CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 7:07 P.M.

Adjourned: 9:17 P.M.

Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

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 22, 2012.

COMMUNICATION of Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting communication relative to his self-evaluation for Fiscal Year 2012 accomplishments achieved on behalf of the City Council and the community.

Vice Chair Lukes called for a Moment of Silence in recognition of the death of Rutland Police Officer and Worcester resident Sean Cooney who passed away this week in Indianapolis, IN.

Vice Chair Lukes read a Proclamation declaring the week of June 10th as Reading in Our City Week and presented the Proclamation to School Committee member John Monfredo.

Dawn Ahaesy request cheerleading be considered a sport in Worcester Public Schools.

Donna Whitten request Granite St. be resurfaced.

Councilor Philip P. Palmieri request sidewalk repair in front of 54 Burncoat Terrace.

James & Babette Brown request the sewer main that runs down Merchant St. be extended to #11 Merchant St.

Helena Siudak of European Bakery & Pastry request commercial loading zone in front of 29 Millbury St.

Mariam Pacheco request installation of a handicap parking space in front of 8 Elizabeth St.

Mayor Joseph M. Petty request installation of a Right Turn Only sign in Shattuck St. where it intersects with Lincoln St.

Jo Hart request all City of Worcester public meetings/hearings be held at times and places accessible by public transportation, and that all such meetings/hearings held be televised, and that all such scheduled meetings/hearings not meeting these specifications be postponed until all these specifications can be met.

Jo Hart request City of Worcester show the new PowerPoint plan of the improvements to Elm Park at a public hearing, televised at City Hall, preceding the next City Council meeting.

Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting informational communication relative to the Appointment of Anthony Salvidio to the License Commission.

Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting communication relative to the Appointment of Steven Rothschild to the Worcester Redevelopment Authority.

Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting communication responding to City Council requests for additional information relative to FY2013 budget.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Trung Cao et al request Brookside Ave. be converted to a public street.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Chairman's Order of the Public Works Committee requesting to consider revising the stipulaton imposed on the developer of Rustic Drive Extension so as to relieve them from constructing a sidewalk along the east side of the street along the rear property line of properties facing Moreland St.

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph C. O'Brien - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby goes on record in support Senate Bill 610, an act protecting condominium owners filed by Senator Harriette Chandler and Senator Richard Moore. (Tabled - O'Brien July 19, 2011)

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph C. O'Brien - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby goes on record in support of the Administration’s efforts to negotiate the maximum hiring of local residents in Tax Increment Financing agreements and other tools used to attract business and to expand our tax base. (Tabled - O'Brien September 13, 2011)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to an update on the status of #5 May Street. (Tabled - O'Brien January 31, 2012)

COMMUNICATION of the City Clerk transmitting communication expanding upon the newspaper article regarding the human error factor which occurred in the city's recount. (Tabled - Lukes February 7, 2012)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Finance for Housing Developments within the City of Worcester. (Tabled - O'Brien February 28, 2012)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Order of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Council support more diverse new housing development with an emphasis on market-rate housing with a maximum of 10% affordable units if there are going to any units available for development in the downtown Worcester area: recommend Order be placed on file. (Tabled - Lukes May 1, 2012)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager Recommend that Twenty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($25,000.00) be transferred from Account # 121-92000, Law Court Judgments, and be appropriated to Account #120-92000, Law Ordinary Maintenance, to provide funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2012. (Tabled Lukes - May 8, 2012)

Motion Toomey - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager request the Police Chief provide surveillance at the crosswalk in Lake Avenue at the Marine Corps League facility.

Motion Economou - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager repaint the double yellow line in Clark St.

Motion Economou - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager have the overgrown brush cut back in Burncoat Street between East Mountain St. and the railroad tracks.

Mayor Petty on behalf of the Chairman Councilor Rushton of the Economic Development Committee introduced the following Chairman’s Orders and Report for consideration: CHAIRMAN'S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Request the Mayor contact the Mayor of San Francisco concerning their Disparity Study and their recently enacted hiring ordinance.

CHAIRMAN'S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Request City Manager report what employee data is currently being collected on publicly funded job sites; specifically is data collected relative to the number of women or minorities that are hired and is residency kept track of and, further, what is the threshold for gathering data; is data for example collected at smaller funded projects as opposed to larger projects such as the North High School project.

CHAIRMAN'S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Request City Manager provide an update reporting what percentage of employees for the CitySquare project were Worcester or Worcester County residents.

CHAIRMAN'S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Request City Manager provide an update concerning employee data collected from the North High School project that reports the number of women and minorities employed and how many of the employees were residents for the city, county or state.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Order Councilor Joseph C. O'Brien - Request the City Council's Standing Committee on Economic Development hold a public hearing to welcome the public comments regarding the City Manager's decision not to enforce the Responsible Employee Ordinance: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order: That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the proposed “Responsible Employer” Ordinance (see Exhibit A) as presented by the Community Labor Coalition. Further, request the City Manager request the City Solicitor review this proposed “Responsible Employer” Ordinance and provide City Council with a legal opinion and any recommendations.

COMMUNICATION - Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting his proposal to match additional city dollars with redirected Worcester Public Schools funding to provide $1,700,000.00 in additional resources to the Worcester Public Schools to reduce elementary class sizes by recommending a reduction of $350,000.00 in the FY 2013 Budget for Police Personal Services and City Manager's Contingency and appropriate this to the FY 2013 Budget for Worcester Public Schools Personal Services.

COMMUNICATION - Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager, transmitting Budget Amendment to the FY13 Budget Recommendation that includes an additional appropriation to the Worcester Public Schools.

Mayor Petty, Chairman of the Finance Committee, requested the following Report be sumitted for consideration: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Manager recommending Review, Consideration and Approval of the Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Budget: recommend approval of the Budget.

PETITION - Councilor William J. Eddy request to install speed limit signs and “Go Slow Children” signs in the vicinity of 100 Mower Street.