CITY OF WORCESTER
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
JOURNAL
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 24, 2003
7:00 P.M.
Convened: 7:10 P.M.
Adjourned: 8:13 P.M.
1. INVOCATION Rev. Aved Terzian
Armenian Church of Our Saviour
2. PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE/STAR SPANGLED BANNER
3. ROLL CALL All present except Councillors Clancy,
Palmieri, Patton and Perotto.
Councillors Palmieri and Perotto arrived at 7:12 P.M. and Councillor Patton
at 7:15 P.M.
Mayor Murray introduced Rayan Meersman of Boy Scout Troop 334 who was attending the City Council meeting for his Communication Merit Badge
HEARING & ORDER 7:00
P.M.
4 Hearing held
4. CLARK UNIVERSITY to install two hot water lines and two chilled water lines across MAYWOOD ST. to supply heat and air conditioning to new biology building from existing power plant.
4a
ORDER ADOPTED
4a. Granting permission to CLARK UNIVERSITY to install two hot water
lines and two chilled water lines across MAYWOOD ST. to supply heat and air
conditioning to new biology building from existing power plant.
5. ITEMS OF CITIZEN INTEREST
5a. ITEMS
OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST
6
REFERRED TO LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Petitioner spoke
6. William S. Coleman III request City Council place before the voters on the November 4, 2003 municipal election the following non-binding survey question: Do you support the recommendation of the Commissioner of Public Health to the Worcester City Council regarding smoking in public places? (Attachments)
7-9
REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
7. Mayor Timothy P. Murray on behalf of Dominic Dipilato request
private street maintenance on Seattle St.
(Attachments)
8. Barbara Welch et al request private street maintenance on
Frederickson Ave. (Attachments)
9. Charles D. Flanagan request abatement of Sewer Betterment
Assessment #30883 in the amount of
$8,355.44 on Norton St. (Attachments)
10-13 REFERRED TO TRAFFIC
& PARKING COMMITTEE
10. Kenneth Ricard request handicap parking on Reeves St. at light
pole #8. (Attachments)
11. Nora Missiewicz & Rose Rodrique et al request to save the
traffic light at Main and Sylvan Sts. (Attachments)
12. Mayor Timothy P. Murray on behalf of Joseph Pearson & Donald
Bradway request that parking be allowed on one side of Benson Ave. year round. (Attachments)
13. Minor Loving request to have resident permit parking on the corner of Jackson and Main Sts. (Attachments)
13a. Mayor Timothy Murray request installation of Deaf Child signage along Bailey St. as well as the rotary near the entrance of Bailey St. Referred to Traffic & Parking Committee Suspension of Rules
14 & 15 Councillor Haller recused from #14 on a roll call 8-0 (Clancy, Patton absent) - HEARINGS SET FOR JULY 1, 2003 4:00 P.M.
14. MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC CO. & VERIZON NEW ENGLAND, INC. for a
joint pole location on: COBURN
AVE. (Attachments)
15. NSTAR for gas main locations on: WEST BOYLSTON ST. & WILBUR ST. (Attachments)
ORDERS
16. Request City Manager consider putting a spot light in the
Greenwood Park parking lot for safety reasons. (Clancy) (Attachments)
Held to July 1, 2003
17. Request Administration report on whether there are any grants or
other funding available to fund the continuance of the collaboration with the
Worcester Regional Research Bureau on performance measurement, including
ComNet. (Lukes) (Attachments)
Adopted
18. Request Administration report on the feasibility of initiating a
CitiStat pilot program within a municipal department. (Lukes) (Attachments)
Adopted
19. Request Administration report on the solutions and problem
solving strategies used by other urban police departments to deal with
typically urban crimes, including prostitution. (Lukes, Patton, Gomez, Irish)
(Attachments)
Adopted
20. Request Administration to report on the process that would be
recommended for a review of the structure and functions of the Police
Department. (Lukes, Patton, Clancy,
Perotto, Petty, Gomez, Murray, Palmieri, Haller) (Attachments)
Adopted
21. Request Administration to report on the availability of an
outside professional entity to conduct an overview of the structure and
operations of the Police Department.
(Lukes, Gomez) (Attachments)
Adopted
22. Request Administration to make a recommendation, for the purpose
of treating appointed members of Boards and Commissions equitably who serve as
volunteers, regarding the elimination of payment of stipends and/or wages,
including health insurance and pension benefits. (Lukes) (Attachments)
Adopted
23. Request Administration review the feasibility of using land at
the South Worcester Industrial Park to relocate the Central Garage. (Clancy, Perotto, Murray, Patton, Palmieri,
Petty, Lukes, Abraham, Gomez) (Attachments)
Held to July 1, 2003
24. Request City Council Sub-Committee on Traffic & Parking
review those problem streets with many parking ban violations and amend Revised
Ordinances from a declared ban to a permanent ban. (Clancy, Perotto, Murray, Patton, Palmieri, Gomez, Petty, Haller,
Irish, Lukes, Abraham) (Attachments)
Held to July 1, 2003
25. Request City Manager work with Project Partners to name the
multipurpose field of the Kilby, Gardner and Hammond Revitalization Area in
memory of Janice Nadeau. (Clancy,
Murray, Perotto, Petty, Patton, Palmieri, Lukes, Irish, Gomez, Haller,
Abraham) (Attachments)
Held to July 1, 2003
26. Request City Manager report to City Council on the status of
development plans for the municipal parking lot behind the Library
building. (Clancy, Palmieri,
Petty) (Attachments)
Held to July 1, 2003
27. Request Administration report on total cost savings relating to
conversion of fully functioning traffic lights to blinking lights. (Murray)
(Attachments)
Councillor Haller moved to amend: Further, request report include whether said
conversion takes into account traffic patterns in summer months versus school
months.
Councillor Petty moved to amend: Further, request
Administration provide safety records of those intersections where traffic were
changed to blinking lights.
Mayor Murray moved to amend: Further, request Administration provide recommendations as to
prioritization of turning lights back on for safety reasons.
28. Request Administration report on negotiations with CIGNA
regarding the removal of ramps over Worcester Center Boulevard. (Murray)
(Attachments)
Adopted
29. Request Administration report on the daily efforts being
undertaken regarding tenant/airline recruitment. (Murray) (Attachments)
Councillor Gomez moved to amend: Further, request report
identify what type of air traffic the City is trying to recruit, passenger or
cargo.
Adopted, as amended
30. Request Administration report on the status of RFP for Airport
Industrial Park parcels. (Murray) (Attachments)
Adopted
31. Request Administration to distribute to the City Council the
report of the State Department of Public Health, issued in May 2003, regarding
overdose deaths in Massachusetts and to request Administration to comment on
what, if any, Worcester data was included in the report and the process by
which the data was collected.
(Lukes) (Attachments)
Adopted
32. Request Administration to provide a comprehensive report
regarding utility poles used by Massachusetts Electric and Verizon, including
the definition of ownership and municipal gain. (Petty, Perotto, Murray,
Patton) (Attachments)
Councillor Haller recused on a roll call 9-0 (Clancy
absent)
Adopted
33. Request City Manager immediately contact Massachusetts Electric
Co. and Verizon to determine whether their (and their affiliates) lines and
equipment connected to utility poles present an immediate threat of death or
severe bodily injury to the citizens of Worcester and employees of companies
coming in proximity to such lines. (Petty,
Perotto, Murray, Patton) (Attachments)
Councillor Haller recused on a roll call 9-0 (Clancy
absent)
Councillor Petty moved to amend to add: as defined by the four prongs in the court
case of Verizon/Mass. Electric versus Fiber Technologies. Further, request document signed under pains
and penalties of perjury.
Adopted, as amended
34. Request an Executive Session be held on Tuesday, September 23,
2003 with the City Manager and the School Superintendent to discuss progress
made for determining our strategy for contract negotiations with Charter
Communications. (Petty, Perotto,
Murray, Patton)
Adopted
34a. Request Administration to approach NSTAR concerning their property
on Quinsigamond Ave. and the use of that property as a campus for municipal
services. Patton Suspension of
Rules Adopted (Attachments)
34b. Request Administration report on the feasibility of placing a
trash receptacle at 16 Norwich St. Murray,
Abraham Suspension of Rules Adopted
(Attachments)
34c. Request Commissioner of Public Works to report regarding sewer
problems at 51 and 43 Denmark St. Lukes,
Palmieri Suspension of Rules Adopted
(Attachments)
34d. Request City Manager to report at the July 1, 2003 City Council
meeting relative to the policy of cable buy through on cable TV as to cost and
what Charter Communications is doing to advertise this. Lukes Suspension
of Rules Adopted (Attachments)
35 Councillor Perotto recused on a roll call 8-0
(Clancy, Haller absent) ORDER ADOPTED ON A ROLL CALL 9-0 (Clancy absent)
35. DECREE TO MAKE PUBLIC: MODRED COURT. (Attachments)
36 ADOPTED
36. SEWER BETTERMENT ASSESSMENT:
ANDREWS AVE. (Attachments)
37. Thomas R. Hoover, City Manager requesting adoption of a resolution authorizing the filing of a Grant Application with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for $1,000,000 under the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative Program in conjunction with the HUD Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program. (Attachments)
Resolution adopted Reconsideration filed by Councillor
Clancy
38. Thomas R. Hoover, City
Manager transmitting communication relative to Stop Loss Insurance. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
39. Roberta Schaefer, Executive Director, Worcester Regional
Research Bureau transmitting communication relative to Use and Abuse of User
Fees and Charges. (Attachments)
Referred to Fees & Charges Committee
40. Worcester Regional Research Bureau transmitting 2002-2003 Annual
Report. (Attachments)
Placed on file
41. That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby endorses state legislation under consideration that, if enacted, would prohibit the use of cellular telephones and other hand-held devices by people while operating a motor vehicle with a junior operators license. (Attachments)
Adopted on a roll call 10-0 (Clancy absent)
42. That the City Council of the City of Worcester recognizes and
congratulates the Worcester Rugby Football Club for finishing in 4th
place nationally in Division One of the 2003 season of the USA Rugby Football
Union. (Irish, Petty, Murray) (Attachments)
Adopted on a roll call 10-0 (Clancy absent)
43. That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby recognizes
Worcester resident Steve Teasdale for his accomplishments as Coach of the
Boston Irish Wolfhounds and their 1st place Division One National
Championship in the USA Rugby Football Union.
(Irish, Haller) (Attachments)
Adopted on a roll call 10-0 (Clancy absent)
44. RECESS TO FINANCE AND ORDINANCE: No Items Pending
45 Councillor Petty recused from Natick St. on a roll
call 9-0 (Clancy absent) Natick St. approved on a roll call 9-0 (Clancy
absent) All other streets approved on a roll call 10-0 (Clancy absent)
45. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Report of the
Committee on Public Works upon the Communication of the City Manager
transmitting List of Candidate Petitioned Streets for FY 2004 Resurfacing
Program: recommend adoption of the
accompanying Order. (Attachments)
46 Accepted & Order adopted on a roll call 10-0
(Clancy absent)
46. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Communication
of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to FY03 Sidewalk
Rehabilitation Program: recommend
adoption of the accompanying Order. (Attachments)
47 ACCEPTED
47. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Communication
of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to FY03 Sidewalk
Rehabilitation Program: recommend
Communication be placed on file. (Attachments)
48-50 ORDAINED ON A ROLL CALL 10-0 (Clancy absent)
48. Reorganizing various Boards and Commissions of the City of Worcester. (Attachments)
49. Amending Section 2, Article III of the Worcester Zoning
Ordinance adopted April 2, 1991 relative to a zone change in the area of
Northboro St. (Attachments)
50. Amending Section 2, Article III of the Worcester Zoning
Ordinance adopted April 2, 1991 relative to a zone change in the area of Putnam
Lane. (Attachments)
TABLED ITEMS No Action Taken
51. Communication of the City Manager relative to CIGNA Letter
Worcester Common Outlets. (Tabled December 17, 2002) (Attachments)
52. Motion Lukes as amended by Abraham Request Administration to
contact CIGNA relative to the feasibility of linking up Front St. with
Washington Sq. and Shrewsbury St. and explore financial incentives that might
facilitate that. (Tabled December 17, 2002) (Attachments)
53. Communication of the City Manager relative to Annual Evaluation and Performance Report. (Tabled June 17, 2003 to July 1, 2003)
SCHEDULED MEETINGS OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEES
JULY 2, 2003
HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD
COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:30-7:00 P.M. REVITALIZATION
JULY 2, 2003 HEALTH
COUNCIL
CHAMBER
7:00 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
JULY 1, 2003 4:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M. ANNUAL
EVALUATION OF THE CITY MANAGER
AUGUST 12, 2003 4:00 P.M.