CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Council Chamber

Convened: 7:12 P.M.

Adjourned: 9:30 P.M.

Mayor
Timothy P. Murray

www.ci.worcester.ma.us

City Manager
Michael V. O'Brien

City Auditor
James A. DelSignore

Councilors

Economic Development Initiatives Monthly Status Report

The Mayor welcomed a delegation from the City of Kaluga, Russia, municipal government officials, their visit sponsored by the Open World Leadership Program of the Library of Congress and organized by the International Center of Worcester. The Mayor introduced Royce Anderson from the International Center of Worcester and allowed him to speak.

James and Pauline Jacques et al request emergency private street maintenance on Riedl Place

Robert Gallo, President of Fox Hill Builders, request extension of 8" sanitary lines, 15" surface lines and water lines from Sarah Dr. to Lilac Lane, Holly Terrace, Honeysuckle Rd. and Pearlbush Path for Phase III of the Arboretum Subdivision.

Philip Morgan request extension of 2" sanitary force main approximately 180' south easterly along Wheeler Ave. at the owner's expense.

Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey request that the traffic signals at the intersection of Waverly and Grafton Streets be reprogrammed so as to reflect changes in traffic patterns due to the closure of the grocery store and in anticipation of the drugstore opening.

State Representative Robert P. Spellane request the installation of a push-button activated pedestrian crossing light in Pleasant St. at Tatnuck Magnet School at the corner of Copperfield Rd.

Mark Chase request to remove handicap parking space in front of 2 Rena St.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Constable Appointments for 2007.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to a Notice for the 3rd Community Meeting to Discuss the Worcester Regional Airport Master Plan.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grant.

Transmitting the Monthly Economic Development Report for December 2006.

Request City Council's Review, Consideration and Adoption of an Ordinance Concerning the Compensation of the Cultural Development Officer.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to an Update for the Blackstone Visitor Center.

SUPPLEMENTAL: Request City Council Adoption of the Attached Combined Resolution to Accept the Provisions of Chapter 43D of the Massachusetts General Laws, to Designate 49 Canterbury Street as a Priority Development Site, and to File and Accept a State Executive Office of Economic Development Interagency Permitting Board Grant.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaign for Tax Year 2006.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Finance item 35C to Appropriate One Hundred Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($197,500.00) in Unexpended Community Development Block Grant Funds.
Refer to CCM Item 8.35C

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Franklin Street Fire Station.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the DPWP's Efforts to Raise Public Awareness of the City's Winter Parking Ban.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the DPWP's 2006 Thanksgiving Day Donations.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Keep Worcester Clean (KWC) Activity Report for the Month of October 2006.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the FY 2007 Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Award.

Recommend City Council's Adoption of a Summary and Resolution to File and Accept a FY07 Commonwealth Security Trust Fund Grant.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Maximum Occupancy, According to Local and State Building Code Regulations, at each of the SMOC Lodging House Locations Across the City.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Appointment of the Deputy Director of Code Enforcement and the Appointment of the Housing Director within the Division of Code Enforcement.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to any Impact upon the City of Worcester Due to the Framingham SMOC Common Ground Shelter Closing.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to a Report on the Progress for the Closure of the PIP Shelter at 701 Main St.

Transmitting Informational Communication relative to Clients at the Proposed SMOC Facilities on June, Claremont and Catharine Streets.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Worcester Regional Tobacco Control Collaborative (WRTCC).

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Fiscal 2007 Certified Tax Rates.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Posting the Fiscal 2007 Exemption Amounts on the City's Web Site.

Recommend Adoption of MGL Chapter 59 Section 5 L: Deferral of Taxes Due by Members of the Massachusetts National Guard or Reservists.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the State Auditor's Review of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) for the Year Ended June 30, 2005.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Worcester Redevelopment Authority's (WRA) Audited Financial Statements and Independent Auditors' Report for the Year ended June 30, 2006 and 2005.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Changes in Deputy Tax Collection Services for the City of Worcester.

Recommend that One Thousand Fifty Dollars And No Cents ($1,050.00) be transferred from Account # 91C780, Citywide Capital Equipment, and be appropriated to Account # 34C701, Elder Affairs Capital Equipment, to provide funding for the purchase of a snow blower for the Worcester Senior Center.

Recommend that Eight Thousand Sixty Six Dollars And No Cents ($8,066.00) be transferred from Loan Account # 91C780, Capital Equipment, and be appropriated to Account # 72C701, Parks Capital Equipment, to allow for the purchase and future payment of Capital Equipment items.

Recommend that Three Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($300,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account # 91C784, Parks Improvements, and be appropriated to Account # 72C702, Park Site Improvements, for the purpose of funding current and future obligations related to the Beaver Brook Project.

Recommend that Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($750,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C713, Water Mains, and be appropriated to DPW Account #45C720, Water Mains to allow for the payment of current invoices and anticipated obligations per the request of Robert L. Moylan, Commissioner of Public Works.

Recommend that Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($750,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C737, Water Meters, and be appropriated to DPW Account #45C794, Water Meters to allow for the payment of current and anticipated obligations per the request of Robert L. Moylan, Commissioner of Public Works.

Recommend that Seven Thousand One Hundred Ninety Seven Dollars And No Cents ($7,197.00) be transferred from Account # 91C711, Citywide Building Rehabilitation, and be appropriated to Account # 34C702, Elder Affairs Building Rehabilitation, for the purpose of replacing lighting at the Senior Center.

Recommend that Ten Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($10,000.00) be transferred from Account # 91C784, Parks Improvements, and be appropriated to Account # 72C702, Park Site Improvements, to pay for contractual obligations related to the renovations at Great Brook Valley, as approved in the Capital Improvement Program.

Recommend that Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($50,000.00) be transferred from Account # 91C784, Park Improvements, and be appropriated to Account # 72C702, Park Site Improvements, to pay for contractual obligations related to improvements at Indian Hill Park as approved in the Capital Improvement Program.

Recommend that Sixty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($60,000.00) be transferred from Account #91C784, Park Improvements , and be appropriated to Account # 72C702, Park Site Improvements, to allow for payments of current and anticipated obligations for the Schwartz Lighting Project.

Recommend that Twenty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($25,000.00) be transferred from Account # 91C784, Parks Improvements, and appropriated to Account # 72C702, Parks Site Improvements, to allow for contractual obligations related to the renovations of Lake Park, as approved in the Capital Improvement Program.

Recommend that Fifty Two Thousand Two Hundred Thirty Nine Dollars And No Cents ($52,239.00) be transferred from Account #91C780, Capital Equipment, and be appropriated to DPW Account #41C703, Capital Equipment, to allow for the purchase and future payment of vehicles and fuel dispensers.

Recommend that this most recent authorized apportionment from the State (MA #0048521) in the amount of One Million One Hundred Twenty Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty One Dollars And No Cents ($1,129,961.00) be appropriated to DPW Account #41C440, Street Resurfacing, as requested by reimbursements to provide funding for current and future Chapter 90 obligations.

Recommend that Fifty Eight Thousand Six Hundred Dollars And Ninety Three Cents ($58,600.93) be transferred from Account #330-54, Reserve for Appropriation Greenwood Street Landfill, and be appropriated to DPW Account #41S607, Greenwood Street Landfill (City) to allow for pending engineering invoices to be processed for payment.

Recommend that Seventy Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($70,000.00) be transferred from Account # 91C711, Citywide Building Rehabilitation and be appropriated to Account # 55C700, Worcester Public Library Rehabilitation to provide funds for the design and installation of an air conditioning system at the Frances Perkins Branch Library as well at to replace carpeting in the Banx and Saxe meeting rooms of the Main Library.

Recommend that One Hundred Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($197,500.00) be transferred from various CDBG accounts and appropriated to newly funded CDBG projects.
Refer to CCM Item 8.9B

Recommend Adoption of a Loan Order in the amount of Seventy Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($72,800,000.00) for the purpose of constructing the new North High School.

Recommend that Seven Thousand Two Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($7,200.00) be transferred from Account # 14SSNS32, Neighborhood Services Salary, and appropriate Three Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Four Dollars And No Cents ($3,274.00) to Account # 14SPOM32, Planning & Regulatory Services Ordinary Maintenance, and Three Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty Six Dollars And No Cents ($3,926.00) to Account # 14SNOM32, Neighborhood Services Ordinary Maintenance, to provide funds for the purchase of office furniture.

Recommend that Seven Thousand Five Hundred Thirty Seven Dollars And Sixty Six Cents ($7,237.66) be transferred from Account #330-07, Damage Settlements, and appropriate Three Thousand Five Hundred Forty Seven Dollars And Sixty Five Cents ($3,547.65) to DPW Account #410-92000, Sidewalk Repairs O.M., to allow for the invoices associated with the installation of water and sewer services at 1461 Main Street to be properly funded for processing, and Three Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Dollars And One Cent ($3,690.01) to DPW Account # 440-92000, Sewer Division Vehicle Maintenance, to allow for body repair to a damaged vehicle.

Recommend that One Hundred Seventy Four Thousand Two Hundred Thirty Five Dollars And Ninety Nine Cents ($174,235.99) be transferred from Account # 330-08, Reserve for Appropriation of Premium on Loans , and be appropriated to Account # 660-92000, Treasurers Office Ordinary Maintenance, to provide funding for the costs associated with the issuance of bond refunding and bond anticipation note issuance.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Appointment of the Clerk of the Works for CitySquare.

#9.37A CM November 28, 2006
Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication regarding the Five-Year Financial Plan for the Worcester Public Schools.

Todd Grossman, Deputy General Counsel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Safety, transmitting Notice to Wiring Inspectors re: Permitting of Installation of Security Systems.

Roberta R. Schaefer, Executive Director of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, transmitting communication relative to Cable TV: Get with the Program.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Robert McKeon request that Laureldale Rd. from Pleasant St. to the property line of the Tatnuck Country Club be added to the Official Map.

Order of Mayor Timothy P. Murray - That the ordinance relative to the Police Department License Board as it relates to taxi regulations be rescinded. (Tabled Murray - April 25, 2006)

Order of Councilor Barbara G. Haller and Councilor Gary Rosen - Request the City Manager take all steps to have the WRTA #11 bus rerouted to serve the Island part of Harding Street (south of Kelley Square) to take residents, especially the elderly, to and from the Route 20 Fair Shopping Plaza. Further request that this service be provided several times in the mornings and again in the afternoons, both outbound and inbound. This service was formerly provided by the old #4 Millbury City Line and eliminated on January 28th, 2006 creating a serious hardship and reduction in the quality of life for residents in the Green Island neighborhood. (Tabled - Haller August 29, 2006)

Communication of Roberta R. Schaefer, Executive Director of Worcester Regional Research Bureau, transmitting communication relative to Dial 911: Whose Call Is It, Anyway? (Tabled - Murray October 10, 2006)

Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the Request for Proposal on two parcels of land currently owned by the Worcester Fire Department. (Tabled - Toomey November 14, 2006)

Motion-Clancy @#8.8B CM - Request City Manager report to City Council after consulting with owners of the former St. Vincent property relative to a guesstimated date for the demolition, how the demolition will be achieved, how long the demolition may be achieved, any mitigation issues and who neighbors can contact if concerns arise from the demolition.

Motion-Clancy @#8.8B CM - Request City Manager provide City Council with a map of the former St. Vincent property and the various ownerships.

Motion-Perotto @#8.11A CM - Request City Manager that during the course of the bidding process and as bids come in to communicate with the City Council as to the possibility of building the administrative wing to the new Franklin St. Fire Station.

Motion-Clancy @#8.11A CM - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to the details of the six-sided memorial to be built adjacent to the new Franklin St. Fire Station.

Motion-Clancy @#8.11A CM - Request City Manager discuss with the Fire Department the renaming of the new Franklin St. Fire Station to reflect the sanctity of the site and to a name that will be amendable to the families of the fallen firefighters as well as the members of the Fire Department.

Motion-Toomey @#8.11A CM - Request City Manager investigate the design on right side of the floor plan for the new Franklin St. Fire Station as to it's nature and reasons.

Motion-Toomey @#8.12B CM - Request City Manager institute a vehicle to inform the citizens of Worcester of charitable acts by City employees to show how much City employees give back to the community.

Motion-Haller @#8.12C CM - Request City Manager review the statistics in City Manager's item #8.12C relative to sanitation/non-conforming bags, yellow bag/non-conforming bag citations as well as overflowing container citations and explain why no citations have been issued when violations for yellow bag/non conforming use and overflowing containers occur on a regular basis.

Motion-Haller @#8.19D CM - Request City Manager work with SMOC to speed up the timetable listed in City Manager's Item #8.19D of the November 28, 2006 City Council Calendar significantly and to keep City Council posted as to the progress.

Motion-Haller @#8.19C CM - Request City Manager request his Administrative staff clarify to SMOC that when responding to questions relative to issues for Worcester that their responses should not only include the Pip shelter but should also include the sober houses, rooming houses and sheltering systems as well.

Motion-Haller @#8.29A CM - Request City Manager send a copy of #8.29A CM to all the Neighborhood Associations.

Motion-Murray - Suspension of Rules - Request City Council vote to advertise the attached amendment to the Salary Ordinance which would increase the salaries of the Mayor and Members of the City Council equal to Consumer Price Index rate of inflation since the last increase in 1987 to $38,600 for the Mayor and $33,775 for the members of the City Council and, thereafter, on each January First by the rate of inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index for the preceding year.

Motion-Rushton, Smith, Murray - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report by the December 19th City Council meeting regarding the increase of criminal activity in the Coolidge Rd./Midland St. area.

Motion-Rushton, Smith, Murray - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager consider increased police presence in the Coolidge Rd./Midland St. area.

Motion-Haller - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager obtain and provide City Council with a copy of the Pioneer Institute report. “The Cost of Doing Business in MA” as presented at the Worcester Regional Research Bureau forum that took place on December 12, 2006 by the December 19, 2006 City Council meeting.

Motion-Smith - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager request the Commissioner of Public Works and Parks replace or fix a sign that is leaning over at the intersection of King Philip Rd. and Leeds St.

Motion-Smith - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager request the Commissioner of Public Works and Parks replace or fix a resident permit parking sign on Indian Hill Rd.

Motion-Petty - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to the range and activity of breaking and enterings of private property throughout the City.