CITY OF WORCESTER | Finance Committee Meeting | Tuesday, May 16, 2017 | Esther Howland (South) Chamber | Convened: 4:06 P.M. | Recessed: 5:25 P.M.
Reconvened: 5:33 P.M.
Recessed: 7:00 P.M.
Reconvened: 7:43 P.M.
Adjourned: 9:22 P.M. |
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Mayor
Joseph M. Petty | 
www.worcesterma.gov |
Clerk of the City Council
Susan M. Ledoux | Committee Members | | Chairperson Joseph M Petty | | Councilor Morris A Bergman | | Councilor Tony Economou |
| | Councilor Michael T Gaffney | | Councilor Khrystian E King | | Councilor Konstantina B Lukes | | Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson | | Councilor Sarai Rivera | | Councilor Gary Rosen | | Councilor George J Russell | | Councilor Kathleen M Toomey |
City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | All members were present with the Mayor as the Chair except for Councilors King, Lukes, and Toomey. Councilor King arrived at 4:10 P.M., Councilor Toomey arrived at 4:11 P.M. and Councilor Lukes arrived at 4:14 P.M.
City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.
Chief Financial Officer Thomas F. Zidelis
City Auditor Robert V. Stearns
City Clerk Susan M. Ledoux, clerk | | | | | Also: | Chief of Police Steven M. Sargeant
Fire Chief Michael J. Lavoie
Director of Communications Richard Fiske, III
Chief Development Officer Michael E. Traynor, Esq.
Assistant City Manager for Operations and Director of Human Resources Kathleen G. Johnson
Commissioner of Public Works and Parks Paul J. Moosey
Inspectional Services Commissioner John R. Kelly
City Solicitor David Moore
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| 1. | FY 2018 Budget Hearing - Worcester Police Department | |
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| | | 1a. | Police Department - X-1, pg. 111 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning what the funds being allocated to security services in the Worcester Police Department FY 2018 budget will be used for. (Russell) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning what the cost would be to bring in ten more police officers, as well as any OPEB liabilities that might be associated with bringing them in. Further, request City Manager include in said report a comparison between bringing in ten more police officers against using overtime. (Lukes, Economou) | |
| 2. | FY 2018 Budget Hearing - Fire Department | |
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| | | 2a. | Fire Department - XI-1, pg. 133 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 3. | FY 2018 Budget Hearing - Emergency Communications and Management | |
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| | | 3a. | Emergency Communications/Emergency Management - XII-1, pg. 145 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 4. | FY 2018 Budget Hearings - Department of Economic Development | |
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| | | 4a. | Economic Development - VII-1, pg. 57 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 4b. | Union Station/Worcester Redevelopment Authority - VII-2, pg. 65 | View Budget | | | | | | | Mayor Petty recognized former City Councilor Philip P. Palmieri, who addressed the Committee concerning the Union Station/Worcester Redevelopment Authority budget.
Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the projected rate of return on buildouts at Union Station to determine if the City should make such an investment. (Gaffney) | |
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| | | 4c. | Workforce Investment Board - VII-3, pg. 69 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the successes of the Workforce Investment Board and the Workforce Central Career Center. (Gaffney) | |
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| | | 4d. | Workforce Central Career Center - VII-4, pg. 73 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 4e. | Marketing Campaign - VII-5, pg. 77 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager include in future budgets information concerning the agency that will be using funds whenever it is not the agency directly associated with said funds. (Gaffney) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a detailed report regarding how money is spent in the Marketing Campaign budget, including money spent on advertising and what media it is spent on. (Russell) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding NACA and how such a program could be used to attract public safety officials to buy homes in the City’s neighborhoods. (Petty) | |
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| | | 4f. | Cable Services - VII-6, pg. 79 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 4g. | License Commission - VII-7, pg. 83 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 5. | FY 2018 Budget Hearings - Human Resources | |
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| | | 5a. | Human Resources - VIII-1, pg. 85 | View Budget | | | | | | | Councilor Mero-Carlson moved to disclose she works for an insurance company.
Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the pros and cons of taking $3,500,000 from the Internal Service Fund as a means of giving it back to the taxpayers of the City. Further, request City Manager include in said report information regarding how said fund is replenished. (Gaffney, Economou) | | | | Request City Manager indicate in future budgets the monies allocated into various trust funds. (Gaffney) | |
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| | | 5b. | Worker's Compensation and Public Safety IOD - VIII-2, pg. 91 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 5c. | Unemployment Compensation - VIII-3, pg. 95 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 5d. | Health Insurance - VIII-4, pg. 97 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 6. | FY 2018 Budget Hearings - City Manager's Office | |
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| | | 6a. | City Manager's Office - IV-1, pg. 25 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the successes of the Municipal/Intergovernmental Affairs position in the City Manager’s office. (Gaffney) | |
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| | | 6b. | Contingency - IV-2, pg. 31 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 7. | FY 2017 Budget Hearings - Legislative Offices | |
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| | | 7a. | City Council - III-1, pg. 1 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 7b. | Mayor's Office - III-2, pg. 5 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 7c. | City Clerk's Office - III-3, pg. 7 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 7d. | Board of Election Commissioners - III-4, pg. 11 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 8. | FY 2018 Budget Hearings - Department of Public Works and Parks | |
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| | | 8a. | Auditorium - XV-1, pg. 163 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the impact any cost savings found in the FY 2018 budget may have on setting the next tax rate. Further, request City Manager include in said report projections for the increases in the next rate, as well as information concerning how new growth may be effecting the tax levy. (Economou, Russell) | |
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| | | 8b. | Administration - XV-2, pg. 165 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8c. | Engineering - XV-3, pg. 175 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8d. | Streets - XV-4, pg. 179 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8e. | Sanitation - XV-5, pg. 183 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8f. | Central Garage - XV-6, pg. 185 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8g. | Parks, Recreation and Cemetery - XV-7, pg. 187 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8h. | Golf Course - XV-8, pg. 195 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning removing the water bill charge from the Green Hill Golf Course account. (Mero-Carlson) | |
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| | | 8i. | Snow Removal - XV-9, pg. 201 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8j. | Streetlights - XV-10, pg. 205 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide a report to City Council regarding the potential cost savings that could be realized should the LED streetlight program be completed on schedule. (Bergman) | |
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| | | 8k. | Sewer - XV-11, pg. 207 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8l. | Water - XV-12, pg. 213 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 8m. | Off Street Parking - XV-13, pg. 219 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 9. | FY 2018 Budget Hearing - Inspectional Services | |
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| | | 9a. | Inspectional Services - XIII-1, pg. 153 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 10. | FY 2018 Budget Hearings - Law Department | |
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| | | 10a. | Law Department - IX-1, pg. 103 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 10b. | Property and Casualty Insurance - IX-2, pg. 107 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 10c. | Court Judgments - IX-3, pg. 109 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 11. | Fiscal Year 2018 Budget | |
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| | | 11a. | Communication of the City Manager recommend adoption of the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget submission as identified in the line item budget.
# 9.36A CM May 09, 2017 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
| 12. | Communication of the City Manager | |
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| | | 12a. | Transmitting informational communication relative to all litigation pending and resolved in the past five years, including representation by outside counsel and the direct and indirect costs.
# 9.13E CM May 09, 2017 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
| 13. | Communications of the City Auditor | |
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| | | 13a. | Transmitting the audited financial statements and management letter of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) for the years ended June 30, 2016 and 2015.
# 15e CC Tuesday, March 07, 2017 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 13b. | Transmitting the Semi-Annual financial statements of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) for the six months ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.
# 15f CC March 07, 2017 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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