CITY OF WORCESTER | Finance Committee Meeting | Tuesday, May 13, 2008 | Council Chamber | Convened: 4:08 P.M. | Adjourned: 5:05 P.M. |
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Mayor
Konstantina B. Lukes | 
www.ci.worcester.ma.us |
Clerk of the City Council
David J. Rushford | Committee Members | | Chairperson Konstantina B Lukes | | Councilor Paul P Clancy Jr. | | Councilor William J Eddy |
| | Councilor Michael J Germain | | Councilor Barbara G Haller | | Councilor Philip P Palmieri | | Councilor Joseph M Petty | | Councilor Gary Rosen | | Councilor Frederick C Rushton | | Councilor Joffrey A Smith | | Councilor Kathleen M Toomey |
City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | All committee members present with the Mayor in the Chair except Councilor Rushton who arrived at 4:22 P.M. | | | | | Also: | City Manager Michael V. O'Brien
Chief Financial Officer Thomas F. Zidelis
Acting Director of Human Resources Kathleen G. Johnson
City Auditor James A. DelSignore
City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk | | | |
| 1. | Legislative Office Budget Hearing | |
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| | | 1a. | City Council - IV-1 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 1b. | Mayor's Office - IV-2
| View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 1c. | City Clerk - IV-3
| View Budget | | | | | | | Motion Clancy: Request to Hold and reschedule to the end of the Budget Hearings - Approved on a voice vote | |
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| | | 1d. | Election Commission - IV-4
| View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a copy of the ordinance wherein the Board of Election Commissioners receive compensation for services rendered. (Rosen) | |
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| | | 1e. | Auditing - IV-5
| View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 1f. | Retirement - Contributory Pensions, Non-contributory Pensions, Pensions - other - IV-6 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 2. | City Manager's Budget Hearing | |
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| | | 2a. | City Manager's Office - V-1 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 2b. | City Manger's Contingency - V-2 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
| 3. | Human Resources Budget Hearing | |
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| | | 3a. | Human Resources - V1-1 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the potential number of dependents over the age 18 to city employees who are provided health insurance benefits, the impacted costs associated and the reasons the state offers these health insurance benefits and the city does not. Further, request City Manager investigate whether a health insurance deductible is required for dependents who are attending schools out of the state. (Clancy)
| | | | Request City Council's Standing Committee on Municipal Operations examine if it is in the city's best interest to require that insured employees be required to have an annual physical examination. (Germain) | | | | Request City Manager encourage Cabinet Members and Executive Management group employees reside in the City of Worcester who are not required by ordinance. (Rushton) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the number of hired women and minority job applicants and what the city is doing proactively to encourage diversity within the city's work force. Further, request City Manager identify the number of employees who speak a foreign language, the department of that employee and what is the language that is spoken. In addition report as to whether language translations are provided as a service. (Rosen, Toomey) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the number of individuals within the CM and EM Group who are receiving pay raises in the FY 2009 budget and how many are Worcester residents and how many are not Worcester residents. (Germain) | | | | Request City Manager request the City Solicitor report to City Council as to the legality of tying pay raises with requiring employees to move into the city and request the City Manager consider making this as part of compensation package. Further, request City Manager report the number and percentage of the city's workforce who reside within and outside the city of Worcester. (Germain, Lukes) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a previously requested report concerning how many of the top 250 wage earners reside in the city of Worcester as well as the list of salaries for all city employees. Further, request an attempt to provide this report for the next budget hearing. (Haller) | |
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| | | 3b. | Worker's Compensation & Public Safety IOD - V1-2 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 3c. | Unemployment Compensation - V1-3 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | |
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| | | 3d. | Health Insurance - V1-4 | View Budget | | | | | | | Budget Approved | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report stating the total health insurance costs to the city including both the city side and Worcester Public Schools for Fiscal Year 2009. (Petty) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report of all the health insurance plans offered to retirees, represented and non-represented employees. (Petty)
| | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding successes of the Employee Assistance Program and any facts or figures concerning the number of employees taking advantage of this program. (Rosen) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a brief report of the potential dollar savings if the City chooses to adopt MGL chapter 32B, section 19. Further, request report encompass the cost savings if Commonwealth Group Insurance Plan GIC is accepted by the City and include a comparison between the city's health insurance plans and GIC as to costs and components of the plans. Further, request the report list all the municipalities who have accepted MGL chapter 32B, section 19 and GIC. (Rosen, Rushton, Toomey) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding the shock claims that have occurred during the last 3 years. (Germain) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a position report concerning MGL chapter 32B, section 19. (Haller) | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the savings in health insurance costs due to the changes to the non-representative employees and non-medicare eligible retirees plans. (Clancy)
| | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding the greater than expected savings in health insurance programs over and above the projected savings. (Toomey)
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| 4. | Worcester Public Schools Budget Hearing | |
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| | | 4a. | Worcester Public Schools - X11-1 | View Budget | | | | | | | Motion Clancy - Request the Worcester Public Schools Budget Hearing be the first hearing on the May 27th Finance Committee agenda. - Approved on a voice vote
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| 5. | Communications of the City Manager | |
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| | | 5a. | Recommend City Council Approval of the Attached Fiscal Year 2009 Budget.
# 8.30A CM May 06, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5b. | Transmitting the City's Five Year Capital Improvement Program. Recommending City Council's Review, Consideration and Approval to Advertise the Associated Loan Orders, City Council Agenda Numbers 8.31A through 8.31NN.
# 8.30A CM July 17, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5c. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.
# 10.37C CM August 14, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5d. | Transmitting informational communication regarding the adoption and implementation of Chapter 32B, Section 18.
# 8.6A CM August 28, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5e. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a Legal Opinion as to the City Council's Legal Jurisdiction and Powers regarding the City budget for FY 2008 which has been previously voted by City Council.
# 8.28A CM August 28, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5f. | Transmitting informational communication regarding a Financial Update of the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.
# 5b CC September 25, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5g. | Transmitting informational communication regarding an update on the City's Five Year Plan and Quarterly Report.
# 8.30A CM December 03, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5h. | Transmitting informational communication regarding the Five Point January 2008 Financial Plan Update.
# 13a CC January 29, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5i. | Transmitting informational communication regarding the Commonwealth's Proposed Fiscal Year 09 Spending Plan.
# 10.30A CM February 12, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5j. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Mid-Year Review of Fiscal Year 2008 Health Insurance Reforms enacted for the City and School Department.
# 10.30A CM February 26, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5k. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Historic Trends in State and Federal Funding.
# 10.30B CM February 26, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5l. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Analysis of Outsourcing Certain City Trade Labor Services.
# 10.31A CM February 26, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5m. | Transmitting communication relative to a Cost Comparison of the Expenditures of the Election Commission Prior to and Since its Merger with the City Clerk's Department.
# 7.38A CM April 01, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
| 6. | Communications of the City Auditor | |
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| | | 6a. | Transmitting communication relative the City's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007.
# 9a CC December 18, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 6b. | Transmitting communication relative to the November 2007 Auditor's Report.
# 16a CC January 08, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 6c. | Transmitting communication relative to a financial analysis of the City's General Fund and Enterprise Funds.
# 13b CC January 29, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 6d. | Transmitting communication relative to the December 2007 Auditor's Report.
# 13a CC February 12, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Held | |
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| | | 6e. | Transmitting communication relative to January 2008 Auditor's Report.
# 13a CC February 26, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 6f. | Transmitting communication relative to the February 2008 Auditor's Report.
# 10b CC March 18, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 6g. | Transmitting communication relative to a financial analysis of the City's General Fund and Enterprise Funds.
# 5a CC March 25, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 6h. | Transmitting communication relative to the March 2008 Auditor's Report.
# 9a CC April 15, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 7a. | Order of Councilor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. and Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes - Request City Council's Standing Committee on Finance meet with a representative from Sullivan & Rogers, LLC for an exit interview on latest audits.
# 12b CC February 26, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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