CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 7:15 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:20 P.M.

Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

City Auditor
Robert V. Stearns

Councilors

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council Meeting of May 12, 2015.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC for a joint pole location in: COLBY AVENUE Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC for a joint pole location in: COLBY AVENUE

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC for a joint pole location in: TORY FORT LANE Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC for a joint pole location in: TORY FORT LANE

Mayor Petty recognized the following speakers:
1. William Breault, Worcester resident
2. Idella Hazard, Worcester resident
3. Mauro DePasquale, Worcester resident

John Tarrant request Department of Public Works and Parks rectify the cause of the ingress of water and road debris from Granite St. onto the grounds of 77 Saint Anthony St.

Melvin Collins request removal of all "No Parking Anytime" restrictions on Canterbury St. from Hammond St. to Gardner St.

Dina Sciarra request removal of handicap parking space in front of 9 Brookline St.

Mary Ellen McCarthy request removal of handicap parking space located at 11 Colton St.

Monique Adjami Shevlin et al request handicap parking space on Fern St. adjacent to 488 Park Ave. be relocated as to not impede the limited parking available to tenants of 488 Park Ave.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a pole location in: WEST BOYLSTON DRIVE

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Appointment of Cheryll Holley to the Historical Commission.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the appointment of Brian Nyako to Constable.

Recommend approval of the appointment of Douglas Russell to the Commission on Disabilities.

Recommend approval of the discontinuance of a portion of the former Millbury Street location, discontinuance of a portion of Dryden Access Road, a public highway layout on parcels acquired by the Commonwealth on behalf of the City, conveyance of three parcels of land to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and public layout of a portion of Dryden Access Way.

Recommend adoption of the attached resolutions relative to the Certified Project Application and Site Specific Economic Opportunity Area (EOA) Designation for 150 Blackstone River Road.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the Construction Progress Report for the month ending April 30, 2015.

Transmitting informational communication relative to clarification as to whether or not there would be an effect on organizations that are not religious or educational, should the City file legislation similar to Chapter 565, Acts of 1979.

Transmitting informational communication relative to an update on efforts to regulate car-sharing services such as Uber.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the City's revenues and expenditures through March for Fiscal Year 2015, per the City's Five Point Plan.

Transmitting informational communication relative to an outline of expenses, cost estimates and time line for construction of a studio in the City Hall basement.

Recommend that Thirty One Thousand Four Hundred Ninety Dollars And No Cents ($31,490.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C731A, Water Capital, and be appropriated to DPW Account #45C703, Water Capital Equipment, when and as received, to allow for the purchased and future payment of this equipment.

Recommend that Twenty Six Thousand One Hundred Eighty Five Dollars And No Cents ($26,185.00) be transferred from Account #91C763, South Worcester Industrial Park, and be appropriated to Account #04C714, South Worcester Industrial Park, to fund anticipated expenses through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2015.

Recommend that Sixty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($60,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account # 91C709, Worcester Common Rehab., and be appropriated to Parks Account # 72C706, Worcester Common, to allow for current and anticipated obligations.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation in the amount of Three Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($300.00) from the Worcester Public Library Foundation to fund guest speakers at the 2015 Worcester Public Library Local Author Fair.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude an in-kind donation of 150 smoke and 50 carbon monoxide detectors from Kiddie Fire Safety.

Recommend adoption of three (3) resolutions to apply for new grant opportunities from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Highway Safety Division.

Recommend that Sixty Three Thousand Three Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($63,300.00) be transferred from Account #043-91000, Economic Development Salaries and be appropriated, to Account #480-92000, Union Station Ordinary Maintenance, to provide additional funding for operating expenses at Union Station through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2015.

Recommend that Eight Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($8,000.00) be transferred from Account #110-91000, City Energy Regular Salaries, and be appropriated to Account # 110-97000, City Energy & Asset Management Overtime, to fund the remainder of Fiscal 2015.

Recommend that Twenty Five Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($25,000.00) be transferred from Account #280-91101, Inspectional Services Salaries, to Account # 280-92099, Inspectional Services Ordinary Maintenance, to cover expenses through the end of this fiscal year.

Recommend that One Hundred Seventy Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($170,000.00) be transferred from Account #900-92000, Contingency, to Account #250-97000, Police Overtime, to cover a projected deficit in the court overtime account. Using our current overtime projections we expect that this transfer should be sufficient to cover court overtime expenses for the remainder of fiscal 2015.

Transmitting informational communication relative to a list of positions that have either been eliminated, added or upgraded in the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget.

Transmitting informational communication relative to City owned properties and leases.

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph C. O'Brien - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby goes on record in support of the Administration’s efforts to negotiate the maximum hiring of local residents in Tax Increment Financing agreements and other tools used to attract business and to expand our tax base. (Tabled - O'Brien September 13, 2011)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to Out of State Residents Working on Local Projects and Not Meeting the State's Health Care Mandates. (Tabled Under Privilege - O'Brien August 14, 2012 and Tabled - Lukes September 4, 2012)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to parking meters at Rockwood Field. (Tabled Under Privilege - Eddy December 10, 2013 and Tabled December 17, 2013)

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes request City Manager request the School Department share in the cost for providing police services during the presidential visit. (Tabled Under Privilege - Lukes June 17, 2014 and Tabled July 22, 2014)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the number of properties in areas surrounding Holy Cross, Clark University, Becker College and WPI that are listed as having true four-bedroom units. (Tabled - Bergman August 19, 2014)

PETITION of Frank Kartheiser et al on behalf of the Worcester Community-Labor Coalition request City Council hold public hearings starting in October on charter change and that at the conclusion of the hearings the Council takes a vote on holding an election to let the voters decide Worcester's future form of government. (Tabled Under Privilege - Lukes August 19, 2014 and Tabled - Petty September 16, 2014)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager recommending approval of Legislation to Impose a Fine on Motorists that Damage a Bridge that is marked with a Height Restriction. (Tabled - Bergman December 2, 2014)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the Brittan Square Parking Lot. (Tabled - Palmieri January 7, 2015 and January 13, 2015)

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman - Request City Manager provide information from the City Solicitor as to what steps are available to enforce breaches of the Services Agreement with Laz Parking Limited, LLC in regards to City owned parking garages, specifically the Federal Plaza Parking Garage. (Tabled - Petty January 7, 2015, Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman January 13, 2015 and Tabled - Bergman January 20, 2015)

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Tony Economou and Councilor George J. Russell - Request City Manager provide information from the City Assessor, Chief Financial Officer and City Solicitor as to the assessed real property values of all City owned parking garages, the amount of debt, if any, the anticipated repairs and/or capital improvements costs for fiscal year(s) 2015/2016 and the existing lease commitments/terms for spaces in these garages. (Tabled - Petty January 7, 2015, Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman January 13, 2015 and Tabled - Bergman January 20, 2015)

Motion Lukes @ #9.4B CM – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the City’s follow up procedures in regards to TIFs. Further, request City Manager include in the report how many, if any, TIFs have been decertified as a result of not meeting employment requirements.

Motion Rivera @ #9.7A CM – Request City Manager organize future Construction Progress Reports alphabetically and by district.

Motion Rushton @ #9.13B CM – Request Standing Committee on Rules and Legislative Affairs invite State Representatives serving Worcester residents to a meeting concerning a Home Rule Petition for an exemption to the Dover Amendment similar to Chapter 565, Acts of 1979.

Motion Rushton @ #9.25A CM – Request City Manager request City Auditor, either through himself or by outsourcing, provide City Council with an audit of the WCCA.

Motion Petty – Suspension of Rules – Request City Council suspend its rules and allow the reports of the Finance Committee concerning both the Communication of the City Manager transmitting the Fiscal Year 2016 budget document recommendation and the Report of the Committee on Public Works Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the recommended FY16 water and sewer rates be included on the City Council’s June 2, 2015 agenda.

PETITION – Councilor Gary Rosen request installation of a 4-way stop sign at the intersection of Cascade Rd. and Windemere Rd.

Motion Rosen – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager request Police Chief provide increased speed enforcement in Olean St.

Motion Rosen – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks remove pile of dry wood lathe in the vicinity of Swan Ave.

Motion Rivera – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks replace the street sign for Blossom St. at its intersection with Russell St.

Motion Rivera – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager provide City Council with a timetable as to when the handball court on Castle St. will be demolished.