CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 6:38 P.M.

Adjourned: 9:33 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 April 13, 2021.

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the following speakers: 1. Wahiya Wolfpaw, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #11a CC 2. Andrew Ahern, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #11a CC 3. Deborah Packard, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #10a CC 4. Darren Belanger, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #11a CC 5. Greg Dorschler, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #11a CC 6. Jeuiji Diamondstone, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #11a CC 7. Marie Brouliette, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to items #10k CC, #10l CC and #10m CC 8. Paul Popinchalk, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #11a CC 9. Deb Cary, Princeton resident, spoke in favor of item #10a CC

Hearing: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: DIVISION ST. Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: DIVISION ST.

Hearing: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: NORTH ST. Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location at: NORTH ST.

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

Lisa Archambault request abatement of street betterment assessment #25768 in the amount of $18,175.00 for Newburn Rd.

Susan Burns & Mary Landry request abatement of street betterment assessment #25695 in the amount of $15,000.00 for Luther Ave.

Michael Arcure & Kathleen Arcure request abatement of street betterment assessment #25712 in the amount of $7,237.50 for Camden Ave.

Councilor Matthew E. Wally request sidewalk repair in front of 6 Perrot St.

Ronald Holbrook et. al request installation of a stop sign on the corner of Seymour St. and Millbury St.

Ronald Holbrook request installation of crosswalk at the intersection of Seymour St. and Millbury St.

Lawrence Freed request the Airport Dr. street signage at the Airport Dr. and Mill St. intersection be reinstalled.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location at: MAIN ST.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: GRAFTON ST. AND PILGRIM AVE.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: FREELAND ST. AND LOWELL ST.

NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: TAINTER ST. AT GARDNER ST.

EVERSOURCE for a conduit location on: CHESTER ST.

EVERSOURCE for a conduit location on: GRAND ST. NEAR HOLLIS ST.

William S. Coleman, III, request City Council request City Manager consider looking into a radio broadcast of City Council on WCUW, WICN FM and WCRN AM as an additional way to provide access to City Council meetings for residents of Worcester.

William S. Coleman, III, request City Council request City Manager add a link to the city's website listing food pantries in the city for those residents who are in need of food and those who wish to contribute food to food pantries.

William S. Coleman, III, request City Council hold a citywide District contest that recognizes the district that holds the most cleanups, inviting volunteers to receive a special certificate from the Mayor and City Council members for their volunteer efforts.

William S. Coleman, III, request City Council consider holding a City Councilor forum of the ten largest cities in Massachusetts, including Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, Brockton, New Bedford, Quincy, Lynn and Fall River via Zoom, where City Council members of those cities can share challenges confronting their cities and discuss advocating for each other at the state and federal level.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY - Request City Manager request Fire Chief provide City Council with a report concerning costs associated with any implementation of a cadet program, as well as the successes of other cadet programs, such as the one in Hartford, CT.

Request City Manager consider creating a "Design Review Board Commission" to evaluate new construction, appropriate construction materials, new commercial buildings, sign applications, exterior building changes, lighting and landscaping plans of commercial sites and to also review multi-family properties (triple deckers) developments. Members shall include, where possible, an architect, a landscape architect, and graphics designer. (Rose)

Request Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation review how the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) plans to provide an appropriate level of transit service to and from WooSox games and other events at Polar Park. (Rosen)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion as to the intent of Rule 34 of the Rules of the Worcester City Council “Confidentiality of Executive Session” and the publication of minutes pertaining to same. (Bergman)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report as to the history of the description of the “City Seal” under Section 6 (a) of Chapter One of the Revived Ordinances of the CITY OF WORCESTER REVISED ORDINANCES OF 2008 and information regarding the designation of an “enforcement officer” under Section 6 (f) of same. (Bergman, Colorio)

Request City Manager plant a flowering tree by the City of Worcester at Elm Park or other suitable location to honor the life and legacy of Albert B. Southwick, who recently passed away at age 100, and who published innumerable stories telling us and teaching us the history of Worcester. (Bergman)

Request City Manager provide City Council with any reports by any independent agencies that have investigated the operations of the Worcester Fire Department in the past 10 years. Said report should include what the city response and recommendations have been to those reports. (Colorio)

Request City Manager work with the WRTA Director towards establishing a pilot program to equip a WRTA bus with supplies, COVID-19 vaccines and staff (from local hospitals) to travel to neighborhoods that service the WRTA to provide vaccinations to those who don’t have access to their own transportation. (Colorio)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning a previously adopted Order regarding meeting with stakeholders that include community organizations and private/public partnerships before any decision is made regarding the Becker College properties. (Rivera)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the building inventory in the vicinity of Becker College. Said report should include a list of both single family and multi-family properties. (Rivera)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report detailing the process for creating a historic district in the Becker College neighborhood. (Rivera)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning body camera implementation and related community/stakeholder engagement meetings. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a report pertaining to dates for body camera community sessions. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with the agenda of said meetings for identified stakeholders. (King)

Request City Manager reach out to the State Delegation to explore whether or not funding could be attained at the State level for the purpose of implementing body cameras for the Worcester Police Department. (King)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning the following order adopted as amended on August 11, 2020, which read as follows: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the Worcester Police Department's field interrogation and observation data. Further, request City Manager include in said report all information on said topics from January 2019 through December 2019. Further, request City Manager include said information on the city’s website. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with said information on an annual basis. Further, request City Manager include in said report information relative to any units that are not required to provide said information to the Worcester Police Department. (King)

That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby call for the Massachusetts State Legislature, Department of Public Utilities, and Board of Building Regulations and Standards to commit to swift, just building decarbonization in the Commonwealth by acting at the state-level and allowing rapid municipal action, including the establishment of a net zero energy stretch code in 18 months or less as required by law. (Rivera)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager work with Director of Human Resources to develop an annual performance evaluation tool for the City Clerk. (Tabled Under Privilege - Mero-Carlson April 27, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding minority contracts. Further, request City Manager include in said report an audit that fact checks said contracts. (Tabled Under Privilege - King April 27, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - In an effort to assist, aid and support minority business enterprises (MBE), women-owned business enterprises (WBE), veteran-owned business enterprises (VSBE) and small and local-owned business enterprises (SLBE) within the City of Worcester, request City Manager develop a corrective action plan relative to engaging in a related disparity study/audit and to provide City Council with a report concerning the feasibility of establishing a Worcester Fund using the Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund referentially. (Tabled Under Privilege - King April 27, 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)

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)

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)

PETITION of Meighan Sharry request City Council request City Manager effectively stop efforts to develop athletic fields at Duffy Field/Wetherall Park. (Tabled - Petty March 30, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the feasibility of instituting pedicabs in and around the Canal District. – Item #25a CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the amount of funds owed relative to North High School as it relates to how monies would be owed for the next twenty (20) years. – Item #25b CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager request Police Chief provide City Council with a report concerning the options available to the Worcester Police Department for requests to the State of Massachusetts Police to engage the use of their UAV’s (unmanned aerial vehicles) in the city. – Item #25c CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King – Request City Manager advocate for Worcester representation on any state level Sexual Assault Counselor Certification Task Force. – Item #25d CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell – Request City Manager consider making changes to any potential creation of a Worcester Ballpark Commission in order to provide for district representation on such a commission. – Item #25e CC Order denied on a roll call vote of 4 Yeas and 7 Nays (Yeas – Colorio, King, Rivera, Russell) (Nays – Bergman, Mero-Carlson, Rose, Rosen, Toomey, Wally, Petty)

ORDER of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council does hereby amend the 2021 City Council Meeting Schedule by rescheduling the City Manager agenda on May 11, 2021 to take place on May 12, 2021. – Item #25f CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 11 Yeas and 0 Nays

Motion King @ #10c CC – Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing the best practices used by other communities when taking and releasing the minutes of City Council Executive Sessions.

Motion King @ #10l CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether the divisions of the Police Department that are most likely to engage in use of force were part of the city’s body camera pilot program.

Motion Mero-Carlson – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager request Police Chief provide increased speed enforcement on Hamilton St. at Coburn Ave.

Motion Rivera – Suspension of Rules – Request City Manager convene a meeting with the city’s State Delegation to address concerns related to SMOC, including issues with their administration and the participants’ quality of life.

Motion Rivera - Suspension of Rules - Request City Manager meet with leadership of the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Center and the city’s State Delegation to discuss future funding options.