City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to adopt the item. Order adopted

Mayor Petty recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Inspectional Services Department budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed state guidelines associated with reviewing properties with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services and the City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed her support for the creation of a rental registry program, the age of the city’s housing stock and individuals understanding the services provided by the department with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services and Director of Housing and Health.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed interdepartmental meetings between the department with the city’s public safety departments with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the 110 inspections Standards of Operations Policy and Reference Guide. (King)”.

Councilor King then discussed how the diversity of the department is being measured, the onboarding process for additional inspectors, the number of 110 inspections that occurred in the previous year, technology upgrades available to the department, advancing remote work options and increasing retention rates within the department with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Building Commissioner.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning efforts made relative to safe work environments for employees, as it relates to operationalizing the duties of positions within the Inspectional Services Department. (King)”.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio discussed the number of complaints, by address, filed with the department each year with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing a categorized list of complaints received by the Inspectional Services Department. (Colorio)”.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio discussed the amount of uncaptured revenues the city could regain with additional positions with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Rivera, who discussed how expanding the department could aid in reviewing problem properties, procedures associated with reviewing rest homes and hiring a diverse group of individuals with the City Manager, Commissioner of Inspectional Services, Director of Housing and Health and Deputy Building Commissioner.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed whether the rental registry program would include all rental properties and how the department decides which properties to inspect with the Commissioner of Inspectional Services and Director of Housing and Health.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed language assistance programs available to inspectors and the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords with the Director of Housing and Health, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed the creation of a problem properties list, whether there are enough inspectors available to review site issues, the appropriateness of the ordinance for not paving over front lawns and the use of city vehicles within the department with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and the City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the pay grades for new inspectors and bringing departments together for the planning of future inspections with the Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Inspectional Services, City Manager and Director of Housing and Health.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved.

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the 110 inspections Standards of Operations Policy and Reference Guide. (King)

Request City Manager provide City Council with an update concerning efforts made relative to safe work environments for employees, as it relates to operationalizing the duties of positions within the Inspectional Services Department. (King)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing a categorized list of complaints received by the Inspectional Services Department. (Colorio)

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Technical Services budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed efforts made to diversify the department, challenges the department is facing with cybersecurity and any interaction between the department and the Worcester Public Schools department with the Chief Financial Officer.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the Technical Services Department’s collaborative engagements with other city departments as it relates to cybersecurity initiatives. (King)”.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the allocations for leases and rentals within the department and the amount of money spent on landlines with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed efforts made to make the city’s website more accessible with the Chief Financial Officer.

Councilor Haxhiaj then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a list of city buildings and other public spaces where free WiFi exists. (Haxhiaj)”.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved.

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the Technical Services Department’s collaborative engagements with other city departments as it relates to cybersecurity initiatives. (King)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a list of city buildings and other public spaces where free WiFi exists. (Haxhiaj)

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Sustainability and Resilience budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed climate mitigation efforts and providing economic justice to tenants through deep energy retrofitting in multi-family homes with the City Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer.

Councilor Haxhiaj then moved to, “Request City Manager request Chief Sustainability Officer review ways the city can adopt practices from other TIF models in the state that go beyond the state’s minimum requirements relative to environmental sustainability. (Haxhiaj)”.

Councilor Haxhiaj then discussed adopting zero waste models from other communities and the effect of urban heat islands with the Chief Sustainability Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed the creation of sustainability scorecards with the Chief Sustainability Officer.

Councilor Colorio then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a copy of sustainability scorecards once they are created, and include information as to how priorities on the scorecard are weighted. (Colorio)”.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed the timeline associated with creating the sustainability pilot scorecards, media communications from the department and the diversity of the department with the Chief Sustainability Officer.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed the participation within the municipal aggregation program and how much the city has saved because of implementing said program with the Chief Sustainability Officer.

Councilor Toomey then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning exploring opportunities to ensure joining the municipal aggregation program is beneficial to larger employers. (Toomey)”.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed transitioning away from fossil fuels to electricity and how the department collaborates with the Department of Public Works and Parks with the Chief Sustainability Officer.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Rivera, who discussed the correlation between the department and the Department of Public Health and how the department views issues with an equitable lens with the Chief Sustainability Officer.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved.

Request City Manager request Chief Sustainability Officer review ways the city can adopt practices from other TIF models in the state that go beyond the state’s minimum requirements relative to environmental sustainability. (Haxhiaj)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a copy of sustainability scorecards once they are created, and include information as to how priorities on the scorecard are weighted. (Colorio)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning exploring opportunities to ensure joining the municipal aggregation program is beneficial to larger employers. (Toomey)

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to take the item up with item #6b.

Mayor Petty recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Public Facilities budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed efforts to diversify the department, the roll the department plays in WPS’s buildings and how energy efficiency is measured with the Chief of Public Facilities.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed safety precautions in buildings and assessments by outside vendors on city buildings with the Chief of Public Facilities and City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed training for securing and hardening city buildings and regrading the plant engineer position with the Chief of Public Facilities.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed using ARPA funding for projects triggered by ADA improvements with the Chief of Public Facilities and Chief Financial Officer.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed increases to the funding in the department for snow removal, naming rights associated with city buildings and capital expenditures for the DCU Center with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved.

Budget approved (See Item #6a)

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to collectively hold items #7a through #7d, #8a through #8c, #9a through #9c, #10a through #10c, #11a, #12a through #12d, #13a, #14a and #15a through #15c.

Budget Held.

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Financial Integrity Plan.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the city’s payments associated with the building of Polar Park with the Chief Financial Officer.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved.

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Budget Held (See Item #7a)

Recommend Hold (See Item #7a)

Recommend Hold (See Item #7a)

Recommend Hold (See Item #7a)

Recommend Hold (See Item #7a)