CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 7:49 P.M.

Recessed: 7:52 P.M. Reconvened: 9:01 P.M. Adjourned: 9:11 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 May 12, 2020.

There were no public speakers recognized during this portion of the agenda.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: ENDICOTT ST. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: ENDICOTT ST.

Councilor Sean M. Rose on behalf of Gordon Duncan request sidewalk repair in front of the lot located at 13 Burgess St.

Councilor Matthew E. Wally request the removal of the I-290 sign in front of 812 Pleasant St.

Councilor Sarai Rivera on behalf of Eric Cruze request installation of an additional crosswalk across Pleasant St. at Crown St.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: THORNE ST.

Recommend reappointments of John Finn, Robert Bureau and Fitzroy Hall to the Commission on Disabilities.

Recommend adoption of an Order of taking for watershed land in Princeton from the Estate of Marie Reardon.

Transmitting informational communication relative to a status report on finances for City parking garages.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the total number of hours and wages for all snow removal inspectors and the total number of snow removal inspectors so employed for FY16 - FY19.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the Fire Department safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommend adoption of an order to enter into an inter-municipal agreement with the Town of West Boylston for assistance with fire protection services to several large, senior living complexes.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the Police Departments protocols during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recommend that recommend One Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($1,100,000.00) be transferred from Account #91C711F, Building Rehabilitation Library, to Account #11C70201, EAM Library, for costs related to the ongoing Main Library Master Plan renovation.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of Three Hundred Sixty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($365,000.00) from Council on Aging Formula and Service Incentive Grant, under the COA Formula and Service Incentive Grant program.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($25,000.00) from Friends of Worcester's Senior Center, for Worcester Senior Center support.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($5,000.00) from UMASS Medical School under the SNAP program.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($50,000.00) from the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the Massachusetts Census Division 2020 Census Municipal Grant program.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude various donations in the amount of Forty Nine Thousand Four Hundred Thirteen Dollars And No Cents ($49,413.00) from generous donors for COVID-19 response.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend an FY20 Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Grant in the amount of Forty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($40,000.00) from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of Five Million One Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Eight Dollars And No Cents ($5,157,858.00) from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the FY19 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program.

Recommend that Three Hundred Seventy One Thousand Ninety Seven Dollars and Sixty Six Cents ($371,097.66) be transferred from Account #250-93000, Police Capital Outlay, to Account #250-97000, Police Overtime.

Recommend that One Hundred Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($100,000.00) be transferred from Account # 171-96000, Workers Compensation, to Account #174-96000, Injured On Duty, to pay for unanticipated expenses related to Injured on Duty claims in Fiscal Year 20.

Recommend that Seven Thousand One Hundred Forty Dollars And No Cents ($7,140.00) be transferred from Account #04T803, OPEB Trust Reserve, and be appropriated to Account #663-96000, Health Insurance, to provide funding for Fiscal Year 2020 (March 2020-April 2020) Health Insurance expenses for Airport retirees.

Recommend that One Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($1,900.00) be transferred from Account #29-33007, Law Department Damage Settlement, to Account #2602-92201, Fire Department Automotive Supplies.

That the sum of Twenty Five Million Dollars and No Cents ($25,000,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7113T, Doherty High MSBA, to pay for costs associated with the construction and furnishing of a replacement Doherty Memorial High School at 299 Highland Street.

That the sum of Three Million Four Hundred Nineteen Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($3,419,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7114, Citywide Building Rehabilitation, to pay for costs associated with Citywide Building Rehabilitation.

That the sum of Fourteen Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($14,250,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C784, Park Improvements, to pay for costs associated with Park Improvements.

That the sum of Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($13,860,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7413A, Street and Sidewalk Construction, to pay for costs associated with Street and Sidewalk Construction.

That the sum of Three Million Dollars And No Cents ($3,000,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C744B, Off Street Parking Rehab, to pay for costs associated with Off Street Parking Rehab.

That the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($500,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C744A, Parking Meters, to pay for costs associated with Parking Meters.

That the sum of Two Million Twenty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($2,020,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7134, Water Mains, to pay for costs associated with Water Mains.

That the sum of One Million Eight Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($1,840,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C732, Water Building Rehabilitation, to pay for costs associated with Water Building Rehabilitation.

That the sum of Ten Million Six Hundred Eighty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($10,685,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7134, Water Mains, to pay for costs associated with Water Mains.

That the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($500,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C702, Water Land Acquisition, to pay for costs associated with Water Land Acquisition.

That the sum of Six Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($600,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C731A, Water Capital Equipment, to pay for costs associated with Water Capital Equipment.

That the sum of Eleven Million Six Hundred Seventy Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($11,670,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C745B, Sewer Construction, to pay for costs associated with Sewer Construction.

That the sum of Six Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($600,0000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C734A, Sewer Capital Equipment.

That the sum of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($150,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C741F, Guardrails, to pay for costs associated with Guardrails.

That the sum of Five Hundred Ten Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($510,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C741E, Bridge Rehabilitation, to pay for costs associated with Bridge Rehabilitation.

That the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($300,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C741C, Private Street Conversion, to pay for costs associated with Private Street Conversion.

That the sum of Six Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($650,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C724B, Traffic Signal Improvements, to pay for costs associated with Traffic Signal Improvements.

That the sum of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($3,500,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C711E, Public Schools Rehabilitation, to pay for costs associated with Public Schools Rehabilitation.

That the sum of One Million One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($1,150,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C7161A, Union Station Rehabilitation, to pay for costs associated with Union Station Rehabilitation.

That the sum of Two Million Thirty Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($2,030,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C711F, Building Rehabilitation Library, to pay for costs associated with Building Rehabilitation Library.

That the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($500,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C780E, Public Schools Equipment, to pay for costs associated with Public Schools Equipment.

That the sum of Two Million Five Hundred Twenty Eight Thousand Five Hundred Forty Three Dollars and No Cents ($2,528,543) be appropriated to Account #91C7804, Citywide Capital Equipment, to pay for costs associated with Citywide Capital Equipment.

That the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($255,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C744B, Parking Lots, to pay for costs associated with Parking Meters.

That the sum of Three Hundred Ninety Seven Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($397,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C775, Civic Center Building Rehabilitation, to pay for costs associated with Citywide Building Rehabilitation.

That the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($500,000.00) be appropriated to Account #91C724B, Street Light Improvements, to pay for costs associated with Street Light Improvements.

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 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 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 Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion regarding the process of instituting a residential rent control program and the resulting impact of implementing such a program. (Tabled Under Privilege - Lukes September 17, 2019 and September 24, 2019 and Tabled - Lukes October 15, 2019)

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey - In light of recent events, request City Manager consider establishing a process to inspect rental apartments, which would help to confirm structural changes are done to the standards set by Inspectional Services, in the interest of public service. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a recommendation as to how often these inspections should take place. (Tabled - King December 17, 2019)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' MEMORIALS, PARKS AND RECREATION Upon the Petition of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson request restoration and relocation of the Sullivan Memorial located in Melrose St. to a location approximately 50 feet north of its current location: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson April 21, 2020 and April 28, 2020 and Tabled - Mero-Carlson May 5, 2020)

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey - Request City Manager consider encouraging retail businesses to use outdoor spaces. - Item #17a CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays