CITY OF WORCESTER | Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Meeting | Thursday, November 4, 2021 | Recreation Center | Convened: 6:07 P.M. | Adjourned: 7:11 P.M. |
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Mayor
Joseph M. Petty | 
www.worcesterma.gov |
Clerk of the City Council
Nikolin Vangjeli | Committee Members | | Chairperson Khrystian E King | | Vice Chairperson Kathleen M Toomey | | Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson |
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Great Brook Valley - 33 Freedom Way Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | Chairperson Councilor Khrystian E King
Councilor Kathleen M Toomey
Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson | | | | | Also: | City Solicitor Michael Traynor
Assistant City Solicitor Wendy Quinn
Business Development Manager Edgard Luna
Professor of Law at Stanford University Nathan Persily
City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli
Deputy City Clerk Stephen A.J. Pottle, clerk | | | |
| 1. | Virtual Attendee Call-In Information | |
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| | | 1a. | Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the meeting, you may join us directly within the location, follow the below link to join via the WebEx application or dial the direct line as indicated. If you would like to raise your hand when in the meeting as a call-in user you may dial *3. – Phone Number: 415-655-0001, Access Code: 2315 399 7893.
https://cow.webex.com/cow/onstage/g.php?MTID=e3f4e46c43978cc1d03945edb9551cc13 | Attachments |
| 2. | Approval of the Minutes | |
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| | | 2a. | Order - That the City Council Standing Committee of Municipal and Legislative Operations hereby approves the minutes of the Municipal and Legislative Operations meeting of May 4, 2021. | View Agenda | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the order. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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| | | 3a. | Order of Mayor Joseph M. Petty – That the City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby authorize the City Solicitor to execute the consent decree containing the following three electoral system options: Option #1: A single-member district-based system for electing all members of the Worcester School Committee with no at-large seats (the “Single Member System”). Under any such Single Member System, there shall be a total of six (6) single-member Worcester School Committee districts, including two (2) majority-minority districts, based on citizen voting age population of Hispanic/Latino/a and Black residents, and the Mayor as Chair. Option #2: Hybrid: A hybrid system that combines single-member district-based seats with 1 at-large seat. Under the Hybrid System, the Worcester School Committee shall be comprised of seven (7) single-member district-based seats, including two (2) majority-minority districts, based on citizen voting age population of Hispanic/Latino/a and Black residents, with one (1) at-large seat and the Mayor as chair. Option #3: Hybrid: A hybrid system that combines single-member district-based seats with 2 at-large seats. Under the Hybrid System, the Worcester School Committee shall be comprised of six (6) single-member district-based seats, including two (2) majority-minority districts, based on citizen voting age population of Hispanic/Latino/a and Black residents, with two (2) at-large seats and the Mayor as chair.
# 19c CC October 12, 2021
In Committee for informational purposes only
| Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and provided an overview of the redistricting process, the history of elected officials in the City and result of the recent municipal election.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the Business Development Manager, who discussed the 2020 Census process and results.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Solicitor, who discussed the consent decree process for the school committee.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed whether the municipal election’s result will impact the outcome of the consent decree with the City Solicitor.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the following speakers:
1. Sarah Kenward, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor in opposition to item #3a
2. Margot Barnet, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor in opposition to item #3a
3. Ruth Rodriguez-Fay, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor in opposition to item #3a
4. Ed Moynihan, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor in opposition to item #3a
5. David Coyne, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor in opposition to item #3
6. Cory Bizby, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor in opposition to item #3a
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Clerk, who responded to questions raised by speaker #1.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed the feasibility for maps to be provided for the next Municipal and Legislative Operations meetings and the process for map-drawing relative to the new options provided by the consent decree with the City Redistricting and Election Law Consultant and the City Solicitor.
Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Clerk provide maps relative to the school locations in the City at the following Municipal and Legislative Operations meetings.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Consultant, who discussed the impact and implications of the municipal election’s results on the consent decree and the Section II of the Voting Rights Act.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Toomey, who spoke concerning the item.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed the challenges concerning the difference in the number of schools in each district and the lack of representation for certain regions of the City.
Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with maps relative to the locations of schools, by district, at subsequent Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee hearings regarding the School Committee election process. | | | | Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a map indicating where School Committee members elected from the last three (3) elections reside | | | | Request City Clerk work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide outreach to various professionals and community groups within the city’s schools prior to the remaining Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee hearings regarding the School Committee Election process, including school site councils. | |
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| | | 3b. | Communication of the City Clerk transmitting an informational communication concerning House Bill 4118 an Act Relative to Re-precincting (formerly H.3863), relative to the City Council 2020 Redistrciting process, as indicated in the City of Worcester's Charter Section 7-6 Districts: Section A&B.
# 12a CC October 12, 2021 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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