CITY OF WORCESTER

CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL – JANUARY 24, 2006

7:00 P.M.

Convened: 7:30 p.m.

Adjourned: 9:25p.m.

 

 

6:30 P.M.     City Council and School Committee will meet in Executive Session in Room 310 for the purpose of Collective Bargaining.

 

7:00 P.M.     City Council Regular Meeting - Council Chambers

 

 

1.                 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

2.                 STAR SPANGLED BANNER-ALEXANDRA MILLS

 

3.       ROLL CALL – All present

 

4.       ITEMS OF CITIZEN INTEREST

 

5.       ITEMS OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST

 

PETITIONS

 

          6 REFERRED TO PUBLIC SERVICE & TRANSPORTATION

 

6.       Councillor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. on behalf of Thomas Medlinskas request a street light on Pole #1 on Thenius St. (Attachments)

 

          7 – 9 REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS

 

7.       Carl Flodman request to resurface Madeline St. (Attachments)

 

8.       Dr. David Paquette request to install a guardrail in front of 86 East Central St. (Attachments)

 

9.       Michael Troiano request upgrade of Dunkirk Ave. pumping station and removal of grid at the end of the pipe at Broad Meadow Brook and placed 150 yards from mouth of the pipe. This is causing a back flow of water pressure to the pumping station. (Attachments)

 

          10 & 11 REFERRED TO TRAFFIC & PARKING

 

10.     Herbert Gilbert request handicap parking sign in front of 169 Perry Ave. (Attachments)

 

11.     David Nelson request handicap parking on Front St. at Flagship Bank building. (Attachments)

 

ORDERS

 

12.     Request City Manager consider recommending that a $4 Million Dollars be set aside to reduce the real estate tax levy used to fund the FY 07 operating budget from any additional state monies returned to the City, and further request City Manager to apportion the balance of those monies to appropriate priorities including reserve fund for unfunded employment pension liability and the bond stabilization fund. (Lukes, Haller, Smith) (Attachments) Councillor Lukes moved to strike “pension” and to strike “$4 Million Dollars” and replace with “a significant amount of money”. Adopted, as amended

 

13.     Request Administration report as to the tracking of the public use of the relocated offices of Veteran’s Affairs, Human Rights, MCAD and Handicapped Affairs as compared to the public’s use of those offices in their prior locations. (Lukes) (Attachments) Councillor Lukes moved to amend: Further, request report be submitted back to the City Council within 30 days. Adopted, as amended

 

14.     Request City Manager report to the City Council concerning current efforts to relocate and combine the Offices of Neighborhood Services and Economic Development, and, also concerning efforts to restore the north (Lincoln) chamber as public meeting space. (Clancy) (Attachments) Adopted

 

15.     Request City Manager, through the Election Commission, update the City of Worcester ward and precinct data in the 1993 Street Directory and republish in hard copy and by posting on the City’s web site. (Rosen) (Attachments) Councillor Toomey moved to add: “consider” updating the City of Worcester ward and precinct data. Adopted as amended

 

16.     Request City Manager investigate and report to the City Council whether or not dogs or other animals might be at risk while on City of Worcester sidewalks or streets due to surges of stray voltage from faulty electrical junction boxes or wiring. (Rosen) (Attachments) Adopted

 

17.     Request City Manager consider the feasibility of offering a municipal affinity credit card (The Worcester Library Card), with revenues from said card dedicated to expanding the hours of operation at the Main or Branch Libraries and/or the re-instituting of bookmobile service. (Rosen) (Attachments) Adopted

 

18.     Request City Manager investigate and provide the City Council with costs to install appropriate lighting at the Joe Swartz League baseball fields at Kendrick Park on Ararat St. (Smith) (Attachments) Adopted

 

19.     Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report concerning the feasibility and legality of conducting meetings of Council Standing Committees, Boards and Commissions on-line. Further, request said report to include options for inter-net meetings, equipment, and access needed to allow interactive participation from remote locations. (Haller) (Attachments) Councillor Toomey moved to add: “as similar to the City of Boston’s website.” Adopted, as amended

 

20.     Request City Manager report to the City Council calendar year 2005 data, preferably by Quarter and by District, the number of house/business fires, average response time, minimum and maximum response times, percent of structure fires reached within 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 minutes, and the average amounts of property damage per response time category. Further, request that said report include comparative data, where it exists, for the cities of Boston and Springfield. (Haller) (Attachments) Adopted

 

21.     Request City Manager and City Auditor provide a report to the City Council relative to the cost of including a retiree cost of living adjustment in the FY 07 budget. (Murray) (Attachments) Adopted

 

22.     Request City Administration report to City Council on any progress on the feasibility on installing sewers on Rt. 20 between Grafton St. and Massasoit Rd., and further request Administration to report on any zoning recommendations that would provide the best and the highest use of said land area, especially in light of sewer connection availability. (Clancy) (Attachments) Mayor Murray moved to amend: Further, request Administration examine this area and consider whether it could be a DIF eligible district and, if the financing could be used towards the needed water and sewer work which will ultimately create more jobs and expand the tax base. Additionally, request this information be reported back to City Council within thirty to forty-five days.

 

23.     Request City Administration consider the elimination of the traffic light at Cutler St. and Grafton St. (Clancy) (Attachments) Councillor Palmieri moved to amend: Further, request Administration consider a blinking green or yellow light. Adopted, as amended

 

24.     Request City Manager recommend to the City Council a moratorium on the issuance of any building permits in the area bordered by and including the following streets beginning at a point at Indiana St. and Massasoit Rd. along to the end of Indiana St. and Everton Ave. along to Broadmeadow Sanctuary then to Evergreen Lane, and including within those boundaries Greenfield St. and Dunkirk Ave. (Lukes, Rosen) (Attachments) Lukes moved to amend: Further, request City Manager provide the City Council with a report which lists the history of correspondence and informational exchanges with the Town of Millbury as it relates to the Dunkirk Pumping Station. Councillor Clancy moved to amend: Further, request City Manager request the City Solicitor provide a detailed report to the City Council pertinent to the amount of buildable lots remaining within this defined area, and, if new construction is allowed, will there be a requirement to install backwater valves, and lastly, if there is a moratorium placed on new building construction, will the City have to pay fair market value to the land owners of the land declared not buildable. Adopted, as amended

 

25.     Request Administration make available to the City Council copies of all internal e-mails, which deal with the Salter School. (Lukes) (Attachments) Councillor Lukes moved to amend: Further, request City Manager request City Solicitor to provide a legal opinion regarding obtaining copies of all internal e-mails. Adopted, as amended

 

26.     Request City Manager report to the City Council within one week regarding it’s design plan for the Columbus Park roundabout and specifically with reference to the Belgian Block design. (Rushton, Rosen, Lukes) (Attachments) Adopted

 

27.     Request City Manager report to the City Council regarding the increase in parking fees at Union Station and the process that was used to notify rail commuters. (Murray, Petty) (Attachments) Adopted

 

27a.   Request City Manager provide a report to City Council by February 14, 2006 regarding their commitment to providing Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) to bridge the funding gap in constructing the Blackstone Gateway Visitor Center. Motion Clancy @ #39 CC – Adopted (Attachments)

 

27b.   Request City Manager provide a report to the City Council relative to the financing of the Rockwood Field Master Plan. Motion Perotto @ #33 CC – Adopted (Attachments)

 

27c.   Request City Manager mail informational communication relative to “Project ASAP”, item #30 on the January 24, 2006 calendar, to Neighborhood Associations and Centers. Motion Haller @ #30 CC – Adopted (Attachments)

 

27d.   Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report relative to possible risks involved in utilizing the Construction Manager at Risk method. Motion Lukes @ #36 CC – Adopted (Attachments)

 

27e.   Request City Manager provide the City Council with a definition of mandatory overtime as referenced in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette article, dated January 21, 2006, pertinent to Local 495 contract negotiations. (Clancy) – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)

 

27f.    Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report regarding the reaction of the legislative delegation as to whether the City will receive more monies from the State for the construction of a new North High School. Further, request that the City Manager work with the School Administration to explore other funding possibilities to build a credible structure, if no more monies are received from the State. (Clancy) – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)

 

28.     RECESS TO FINANCE AND ORDINANCE: No Items Pending

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

29.     James A. DelSignore, City Auditor, transmitting December 2005 Auditor’s Report. (Attachments) Placed on file

 

30.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to “Project ASAP”, which stands for Awareness, Support, Assistance and Partnering. (Attachments) Referred to Public Safety Committee

 

31.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, request review and adoption of a resolution to file and accept an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. (Attachments) Resolution adopted and referred to Public Safety Committee for informational purposes only

 

32.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, request review and adoption of a resolution to file and accept a Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Public Safety (MEOPS) FY 06 Community Policing Gang Initiative Grant. (Attachments) Resolution adopted

 

33.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to a draft of the Rockwood Field Master Plan. (Attachments) Referred to Youth, Parks and Recreation  Committee

 

34.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to a Neighborhood Watch Summit hosted by the Worcester Police Department which will be held on Monday, January 30, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at Police Headquarters, 9-11 Lincoln Sq. (Attachments) Placed on file

 

35.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager transmitting communication relative to the “Street Violence Prevention Group” (SVPG). (Attachments) Referred to Public Safety Committee

 

36.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, request City Council’s review and adoption of a proposed City Council Order to accept through the Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) as agent for the City, a grant of federal Fixed Guideway funds from the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) in the amount of Three Million One Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($3,120,000.00). (Attachments) Order adopted on a roll call vote 10-0. Reconsideration denied on a roll call vote 0-10. (Petty absent)

 

37.     Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to the Backflow Valve Grant Program. (Attachments) Referred to Public Works Committee

 

 

RESOLUTION

 

38.     That the City Council of the City of Worcester goes on record in support of an increase in Low Income Homeowner Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) funds for Fiscal Year 2006. (Murray, Toomey, Petty, Rosen, Haller, Smith, Perotto, Palmieri, Lukes, Rushton, Clancy) (Attachments) Resolution adopted

 

TABLED ITEM

 

39.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the status of the budget and current funding sources for the Blackstone Gateway Visitor Center in the Quinsigamond Village. (Attachments) (Tabled January 17, 2006 by Murray) Taken off the table and referred to Commerce and Development Committee

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

SCHEDULED MEETINGS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES

 

 

JANUARY 23, 2006

     3:30 P.M.

HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD

REVITALIZATION

COUNCIL CHAMBER

 

 

 

JANUARY 25, 2006

     5:30 P.M.

COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT

COUNCIL CHAMBER

 

FEBRUARY 1, 2006

 

PUBLIC WORKS

 

COUNCIL CHAMBER

     6:00 P.M.

 

FEBRUARY 15, 2006

     5:30 P.M.

 

 

PUBLIC WORKS

 

 

COUNCIL CHAMBER

 

FEBRUARY 22, 2006

 

TRAFFIC & PARKING

 

COUNCIL CHAMBER

     5:30 P.M.