CITY OF WORCESTER
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
JOURNAL
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
– FEBRUARY 1, 2005
7:00 P.M.
Convened: 7:00 P.M.
Adjourned: 8:05 P.M.
1. PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE/STAR SPANGLED BANNER
2. ROLL
CALL – All present except
Councillor White who arrived at 7:20 P.M.
Mayor Murray read a Proclamation in recognition of Worcester Heart Awareness Week from February 4-10, 2005 proclaiming February 4, 2005 to be Wear Red for Women in Worcester
HEARING AND ORDER – 7:00
P.M.
3
– Hearing Held
3. MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC CO. for pole location on: MILLBURY ST. (Attachments)
3a – Order Adopted
3a. Granting permission to MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC CO. for pole location on: MILLBURY ST.
4. ITEMS
OF CITIZEN INTEREST
4a. ITEMS
OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST
5
& 6 - REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
5. Councillor Frederick Rushton on behalf of Barbara Miller
request repair or replacement of culvert on Sherer Trail. (Attachments)
6. Alex Panarelli request installation of public sewer, water and
drain services in Sheldon St. from existing lines in Heath St. (Attachments)
7 - GIVEN LEAVE TO WITHDRAW
7. Councillor Paul Clancy, Jr. on behalf of Eileen Lush request
handicap parking in front of 121 Ingleside Ave. (Attachments)
8 – REFERRED TO TRAFFIC & PARKING COMMITTEE
8. Councillor Barbara Haller on behalf of Rev. Edward Hanlon
request installation of height limitation signage facing eastbound traffic
along Cambridge St. from the four corners up to the railroad bridge crossing
Cambridge St. near Kansas St. so as to avoid future truck damage to this
overpass. (Attachments)
9-11
FROM COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT - ADOPTED
9. Request City Manager report to City Council concerning
establishment of a manageable development task force with a geographic focus on
downtown. (Attachments)
10. Request City Manager request the Director of the Worcester
County Convention and Visitors Bureau to provide City Council with quarterly
reports concerning their goals and accomplishments.
11. Request City Manager provide City Council with information that
identifies separate sources of funds for the Canal District and DIF area. (Attachments)
12-18 FROM HEALTH - ADOPTED
12. Request City Manager report to City Council the status of the
response to the previous request for an ordinance providing for monetary/civil
penalties for those citizens who feed animals, birds and waterfowl in public
parks and beaches. (Attachments)
13. Request City Manager report to City Council the success of the
program that was instituted at Green Hill Golf Course that rid the area of a
concentration of birds and waterfowl and any observations of increases in the
number and location of groups of this wildlife throughout the City’s open
public spaces. (Attachments)
14. Request City Manager report to City Council on the ability to
coalition-build in reference to emergency preparedness. (Attachments)
15. Request City Manager report to City Council the anticipated
impacts if the proposal to transfer activity regarding weights and measures
from the City to the Commonwealth, including impacts to revenue
collections. (Attachments)
16. Request City Manager report to City Council the feasibility of
requiring lead screening of all students upon entry into public, private,
parochial and charter schools within the City of Worcester. (Attachments)
17. Request City Manager report to City Council the comparison of
lead paint screening numbers in the City of Worcester as compared to the City
of Boston for the years 2003 and 2004.
(Attachments)
18. Request City Manager to request the Director and Board of Public
Health to take appropriate meaningful action to increase the response to the
abatement of the detected increase in lead paint levels. (Attachments)
19-22
FROM LAND USE - ADOPTED
19. Request City Manager to request the City Solicitor provide City
Council with a report regarding enforcement of conceptual plan agreement
between the City of Worcester and Madison Worcester Holdings LLC. (Attachments)
20. Request City Manager request Madison Worcester Holdings LLC to
provide City Council with photographs of their various retail properties across
New England. (Attachments)
21. Request City Manager report to City Council whether the City of
Worcester may enact an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to restrict the hours
of operation of retail establishments.
(Attachments)
22. Request City Manager to provide City Council with assessed
values of properties at 40-180 Ballard St. that are being requested to be
re-zoned. (Attachments)
23 FROM PUBLIC SERVICE & TRANSPORTATION – ADOPTED
23. Request City Manager and City Council to convene a 2005
Worcester Transportation Summit to gather together all transit providers,
planners, funders and users to develop a strategy for the future of
transportation within the region. (Attachments)
24 & 25 FROM PUBLIC WORKS - ADOPTED
24. Request City Manager report to City Council the need for
maintaining Foster St. between Summer St. and Worcester Center Boulevard (aka
north portal), and if retaining this segment of roadway is not necessary,
consider recommending abandonment and removal from the Official Map. (Attachments)
25. Request City Manager provide City Council with a schematic
drawing of pedestrian access from new bus ports into Union Station and updated
timelines for the major components. (Attachments)
26. Request City Manager to consider the outsourcing of some of the legal services currently conducted by staff of the Law Department to hasten actions that need to be taken in the area of the City’s priorities. (Clancy, Palmieri, Petty) (Attachments) Adopted
27. Request addition of a new rule to the Rules of the City Council that would disallow final action being taken on any appropriation request in excess of One Million Dollars the first time it is presented to the City Council. (Clancy, Palmieri, Petty) (Attachments) Councillor Petty moved to amend to read “consider addition of a new rule”. Order referred, as amended to Rules & Regulations Committee on a roll call vote of 7 Yeas (Clancy, Irish, Palmieri, Petty, Rushton, White, Murray) and 4 Nays (Gomez, Haller, Lukes, Perotto). Reconsideration denied on a roll call 1-10 (Lukes-Yes)
28. Request City Manager provide City Council with an update
regarding the Healthy Communities 2010 initiative “Common Pathways”. (Irish) (Attachments) Adopted
29. Request City Manager forward a copy of the approved Economic
Development Action Agenda, as prepared and presented by Sasaki Associates, to
all members of the local state delegation in the interest of securing state
financial and regulatory assistance to leverage and facilitate efforts
toward job creation and tax base
expansion within the city. (Perotto,
Palmieri, White, Irish, Clancy, Petty, Murray) (Attachments) Councillor Clancy moved to amend to also
send report to the Governor. Adopted,
as amended
29a. Request Law Department to consider keeping time sheets between now
and consideration of the FY06 budget. Further,
request a report as to how many lawyers are presently in the Law Department,
historically how many lawyers in the Law Department in the last 10 years and a
snapshot of the kind of cases normally handled by the Law Department and how
often has the Law Department outsourced as a matter of practice. Motion-Lukes @ #26CC – Adopted (Attachments)
29b. Request City Manager to report as to the appropriateness of the
City Council requesting the City Manager to consider outsourcing legal
services and
keeping time sheets for lawyers in the Law Department. Motion-Haller @ #26CC
– Adopted (Attachments)
29c. Request City Manager to request a report from the Office of
Neighborhood Services as to what exactly the issues are and what the issues
were as they were discussed at the Planning Board level and what issues can be
expected in Land Use Committee, prior
to the Land Use Committee hearing relative to the Petition requesting a zone
change on Grafton St. from ML-05 and RS-7 to BL-1. Motion-Clancy @ #46CC – Adopted (Attachments)
29d. Request City Manager to look into the issue of parking at Police
Headquarters and report back to City Council within thirty days.
Palmieri – Suspension of Rules
Councillor Clancy moved to amend: Further, request a report
as to the
cost to repave the parking lot at Police Headquarters. Adopted, as amended (Attachments)
29e. Request City Manager report on the assault that took place this
weekend on two Department of Public Works workers in the downtown area. Haller – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
29f. Request City Manager to provide a report on the monthly average overnight
population and daytime population at the PIP Shelter, 701 Main St. for the last
six months. Haller – Suspension of
Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
29g. Request City Manager report as to whether a census of the homeless
has taken place in the City of Worcester and if so, results of said
census. Haller – Suspension of Rules
– Adopted (Attachments)
29h. Request City Manager to report regarding the State changing the
age for public safety recruits to take the test from 19 to 20 or 21 and reasons
for the change. Petty – Suspension
of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
29i. Request City Manager to request the Commissioner of Public Works
to work in conjunction with the State Highway Department to make sure that
residents are safe when traveling in the morning hours from the run-off from
the Tatnuck Country Club area onto Rte. 122.
Rushton – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
29j. Request City Manager to request the Department of Public Works in
future snow storms to make sure that snow plow operators in the area of
Pleasant St. and Cardinal Rd. do not come down Wrentham Rd. and push the snow
across the street and onto the sidewalk.
Rushton – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
29k. Request City Manager to request a report from the Police
Department relative to an incident involving an interstate transport
mini-van company where they left some
young people stranded in the middle of Manhattan on or about January 3, 2005 in
very inclement weather and whether there are any licensing requirements for
these types of companies in the City of Worcester. Gomez – Suspension of Rules - Adopted (Attachments)
31. James DelSignore, City Auditor transmitting December 2004
Auditor’s Report. (Attachments) Placed on file
32. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager transmitting a preliminary
analysis of Governor Mitt Romney’s Fiscal Year 2006 State Budget. (Attachments) Referred to Municipal Operations
Committee
33 FROM HEALTH - ADOPTED
33. That the City Council hereby encourages the City Manager to
consider making application for all known grant monies to expand the outreach,
detection and abatement of elevated lead levels in the City of Worcester. (Attachments)
34 & 35 - ACCEPTED & ORDERS ADOPTED ON A ROLL CALL 10-0 (Rushton absent)
34. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT Upon the
Communication of the City Manager recommending that $50,000.00 be transferred
from Account #040-91000, City Manager’s Personal Service Account and
appropriated to Account #040-92000, Worcester Marketing Ordinary Maintenance
Account to provide the balance of FY05 funding for the Worcester County
Convention and Visitors Bureau: recommend
adoption of the accompanying Order. (Attachments)
35. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT Upon the
Communication of the City Manager relative to Civic Center/Convention Center
naming rights: recommend adoption of
the accompanying Order. (Attachments)
36 & 37 - ACCEPTED & ORDERS ADOPTED
36. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT Upon the
Communication of the City Manager relative to an amendment to the City’s contract
with the Worcester County Convention and Visitors Bureau which details a scope
of service and budget for FY05: recommend
adoption of the accompanying Order. (Attachments)
37. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT Upon the
Communication of the City Manager relative to Economic Development Action
Agenda: recommend adoption of the
accompanying Resolution that the City Council hereby endorses, in concept, the
economic development action agenda as prepared and presented by Sasaki
Associates. (Attachments)
38-45 - ACCEPTED
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH Upon the following
Communications of the City Manager: recommend
Communications be placed on file.
38. Relative to public health issues at Elm Park concerning
waterfowl in the park. (Attachments)
39. Relative to establishing a partnership with the Worcester Roots
Project. (Attachments)
40. Relative to lead paint rates in Worcester. (Attachments)
41. Relative to Rabies Vaccination Clinic. (Attachments)
42. Relative to adoption of a resolution to form a Regional Public
Health Emergency Preparedness Coalition.
(Attachments)
43. Relative to Weights and Measures Fees. (Attachments)
44. Relative to School Department Programs and Initiatives regarding
Oral Health. (Attachments)
45. REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Joseph
Lupisella requesting Planning Board abandon and remove from the Official Map a
portion of Emile St. from westerly lot line of 18 Emile St., a distance of
approximately 260 ft. (Attachments)
46 - REFERRED TO LAND USE COMMITTEE
46. REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Attorney
Samuel DeSimone requesting to change the Zoning Map of the City of Worcester
from ML-05 and RS-7 to BL-1 by extending the BL-1 zone from Grafton St.
westerly exit to Rte. 20, Southwest Cutoff.
(Attachments)
47-49
- ACCEPTED
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND
TRANSPORTATION Upon the following Communications of the City Manager: recommend Communications be placed on
file.
47. Relative to WRTA Service to Lakeside Apartments. (Attachments)
48. Relative to WRTA “Ride the Bus Day” on October 16th.
(Attachments)
49. Relative to WRTA and a study conducted by Urbitan Associates
regarding a review of all the needs of
their riders. (Attachments)
50-57
- ACCEPTED & ORDERS ADOPTED ON A ROLL CALL 11-0
50. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
R.W.M. Real Estate Trust requesting abatement of Street Betterment Assessment
#24466 in the amount of $7,469.63 on Dixfield St.: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order to abate to
$66.63. (Attachments)
51. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
Deborah Haglund requesting abatement of Street Betterment Assessment #24470 in
the amount of $3,606.00 on Nanita St.: recommend
adoption of the accompanying Order to abate in full.
52. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of Ann
Lorusso requesting abatement of Street Betterment Assessment #24481 in the
amount of $7,224.26 on Nanita St.: recommend
adoption of the accompanying Order to abate to $1,454.66. (Attachments)
53. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
Edgar & Lorraine Rocheleau requesting abatement of Street Betterment
Assessment #24490 in the amount of $11,337.26 on Nanita St.: recommend adoption of the accompanying
Order to abate to $5,928.26. (Attachments)
54. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
Philomena Smith requesting abatement of Private Street Betterment Assessment
#50167 in the amount of $5,880.33 on Cotuit St.: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order to abate to
$2,020.83. (Attachments)
55. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
Richard & Rosemary Cipro requesting abatement of Private Street Betterment
Assessment #50168 in the amount of $5,403.30 on Cotuit St.: recommend adoption of the accompanying
Order to abate to $1,543.80. (Attachments)
56. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
Gervais & Virginia Larochelle requesting abatement of Private Street
Betterment Assessment #50169 in the amount of $5,880.33 on Cotuit St.: recommend adoption of the accompanying
Order to abate to $734.33. (Attachments)
57. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of
Mohammad Hatami requesting abatement of Private Street Betterment Assessment #50170
in the amount of $5,403.30 on Cotuit St.:
recommend adoption of the accompanying Order to abate to
$1,543.80. (Attachments)
58 & 59 - ACCEPTED
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the following
Petitions requesting abatement of Street Betterment Assessments: recommend Petitions be denied.
58. Michael & James Jennette requesting abatement of Street
Betterment Assessment #24462 in the amount of $6,662.70 on Dixfield St. (Attachments)
59. Geoffrey & Valerie Banyai requesting abatement of Street
Betterment Assessment #24468 in the amount of $8,466.07 on Dixfield St. (Attachments)
60 - ORDAINED ON A ROLL CALL 11-0
60. Amending Section 2, Article III of the Worcester Zoning Ordinance adopted April 2, 1991 relative to a zone change in the Piedmont St. area. (Attachments)
TABLED
61. Order – Request City Council to vote its opposition to any raises for City Council for the 2006 term. (Lukes) (Tabled January 18, 2005) (Attachments) No Action Taken
SCHEDULED MEETINGS OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEES
|
JANUARY 31, 2005 6:00
P.M. |
PUBLIC SAFETY |
POLICE HEADQUARTERS 9-11 LINCOLN ST. VIEW ONLY – TO BEGIN FROM 2ND
FLOOR SQUAD ROOM |
|
FEBRUARY 1, 2005 5:30
P.M. |
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
FEBRUARY 8, 2005 5:30
P.M. |
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
FEBRUARY 15, 2005 5:30
P.M. |
PUBLIC WORKS |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
FEBRUARY 16, 2005 6:00
P.M. |
COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
FEBRUARY 28, 2005 6:00
P.M. |
LAND USE |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |