CITY OF WORCESTER

JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Esther Howland (South) Chamber

Convened: 6:33 P.M.

Adjourned: 8:39 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 June 1, 2021.

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the following speakers: 1. Idella Hazard, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or in opposition to item #10f CC 2. John Rogers, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #9f CC 3. Kevin Ksen, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or in opposition to item #14g CC 4. Victor Kruczynski, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #9a CC

Hearing: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location on: CAMBRIDGE ST. Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location on: CAMBRIDGE ST.

Hearing: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location on: KNOWLTON AVE. Granting permission to CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS for a conduit location on: KNOWLTON AVE.

Hearing: CROWN CASTLE for a conduit location on: GODDARD MEMORIAL DR. Granting permission to CROWN CASTLE for a conduit location on: GODDARD MEMORIAL DR.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: BROOKSHIRE RD. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: BROOKSHIRE RD.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: HARRISON ST. and CORAL ST. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: HARRISON ST. and CORAL ST.

Hearing: NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: MAIN ST. Granting permission to NATIONAL GRID for a conduit location on: MAIN ST.

ORDER of Councilor George J. Russell - As Chair of the City Council Standing Committee on Public Works in accordance with Rule 33 (e) of the Rules of City Council, request City Council suspend its rules at its June 15, 2021 meeting to take up the Report of the Committee on Public Works transmitting informational communication Relative to the FY22 water and sewer rate recommendation, as presented by the City Manager and referred to the Standing Committee on Public Works as Item #9.5A CM on the City Council agenda for May 12, 2021, along with related items pending before the Committee.

Victor Kruczynski et al. request removal of resident permit parking on Spurr St.

Councilor George J. Russell on behalf of Daniel Alfaro Carmona request installation of four-way stop signs at the intersection of Harrison St. and Penn Ave.

Councilor George J. Russell on behalf Carolyn Baranauskas request installation of a traffic signal or stop signs on Sunderland Rd. at Dalton St.

Peter Magerowski request installation of three-way stop sign at the intersection of Barry Rd., Barry Rd. Ext. and Toronita Ave.

Joseph Konkol request Elm St. from Linden St. to Chestnut St. be made a two-way street.

Bob Bazinet request installation of memorial honoring Bernard R. Bazinet for his service in World War II at the corner of Grafton St. and Warner Ave., in the vicinity of 635 Grafton St.

Request City Manager request City Solicitor draft a home rule petition forthwith in support of the surviving spouse of Enmanuel ("Manny") Familia amending M.G.L. Chapter 32-Section 100 (pertaining to Pensions for Surviving Spouses of Police Officers) to include drowning as a ...”result of attempting to save the life of another in the performance of his/her duties”...as a category entitled to receive said pension. (Bergman, Toomey, Mero-Carlson, Colorio, Wally, Rosen)

Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works provide a safety flotation device and rope alongside appropriate signage at each of the city’s bodies of water indicating whether it is an appropriate place to swim or not. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the dangerous aspects of each body of water (i.e. weeds, currents, deep drop offs, etc.). (Toomey)

Request City Manager work with the Assistant Commissioner of Public Works and Parks and members of the community to plant and replant trees that have been lost due to construction, in areas including but not limited to Main South, Pleasant St. and the west Highland St. area. (Rivera)

Request City Manager work with the Superintendent, the School Safety Coordinator and the Smart911 staff to provide a presentation on the benefits of the WPS to participate in the Smart911 program. (Toomey)

Request City Manager consider installing United States of America flags and banners in locations similar to the holiday wreaths from Memorial Day through Veterans’ Day. (Toomey)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor work with the City Clerk to provide City Council with a legal opinion as to what impact H. 820, An Act Relative to Reprecincting, would have on the city’s 2020 reprecincting operations, as well as what effect the legislation would have on the city’s Charter Article 7 Section 6 Districts, Subsections A and B, if passed. (Wally)

That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support S.B. 1759, which allows the children of fallen Police and Firefighters to continue receiving medical benefits. “MANNY’S LAW” will provide the protection and security for the children of fallen officers and firefighters. (Toomey)

Edward M. Augustus, Jr., City Manager, transmitting an informational communication in response to various questions raised during the City Council’s Finance Committee hearing on June 8, 2021.

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager work with the Police Chief to reassess on-the-water enforcement and oversight on Indian Lake. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the anticipated timeframe within which the Police Department’s NRT will be fully staffed. (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey June 8, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager consider ensuring daily on-the-water oversight and enforcement occurs at Indian Lake. (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey June 8, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager consider prioritizing aspects of the Indian Lake/Morgan Park Masterplan, in the interest of public safety. (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey June 8, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager explore the legislative process necessary for the city to require boating licensure on municipal water bodies. Further, request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning same. (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey June 8, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning a previously requested Order 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. (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey June 8, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Manager consider working with the Environmental Police to increase oversight and enforcement on Indian Lake, in the interest of public safety. (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Toomey June 8, 2021)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Manager recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Operating Budget for City Council review and consideration: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order. (Tabled Under Privilege - King June 8, 2021)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Auditor Transmitting an informational communication relative to the cost of police overtime and police details for major events for the past five (5) years: recommend Communication be placed on file. (Tabled Under Privilege - King June 8, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to responses to various unanswered questions raised during the City Council’s Finance Committee hearings on May 25, 2021 and June 1, 2021. (Tabled Under Privilege - King June 8, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to answers to questions raised at the Finance Committee meetings for the Police Department. (Tabled Under Privilege - King June 8, 2021)

COMMUNICATION of the City Auditor transmitting an informational communication with respect to the June 30, 2019 management letter, issued July 2020, regarding Worcester Police Department (WPD) overtime reports, policies and budget. (Tabled Under Privilege - King June 8, 2021)

ORDER of Councilor Sarai Rivera - Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Health and Human Services meet with social service organizations that should be offering outreach and services to the people of Main South. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty May 25, 2021 and June 8, 2021) (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021)

RESOLUTION of Councilor Morris A. Bergman and Councilor Sarai Rivera - That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby support the efforts of State Representative Daniel M. Donahue and others in advocating for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to install an appropriate height barrier fence between 34 Ward Street and Interstate 290 and to assist in the cleanup of litter between the two locations. (Tabled Under Privilege - Petty May 25, 2021 and Tabled Under Privilege - Bergman June 8, 2021) (Postponed - Russell June 1, 2021)

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)

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Manager recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Operating Budget for City Council review and consideration: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order. – Item #23a CC Tabled Under Privilege – King

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Manager recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2022 proposed Capital Improvement Plan for the City of Worcester: recommend adoption of the accompanying Order. – Item #23b CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Upon the Communication of the City Auditor Transmitting an informational communication relative to the cost of police overtime and police details for major events for the past five (5) years: recommend Communication be placed on file. – Item #23c CC Tabled Under Privilege – King

CHAIRMAN’S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether there is a windfall in funding for the DCU Center’s budget and whether funding sources the city provides to the DCU Center can be considered an expenditure. (Russell) – Item #23d CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

CHAIRMAN’S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether the city retains any monies associated with collecting funds for the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID), as well as whether those monies are represented in the city’s budget. (Russell) – Item #23e CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

CHAIRMAN’S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager include a listing of the balances within city’s enterprise accounts in future budgets, including information as to how much the accounts have increased and decreased in each past year. (Bergman) – Item #23f CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

CHAIRMAN’S ORDER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE - Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the balances of each of the city’s reserves funds. (Russell) – Item #23g CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

ORDER of Councilor Morris A. Bergman – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether the city is allowed by ordinance to not work with any business that submits a bid that has a prior history of being in violation of a wage theft ordinance. – Item #23h CC Order adopted on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Upon the Communication of the City Manager Transmitting informational communication Relative to the FY22 water and sewer rate recommendation: recommend passage of the accompanying proposed Ordinance.

Motion King @ #14g CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the maximum hour rules that limits the hours a police officer may be worked in a twenty-four (24) hour period to sixteen (16) hours unless noted exceptions are met.

Motion King @ #10b CC – Request City Manager work with Police Chief to determine the feasibility of outfitting police vehicles/officers with NRS Rapid Rescuer for the purposes of preventing drowning-related accidents.

Motion King @ #10b CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the feasibility of using American Response funds for recreational infrastructure such as pools.

Motion King @ #14l CC – Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the demographics of city residents who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.