CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Esther Howland (South) Chamber

Convened: 6:33 P.M.

Adjourned: 6:46 P.M.


Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

 

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

City Auditor
Robert V. Stearns

Councilors

Morris A. Bergman Donna M. Colorio
Khrystian E. King Candy Mero-Carlson
Sarai Rivera Sean M. Rose City Clerk
Nikolin Vangjeli
Gary Rosen George J. Russell
Kathleen M. Toomey Matthew E. Wally
 

City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts


1.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

2.

STAR SPANGLED BANNER

3.

ROLL CALL - All present with the Mayor as the Chair, except for Councilor King, who arrived at 6:36 P.M. Councilor Rivera participated in the meeting remotely.

4.

PROCLAMATIONS, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, MOMENTS OF SILENCE

5.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

5a.

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council Meeting of October 26, 2021.

Attachments

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

 

6.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

6a.

No speakers were recognized during this portion of the meeting.

 

7.

HEARINGS AND ORDERS

7a.

Hearing: CROWN CASTLE NG. EAST, LLC. for a conduit location on: MAIN ST. Granting permission to CROWN CASTLE NG. EAST, LLC. for a conduit location on: MAIN ST.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to take up items #7a CC through #7c CC collectively and open the hearings. Mayor Petty’s motion was approved on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays. Mayor Petty asked if any abutters wished to be heard on the items. Hearing no speakers, Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to close the hearing. Mayor Petty’s motion was approved on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays. Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to approve the items. Hearing held and Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays.

 

7b.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: BURNCOAT ST. and DEVENS RD. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: BURNCOAT ST. and DEVENS RD.

Attachments

Hearing Held and Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #7a CC)

 

7c.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC. for a conduit location on: LUDINGTON RD. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC. for a conduit location on: LUDINGTON RD.

Attachments

Hearing Held and Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #7a CC)

 

8.

PETITIONS

8a.

Elaine Zamarro et al. request installation of stop sign at the corner of Darby St. and Tylee Ave.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to refer items #8a CC through #8g CC collectively to Traffic and Parking Committee. Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 

8b.

Dennis Sullivan et al. request installation of handicap parking space in front of 15 Delaware St.

Attachments

Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #8a CC)

 

8c.

Elizabeth Plonski et al. request installation of No Parking Anytime on both sides of the street from 7A Revere St. to 9D Revere St.

Attachments

Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #8a CC)

 

8d.

Elizabeth Plonski et al. request installation of residential permit parking from 7A Revere St. to 9D Revere St.

Attachments

Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #8a CC)

 

8e.

Councilor George J. Russell on behalf of Idella Hazard request the handicap parking space in the vicinity of 68 Providence St. be removed.

Attachments

Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #8a CC)

 

8f.

Michael Letendre request installation of No Parking Anytime signage on Myrtle St. from Southbridge St. to Portland St.

Attachments

Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #8a CC)

 

8g.

Norma Rivera request removal of handicap parking space in front of 6 Berkshire St.

Attachments

Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #8a CC)

 

9.

COMMUNICATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

 

9.1

APPOINTMENTS
Non-City Council Confirmation
A.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the reappointment of Jose Ramos to the Worcester Housing Authority with a term to expire on 11/30/26.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to place the item on file. Placed on file on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 
B.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the appointment of Tony Economou to the Civic Center Commission with a term to expire on 10/4/26.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to place the item on file. Placed on file on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 
 

9.2

APPOINTMENTS
City Council Confirmation
A.

Recommend appointment of Marcia Macri to the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women with a term to expire on 8/31/24.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to confirm the appointment. Confirmed on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 
 

9.3

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
 

9.4

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
 

9.5

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS
Administration Division
A.

Recommend adoption of an Order to grant exemptions to three (3) snow plow contractors that are also City employees.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item as amended to grant five (5) snow plow exemptions. Order adopted as amended on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays.

 
 

9.6

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS
Engineering and Architectural Services Division
 

9.7

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS
Operations Division
 

9.8

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS
Parks Division
 

9.9

FIRE DEPARTMENT
 

9.10

POLICE DEPARTMENT
 

9.11

DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
 

9.12

LICENSE COMMISSION
 

9.13

LAW DEPARTMENT
 

9.14

DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONAL SERVICES
Administration
 

9.15

DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONAL SERVICES
Building and Zoning Division
 

9.16

DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONAL SERVICES
Housing and Health Inspections Division
 

9.17

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration
 

9.18

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Public Health
 

9.19

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Elder Affairs
 

9.20

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Human Rights and Accessibility
A.

Transmitting informational communication relative to a summary of the listening sessions on police body cameras.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to refer the item to Public Safety Committee. Referred to Public Safety Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 
 

9.21

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Veterans Services
 

9.22

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Youth Services
 

9.23

WORCESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY
 

9.24

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANANGER
Cultural Development Division
 

9.25

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Election Commission Division
 

9.26

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Office of Urban Innovation
 

9.27

PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
 

9.28

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Assessing Division
 

9.29

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Budget Office Division
A.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the Fiscal Year 2022 financial update, as of October 31, 2021.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to refer the item to Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee. Referred to Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 
 

9.30

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Purchasing Division
 

9.31

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Treasury and Collections Division
 

9.32

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC FACILITIES
 

9.33

DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE
 

9.34

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL SERVICES
 

9.35

FINANCE ITEMS
Capital Transfers
 

9.36

FINANCE ITEMS
Grants and Donations
A.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars And No Cents ($250.00) from the Massachusetts Councils on Aging for Worcester Senior Center Walking Club.

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt items #9.36A CM through #9.36C CM, as well as #9.37A CM. Resolution adopted with gratitude on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 
B.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of One Hundred Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($100,000.00) from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to enhance the Worcester Police K9 Program.

Attachments

Resolution adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #9.36A CM)

 
C.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a gift of a mobile clinic van with an estimated value of to Seventy Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($70,000.00) from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation through the United Way to benefit the City’s Mobile Vaccine Clinic effort.

Attachments

Resolution adopted with gratitude on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #9.36A CM)

 
 

9.37

FINANCE ITEMS
Operational Transfers
A.

Recommend that Ten Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy Five Dollars And No Cents ($10,875.00) be transferred from Account #330-07, Reserve for Appropriation Damage Settlement, and be appropriated to Account #50S519, Worcester Public Schools Damage Settlement, to provide funding for the replacement of the North High School sign.

Attachments

Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #9.36A CM)

 
 

9.38

FINANCE ITEMS
Prior Year
 

9.39

FINANCE
Loan Orders
 

9.40

MISCELLANEOUS AGENDA TRANSMITTALS
10.

TABLED UNDER PRIVILEGE

10a.

ORDER of Councilor Sarai Rivera - Request City Clerk research the feasibility of authorizing legal residents who have not been naturalized yet to vote in elections at the local level. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson October 26, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Petty November 9, 2021)

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized Councilor Rivera, who moved for a roll call vote to Table the Item. Tabled on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays. Tabled – Rivera

 

10b.

ORDER of Councilor Sarai Rivera - Request City Manager consider prioritizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for REC Worcester’s capital project involving the development of the new REC Worcester headquarters and Center for Food Justice and Urban Agriculture (for Worcester and Central Massachusetts), in an effort to support community food security, as well as youth development and employment. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson October 26, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Petty November 9, 2021)

Attachments

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized Councilor Rivera, who moved for a roll call vote to Table the Item. Tabled on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays. Tabled – Rivera

 

11.

TABLED ITEMS

11a.

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to a legal opinion as to the jurisdiction of office space and facilities within City Hall. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson March 12, 2019; Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 19, 2019 and Tabled - Petty March 26, 2019)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11b.

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion regarding the process of instituting a residential rent control program and the resulting impact of implementing such a program. (Tabled Under Privilege - Lukes September 17, 2019 and September 24, 2019 and Tabled - Lukes October 15, 2019)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11c.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' MEMORIALS, PARKS AND RECREATION Upon the Petition of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson request restoration and relocation of the Sullivan Memorial located in Melrose St. to a location approximately 50 feet north of its current location: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson April 21, 2020 and April 28, 2020 and Tabled - Mero-Carlson May 5, 2020)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11d.

RESOLUTION of Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Sean M. Rose and Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson - That the Worcester City Council urges our State Delegation and others to pursue the naming in 2020 of the Worcester District Courthouse the “Sarah E. Wall Courthouse”. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman June 2, 2020 and June 9, 2020 - Petty and Tabled - Russell June 16, 2020)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11e.

ORDER of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey, Councilor Sean M. Rose, Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Matthew E. Wally, Councilor George J. Russell, Councilor Donna M. Colorio, Councilor Gary Rosen and Mayor Joseph M. Petty - Request City Manager support the (re)opening of the City’s licensed cigar and hookah lounges and for the state to amend the classification of these establishments. These establishments can, and should, fit under the guise and parameters set forth as restaurants as they have or will have a common ViC license. (Tabled Under Privilege - Rivera September 8, 2020 and Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson September 15, 2020 and Tabled - Mero-Carlson September 22, 2020)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11f.

COMMUNICATION of the City Clerk transmitting a draft of social media policies and procedures for City Council, in the event that a Facebook page for the City Council is created, including information relative to best practices used in other communities. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman January 26, 2021, Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson February 2, 2021 and Tabled - Petty February 9, 2021)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11g.

RESOLUTION of Councilor Khrystian E. King - That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support Representative Rebecca Rauch and Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz’s SD 699 HD 1283, An Act effectuating equity in COVID-19 Vaccination Bill. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman February 9, 2021 and Tabled - Bergman February 23, 2021)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11h.

PETITION of Meighan Sharry request City Council request City Manager effectively stop efforts to develop athletic fields at Duffy Field/Wetherall Park. (Tabled - Petty March 30, 2021)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11i.

ORDER of Mayor Joseph M. Petty - Request City Manager dedicate new growth over the budgeted amount to the Fire Department’s Community Risk Assessment Master Plan. (Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey October 12, 2021 and October 19, 2021 and Tabled - Mero-Carlson October 26, 2021)

Attachments

No action taken

 

11j.

RESOLUTION of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson and Councilor Matthew E. Wally – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the State Legislature’s Redistricting Committee’s use of the local census building blocks and local knowledge of the City Clerk and Board of Election Commissioners to redraw the State Legislature’s districts for the next ten (10) years. (Tabled Under Privilege - King October 12, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson October 19, 2021 and Tabled - Mero-Carlson October 26, 2021)

Attachments

No action taken

 

12.

BUSINESS UNDER SUSPENSION OF RULES - Items brought forth under suspension at the November 9, 2021 City Council meeting.

12a.

ORDER of Councilor Sean M. Rose – Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks divide Construction Progress Reports into sections by City Council district. – Item #18a CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

 

13.

NEW BUSINESS UNDER SUSPENSION OF RULES - Items brought forth under suspension at the November 16, 2021 City Council meeting.

13a.

Motion Toomey – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks consider extending the time when the Millbury Street Drop-Off Center is open for two to three weeks to allow residents to drop off yard waste.

Attachments

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Toomey, who brought forth the item. Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

 

13b.

Motion Rivera – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager request Police Chief provide increased traffic enforcement on Florence St.

Attachments

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Rivera, who brought forth the item. Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays