CITY OF WORCESTER

Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Esther Howland (South) Chamber

Convened: 5:09 P.M.

Recessed: 7:02 P.M. Reconvened: 7:08 P.M. Recessed: 8:12 P.M. Reconvened: 8:49 P.M. Adjourned: 10:11 P.M.


Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

 

www.worcesterma.gov

 

Clerk of the City Council
Susan M. Ledoux

Committee Members

Chairperson Joseph M Petty
Vice Chairperson Konstantina B Lukes
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 except for Councilors Rose and Toomey. Councilor Toomey arrived at 5:22 P.M. City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. Chief Financial Officer Thomas F. Zidelis City Auditor Robert V. Stearns City Solicitor David M. Moore City Clerk Susan M. Ledoux
 
Also:Also Present Were: Superintendent of Public Schools Maureen Binienda Chief Development Officer Michael Traynor Commissioner of Health and Human Services Matilde Castiel Assistant Director of Human Resources Dori Vecchio Assistant City Manager Kathleen Johnson
 
1.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings Held - Economic Development

1a.

Economic Development - V-1, pg. 87

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

View Budget

Budget Approved

Chairman's Orders

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning what the five-hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) allocated to the ordinary maintenance of the Marketing Campaign within the Economic Development Office’s budget was spent on in FY19, as well as what it projects to be spent on in FY20. (Russell)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether City Council would be notified or whether any votes would be required prior to any monies being allocated for the purpose of using eminent domain to take land as part of the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan. (Russell)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the successes and challenges associated with providing affordable housing in the city. (King)

Request City Manager consider any role Discover Central Massachusetts can have in regards to marketing the Worcester Public Schools system. (King)

Request City Auditor provide City Council with a report reviewing whether the passage of time taken to develop the Madison Properties will have an impact on the solvency in terms of any payment on any loans or bonds. (Lukes)

1b.

Union Station/Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) - V-2, pg. 93

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

View Budget

Budget Approved

1c.

MassHire Central Regional Workforce Board - V-3, pg. 97

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

View Budget

Budget Approved

1d.

MassHire Central Career Center - V-4, pg. 101

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

View Budget

Budget Approved

1e.

Marketing Campaign - V-5, pg. 107

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

View Budget

Budget heard and hearing recessed until June 4, 2019

2.

FY 2020 Budget Hearing - Worcester Public Schools

2a.

Worcester Public Schools - VI-1, pg. 109

View Budget

Budget heard and hearing recessed until June 4, 2019

Chairman's Orders

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools consider purchasing a plot of land in the vicinity of Roosevelt Elementary School to help alleviate the parking concerns during pick up and drop off at the school. (Russell)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools provide City Council with their last October report that includes a breakdown determining the needs of the Worcester Public Schools Department for its next school year based on its enrollment projections to assess what is happening in each school building. (Lukes)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools provide City Council with a report concerning any costs incurred as a result of the Worcester Public School’s new strategic plan. (Lukes)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools provide City Council with Worcester Public Schools’ Facilities Master Plan. (Toomey)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools provide City Council with the maintenance and condition of the city’s school buses. (Toomey)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools consider creating a position to work on intergovernmental affairs relating to School Department issues. (King)

Request City Manager consider utilizing his Intergovernmental Affairs personnel to help the School Department advocate for the Senate and House Promise Act Bills at the State level, which would increase state education funding. (King)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning how the city is incrementally improving upon the ratio of school adjustment counselors to students, targeting a ratio of two-hundred and fifty (250) to one (1). (King)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools consider increasing and enhancing the budget for middle school sports if more funding becomes available. (King)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools provide City Council with a report concerning the practices previously used by the School Department to recruit teachers from areas like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Further, request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools include in said report information concerning what will be done moving forward. (Mero-Carlson)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools consider decreasing the city funds dedicated to Recreation Worcester within the School Department budget by one-hundred thousand dollars (100,000.00) so that the city can use those monies to expand the program. (Mero-Carlson)

Request City Manager request Superintendent of Public Schools provide City Council with a financial breakdown of costs associated with creating a sex education curriculum. Further, request City Manager include in said report information concerning any impact building such a curriculum would have on the city’s budget. (King)

3.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings - Health and Human Services

3a.

Health and Human Services - VIII-1, pg. 119

View Budget

Budget Approved

Chairman's Orders

Request City Manager request Commissioner of Health and Human Services provide the Worcester Public Schools with information concerning the importance of moving forward with comprehensive sex education. (King)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion concerning whether the city can treat vaping products in the same manner in which it treats cigarettes. (Lukes)

3b.

Public Health - VIII-2, pg. 125

View Budget

Budget Approved

3c.

Elder Affairs - VIII-3, pg. 131

View Budget

Budget Approved

4.

FY 2020 Budget Hearing - Technical Services

4a.

Technical Services - IX-1, pg. 137

View Budget

Budget Approved

5.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings - Human Resources

5a.

Human Resources - X-1, pg. 143

View Budget

Budget Approved

5b.

Workers' Compensation - X-2, pg. 149

View Budget

Budget Approved

5c.

Unemployment Compensation - X-3, pg. 153

View Budget

Budget Approved

5d.

Health Insurance - X-4, pg. 155

View Budget

Budget Approved

6.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings - Law Department

6a.

Law Department - XI-1, pg. 161

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

6b.

Property & Casualty Insurance - XI-2, pg. 165

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

6c.

Court Judgments XI-3, pg. 169

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

7.

FY 2020 Budget Hearing - City Auditor

7a.

City Auditor - XII-1, pg. 171

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

8.

FY 2020 Budget Hearing - Retirement

8a.

Contributory Pensions & Non-Contributory Pensions - XIII-1, pg. 175

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

9.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings - Legislative Offices

9a.

City Council - XIV-1, pg. 181

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

9b.

Mayor's Office - XIV-2, pg. 183

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

9c.

City Clerk's Office - XIV-3, pg. 187

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

9d.

Election Commission - XIV-4, pg. 191

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

10.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings - City Manager's Office

10a.

City Manager's Office - XV-1, pg. 197

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

10b.

City Manager's Contingency - XV-2, pg. 203

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

10c.

Cable Services - XV-3, pg. 205

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

11.

FY 2020 Budget Hearings - Administration and Finance

11a.

Administration and Finance - XVI-1, pg. 209

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

11b.

Assessing - XVI-2, pg. 223

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

11c.

City Energy and Asset Management - XVI-3, pg. 227

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

11d.

Debt Service Principal and Interest - XVI-4, pg. 233

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

11e.

Pension Obligation Bonds - XVI-5, pg. 237

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

11f.

DCU Center - XVI-6, pg. 241

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

12.

FY 2020 Budget Hearing - Five Point Plan Funds

12a.

Five Point Plan Funds - XVII-1, pg. 243

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

13.

FY 2020 Budget Hearing - Line Item Budget

13a.

Line Item Budget - XVIII-1, pg. 247

View Budget

Budget held until June 4, 2019

14.

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget

14a.

Communication of the City Manager regarding an Introduction of the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget for City Council deliberations to begin on May 14, 2019. # 9.36B CM May 07, 2019

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

Attachments

Recommend Hold

15.

Communications of the City Manager

15a.

Recommending approval of the FY20 Capital Improvement Plan. # 18a CC April 30, 2019

In Committee May 14, 2019 - Held

Attachments

Recommend Hold

15b.

Transmitting informational communication relative to City Council’s request for information regarding the FY20 Operating Budget. # 5a CC May 21, 2019

Attachments

Councilor Lukes moved to recommend recommitting the Item back to the City Manager with the following Order:

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report clarifying whether the movements within the City Manager’s budget concerning the Cultural Development and Communications Divisions are new positions or reorganizational changes. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning what affirmative action guidelines were applied to any succession planning. Further, request City Manager provide information regarding whether any new job slots have a recommended salary that is different from the prior salary held by the person in those slots. Further, request City Manager include in said report information regarding whether there were any significant changes in the job descriptions of any changed slots.