City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen read the item and recognized the following speakers:
1. Laurie Ross, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to item #4a
2. Parlee Jones, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to item #4a

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Toomey absent).

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen read the item and recognized School Committee Member O’Connell Novick, who read her item discussing similar issues on the School Committee’s Standing Committee on Finance and Operations agenda.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick read the following item listed on their agenda: “Request that the Administration evaluate and update compensation practices whereby school committee members are compensated at 50% of city council level.”

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Mailman, who discussed the practice of School Committee being compensated 50% of the city council level.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Kamara, who discussed the appropriateness of reviewing the City Charter at-large.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion as to the process of changing the City Charter as it relates to salaries for elected officials.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed the discrepancy in salaries between the School Committee members and the City Council members.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen discussed the importance of pay scales associated with elected officials in a capitalist society to ensure individuals elected to local government have the financial means to allocate time to complete their work.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick read the following item listed on their agenda: “To request City Council ensure City Council and School Committee districts are parallel, so as to ensure public clarity.”

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick discussed the potential for voter confusion, should the district lines for City Council and School Committee not be aligned.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Mailman, who discussed the importance of a discussion relative to ensuring the local government in the city at-large be as clear as possible.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed the process the City Council used to review the lawsuit associated with creating the School Committee district lines, as well as education for the public being required to explain any new election process.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick discussed the practicality of changing the entire city’s district representation once, as opposed to waiting to be sued again to change the City Council side.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Kamara, who discussed a desire to make the election process as simple as possible.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen discussed an interest in simplifying the election process as a means to increase voter participation.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Council work to ensure City Council and School Committee districts are parallel, so as to ensure public clarity.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Clerk review polling places throughout the city to ensure said polling places are set in diverse locations.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.

Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Toomey absent)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion as to the process of changing the City Charter as it relates to salaries for elected officials.

Request City Council work to ensure City Council and School Committee districts are parallel, so as to ensure public clarity.

Request City Clerk review polling places throughout the city to ensure said polling places are set in diverse locations.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen read the item and recognized School Committee Member O’Connell Novick, who read her item discussing similar issues on the School Committee’s Standing Committee on Finance and Operations agenda.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Kamara, who discussed a desire to receive the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the School Department is operating under for its School Liaison Officers (SLOs), as well as the process for developing the city’s own MOU.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Mailman, who discussed the timeline associated with receiving the MOU from the School Department.

School Committee Member O’Connell discussed the complications of deferring to an incoming administration at the School Department while still ensuring a MOU policy is in place now.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed the impact School Resource Officers (SROs) have in city schools, as well as training programs and Worcester-based research.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the training being provided to WPD officers and other staff involved in the School Liaison Officer (SLO) model, including cultural responses, equity focused practices and restorative justice models.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen discussed the impact of replacing the SRO model with the SLO model.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager work with the School Safety Taskforce to provide City Council with a report concerning the data collected relative to school disciplinary measures, as well as school incidents involving School Liaison Officer intervention.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion relative to whether the city is obligated to adopt the statewide MOU model regarding School Liaison Officers (SLO) until such a time the city adopts its own MOU relative to the SLO model.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Kamara and School Committee Member Mailman, who discussed the process the city is using to review the creation of an MOU for the SLO model, as well as the operational plans for the School Safety Task Force with the Assistant City Manager.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen recognized Councilor King, who discussed concerns relative to delaying the creation of an MOU for the SLO model, as well as the work being done by the School Safety Taskforce.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Kamara, who spoke concerning the item.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed the importance of engaging with parents and students in the process of adopting an SLO model.

School Committee Member O’Connell Novick recognized School Committee Member Mailman, who discussed whether parents of WPS students were part of the School Safety Taskforce with the Assistant City Manager.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen discussed the potential for enhancing school climate, as well as reimagining school disciplinary methods including community based justice practices, holistic models and transformative justice models.

Chairperson Councilor Nguyen moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.

Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Toomey absent)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the training being provided to WPD officers and other staff involved in the School Liaison Officer (SLO) model, including cultural responses, equity focused practices and restorative justice models.

Request City Manager work with the School Safety Taskforce to provide City Council with a report concerning the data collected relative to school disciplinary measures, as well as school incidents involving School Liaison Officer intervention.

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion relative to whether the city is obligated to adopt the statewide MOU model regarding School Liaison Officers (SLO) until such a time the city adopts its own MOU relative to the SLO model.