City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio read the item and moved to adopt the item. Order adopted

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio read the item and moved to take items #3a through #3d collectively.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the City Council, Mayor, City Clerk and Election Commission budgets.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed the hiring of City Council support staff, expenses related to various elections occurring during Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) and the need to fund mailings to inform residents of upcoming changes to the city’s election process with the City Clerk and Chief Financial Officer.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed funding for a mailing to educate voters on their polling locations prior to the 2023 Municipal Election in November with the Chief Financial Officer and the City Clerk.

Councilor Haxhiaj then moved to, “Request City Manager consider working with the City Clerk to secure additional funding for a mailing to educate voters relative to the 2023 Municipal Election in November. (Haxhiaj)”.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed the requirements associated with translation services for elections with the City Clerk.

Councilor Colorio then moved to, “Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning whether there are any languages in the city that are near the threshold that would require the city to translate election materials into said language(s). (Colorio)”.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budgets associated with items #3a through #3d. Budget approved.

Request City Manager consider working with the City Clerk to secure additional funding for a mailing to educate voters relative to the 2023 Municipal Election in November. (Haxhiaj)

Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning whether there are any languages in the city that are near the threshold that would require the city to translate election materials into said language(s). (Colorio)

Budget approved (See item #3a)

Budget approved (See item #3a)

Budget approved (See item #3a)

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

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to approve the budget. Budget approved

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Executive Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed the hiring process being used to fill the vacant position of Chief Equity Officer with the City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed the number of positions within the Executive Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, previous allocations for the department that went unspent during FY23 and the timeline for appropriately staffing the department with the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding the responses to the Request for Proposals (RFP) relative to the Chief Equity Officer position, as well as the process for awarding said RFP. (King)”.

Councilor King then discussed the city’s investigator positions and legal consultation fees with the City Manager and the Chief Financial Officer.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report regarding the responses to the Request for Proposals (RFP) relative to the Chief Equity Officer position, as well as the process for awarding said RFP. (King)

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to take items #7a through #7c collectively.

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

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson who discussed the decrease in salaries of various positions in the Law Department, as well as the cost of lawsuit and claim settlements with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed challenges relative to staffing levels within the Law Department, as well as funding allocations relative to court judgements with the City Solicitor and Chief Financial Officer.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning costs incurred by the city through appealing court judgements. (King)”.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Nguyen who discussed the departmental goals of the Law Department as they relate to hiring diverse candidates, as well as the timeline used for public records requests with the City Solicitor.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Bergman who discussed claims pertaining to vehicles with the City Solicitor.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed the city’s responsibilities relative to acting against negligent landlords and contractors with the City Solicitor.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor King for a second time, who discussed the process the department has used to hire diverse candidates, as well as internship opportunities in the department with the City Solicitor.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning costs incurred by the city through settlements made by the city, broken down by the department associated with the settlement. (King)”.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the possibility of the city recouping legal and/or operational costs from monies spent on issues stemming from negligent landlords or property owners.

Councilor Russell brought forth the following Chairman’s Order, “Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning the potential for the city to recoup legal and/or operational costs from monies spent on issues stemming from negligent landlords or property owners. (Russell)”.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio moved to approve the budgets associated with items #7a through #7c. Budget approved

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning costs incurred by the city through appealing court judgements. (King)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning costs incurred by the city through court judgements and settlements made by the city, broken down by the department associated with the settlement. (King)

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a report concerning the potential for the city to recoup legal and/or operational costs from monies spent on issues stemming from negligent landlords or property owners. (Russell)

Budget approved (see item #7a)

Budget approved (see item #7a)

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio read the item and moved to take items #8a and #8b collectively.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Public Facilities budget.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed whether the DCU Center would be able to create net-positive revenue in FY24 with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Councilor Russell then moved to, “Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Facilities provide City Council with a report concerning whether the DCU Center will be able to provide net-positive revenues for the city in the future. Further, request said report include information relatives to expenses and reimbursements associated with the emergency COVID-19 hospital at the DCU Center. (Russell)”.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor King, who discussed open positions within the Department of Public Facilities, responsibilities the department has concerning staffing the Worcester Ballpark Commission, differences between Polar Park and the DCU Center’s municipal oversight and hiring practices used by the department with the Commissioner of Public Facilities and City Manager.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio recognized Councilor Russell for a second time, who moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a biannual report concerning all financial details associated with Polar Park, including but not limited to debt services, revenues and the timing of payments associated with the ballpark. (Russell)”.

Councilor Russell then discussed Polar Park’s lease payments with the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer.

Vice Chairperson Councilor Colorio moved to approve the budgets associated with items #8a and #8b. Budget approved

Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Facilities provide City Council with a report concerning whether the DCU Center will be able to provide net-positive revenues for the city in the future. Further, request said report include information relatives to expenses and reimbursements associated with the emergency COVID-19 hospital at the DCU Center. (Russell)

Request City Manager provide City Council with a biannual report concerning all financial details associated with Polar Park, including but not limited to debt services, revenues and the timing of payments associated with the ballpark. (Russell)

Budget approved (see item #8a)

Mayor Petty read the item recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Worcester Public Library budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed the growth of the Worcester Public Library.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals and hiring practices of the Worcester Public Library, social services provided by the department and supporting the department’s community library branches with the Executive Director of the Worcester Public Library.

Councilor King then moved to, “Request City Manager consider onboarding a clinical social worker, in some capacity, to provide services at the Worcester Public Library. (King)”.

Mayor Petty then recognized Councilor Nguyen who discussed the pay grade system for the city’s librarians, as well as whether the salary range the city is paying librarians is competitive with the Executive Director of the Worcester Public Library.

Mayor Petty moved to approve to budget. Budget approved

Request Request City Manager consider onboarding a clinical social worker, in some capacity, to provide services at the Worcester Public Library. (King)

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to take items #10a through #10c collectively.

Mayor Petty recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided an overview of the funds provided in the Administration and Finance budget.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed debt service and long-term funding goals, including building new schools, as well as long-term budget goals with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed the debt obligations of the DCU Center, departmental objectives specific to tax exempt personal property, retirement funding, the city’s bond ratings and strategy with respect to union contract negotiations with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed debt services pertaining to park projects and funds available that were received through CSX with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budgets associated with items #10a through #10c. Budget approved.

Budget approved (See item #10a)

Budget approved (See item #10a)

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

Mayor Petty recognized the City Manager, who provided City Council with a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Financial Integrity Plan, which included the city’s Bond Rating Stabilization, Capital Campaign Stabilization, CitySquare DIF Reserve, North High School Construction Fund, New High School Construction Fund, Fire Stabilization Fund, Ballpark DIF Reserve, and OPEB Reserve. The City Manager then presented specifically on the Canal District and the Ballpark DIF history.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed monies associated with the Financial Integrity Plan, further building development surrounding Polar Park and news coverage of Polar Park and its finances with the City Auditor and Chief Development Officer.

Councilor Russell then moved to, “Request City Manager provide City Council with a report responding to news coverage surrounding the finances associated with Polar Park. (Russell)”.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Colorio, who discussed local receipts, revenue generated from various taxes and fees, and how to best utilize reserve funds with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor King, who discussed North High School debt service payments and the Fire Department Stabilization Fund with the Chief Financial Officer.

Mayor Petty discussed the Fire Department Stabilization Fund, the status of School Building Fund payments, and the interest rate of the Polar Park bonds with the Chief Financial Officer and City Manager. Mayor Petty also discussed updates in the surrounding Polar Park area and the possibility of utilizing the Polar Park garage exterior for Public Art or advertising with the Chief Development Officer.

Mayor Petty recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the success of Polar Park and the Fire Stabilization Fund with the City Manager.

Mayor Petty moved to approve the budget. Budget approved

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report responding to news coverage surrounding the finances associated with Polar Park. (Russell)

Mayor Petty read the item and moved to approve the budget. Budget approved

Mayor Petty read the item and recognized Councilor King, who clarified the process of referring the item to the City Council.

Mayor Petty moved for a roll call vote to recommend approval of the item. Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 10 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent).