CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 6:37 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:19 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 Firefighters Jon Davies, who passed away nine (9) years ago on December 8, 2011 and Christopher Roy, who passed away (2) years ago on December 9, 2018.

Order - That the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council Meeting of November 24, 2020.

No speakers were recognized during this portion of the meeting.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: ORIENT ST., DIVISION ST., RIDGE ST. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: ORIENT ST., DIVISION ST., RIDGE ST.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: JAQUES AVE. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: JAQUES AVE.

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

Hearing: To determine tax rates for residential, commercial, industrial and personal properties for Fiscal Year 2021. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty December 1, 2020)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the Fiscal Year 2021 Tax Classification package. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty December 1, 2020)

Paul and Marcia Hansen request installation of a "Not A Truck Route" sign at the entrance of Cobblestone Ln at Garrison Ave., in the vicinity of 56 Garrison Ave.

David Trabucco of the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) request the right lane on Main St. approaching Madison St. from Ionic Ave. be made a "Right Turn Only, Except for Buses" lane.

Councilor Sean M. Rose request Tyson Rd. be made a one-way street, flowing westbound from Burncoat St. to West Boylston St.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: MANN ST.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the appointment of Tamara Cullen to the Elder Affairs Commission with a term to expire on October 31, 2023.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the updated public meetings to discuss the City of Worcester Open Space and Recreation Plan.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the final Skate Park at Crompton Park Master Plan Initiative.

Transmitting informational communication relative to the Fiscal Year 2021Tax Classification packet with updated headers and responses to City Councilor's requests for information.

Transmitting informational communication relative to Retiree Health Projections (OPEB).

Recommend that One Hundred Seventy Nine Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Four Dollars And Thirty Two Cents ($179,854.32) be transferred from Loan Account #91C7413A, Streets and Sidewalks, and be appropriated to DPW Account #41C761, Holden/Drummond/Shore, to allow for all payments associated with the MassDOT Shore Drive project.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation of a 15-Foot Boston Whaler with 50 Horsepower Mercury Engine and Trailer with an estimated value of Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($5,000.00) from the Massachusetts Environmental Police.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept with gratitude a donation of Seven Hundred and Fifty Dollars and No Cents ($750.00) from Bud's Goods & Provisions Corporation for for maintenance and repairs at North Park/ Burncoat Park.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of One Million Six Hundred Seventy One Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty Five Dollars And Twenty Cents ($1,671,985.20) from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Transportation under the Roadway Reconstruction Improvements Program.

Recommend adoption of a resolution to file, accept and expend a grant in the amount of Forty Two Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($42,000.00) from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through the IT Community Compact Grant program.

Recommend that Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) be transferred from Account #280-91000, Inspectional Services Salaries, and be appropriated to Account #280-97000, Inspectional Services Overtime.

Recommend that Eighty Two Thousand Four Hundred Forty Nine Dollars And No Cents ($82,449.00) be transferred from Human Resources accounts, and be appropriated to Executive Office of Diversity & Inclusion accounts to provide funding for the Chief Diversity Officer for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2021.

Recommend that the City Council recess into Executive Session on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 prior to the end of the meeting, to discuss matters related to collective bargaining.

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)

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 Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager request City Assessor provide City Council with a report relative to taxation on water bodies, including information relative to whether water bodies are reevaluated at the same time all other properties are reassessed, how the city determines whether a water body is consequential or inconsequential, whether the determination of whether a water body is consequential or inconsequential occurs at any time other than the cyclical period when the city appraises properties, whether properties abutting water bodies are rated, and if so, whether the city uses best practices applied by other communities to do so. – Item #19a CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager request Chief Financial Officer and City Assessor provide City Council with a report relative to the effect that allocating the city’s excess new growth monies in the amount of one-million dollars and two-million dollars to the tax payers would have on the city’s tax table. – Item #19b CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Donna M. Colorio – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to the effect a Senior Incentive Program that cut senior citizens’ taxes by ten (10) percent would have on the city’s tax rate options. – Item #19c CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Donna M. Colorio – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to the effect an incentive program that cut owner-occupied multi-family home tax obligations by ten (10) percent would have on the city’s tax rate options. – Item #19d CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report projecting the amount of money anticipated for FY21’s new growth. – Item #19e CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager request City Assessor provide City Council with an updated version of the FY 2021 Tax Classification Information on pages six (6) through ten (10), which has a column that states the, “Percent Change to Median Commercial Tax Bill FY20 to FY21,” whereas the other columns discuss the average. – Item #19f 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 whether the city is receiving and/or pursuing regional cooperation from the towns surrounding the city as it relates to homeless outreach strategies for the fall and winter seasons during COVID-19. – Item #19g 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 whether the city is doing anything specific for the city’s homeless population that is under the age of twenty-five (25). – Item #19h 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 role the Board of Health will have as it relates to the distribution of future COVID-19 vaccines. – Item #19i CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

Motion Petty @ #7a CC – Request City Manager work the Commissioner of Inspectional Services to work with the contractors associated with the new apartment complex being built on Ridge St. to address neighborhood concerns in the area related to the construction of the project.

Motion Bergman @ #8a CC – Request City Manager consider reducing the City Manager’s contingency account by $1,000,000.00 and be reallocated for tax relief.

Motion Wally @ #8a CC – That the Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2021 be set at $16.62 for Residential Property and $35.07 for Commercial, Industrial and Personal Property.

Motion Colorio @ #8a CC – Request City Manager provide a notice within the city’s senior’s tax bills about the qualifications they may meet relative to applying for tax relief.

Motion Colorio @ #8a CC – That the Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2021 be set at $16.28 for Residential Property and $36.20 for Commercial, Industrial and Personal Property.

Motion Toomey @ #8a CC – Request City Manager request City Assessor place a video on the city’s website relative to the process used to apply for abatements. Further, request City Manager request Chief Development Officer place a video on the city’s website relative to preparing estates for when the occupants come of older age.

Motion Toomey @ #8a CC – Request City Manager place on the city’s website information relative to what individuals are able to do if they are unable to pay their tax bills.

Motion King @ #8a CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning Paycheck Protection Program Loans in the city.

Motion King @ #10.34A CM – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report relative to how the patrol boat donated to the Worcester Police Department by the Massachusetts Environmental Police will be used. Further, request City Manager include in said report information concerning the role the Massachusetts Environmental Police had on the city’s water bodies.