CITY OF WORCESTER
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL
– JANUARY 24, 2006
7:00 P.M.
Convened: 7:30 p.m.
Adjourned: 9:25p.m.
6:30 P.M. City
Council and School Committee will meet in Executive Session in Room 310 for the
purpose of Collective Bargaining.
7:00 P.M. City
Council Regular Meeting - Council Chambers
1.
PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE
2.
STAR
SPANGLED BANNER-ALEXANDRA MILLS
3. ROLL
CALL – All present
4. ITEMS
OF CITIZEN INTEREST
5. ITEMS
OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST
PETITIONS
6 REFERRED TO PUBLIC SERVICE &
TRANSPORTATION
6. Councillor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. on behalf
of Thomas Medlinskas request a street light on Pole #1 on Thenius St. (Attachments)
7 – 9 REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS
7. Carl
Flodman request to resurface Madeline St. (Attachments)
8. Dr. David Paquette request to install a guardrail in front of
86 East Central St. (Attachments)
9. Michael Troiano request upgrade of Dunkirk Ave. pumping
station and removal of grid at the end of the pipe at Broad Meadow Brook and
placed 150 yards from mouth of the pipe. This is causing a back flow of water
pressure to the pumping station. (Attachments)
10
& 11 REFERRED TO TRAFFIC & PARKING
10. Herbert Gilbert request handicap parking sign in front of 169
Perry Ave. (Attachments)
11. David Nelson request handicap parking on Front St. at Flagship
Bank building. (Attachments)
12. Request City Manager consider recommending
that a $4 Million Dollars be set aside to reduce the real estate tax levy used
to fund the FY 07 operating budget from any additional state monies returned to
the City, and further request City Manager to apportion the balance of those
monies to appropriate priorities including reserve fund for unfunded employment
pension liability and the bond stabilization fund. (Lukes, Haller, Smith) (Attachments)
Councillor Lukes moved to strike “pension” and to strike “$4 Million
Dollars” and replace with “a significant amount of money”. Adopted, as amended
13. Request Administration report as to the tracking of the public use of the relocated offices of Veteran’s Affairs, Human Rights, MCAD and Handicapped Affairs as compared to the public’s use of those offices in their prior locations. (Lukes) (Attachments) Councillor Lukes moved to amend: Further, request report be submitted back to the City Council within 30 days. Adopted, as amended
14. Request City Manager report to the City
Council concerning current efforts to relocate and combine the Offices of
Neighborhood Services and Economic Development, and, also concerning efforts to
restore the north (Lincoln) chamber as public meeting space. (Clancy) (Attachments)
Adopted
15. Request City Manager, through the Election
Commission, update the City of Worcester ward and precinct data in the 1993
Street Directory and republish in hard copy and by posting on the City’s web
site. (Rosen) (Attachments)
Councillor Toomey moved to add: “consider” updating the City of Worcester
ward and precinct data. Adopted as amended
16. Request City Manager investigate and report
to the City Council whether or not dogs or other animals might be at risk while
on City of Worcester sidewalks or streets due to surges of stray voltage from
faulty electrical junction boxes or wiring. (Rosen) (Attachments)
Adopted
17. Request City Manager consider the feasibility of offering a municipal affinity credit card (The Worcester Library Card), with revenues from said card dedicated to expanding the hours of operation at the Main or Branch Libraries and/or the re-instituting of bookmobile service. (Rosen) (Attachments) Adopted
18. Request City Manager investigate and
provide the City Council with costs to install appropriate lighting at the Joe
Swartz League baseball fields at Kendrick Park on Ararat St. (Smith) (Attachments)
Adopted
19. Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report concerning the feasibility and legality of conducting meetings of Council Standing Committees, Boards and Commissions on-line. Further, request said report to include options for inter-net meetings, equipment, and access needed to allow interactive participation from remote locations. (Haller) (Attachments) Councillor Toomey moved to add: “as similar to the City of Boston’s website.” Adopted, as amended
20. Request City Manager report to the City
Council calendar year 2005 data, preferably by Quarter and by District, the
number of house/business fires, average response time, minimum and maximum
response times, percent of structure fires reached within 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10 minutes, and the average amounts of property damage per response time
category. Further, request that said report include comparative data, where it
exists, for the cities of Boston and Springfield. (Haller) (Attachments)
Adopted
21. Request City Manager and City Auditor
provide a report to the City Council relative to the cost of including a
retiree cost of living adjustment in the FY 07 budget. (Murray) (Attachments)
Adopted
22. Request City Administration report to City Council on any
progress on the feasibility on installing sewers on Rt. 20 between Grafton St.
and Massasoit Rd., and further request Administration to report on any zoning
recommendations that would provide the best and the highest use of said land
area, especially in light of sewer connection availability. (Clancy) (Attachments)
Mayor Murray moved to amend: Further, request Administration examine this
area and consider whether it could be a DIF eligible district and, if the
financing could be used towards the needed water and sewer work which will
ultimately create more jobs and expand the tax base. Additionally, request this
information be reported back to City Council within thirty to forty-five days.
23. Request City Administration consider the elimination of the
traffic light at Cutler St. and Grafton St. (Clancy) (Attachments)
Councillor Palmieri moved to amend: Further, request Administration consider
a blinking green or yellow light. Adopted, as amended
24. Request City Manager recommend to the City Council a moratorium
on the issuance of any building permits in the area bordered by and including
the following streets beginning at a point at Indiana St. and Massasoit Rd.
along to the end of Indiana St. and Everton Ave. along to Broadmeadow Sanctuary
then to Evergreen Lane, and including within those boundaries Greenfield St.
and Dunkirk Ave. (Lukes, Rosen) (Attachments)
Lukes moved to amend: Further, request City Manager provide the City Council
with a report which lists the history of correspondence and informational
exchanges with the Town of Millbury as it relates to the Dunkirk Pumping
Station. Councillor Clancy moved to amend: Further, request City Manager
request the City Solicitor provide a detailed report to the City Council
pertinent to the amount of buildable lots remaining within this defined area,
and, if new construction is allowed, will there be a requirement to install
backwater valves, and lastly, if there is a moratorium placed on new building
construction, will the City have to pay fair market value to the land owners of
the land declared not buildable. Adopted, as amended
25. Request Administration make available to the City Council copies
of all internal e-mails, which deal with the Salter School. (Lukes) (Attachments)
Councillor Lukes moved to amend: Further, request City Manager request City
Solicitor to provide a legal opinion regarding obtaining copies of all internal
e-mails. Adopted, as amended
26. Request City Manager report to the City Council within one week
regarding it’s design plan for the Columbus Park roundabout and specifically
with reference to the Belgian Block design. (Rushton, Rosen, Lukes) (Attachments)
Adopted
27. Request City Manager report to the City Council regarding the
increase in parking fees at Union Station and the process that was used to
notify rail commuters. (Murray, Petty) (Attachments)
Adopted
27a. Request City Manager provide a report to City Council by February
14, 2006 regarding their commitment to providing Two Million Dollars
($2,000,000.00) to bridge the funding gap in constructing the Blackstone
Gateway Visitor Center. Motion Clancy @ #39 CC – Adopted (Attachments)
27b. Request City Manager provide a report to the City Council relative
to the financing of the Rockwood Field Master Plan. Motion Perotto @ #33 CC
– Adopted (Attachments)
27c. Request City Manager mail informational communication relative to
“Project ASAP”, item #30 on the January 24, 2006 calendar, to Neighborhood
Associations and Centers. Motion Haller @ #30 CC – Adopted (Attachments)
27d. Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report
relative to possible risks involved in utilizing the Construction Manager at
Risk method. Motion Lukes @ #36 CC – Adopted (Attachments)
27e. Request City Manager provide the City Council with a definition of
mandatory overtime as referenced in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette article,
dated January 21, 2006, pertinent to Local 495 contract negotiations. (Clancy)
– Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
27f. Request City Manager provide the City Council with a report
regarding the reaction of the legislative delegation as to whether the City
will receive more monies from the State for the construction of a new North
High School. Further, request that the City Manager work with the School
Administration to explore other funding possibilities to build a credible
structure, if no more monies are received from the State. (Clancy) –
Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
28. RECESS TO FINANCE AND ORDINANCE: No Items
Pending
29. James A. DelSignore, City
Auditor, transmitting December 2005 Auditor’s Report. (Attachments)
Placed on file
30. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to “Project ASAP”,
which stands for Awareness, Support, Assistance and Partnering. (Attachments)
Referred to Public Safety Committee
31. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, request review and adoption of a resolution to file and accept an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. (Attachments) Resolution adopted and referred to Public Safety Committee for informational purposes only
32. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, request review and adoption of a resolution to file and accept a Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Public Safety (MEOPS) FY 06 Community Policing Gang Initiative Grant. (Attachments) Resolution adopted
33. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to a draft of the
Rockwood Field Master Plan. (Attachments) Referred to Youth, Parks and
Recreation Committee
34. Michael V. O’Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to a Neighborhood Watch Summit hosted by the Worcester Police Department which will be held on Monday, January 30, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at Police Headquarters, 9-11 Lincoln Sq. (Attachments) Placed on file
35. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager transmitting communication relative to the “Street Violence Prevention
Group” (SVPG). (Attachments)
Referred to Public Safety Committee
36. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager, request City Council’s review and adoption of a proposed City Council
Order to accept through the Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) as agent
for the City, a grant of federal Fixed Guideway funds from the Worcester
Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) in the amount of Three Million One Hundred
Twenty Thousand Dollars ($3,120,000.00). (Attachments)
Order adopted on a roll call vote 10-0. Reconsideration denied on a roll
call vote 0-10. (Petty absent)
37. Michael V. O’Brien, City
Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to the Backflow
Valve Grant Program. (Attachments) Referred to Public Works Committee
38. That the City Council of the City of Worcester goes on record in
support of an increase in Low Income Homeowner Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) funds
for Fiscal Year 2006. (Murray, Toomey, Petty, Rosen, Haller, Smith, Perotto,
Palmieri, Lukes, Rushton, Clancy) (Attachments)
Resolution adopted
39. Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational
communication relative to the status of the budget and current funding sources
for the Blackstone Gateway Visitor Center in the Quinsigamond Village. (Attachments)
(Tabled January 17, 2006 by Murray) Taken off the table and referred to
Commerce and Development Committee
_____________________________________________________________
SCHEDULED MEETINGS OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEES
|
JANUARY 23, 2006 3:30
P.M. |
HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
|
|
|
|
JANUARY 25, 2006 5:30
P.M. |
COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
FEBRUARY 1, 2006 |
PUBLIC WORKS |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
6:00 P.M. FEBRUARY 15, 2006 5:30
P.M. |
PUBLIC WORKS |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
|
FEBRUARY 22, 2006 |
TRAFFIC & PARKING |
COUNCIL CHAMBER |
5:30
P.M.