CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 6:30 P.M.

Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

City Auditor
Robert V. Stearns

Councilors

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council Meeting of January 29, 2019.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: GRAFTON STREET

Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: GRAFTON STREET

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: GROVE STREET

Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: GROVE STREET

Mimoon Alwash request Riedl Place be made public.

Gordon Davis request the City Council establish policies for the use of police body cameras.

Maria Dejesus, Director of Friendly House Shelter, request to remove "No Parking" sign on the Sever St. side of at 87 Elm St.

Kwaku Obeng-Mensah request installation of handicap parking space in front of 9 Tower St.

Mayra Alvarez request installation of handicap parking space in front of 34 Beacon St.

Dana Morey request handicap parking space in front of 9 Winthrop St. be removed.

Councilor Matthew E. Wally request installation of signage or blinking yellow lights to alert and warn drivers of the crosswalk at 243 Stafford St.

Leonid Grebelsky request the removal of stop signs facing northbound traffic on Durant Way and southbound traffic on Havelock Rd. and the installation of stop signs facing eastbound traffic on Hadwen Rd. and westbound traffic on Havelock Rd.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at : WATER ST./COLUMBIA ST.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS - Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion as to whether or not it is an Open Meeting Law violation if a Standing Committee goes to a site visit at a location when not all areas at the site are accessible to the public for viewing or recording.

Request Commissioner of Public Works & Parks have the pot hole in front of 10 Natural History Dr. repaired as soon as possible, in the interest of public safety
(Mero-Carlson)

Request City Manager request the Commissioner of Public Works & Parks find a solution to the sink hole in Lake View St. which, is a safety hazard to children walking to school and it could potentially risk making the sidewalks and handicap pads at the corner of Sherbrook Ave. unstable. (Mero-Carlson)

Request City Manager request the Director of Human Resources provide to City Council the following information to assist in the hiring of a dedicated staff person for City Council: 1.) Background on the position that includes salary, duties and responsibilities; 2.) A sample job description; 3.) The City’s hiring practices; 4.) Recommendation as to who should review resumes and conduct interviews; 5.)Recommendation as to who makes the decision for hiring; 6.) Recommendation for salary; 7.) Additional job titles and salary ranges that are comparable; and 8.) Recommendation as to who would be the supervisor of this position for matters of oversight, support and discipline. Further, request this information to be provided as soon as possible. (Rose)

To better promote safe needle disposal, request City Manager report to City Council concerning what steps must be taken to require that all city pharmacies, hospitals, and health clinics accept the return of used needles, sharps and lancets. (Rosen)

Request City Manager report to City Council concerning whether the administrations and Title IX offices of our local colleges and universities, as they respond to student complaints of sexual harassment and misconduct on and off campus, are making use of the experience, expertise and authority of the Worcester Police Department. (Rosen)

Request City Manager advise City Council concerning the steps that need to be taken to bring a network-affiliated television station to the resurgent City of Worcester. (Rosen)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding who has been contacted to make the prospective city recycling bags. Further, request City Manager include in said report information concerning whether or not that company has the capability of making smaller sized bags. (Mero-Carlson)

Request City Council have the City Council Standing Committees on Public Works and Municipal Operations conduct a joint meeting about the future recommended staffing of the City Council office as well as logistics for office space for staff and City Council. Further, request the joint committee discuss potential recommendations regarding the job description and role of the City Council staff persons and further, encourage other City Councilors who are not members of the joint committee to attend and be included in the conversation. (Russell)

Request the City Council Standing Committee on Public Service & Transportation invite representatives of National Grid to a meeting to discuss the sporadic power outages that have occurred in the Tatnuck Square area. (Wally)

Request City Manager engage Worcester State University in discussions to inquire of any planned increases of on-campus parking and report to City Council any resulting information. (Wally)

Request City Manager report on the increased valuations and projected tax revenue resulting from the Worcester Renaissance that has occurred in the past two years. (Lukes)

Request City Manager report on the impact on the upcoming Budget preparation of the recent changes to GASB accounting standards, especially regarding the treatment of leases and long term contracts. (Lukes)

Edward M. Augustus, Jr., City Manager, transmitting communication for City Council's consideration and vote of the attached Statements of Interest for submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Petition of Mark Donahue, Attorney for 288 Grove LLC request City abandon and discontinue it's use of a portion of that certain Sewer Easement located north of Brookfield St. and shown as Parcel E-2 on the attached plan located north of Brookfield St. and to accept certain relocated fifteen (15) foot wide sewer trunk easement located north of Brookfield St. and shown on attached plan as Parcel E-1: recommend approval of the accompanying Order.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the FY19 Sidewalk Rehabilitation Program.

Amending the Zoning Map of the city of Worcester by changing the zoning designation of the property located at and known as 223 Greenwood St. from a current designation of RL-7 to ML-0.5.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances Of 2008 To Provide Handicap Parking In Front Of 9 ˝ Douglas Street.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinance Of 2008 To Rescind Handicap Parking In Front Of 78 ˝ Ward Street.

Amending Section 42 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinance Of 2008 To Rescind Handicap Parking In Front Of 197 Eastern Avenue.

Amending Section 29 Of Chapter 13 Of The Revised Ordinances Of 2008 Providing For Stop Sign On Bancroft Tower Road At Beechmont Street.

COMMUNICATION OF THE CITY MANAGER transmitting informational communication relative to a legal opinion concerning the extent of discussion of City Council matters by City Councilors outside of City Council meetings. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman February 5, 2019)

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 biannual reports analyzing the implementation of actionable items within the Worcester Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (WYVPI). – Item #10a CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager formally invite City Council to Worcester Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (WYVPI) meetings. – Item #10b CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the work being done to address the issue of a disproportionate rate at which Latino and black youths are punished in school and in the criminal justice system. – Item #10c CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager create a strategic, affirmative action plan as it relates to the succession of minorities to cabinet and high level positions within the city. – Item #10d CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide the city’s departments with a, “Utilization Analysis,” which tracks information on new hires, promotions and departures on a regular basis to determine how the city is growing and improving in regards to its Affirmative Action Plan. – Item #10e CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion as to what City Council’s role is in formulating the city’s Affirmative Action Plan. – Item #10f CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning whether or not the City Council, as a hiring authority, is subject to the city’s Affirmative Action Plan. – Item #10g CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager provide City Council with a clarification of why cosponsors’ names cannot be added to Orders put forth by City Council until the time of the body’s meeting. – Item #10h CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell – Request City Manager work with his Director of Intergovernmental Affairs to determine the feasibility of changing the Open Meeting Law to allow for discussion of Items before City Council. – Item #10i CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report determining the feasibility of drafting a home rule petition to exempt City Council from the portion of the Open Meeting Law that does not allow a body to discuss Items with one another. – Item #10j CC Order adopted