CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 6:08 P.M.

Recessed into Executive Session: 6:09 P.M.
Reconvened into Open Session: 7:15 P.M.
Recessed into Finance Committee: 7:55 P.M.
Reconvened into Open Session: 9:33 P.M.
Adjourned: 9:59 P.M.

Mayor
Joseph C. O'Brien

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Michael V. O'Brien

City Auditor
James A. DelSignore

Councilors

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council meeting of May 10, 2011.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - That the City Council of the City of Worcester will recess to Executive Session on May 24, 2011 at 6:00 P.M. to discuss unresolved collective bargaining negotiations. (Clancy)

Martha Giard et al request Arbutus Road be repaved.

Martha Giard et al request sidewalks be repaired and repaved where any trees have been removed on Arbutus Rd.

Martha Giard et al request curbing be realigned where roots of former maple trees protruded.

Felicio Lama, Owner of Northeast Properties request crosswalk at the corner of West and William St. be restriped.

Thomas Dubois request two handicap parking signs in front of 150 Coolidge Rd. be removed.

Virginia Ryan et al request Worcester City Council pass a resolution in support of Governor Deval Patrick's proposed legislative changes to the state's health care payment system. In accordance with this legislation, the Worcester City Council could establish a Public Employee Committee to include retirees in negotiations on health insurance or show just cause why this cannot be done.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Appointment of Lamont Slater to the Historical Commission.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Appointment of Carolyn Grenier to the Commission on Elder Affairs.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Appointment of Ronald P. Richard to the Off-Street Parking Board.

Recommend Adoption of an Order to Execute a Deed Conveying All Right, Title, and Interest of Real Property Located at 152 Goddard Memorial Drive.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the HOME Affordable Housing Development Program.

Recommend Adoption of an Order to Transfer Tax Title Property Located at 8 Chandler Street to 4A & S Realty.

Recommend Adoption of an Order to Transfer Tax Title Property Located at 9 Oread Place for the Purpose of Creating a Community Gardening Pilot Project.

Recommend Adoption of the Attached Resolutions to File and Accept FY12 Grants from the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to an Update on the Upper Blackstone Permit Appeal.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Keep Worcester Clean (KWC) Activity Report for the Month of March 2011.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to File and Accept a FY 2012 Regional Public Safety Answering Point Development Grant.

Recommend Adoption of a Resolution to Accept a Donation in the Amount of Five Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($500) from Hebrew SeniorLife to Support the "Healthy Eating for Successful Living in Older Adults" Program at the Worcester Senior Center.

Recommend Adoption of an Order for the Issuance of Refunding Bonds.

Recommend that Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($8,700.00) be transferred from Account #91C711, Citywide Building Rehabilitation, and be appropriated to Account #11C702, City Hall Rehabilitation, to provide funding for various work in City Hall.

Recommend that Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($5,000.00) be transferred from Account #170-91000, Human Resources Personal Services, and be appropriated to Account #170-97000, Human Resources Overtime, to provide funding for additional overtime expenses related to the employee benefit open enrollment period.

Recommend Adoption of the Attached Amendments to the Organizational Ordinance for the Executive Office of Economic and Neighborhood Development.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Adjustments to Departmental Fees and Charges.

Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Upcoming Memorial Day Activities.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager report to City Council all the base wage increases that have been granted over the past 8 and 10 years to all collective bargaining groups for both the municipal and school side. (Clancy)

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning ESCOW possibilities at the Main Public Library as well as the Francis Perkins Library, especially for cost savings in the heat and hot water operations. (Toomey)

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager request the City Solicitor report to City Council the number of hours an attorney from the Law Department acted as a hearings officer for the Worcester Public Schools and report the projected number of hours for FY2012. (Toomey)

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager consider restoring positions within the Law Department through the collection of bond monies as a result of bank foreclosures. (O'Brien)

Amending Chapter 8 Section 9B of the Revised Ordinances of 2008 relative to the Regulation of Feeding or Baiting of Waterfowl.

Amending Section 68 of Chapter 13 of the Revised Ordinances of 2008 to make Coral St. One Way Southerly from Grafton St. to Union Place.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC AND PARKING Upon the Petition of Councilor Philip P. Palmieri and State Representative Vincent Pedone request to install a trailer truck ban in Mulberry St. between Shrewsbury St. and East Central St.: recommend the passage of the accompanying proposed Ordinance. (Tabled - Petty June 8, 2010)

Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to a Report on the City Council's Authority to Increase Elder Exemption Limits on Annual Income and Asset Limits. (Tabled Under Privilege - O'Brien April 26, 2011 & Tabled - Lukes May 3, 2011)

Motion Lukes - Suspension of Rules - That all future TIF projects when brought before City Council to keep all discussions on the floor of the council unless otherwise required by executive session parameters. (Lukes)

Councilor Rushton, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, requested the following Reports be submitted for consideration:

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Communication of the City Manager Recommend Adoption of Attached Resolutions to Designate Parcel L-3 in the CitySquare Development Project a Certified Project and Site Specific Economic Opportunity Area.: recommend adoption of the accompanying two Resolutions

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Communication of the City Manager Transmitting informational communication relative to the Proposed Certified Project for Vanguard/Saint Vincent Hospital in the CitySquare Development Project: recommend Communication be placed on file.

COMMUNICATION of Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to the Saint Vincent Hospital Cancer Center Project - City Square.