residential Tax Rate at $17.31 and the Commercial Tax Rate at
$27.45.
Councillor Abraham made
a Motion to set the Residential Tax Rate at $16.16 and the Commercial Tax Rate at
$31.44.
Councillor Irish made a
Motion to set the Residential Tax Rate at $16.87 and the Commercial Tax Rate at
$28.94.
Mayor Murray took up the
Motions in order of the highest Residential Tax Rate to the lowest:
Gomez Motion
Residential $17.31 Commercial $27.45 Denied on a roll call vote of 1 Yea
(Gomez) and 10 Nays.
Irish Motion
Residential $16.87 Commercial $28.94 Denied on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas
(Gomez, Irish, Patton) and 8 Nays (Abraham, Clancy, Haller, Lukes, Palmieri,
Perotto, Petty, Murray)
Abraham Motion Residential $16.16 Commercial $31.44 Voted on a roll call vote of 6 Yeas (Abraham, Gomez, Irish, Perotto, Petty, Murray) and 5 Nays (Clancy, Haller, Lukes, Palmieri, Patton)
Clancy Motion
Residential $15.34 Commercial $34.28 Not Put
5. Communication of the City Manager relative to Fiscal Year 2003 Tax Rate Options. (Attachments)
Placed on file
6. Communication of the City Manager relative to Average
Assessments and Tax Bills. (Attachments)
Placed on file
7. Communication of the City Manager relative to
Assessment/Classification and Tax Base Growth Report - Fiscal 2003. (Attachments)
Placed on file
8. ITEMS
OF CITIZEN INTEREST
8a. ITEMS
OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST
PETITIONS
9. Walter J. Dauderis request that a portion of Woodcliffe Ave. from
it's current terminus to my residence at 20 Woodcliffe Ave. be restored to the
Official Map as it was left off in error when the map was adopted on June 9,
1953. (Attachments)
10. John Lapin request 8 sanitary sewer extension on Tory Fort Lane
a distance of 122 from terminus of existing sewer to service proposed single
family home on Lot 23. (Attachments)
11-14 REFERRED
TO TRAFFIC & PARKING COMMITTEE
11. Councillor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. on behalf of Rev. Joseph A. Adamo
request No Parking on Dorchester St. from corner of Vernon St. to end of
Ascension Rectory. (Attachments)
12. Yefim Pozdniakov request handicap parking
at 11 Edwidge St. (Attachments)
13. Dominic Guiliani et al request handicap parking in front of 17
Creston St. (Attachments)
14. Karl Spears request handicap parking in
front of 7 King Philip Rd. (Attachments)
14a. Mayor Timothy Murray request one additional handicap parking space
at Probate Court on Harvard St. located behind the Auditorium.
Suspension of Rules Referred to Traffic & Parking Committee (Attachments)
15-18
Councillor Haller recused on a roll call 8-0 (Irish, Lukes absent) HEARINGS SET
FOR NOVEMBER 26, 2002 7:00 P.M.
15. Massachusetts Electric for electric conduit
location on: GROVE ST. (Attachments)
16. Massachusetts Electric for electric conduit
location on: BELLEVUE ST. (Attachments)
17. Massachusetts Electric for electric conduit
location on: ELLSWORTH ST. (Attachments)
18. Massachusetts Electric AND VERIZON NEW
ENGLAND INC.
for joint pole re-location on: MILL ST. (Attachments)
18a. Request Administration to report if updated property values may be
released annually before the tax classification hearing. Motion-Patton
@ #4CC Adopted (Attachments)
18b. Request City Manager to provide a legal opinion on whether, as a
City Council, a tax classification vote can be taken at the time of the budget
and what impediments there would be to taking that vote. Motion-Lukes
@ #4CC Adopted (Attachments)
18c. Request City Manager report to City Council at the November 26,
2002 City Council meeting on the timeframe for the 25% design phase for Union
Station. Motion-Clancy @ #8B CM Adopted (Attachments)
18d. Request City Manager to provide City Council with the design for
the revised location for the bus ports at Union Station and the agreement with
CIGNA for demolition of the ramps at the Worcester Common Outlet and what
CIGNAs understanding is of portals, what their expectations are and whether
there are any financial stipulations. Motion-Patton @ #8B CM Adopted (Attachments)
18e. Request City Manager to provide a coordinated plan of how
employees who provide planning services can interact at one location. Motion-Clancy
@ #18A CM Adopted (Attachments)
18f. Request City Manager to report on the status and timeframe for
repair of the wall at the Dartmouth St. Multiple Intelligence School. Motion-Perotto
@ #29B CM Adopted (Attachments)
18g. That the City Council meet in Executive Session on December 3,
2002 at 6:30 P.M. Motion-Palmieri @ #22CC
Adopted (Attachments)
18h. Request City Manager to contact Mass. Highway concerning the
condition of the sidewalk on the Route 9 Bridge. Perotto Suspension of
Rules
Councillor Palmieri requested to amend to add his name as Author. Adopted, as amended (Attachments)
18i. Request City Manager to work with the City Clerk to organize a reception for Worcesters own P.A.T.
Expo Bound Pool Team. Gomez Suspension of Rules - Adopted (Attachments)
18j. Request City Manager to research ownership, tax status and clean
up property located at 374 Pleasant St.
Murray, Haller Suspension of
Rules Adopted (Attachments)
18k. Request City Manager apply for Urban Self Help Grant to assist
with the construction of Goddard Memorial Park prior to June 1, 2003. Murray,
Abraham Suspension of Rules Adopted (Attachments)
18L. Request City Manager to contact the appropriate MBTA officials and
report at the November 26, 2002 City Council meeting on the resolution of
problems with the MBTA train service in Worcester. Murray Suspension of Rules
Councillor Palmieri moved to amend to also contact the State
Representatives and Senators. Adopted,
as amended (Attachments)
19. COMMUNICATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER
THOMAS R. HOOVER
CITY MANAGER
CITY COUNCIL CALENDAR
FOR NOVEMBER 19, 2002
1. NON-CITY
COUNCIL CONFIRMATION:
2. CITY
COUNCIL CONFIRMATION:
3. AIRPORT:
4. ASSESSORS:
A. Communication relative to Tax
Classification Hearing. (Attachments)
Placed on file
5. BUDGET
OFFICE:
A. Communication relative to Financial Statistics of the City for the last Ten Years. (Attachments)
Placed on file
6. CODE
ENFORCEMENT:
7.
COMMUNICATIONS:
8. ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT:
A. Communication relative to Progress Report
Relative to Outreach Program. (Attachments)
Placed on file
B. Communication relative to Union Station
Update. (Attachments)
Referred to Commerce & Development
Committee and Public
Works Committee
9. ELDER
AFFAIRS:
10. ELECTION
COMMISSION:
11. EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT:
12. EMPLOYMENT
& TRAINING:
13. FIRE:
14. HUMAN
RESOURCES:
15. HUMAN
RIGHTS:
16. LAW:
17. LICENSE
COMMISSION:
18.
NEIGHNBORHOOD SERVICES:
A. Recommend that the table of organization
for the Executive Office of Neighborhood Services be hereby amended by adding
the following position:
Title Pay Grade
Staff Assistant III 37
and deleting the following position:
Title Pay Grade
Principal Clerk
27
Furthermore, I recommend
that Four Thousand Three Hundred Twenty Dollars and Twenty Nine Cents
($4,320.29) be transferred from Account #900-91000, City Managers Contingency
Account to Account #044-91000, Executive Office of Neighborhood Services
Personnel Services Account, for the tax levy portion of the position for the
remainder of fiscal year 2003. (Attachments)
Two Orders adopted on a roll call 11-0
Also referred to Municipal Operations
Committee for informational purposes
B.
SUPPLEMENTAL Communication relative to
filing legislation for consideration during the 2003 session of the Great and
General Court. (Attachments)
Order adopted on a roll call 11-0
19. PARKS,
RECREATION & CEMETERY:
20. POLICE:
21. PUBLIC
HEALTH:
22. PUBLIC
LIBRARY:
23. PUBLIC
SCHOOLS:
24. PUBLIC
WORKS:
25.
PURCHASING:
26. TECHNICAL
SERVICES:
27. TREASURY:
28. VETERANS
SERVICES:
29. FINANCE:
A. Recommend that Sixty Thousand Dollars
($60,000.00) be transferred from Account #91C784, Parks Improvement, and
appropriated to Account #72C702, Parks Improvement, for the payment of
contractual obligations for the installation of a memorial/learning center at
Goddard Memorial/Cider Hill Conservation area, as approved in the fiscal 2002
Capital Improvement Program. (Attachments)
Order adopted on a roll call 10-0
(Haller absent)
B. Recommend that Two Hundred Sixty Four
Thousand Dollars ($264,000.00) be transferred from Account #91C711, Citywide
Building Rehabilitation, and appropriated to Account #50C704, Worcester Public School
Building Rehabilitation, for the payment of various contractual obligations for
the Worcester Public School building rehabilitation projects, as approved in
the Capital Improvement Program. (Attachments)
Tabled
30.
MISCELLANEOUS:
20. Roberta Schaefer, Executive Director, Worcester Regional
Research Bureau transmitting Benchmarking Economic Development in
Worcester: 2002. (Attachments)
Referred to Commerce & Development
Committee
21. Worcester Regional Research Bureau transmitting Questions and Comments on Worcesters Housing Market Study. (Attachments)
Referred to Housing
& Neighborhood Revitalization Committee
22. David M. Moore, City Solicitor transmitting Judgment on Findings
of the Court in the case of Indian Hill Associates, Inc. v. City of Worcester
and Findings of Fact, Rulings of Law and Order for Judgment which explains the
reasoning of the court for its judgment. (Attachments)
City
Manager Hoover recused himself and left the Chamber
Item held for Executive Session on December 3, 2002 at 6:30
P.M.
23. RECESS TO FINANCE AND ORDINANCE: No Items Pending
NOVEMBER 18, 2002 TRAFFIC & COUNCIL CHAMBER
6:00
P.M.
PARKING
DECEMBER 3, 2002 HEALTH COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:30-7:00 P.M.
Presentation by Health Foundation of Central Mass.
DECEMBER 5, 2002 COMMERCE & QUINSIGAMOND SCHOOL
6:007:00
P.M.
DEVELOPMENT QUINSIGAMOND
ROOM
832 MILLBURY ST.
Re: Agreement with Providence & Worcester
Railroad and
Liberty Properties Corp.
DECEMBER 5, 2002 LAND USE QUINSIGAMOND SCHOOL
7:00-9:00 P.M. QUINSIGAMOND ROOM
832 MILLBURY ST
RE: Review
of Proposed Comprehensive Zoning
Ordinance
DECEMBER 17, 2002 HEALTH COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:307:00
P.M.
Presentation by Dr. John Sullivan and HIV/AIDS &
Hepatitis C Task Force
NOVEMBER 26, 2002 6:00-7:00 P.M.
RECEPTION FOR CANDIDATES
FOR
ELECTION TO THE LIBRARY
BOARD
OF TRUSTEES THIRD FLOOR
CITY HALL
DECEMBER 3, 2002 - 7:00 P.M.
ELECTION OF TWO MEMBERS TO
THE
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES