CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Esther Howland Chamber

Convened: 6:38 P.M.

Adjourned: 7:07 P.M.

Mayor
Joseph M. Petty

www.worcesterma.gov

City Manager
Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

City Auditor
Robert V. Stearns

Councilors

MOMENT OF SILENCE in memory of Worcester Police Officer Jeff Toney, who passed away at the age of 54 and Bishop George Rueger, who passed away at the age of 89.

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council Meeting of March 26, 2019.

Sheliqua Mann request Welllington St. or Jacques Ave. be named Bishop Robert Webbs Sr. St. or Ave.

Brendan Gove, President of Zero Point Development, request zone change for a portion of 222 Brooks St. from MG-0.5 to RL-7.

Kathleen King et al request Oneida Ave. be repaved.

Alyda Justiniano request abatement of street betterment assessment #25608 in the amount of $6,280.50 for Hilma St.

Candace Buffone request abatement of street betterment assessment #25614 in the amount of $15,000.00 for Candlewood St.

Linda Opacki request Southview Rd. be repaved.

Joan Manley request to have mirror installed opposite side of 42 West Chester St. at corner of Barrett Ave.

Councilor Matthew E. Wally on behalf of residents in the vicinity of Columbus Park Preparatory Elementary School request a comprehensive traffic/safety assessment be completed in the vicinity of Columbus Park Preparatory Elementary School so that the dangerous conditions and safety issues particularly during pick-up and drop-off of student times may be eliminated.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: DOLLY DRIVE

Recommend appointment of Eleanor Gilmore to the Planning Board.

Recommend adoption of a Certified Project Resolution and Tax Increment Financing Plan for 160 Goddard Memorial Drive.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file an application to designate 154-156 Main Street as a Certified Project and approve a Tax Increment Exemption (TIE) Plan for the property.

Transmitting information requested by City Council regarding an Amendment to the Rules of the City Council giving a Motion to File a Higher Priority.

Transmitting informational communication relative to enforcement of the sign ordinance up and down the Main South Corridor from Chandler Street to Webster Square.

Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning building code effectiveness grading schedule.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($250,000.00) from MA Dept of Energy & Environmental Affairs under the 2019 Green Communities Competitive Grant Program.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation of one (1) Zeiss Ultraphot II Microscope with an approximate monetary value of One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars and No Cents ($1,250.00) from Mr. Louis Savas, to the Worcester Police Department Crime Scene Unit.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation in the amount of One Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($1,700.00) from Worcester EMS in support of the Worcester Police Department's K9 Unit.

Recommend that Sixty Three Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($63,000.00) be transferred as follows: $43,000.00 from Account #270-91000 , Communications Regular Salaries and $20,000 from Account 3312-92000, Health and Human Services Ordinary Maintenance, and be appropriate to Account # 110-91000, Energy Asset Management regular salaries.

Recommend that Nine Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety Dollars And Thirty One Cents ($9,890.31) be transferred from Account #260-91000, Worcester Fire Department Salaries, to Account #260-92000, Worcester Fire Department Ordinary Maintenance, to cover unforeseen expenses required to repair Engine 8, a front line apparatus.

Recommend that One Hundred Five Thousand Five Hundred Ninety Four Dollars And Forty Eight Cents ($105,594.48) be transferred from various CBDG accounts, and appropriated to various CDBG accounts to provide sufficient funding for the rehabilitation of four unit housing property located at 80 Pleasant Street.

Recommend that Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($500,000.00) be transferred from Account #250-91000, Police Personal Services, to Account #250-97000, Police Overtime.

Recommend that Sixty Six Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($66,000.00) be transferred from Account #270-91000, Communications Salaries, to Account #270- 92000, Communications Ordinary Maintenance.

Recommend that One Million Two Hundred Eighty Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($1,284,500.00) be transferred from Account #411-92000, Snow Ordinary Maintenance, to the various accounts.

Recommend that a supplemental appropriation of Forty Three Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($43,000.00) be transferred from Account #270-91000, Communications Personal Services, to Account #121-92000, Law Court Judgments.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Susan S. Nichols on behalf of the Owner of Worcester Mill LLC, request to extend the BL-1.0 (Business, Limited) zoning district to encompass the entirety of 195 Mill Street, in order to eliminate the current split zoning of the property.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Jonathan J. Thomas, Manager of Whippoor LLC, request to extend the RL-7 zone to encompass the following Malden Woods subdivision (O Whippoorwill Drive & 0 Castine St.) parcels: 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14B on Map 32 and Plat 011:00010; 00011, 00012, 00013, & 0014B.

REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Mimoon Alwash request Riedl Place be made public

That One Million Dollars And No Cents ($1,000,000.00) from the Loan Order Totaling Two Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($2,300,000.00) authorized by the City Council on August 20, 2013 and appropriated to Account 91C7384, Reservoir Rehabilitation, to funds costs associated with Water Rehabilitation projects, including the costs incidental and related thereto is hereby rescinded in it’s entirety; and: That the sum of One Million Dollars And No Cents ($1,000,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C731A, Water Equipment, including the costs incidental and related thereto.

Amending The Salary Ordinance Of August 20, 1996 Relative to Advanced Educational Stipends for Employees that a members of Local 495, NAGE, SEIU in the job Classifications of Environmental Analyst & Senior Environmental Analyst.

ORDER of Councilor Sean M. Rose - Request City Manager consider creating a rectangular soccer field adjacent to the Roberto Clemente baseball/softball field on the Northeast Cutoff. (Photo attached) (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty April 2, 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)

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 and Tabled - Bergman February 26, 2019)

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell, Councilor Sarai Rivera, Councilor Gary Rosen, Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes, Councilor Khrystian E. King and Councilor Candy 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. (Tabled - Petty February 26, 2019)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to information to assist in the hiring of a City Council staff member. (Tabled Under Privilege - Lukes March 12, 2019; Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 19, 2019 and Tabled - Petty March 26, 2019)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manger transmitting informational communication relative to a legal opinion as to the jurisdiction of office space and facilities within City Hall. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson March 12, 2019; Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 19, 2019 and Tabled - Petty March 26, 2019)

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell – Request City Manager reach out to the Landlord Association, the Worcester Property Owners Association and the Worcester Realtors Association for feedback prior to drafting an ordinance pertaining to the creation of a rental registry for non-owner occupied residential properties. – Item #20a CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning an analysis of how residents of Worcester participating in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program could be impacted by a rental registry for non-owner occupied residential properties. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing what extent Fair Housing Law staff is involved in relation to retaliation of rental issues. – Item #20b CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes – Request Manager provide the Superintendent of Public Schools his communication relative to the jurisdiction of City Council over WPS-WPD School Resource Officers. – Item #20c CC Order adopted

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell – Request City Manager provide City Council with a full audit of CSX regarding the container fees as depicted in the MOU, as requested on August 21, 2018. – Item #20d CC Order adopted

PETITION of Councilor Sarai Rivera request installation of a handicap parking space in the vicinity of 229 Millbury St. – Item #20e CC Referred to Traffic and Parking Committee

ORDER of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson – Request City Manager ensure construction vehicles in the Canal District are removed when not in use. – Item #20f CC Order adopted

Motion Bergman @ #8.13A CM – Request Standing Committee on Rules and Legislative Affairs consider amending the first sentence of the proposed Rule 27, Subsection C of the Rules of City Council to read, “A motion to call the previous question shall be in order at any time any agenda item is before the City Council but shall be made before debate, except upon immediate repetition.”

Motion Lukes @ #8.15A CM – Request City Manager, when working to enforce the City’s sign ordinance, include enforcement of the sign ordinance as it applies to home businesses.

Motion Russell @ #8.15A CM – Request City Manager provide enforcement of the sign ordinance in all the city’s districts’ main corridors.

Motion Lukes @ #8.16A CM – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning what needs to be done to update the City’s plumbing building codes as a means to increase the city’s rating in the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule.

Motion Lukes @ #8.33F CM – Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning what the cost of removing snow per inch is in the city.