CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Council Chamber

Convened: 7:15 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:55 P.M.

Mayor
Konstantina B. Lukes

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Michael V. O'Brien

City Auditor
James A. DelSignore

Councilors

Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to Economic Development Initiatives Status Report - January 2008.

Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication regarding the Economic Development Division's (EDD) small business retention and recruitment efforts and other coordinated City activities.

Councilor Frederick C. Rushton request Jepson Ave., in it's entirety, be resurfaced.

Councilor William J. Eddy on behalf of Donald & Mary Moran request that a Stop Sign be installed at the terminus of Paradox Dr. at Beaconsfield Rd.

Councilor Barbara G. Haller on behalf of Amy Mosher request corner clearance in Pleasant St. at West St.

State Representative John Fresolo on behalf of Louis & Sharon Gouin request to restrict parking in Mott St. to the even side only.

Pablo Santiago et al request to change the "No Parking Anytime" sign located in Austin St. between Crown St. and Oxford St. to accommodate parking for visitors and overnight parking for residents.

Ada Hale request handicap parking space in the Fairmont Ave. side of 516 Grafton St.

Lauren Fletcher request Resident Permit Parking for one side of Haviland St. during Winter Parking Ban.

Jonathan Curtis request a Citizen's Committee be created to advise City Administration and City Council on how to best to use Internet resources.

Councilor Barbara G. Haller on behalf of Wayne Field request permission to address City Council regarding camera use on WRTA buses and the problems with the condition of unshoveled bus stops.

Request City Manager request the Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Parks review the signage for traffic traveling northbound in Moreland Street in the approach to Carter and Brigham Roads and make recommendations to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists alike. (Eddy)

Request City Manager consider the establishment of a Walk of Honor along City Hall Plaza that would annually recognize a Worcester citizen for his/her outstanding service to neighborhood and/or citywide improvement efforts, and, further request that he consider developing criteria that would be used to select said honoree, and, finally, consider the naming of this yearly recognition in honor of Jacob Hiatt whose philanthropic activities benefited so many areas of our City. (Clancy)

Request City Council change the name of Brackett Court to Leo Turo Way. (Germain, Palmieri)

Request City Manager communicate with the owners of property located at 316 Main Street to arrange for the cooperative financing and construction of Streetscape improvements in the sidewalk area in front of their property. (Germain)

Request City Manager communicate with the owners of property located at 306 Main Street to arrange for the cooperative financing and construction of Streetscape improvements in the sidewalk area in front of their property. (Germain)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning the condition and potential future uses of the former Fire Alarm and Telegraph Building on Park Avenue within Elm Park. (Rosen)

Request City Manager request Charter Communications to provide greatly reduced cable TV rates to individuals who reside in city nursing and rest homes. (Rosen)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the extent of illegal drug sales and use in the city of Worcester and recommend additional steps, if any, that can be taken to combat such criminal activity. (Rosen)

Request City Manager consider recommending that the name the public space known as Federal Square Plaza at the intersection of Southbridge and Main Streets be “Francis R. Carroll Plaza”. (Petty, Clancy, Lukes, Palmieri, Rushton, Eddy, Germain, Haller, Rosen, Smith, Toomey)

Request the City Council re-name the portion of Southbridge Street from Main Street to Myrtle Street to “Carroll Way” in honor of the significant contributions Mr. Francis R. Carroll has made to our community. (Petty, Clancy, Lukes, Palmieri, Rushton, Eddy, Germain, Haller, Rosen, Smith, Toomey)

Request City Manager develop a capital reinvestment plan, with budget and potential funding sources, and a sustainable maintenance program to improve upon the Federal Square Plaza and this designated right-of-way to properly reflect and support the current and future investments in this area. (Petty, Clancy, Lukes, Palmieri, Rushton, Eddy, Germain, Haller, Rosen, Smith, Toomey)

Request the City Council's Standing Committee on Education establish a schedule of quarterly meetings with the Colleges of Worcester Consortium to discuss the ongoing relationship between the City and Consortium. (Toomey)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING BOARD relative to altering street layouts of Cambridge St. and Southbridge St. Upon the Communication of the City Manager relative to the Four Corners Traffic Improvement Project and Eminent Domain Process.

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 the City Manager recommending the Adoption of a Loan Order in the amount of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($300,000.00) to be appropriated to Account #91C778, Providence Street Tot Lot, for the purpose of funding the construction of the planned playground at Providence Street. (Tabled - Lukes July 17, 2007)

Grant permission to NATIONAL GRID for conduit system in KANSAS ST. (Tabled - September 18, 2007)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC AND PARKING Upon the Petition of Daniel Leland request installation of a mirror at the end of Rosamond St. so that he will be able to see vehicles coming around corner: recommend Petition be denied. (Tabled - Clancy January 8, 2008)

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager provide City Council with a map outlining the lots to be created at Washington Square, and report when the RFP's will go out, and expectations for the building square footage on these lots.

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager forward to City Council a list of events booked at the Union Station Grand Hall.

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager report to City Council relative appearances, lighting and maintenance of the Front St., Grafton St. and Franklin St. Bridges and underpasses.

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the appearance of the parking spaces under I-290 as well as the entrances into these lots in the vicinity of Union station.

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager inform City Council of the timetable as to when both designs for the Blackstone Visitor Center from the Worcester Historical Museum and the City will be made available for review and advertisement.

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to what the City has done to push forward the Blackstone River Road, the Four Corners, and the Quinsigamond Gateway projects. Further, request City Manager contact our federal and state delegation relative to funding these projects.

Motion Clancy @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager contact and request the owners of both the CitySquare and Wyman-Gordon properties meet with the City Council's Standing Committee on Economic Development on a quarterly basis and further, request City Manager inform City Council of their reply and when they might be available to meet.

Motion Rushton @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager provide more specific information in either the monthly economic development report or the small business retention and recruitment report as to what the other major economic development agencies are doing here in the city and what is the city's Economic Development department is doing in partnership with them.

Motion Lukes @ #5a & 5b CC - Request City Manager contact the Veterans Council concerning the disposition of the historic veteran's plaques at the GAR Hall.

Motion Haller @ #11b CC - Request City Manager provide City Council with a status report of the restoration of WRTA #11 bus route.

COMMUNICATION - Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting communication recommend City Council review, deliberation and adoption of the attached Zoning Ordinance Amendment relative to the City's Adult Entertainment Zoning Ordinance.

Motion Rushton - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager contact abutting property owners concerning the shoveling of sidewalks at the HP access ramp at the corner of Pleasant St. and Bellevue St. and the sidewalk in Whitmarsh Ave. along the side of TD Banknorth.

Motion Petty, Smith, Germain, Toomey & Rosen - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager provide City Council with an update of 103 Holden St.

PETITION - Councilor Barbara G. Haller on behalf of Michael Dee request to install a guardrail in the vicinity of 3 Ashmont St. in the interest of public safety.