CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 6:32 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:26 P.M.

Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

City Auditor
Robert V. Stearns

Councilors

Mayor Petty recognized the Cub Scout Pack from Epworth United Methodist Church and Webelos Den Leader Dan Arnold, who led the City Council in their pledge of allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner.

Mayor Petty read a Proclamation declaring January 21, 2019 at Jewish Arbor Day in the City of Worcester, a day honoring Tu Bi Shvat, which is a day recognizing the importance of trees in the Jewish community. The Proclamation was presented to Steven Schimmel, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts.

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council Meeting of January 8, 2019.

Mayor Petty recognized the following speakers:
1. Idella Hazard, Worcester resident
2. Fred Nathan, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to #8.17A CM
3. Alex Guardiola, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of #8.7A CM
4. Joseph C. O’Brien, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of #8.7A CM
5. Shawn Manson, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of #8.7A CM
6. Jo Hart, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to #8.7A CM
7. William S. Coleman, III, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of #8.7A CM

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND for a pole location at: BROOKLINE STREET; and Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID and VERIZON NEW ENGLAND for a pole location at: BROOKLINE STREET

Dafni Tsolakidis request the installation of guardrails at four corners of May St. and June St. intersection.

Dafni Tsolakidis request traffic lights at the May St. and June St. intersection be left on all night.

Laurey Cousins request installation of "no parking here to corner" signage at the intersection of Hartshorn Ave. and Rupert St.

Frank Santa Maria request "One Hour Parking 7 A.M. to 6 P.M." on the odd side of Casco St. from Shrewsbury St. to utility pole #7 be removed and replaced with "No Parking Anytime 7 A.M. to 6 P.M." signage being installed in its place.

Frank Santa Maria request installation of a "Commercial Loading Zone" in Casco St. from a point 105" south of Shrewsbury St. to a point 165" south of Shrewsbury St.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: PARKER and DEWEY STREETS

Transmitting informational communication relative to the appointment of Tomi Stefani to the Historical Commission.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the Worcester Arts Council 2019 Grant Awards.

Transmitting communication relative to the Comprehensive Clean City Program.

Requesting an additional permanent lieutenant position to be added to the table of organization to allow for more training and oversight of new specialized units.

Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning any and all actions being taken by the city in regards to the Hepatitis A outbreak.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the DCU Special District Improvement Fund.

Transmitting informational communication relative to Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning efforts for municipal preparedness and building resilience to natural as well as human-made shocks.

Transmitting communication relative to Worcester's draft Community Choice (Electricity) Aggregation Plan.

Recommend that a total of One Million One Hundred Seventy Eight Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($1,178,000.00) be transferred from and to various Public School Accounts as described.

Recommend that One Million Twenty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($1,025,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account # 91C744B, Off Street Parking Building Rehabilitation, and be appropriated to DPW Account # 46C707, Parking Garage Improvements to allow for contractually obligated payments associated with the Pearl-Elm Municipal garage restoration project.

Recommend that Forty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($40,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C7114, Citywide Building Rehab, to Parks Account #72C70251, Stearns Tavern, to allow for the payment of current contractual obligations.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept, and expend award funds in the amount of Five Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($500.00) from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) Festivals Grant Program the 2019 Out to Lunch event series.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude, a donation in the amount of Five Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($500.00) from Trachtenberg Family for the Victoria Trachtenberg Fund to support the Worcester Public Library Children’s Room and Programming.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in an amount up to Forty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($40,000.00) from Emergency Shelter/Solutions Grant (ESG) under the Homeless Outreach & Engagement: Quality of Life Task Force program.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept, and expend a grant in the amount of Fifteen Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($15,000.00) from the United Way through the Fred Daniels Foundation for the WDPH Regional Youth Health Survey.

Recommend that Twenty Four Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty Dollars and Five Cents ($24,980.05) be transferred from Account #330-08, Reserve for Appropriation on Loans, to Account #660-92000, Treasurer’s Office Ordinary Maintenance.

Recommend that Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($50,000.00) be transferred from Account #270-91000, Communications Personal Services, to Account #270-97000, Communications Overtime.

Recommend that Fourteen Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety Dollars And One Cent ($14,990.01) be transferred from Account #900-92000, City Manager Contingency, to Account #040-92000, City Manager Ordinary Maintenance, to pay for the cost of Firefighter Christopher Roy's funeral expenses per MGL 41 CH 100G 1/4.

Recommend that Nine Thousand One Hundred Fifty Nine Dollars And Fourteen Cents ($9,159.14) be authorized to allow these obligations to be met with Fiscal Year 2019 funds.

That the sum of Two Million Dollars And No Cents ($2,000,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7161A, Union Station Rehab, to pay for costs associated with Union Station Cannabis Commission Fit out, including the costs incidental and related thereto.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinance Of 2008 To Rescind Handicap Parking In Front Of 4 Anderson Ave.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinance Of 2008 To Amend Handicap Parking In Front Of 119 Chino Ave.

Amending Section 42 of Chapter 13of the Revised Ordinance of 2008 to Rescind Handicap Parking in Front of 13 Whipple St.

Amending Section 42 of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances of 2008 To Provide Handicap Parking In Front of 21 May St.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinance Of 2008 To Rescind Handicap Parking In Front of 77 Chatham St.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances of 2008 To Provide Handicap Parking In Front Of 5 Townsend St.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances of 2008 To Install No Parking Anytime In Front Of 340 May St.

Amending Section 40 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances Of 2008 To Provide For Resident Permit Parking on Catharine St.

Amending Section 29 Of Chapter 213 Of The Revised Ordinances of 2008 Providing For Stop sign on Hawthorne Street and Woodland St.

Amending Section 43 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances of 2008 To Amend The Winter Parking Ban on Berkeley St.

RESOLUTION of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – That the City Council go on record in favor of supporting the Worcester Bravehearts as they plan for the future. (Tabled Under Privilege - Lukes August 21, 2018 and Tabled Under Privilege - Petty September 12, 2018 and Tabled - Lukes September 25, 2018)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide City Council with information concerning any dialogue the city’s administration has had with the Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team (WAFT). – Item #12a CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether the city’s State Delegation has begun any process to address foreclosure-related evictions affecting Worcester residents by the Worcester Housing Court. – Item #12b CC Order adopted

ORDER of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing statistics concerning foreclosures in the city, including information concerning how many foreclosure there are and how many people become homeless as a result of a foreclosure. – Item #12c CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding the court action after Lynn, Brockton and Springfield enacted foreclosure related ordinances and how the previous ordinance enacted by the city may or may not have to be amended. – Item #12d CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Gary Rosen – Request City Manager consider providing City Council with information concerning actions taken by the Worcester Housing Court. – Item #12e CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – Request Standing Committee on Municipal Operations consider coordinating the evaluation of the City Manager with any contract and salary increase for the City Manager, so that it is tied to performance in the future. – Item #12f CC Referred to Municipal Operations Committee

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – Request Standing Committee on Municipal Operations consider looking into the appropriateness of having a, “State of the City,” address for the city. – Item #12g CC Referred to Municipal Operations Committee

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager put a plan together regarding the development of properties located on Route 20. – Item #12h CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion concerning to what extent City Councilors are allowed to discuss City Council related matters outside of City Council meetings. – Item #12i CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager request City Solicitor forward to City Council Open Meeting Law information provided at MMA classes for City Councilors. – Item #12j CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell – Request City Manager consider assigning each neighborhood in Worcester a contact person who they could work with on an ongoing basis as more projects are undertaken. – Item #12k CC Order adopted

Motion Rivera @ #8.7A CM – Request City Manager consider looking into programs in Minneapolis, MN such as their Clean City Classroom program as a means to enhance the city’s program and educate the community.

Motion Wally @ #8.7A CM – Request City Manager provide City Council with a ten (10) year breakdown of the per ton costs associated with recycling and trash removal.

Motion King @ #8.7A CM – Request Standing Committee of Public Works consider looking into additional drop off locations for recyclables, including Millbury St. and more as possible as part of the Comprehensive Clean City Program.

Motion King @ #8.7A CM – Request Standing Committee of Public Works consider the feasibility of a hybrid recycling system that would allow single family home areas and multifamily home areas to use either a two-wheeled recycling bin or plastic recycling bags depending on what is more appropriate as part of the Comprehensive Clean City Program.

Motion King @ #8.7A CM – Request Standing Committee on Public Works consider any and all ways that the city could reduce or mitigate price increases for plastic bags as part of the Comprehensive Clean City Program.

Motion Lukes @ #8.7A CM – Request City Manager consider looking into ways to increase the responsibility of packaging and manufacturing producers to use recyclable materials.

Motion Russell @ #8.7A CM – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the pros and cons of allowing very small businesses to use the city’s recycling program.

Motion Petty – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager create a task force to assist residents affected by the federal government shutdown with resources such as food and housing.