CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 6:34 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:28 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 September 29, 2020.

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the following speakers: 1. Mary Harrington, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #9i CC 2. Bruce Wells, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #9i CC 3. Meryl Jacobson, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #9h CC

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

Councilor George J. Russell request repaving of Standish St. from Cohasett St. to Bedford Ave.

Anna Flanagan request First St. be repaved.

Councilor Morris A. Bergman request resident permit parking sign at 22 Wilson St. be replaced/reinstalled.

Steven Gallati request the handicap parking space located at 25 Shelby St. be removed.

In support of the city's efforts to become the cleanest city in New England, request City Manager consider adding certain residential streets that continually gather litter and trash to the list of streets that are periodically swept. (Rosen, Mero-Carlson)

Request City Manager request Chief Development Officer provide City Council with an update as to the status and progress to date of the Transportation Advisory Group (TAG). (Wally)

Request City Manager request Chief Development Officer develop additional and separate streetscape policies, which can be applied to both commercial business corridors and residential neighborhoods outside of the downtown and canal districts, which are already regulated by preexisting streetscape policies. (Wally)

Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks review the improvements at Billings Square to address the width of the circular brick/concrete apron, which seems to be too wide and impeding vehicle traffic flow. (Bergman)

Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks provide City Council with the number and types of private vehicles needed for successful winter snow/ice operations. Further request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works and Parks also provide City Council with the current recruitment plans/expectations regarding same. (Bergman)

Request City Manager discuss with City Council, at tonight's meeting, how prepared the city will be to meet the medical, pharmaceutical, hospitalization, mental health and quarantine needs of large numbers of city residents, in case of the arrival of a potential cold-weather surge of coronavirus cases and a long-feared second wave of infections. (Rosen)

Request City Manager work with Public Safety and Public Health department heads to explore the feasibility of creating and/or promoting a voluntary Cognitive Registry (see attached), focused on Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Autism Spectrum Disorder Asperger's, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, brain injury, mental illness, and other disabilities that could influence police engagements. Further, be it ordered that said feasibility exploration be detailed in a report to the City Council. Said report should include information concerning a public education campaign to promote the Cognitive Registry. (King, Rivera)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor and Chief Development Officer review whether or not public hearing procedures were followed relative to changes made to a 2019 Special Permit relating to Cobblestone Lane. (Bergman)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with an opinion as to the city's role, if any, in resolving disputes between developers and property owners regarding condition relative to Special Permits, specifically including conditions that involve private roads/streets. (Bergman)

Request City Manager review the intersection of Clark St. and St. Nicholas Ave. and provide City Council with potential safety improvements at said intersection. (Rose)

Request City Manager explore the possibility of having a city wide "My Brother's Keeper Program" for young men of color. My Brother's Keeper is a national initiative created in early 2014 by President Obama that aims to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by young men of color. (Rose)

SEWER BETTERMENT ASSESSMENT: 10 HILDA STREET

Edward M. Augustus, City Manager, recommend that Four Million Six Hundred Seventeen Thousand Nine Hundred Eight Dollars And No Cents ($4,617,908.00) be accepted from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, for the Year XLVI Community Development Block Grant program, and that Seventy Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($75,000.00) in anticipated Year XLVI Program Income, be appropriated, when and as received, to provide funding for projects and programs, as described.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Report of the Planning Board Upon the Petition of Paul J. Demoga, Esq., on behalf of Arts & Business Council Real Estate, LLC. request to amend the Zoning Map of the city of Worcester to change the zoning designation of 2 Ionic Ave. and 661 Main St. from the current zoning designation of BG-3 to BG-6, as shown on the plan attached hereto: recommend passage of the accompanying proposed Ordinance.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Report of the Planning Board Upon the Petition of Jonathan Finkelstein, Attorney, on behalf of Paul Giorgio and Junction Development LLC request amendment of the zoning map by designating the properties at 134 Gold St., 5 Sargent St. and adjacent streets to be included in an Adaptive Re-Use Overlay Zoning District (AR): recommend passage of the accompanying proposed Ordinance.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Report of the Planning Board Upon the Petition of Donald J. O'Neil on behalf of Consigli Real Estate Holdings, LLC request to amend the Zoning Map to include parcels of land at 30 Lagrange St., 35 Lagrange St., 42 Lagrange St. 44 Lagrange St., 47 Lagrange St., 50 Lagrange St. and 47 Oread St. within the Commercial Corridors Overlay District (CCOD) at and to change the underlying zoning classification of said parcels from MG-2.0 and RG-5 to BG-6.0: recommend passage of the accompanying proposed Ordinance.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting an update on the development agreement with Madison WG Holdings, LLC (“Madison”) including the land transfer, and submit the First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Letter of Intent (“Amendment”) together with the associated City Council action items for review and consideration: recommend passage of the accompanying proposed Ordinance to amend the Ball Park Project Permit Fees and adoption of the accompanying (4) four Resolutions reflecting the TIF/TIE Plan changes in the Madison Amendment.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Communication of the City Manager recommend adoption of a resolution to file an application to designate 340 Main Street as a Certified Project and approve a Tax Increment Exemption (TIE) Plan for the property: recommend adoption of the accompanying Resolution.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to an update of Economic Development: recommend Communication be placed on file.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Upon the Communication of the City Manager recommend City of Worcester Fiscal Year 2021/Program Year 46 Funding Recommendations for U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Entitlement Programs – Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): recommend adoption of the four (4) accompanying Resolutions.

PETITION of NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: FLAGG ST. and BROOKSHIRE RD. (Tabled Under Privilege - Wally September 29, 2020 and October 6, 2020)

Hearing: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: HADWEN RD. Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: HADWEN RD. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty October 6, 2020)

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)

RESOLUTION of Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Sean M. Rose and Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson - That the Worcester City Council urges our State Delegation and others to pursue the naming in 2020 of the Worcester District Courthouse the “Sarah E. Wall Courthouse”. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman June 2, 2020 and June 9, 2020 - Petty and Tabled - Russell June 16, 2020)

COMMUNICATION of Stephen Herzog, Project Manager at Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc., on behalf of CSX Transportation, Inc. transmitting an informational communication relative to the application of herbicide on the railroad. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty June 9, 2020 and Tabled - Russell June 16, 2020)

ORDER of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey, Councilor Sean M. Rose, Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Matthew E. Wally, Councilor George J. Russell, Councilor Donna M. Colorio, Councilor Gary Rosen and Mayor Joseph M. Petty - Request City Manager support the (re)opening of the City’s licensed cigar and hookah lounges and for the state to amend the classification of these establishments. These establishments can, and should, fit under the guise and parameters set forth as restaurants as they have or will have a common ViC license. (Tabled Under Privilege - Rivera September 8, 2020 and Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson September 15, 2020 and Tabled - Mero-Carlson September 22, 2020)

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager provide City Council with an update and breakdown concerning how many times a collaborative effort of WPD, WFD and Public Health officials were required for emergency situations. Said update should include information relative to the amount of cases, how the cases were handled and the sources of the cases. – Item #15a CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager provide City Council with the job description for the Coordinator of Community Services/Initiatives position. – Item #15b CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether there are any positions within the city’s budget where the person or persons assigned to a department’s budget are not under the authority of said department. – Item #15c CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager provide City Council with a midyear update of employee charts concerning each position and what they are paid, including information relative to if the employee is new or if they have moved to another department. – Item #15d CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing similar sorts of interventions, as well as outcome measures as it relates to the Worcester HUB. – Item #15e CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report comparing the proposed Worcester Ballpark Authority to the Board of Health in terms of the enactment and potential dissolution of both boards. – Item #15f CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the process for establishing a new Standing Committee of City Council in the middle of a term. – Item #15g CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning the process for removing a chair or members of a board, commission or authority. – Item #15h CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing how the Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA), Board of Health and Civic Center Commission were created. – Item #15i CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Gary Rosen – Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion relative to the process for allowing for establishing boards, commissions or authorities on a temporary basis, subject to City Council extending the existence of said entity. – Item #15j CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager continue to ensure that the Worcester Ballpark Authority be a diverse board, as the city has done with other boards, commissions and authorities. – Item #15k CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager provide City Council with the art representative of Abby Kelly Foster in a digital format for the purpose of sharing on social media. – Item #15l CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Matthew E. Wally – Request City Manager enforce regulations pertaining to not allowing signage at Veteran Square Memorials, including Whitaker Square in the vicinity of Tatnuck Square. – Item #15m CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

Motion Bergman @ #9g CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning what information relative to emergency interactions with persons with cognitive impairments the city’s smart 911 emergency system encompasses.

Motion Toomey @ #9g CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing how other municipalities who deploy voluntary Cognitive Registries register and confirm cognitive impairments of individuals into their registry.

Motion Russell @ #9h CC – Request City Manager review the procedures the various boards and commissions of the city have relative to continuances with the hopes of relieving any confusion for residents associated with the action.