CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 6:33 P.M.

Adjourned: 12:24 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 February 23, 2021.

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the following speakers: 1. Eliana Stanislawski, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #12a CC and #16k CC 2. Kathleen Roy, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of items #10o CC and #11b CC 3. Ted Kostas, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of items #12a CC, #16k CC, #17g CC, and #17h CC. 4. Bill Coleman, Worcester resident, spoke concerning the Home Rule Petition and in favor of the City Manager’s Executive Order concerning racism 5. Echo Louissaint, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #10g CC 6. Etel Haxhiaj, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #15b CC and #15c CC 7. John Rogers, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of items #10oCC, #11b CC and #16k CC; spoke in opposition to item #17h CC 8. Isabel Gonzalez, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #12a CC, #15b CC, #15c CC and #16k CC 9. Lucy C., Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #15b CC, #15c CC, #12a CC and #16k CC 10. Maria G., Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #10g CC 11. Mary Brouillette, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #12a CC and #16k CC 12. Yenni Desroches, Worcester resident, spoke concerning items #10o CC and #16i; spoke in favor of items #10g CC, #10h CC and #10i CC, spoke in opposition to items #15b CC, #15c CC, #16k CC and #17d CC 13. Antonio Ravelli, Oxford resident, spoke in favor of item #10g CC

ORDER- That the City Council convene in Executive Session jointly with the School Committee at the Tuesday, March 9, 2021 meeting for the purpose of discussing litigation strategy with respect to the case of Worcester Interfaith, Inc., et. al. v. City of Worcester et al.; United States District Court Civil No. 4:21-CV-40015 and the City Council will reconvene in open session.

Councilor Morris A. Bergman request the sidewalk on Dolly Dr. be resurfaced.

Margaret McGovern et al. request handicap parking space in front of 15 Enfield St. be removed.

Susan Chaffee request installation of handicap parking space in front of 18 Upsala St.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Chandler Magnet Elementary School, 525 Chandler St.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Clark Street Elementary School, 280 Clark St.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Grafton Street Elementary School, 311 Grafton St.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Jacob Hiatt Magnet School, 722 Main St.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Rice Square Elementary School, 76 Massasoit Rd.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Roosevelt Elementary School, 1006 Grafton St.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Thorndyke Road Elementary School, 30 Thorndyke Rd.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Wawecus Road School, 20 Wawecus Rd.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Worcester Arts Magnet School, 315 St. Nicholas Ave.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at MCPHS University, Lincoln Sq.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at UMASS Memorial Hospital roundabout, Lake Ave.

Brian and Priscella Underwood request installation of flashing crosswalk lights and signage at Hahnemann Hospital, Lincoln St.

Lydia Romero request removal of handicap parking space on the Fruit St. side of 81 Elm St.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: ACTON ST.

Idella Hazard request when the Pledge of Alliance to the Flag is recited, "Undivided" be adopted in place of "Indivisible" so that young people and newcomers to this country will understand the true meaning of the pledge of alliance to the flag of the United States of America.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON URBAN TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION AND ENVIRONMENT - Request City Manager work to improve the publicizing of public meetings through the city’s social media outlets.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON URBAN TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION AND ENVIRONMENT - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the city’s contract with Charter/Spectrum, including information relative to the city’s options during the renewal process, the consequences of not renewing said contract, the owner of the wires used to deliver the service and their value and whether the city or other companies would have access to said wires.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON URBAN TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION AND ENVIRONMENT - Request City Clerk provide the School Committee with the MassINC Policy Brief from November of 2020 titled, "Going for Growth: Promoting Digital Equity in Massachusetts Gateway Cities."

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning how the city plans to implement any additional funding the city may receive from the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently before the U.S. Senate. (Petty)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the various benefits the city has received from the cannabis industry. Said report should include information about the revenues coming into the city, the number of employees hired by companies in the city as well as how many of said employees reside in the city. (Petty)

Request City Manager provide traffic enforcement on Holden St. from its intersection with Brattle St. to the Holden line. (Rosen)

Request City Manager consider creating a space for memorial “billboards” in the city honoring the city’s residents who have passed away from COVID-19, and whose families have not been able to hold traditional funerals for their loved ones. (Rivera)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning the community outreach that has taken place relative to the traffic study occurring on Chandler St. (Rivera)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning the city's actions regarding COVID-19, specifically including information relative to both preparations required for the new strain and the procedures associated with the vaccine rollout. (Rivera)

Request City Manager hold a meeting with the organizers of Worcester Community Fridge to determine how the city can collaborate with their organization and/or connect them with businesses, organizations and other groups that are working to battle food insecurity in the city. (Rivera)

Request Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation Committee hold a public hearing to discuss both Senate Docket/SD 1541, an "Act directing all RTAs in the Commonwealth to establish at a minimum one-year fare free pilots to commence by December 31, 2021" and SD 2315, an "Act creating a New Deal for Transportation in the Commonwealth”, which calls for fare free RTAs and raises the revenue needed. SD 1541's primary sponsor is State Senator Patricia Jehlen, Second Middlesex District, and SD 2315's is State Senator Joseph Boncore, First Suffolk and Middlesex District, with Senator Harriette Chandler as a co-sponsor to both bills. (Rosen)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report as to the feasibility of having a Home Rule Petition that would allow the city to Bond the construction and conversion of private streets to public streets in a way that allows some homeowners an option of modifying the current twenty (20) year payment plan in a way that accrues interest but gives the option of putting off payments until the property is sold. Further, request City Manager also explore in said report the possibility of using existing State earmark funding to seed such a program and projections of how early payments and pay offs from some property owners can assist floating Bond payments. (Russell, Wally)

Request City Manager work with the City Clerk to explore other opportunities for residents to speak on behalf of council items in addition to calling in to City Council meetings. Examples of this could include an email account that can be offered to prewrite testimony, a running blog or some element of social media as potential options. (Rose)

Request City Manager request the Director of Urban Innovation develop a City of Worcester Open Data Policy. (Wally)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report summarizing any pre-existing, routine and regularly scheduled communication the Worcester colleges and universities, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the New England Commission of Higher Education have with his administration. (Wally, King, Rose, Mero-Carlson)

With Worcester being the city with the most young apartment dwellers in Massachusetts and downtown Worcester seeing a substantial increase in residential housing, business activity and economic development projects, request City Council, City Manager and Police Chief work with the Chamber of Commerce to establish a Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) to serve as a catalyst between businesses and city departments and play a key role in strengthening downtown residents’ sense of civic responsibility through community-building improvement projects. (Rosen)

Request City Manager and Chief Development Officer work with the Commonwealth's Supplier Diversity Office to create a program similar to the City of Boston's program that provides certification as Minority (MBE), Women (WBE) (including Minority and Women Non-Profit Organizations), Veteran (VBE) and Portuguese Business Enterprises (PBE). Further, this program would provide information and resources to businesses that qualify for other third-party certifications and for the various programs that the Supplier Diversity Office oversees, aimed at providing business opportunities for certified businesses. (Toomey, Mero-Carlson)

Request City Manager and Mayor consider resuming fully in-person City Council meetings, including actions pertaining to public participation, starting at the April 6, 2021 City Council agenda. (Colorio)

That City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby reaffirm the values of inclusion, respect and justice for all of its community members, especially including its Asian American community members. (Rose, Petty, King)

That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support House Bill HD 106, An Act establishing a commission to study post-traumatic stress disorder in law enforcement officers, presented by Representative Peter J. Durant. (Colorio)

Edward M. Augustus, Jr., City Manager, transmitting a communication regarding questions about ShotSpotter Connect and answers by ShotSpotter representatives.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON URBAN TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION AND ENVIRONMENT Upon the Communication of the City Manager Transmitting informational communication relative to Municipal Broadband: recommend Communication be placed on file.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON URBAN TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION AND ENVIRONMENT Upon the Communication of Helen Friel, Ed.D, Assistant to the Superintendent/Clerk of the School Committee transmitting a response of the administration to the request to consider the MassINC report "Gateway Cities at the Center of the Digital Divide.": recommend Communication be placed on file.

That the City Treasurer, with the approval of the City Manager, is hereby authorized to issue refunding bonds or notes of the City under and pursuant to Chapter 44, Section 21A of the General Laws, or any other enabling authority, for the purpose of refunding all or a portion of the outstanding amounts of any and all outstanding bonds of the City, including, but not limited to, the following bond issues of the City: Dated Date of Original Issue - Original Issue Amount: February 12, 2020, $68,345,000; February 12, 2020, $17,695,000; September 1, 2020, $51,450,000; February 16, 2021, $115,925,000

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to a response model similar to the Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS) to address emergency mental health situations with trained mental health providers. (Tabled Under Privilege - King February 23, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 2, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager recommend that Twenty Five Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($25,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C784, Park Improvements, and be appropriated to Parks Account #72C70248, Coes Beach, to fund design services. (Tabled Under Privilege - King February 23, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 2, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager recommend that Four Hundred Thousand Dollars And No Cents ($400,000.00) be transferred from Loan Account #91C784, Park Improvements, and be appropriated to Parks Account #72C70259, Columbus Trail, for the design and construction of trails. (Tabled Under Privilege - King February 23, 20201 and Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 2, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to an updated Economic Development Report. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 2, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to an update of the Division of Housing & Neighborhood Development Activities. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 2, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting Information Communication Relative to the Semi-Annual TIF/TIE Reporting. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty March 2, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Clerk transmitting an informational communication relative to the timing associated with City Councilors adding their names as co-sponsors of various items. (Tabled Under Privilege - Russell March 2, 2021)

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 Manager 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)

COMMUNICATION of the City Clerk transmitting a draft of social media policies and procedures for City Council, in the event that a Facebook page for the City Council is created, including information relative to best practices used in other communities. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman January 26, 2021, Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson February 2, 2021 and Tabled - Petty February 9, 2021)

RESOLUTION of Councilor Khrystian E. King - That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support Representative Rebecca Rauch and Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz’s SD 699 HD 1283, An Act effectuating equity in COVID-19 Vaccination Bill. (Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman February 9, 2021 and Tabled - Bergman February 23, 2021)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to the expansion of ShotSpotter and the capabilities of the ShotSpotter Connect Program: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order. (Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey February 9, 2021 and February 23, 2021 and Tabled - Toomey March 2, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Donna M. Colorio – That the City Council does hereby suspend its rules to allow for the public participation section of the agenda on March 2, 2021 to occur beyond the typically allotted thirty (30) minutes. – Item #16a CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager consider working with the city’s colleges and universities to develop a program for the city’s police officers to earn degrees in social work. – Item #16b 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 the costs associated with the potential creation of a Division of Investigations. – Item #16c 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 clarifying how the Statehouse’s reform legislation impacts the city’s implementation of a body camera program for the Worcester Police Department. Said report should include information as to whether there could be costs saved if the city were to hold off implementation, whether funds spent on the program could be reimbursed if the program were pursued prior to the Statehouse’s legislation and the timetable for such legislation. – Item #16d CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to perform a citywide equity audit and support a future appropriation to accomplish this goal. – Item #16e CC Resolution adopted and referred to Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to create a Division of Investigations through the future adoption of an organizational ordinance and a future appropriation to accomplish this goal. – Item #16f CC Resolution adopted and referred to Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to remove the day-to-day presence of School Resource Officers from the Worcester Public Schools by January 1, 2022, and the recommendation to establish a working group to develop a comprehensive safety plan for the schools in place of the school resource officers. – Item #16g CC Resolution adopted and referred to Education Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 6 Yeas and 5 Nays (Yeas – King, Rivera, Rose, Russell, Wally, Petty) (Nays – Bergman, Colorio, Mero-Carlson, Rosen, Toomey)

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to delay any body camera program until after the Commonwealth issues statewide standards for the purchase and use of body-worn cameras, along with the recommendation that the Human Rights Commission and Worcester Police Department hold at least five public listening sessions to discuss the program and its impact. – Item #16h CC Resolution adopted and referred to Public Safety Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 8 Yeas and 1 Nay (Yeas – King, Mero-Carlson, Rivera, Rose, Rosen, Russell, Wally, Petty) (Nay – Colorio) (Bergman, Toomey abstained)

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to ban all facial recognition technology subject to the future adoption of an ordinance. – Item #16i CC Resolution adopted and referred to Public Safety Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 7 Yeas and 4 Nays (Yeas – King, Rivera, Rose, Rosen, Russell, Wally, Petty) (Nays – Bergman, Colorio, Mero-Carlson, Toomey)

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to require a public hearing and approval by the city council prior to the acquisition of any new surveillance technology subject to the future adoption of an ordinance. – Item #16j CC Resolution adopted and referred to Public Safety Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 8 Yeas and 3 Nays (Yeas – King, Mero-Carlson, Rivera, Rose, Rosen, Russell, Wally, Petty) (Nays – Bergman, Colorio, Toomey)

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to create a process where social/outreach workers and/or licensed specialists are deployed during a mental health incident, and a future appropriation to accomplish this goal. – Item #16k CC Resolution adopted and referred to Public Health and Human Services Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to implement a paid cadet program in both the police and fire departments, and a future appropriation to accomplish this goal. – Item #16l CC Resolution adopted and referred to Public Safety Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 1 Nay (Nay – Colorio)

RESOLUTION of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the city’s recommendation to increase the diversity trainings offered through the Human Resources Department to foster cultural change across the City Administration, and a future appropriation to accomplish this goal. – Item #16m CC Resolution adopted and referred to Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee for informational purposes only on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

RESOLUTION of Councilor Khrystian E. King – That City Council does hereby support and advocate to its State Legislature the prioritization of educators receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. – Item #16n CC Resolution adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Sarai Rivera – Request City Council allow for a presentation at its March 16, 2021 meeting from representatives from UMass Memorial and the city's Equity Task Force relative to both the data collected on how the city’s diverse community has been adversely impacted by COVID-19 and well as how said data collected by UMass Memorial and the Equity Task Force can be used to guide the city in its vaccination process. – Item #16o CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

Motion Toomey @ #12a CC – That City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the Worcester Police Department’s adoption of the ShotSpotter Connect Program.

Motion Rosen @ #12a CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report reviewing the ShotSpotter Connect Pilot Program at the end of its year-long pilot.

Motion Russell @ #12a CC – Request City Manager work with the appropriate representatives from ShotSpotter Connect to align any ShotSpotter Connect Pilot Program in the city with the city’s upcoming fiscal year.

Motion Rose @ #15b CC – Request City Manager reach out to the Lakeside Apartments community to explore options for recreation in their area for their youth and families.

Motion Mero-Carlson @ #15g CC – Request City Manager request City Solicitor draft a Home Rule Petition exempting the Worcester City Council from the portion of the Open Meeting Law that disallows information relative to members of the City Council signing onto items as co-sponsors becoming public prior to the start of a City Council meeting.

Motion King @ #15g CC – Request Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations meet with the appropriate representative from the Attorney General’s Office to discuss the portion of the Open Meeting Law that disallows information relative to members of the City Council signing onto items as co-sponsors becoming public prior to the start of a City Council meeting.

Motion King @ #10l CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the economic impact Becker College has to its neighborhood and the city at-large.

Motion King @ #10m CC – Request City Manager consider any new recommendations and strategies in an effort to diversify participation in the city’s various neighborhood crime watch associations.

Motion Petty – Suspension of Rules – That the City Council does hereby suspend the rules to allow for the City Council meeting held on March 9, 2021 occur past midnight.

Motion Mero-Carlson – Suspension of Rules – That the City Council of the City of Worcester express their support and gratitude to all healthcare staff and registered nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital and throughout the City of Worcester, and furthermore; that City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby encourage Tenet Healthcare, Saint Vincent Hospital to reengage in negotiations with the Massachusetts Nurses Association to reach an agreement that ensures the safety of registered nurses, healthcare staff, and patients along with fair compensation for their work.