City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who provided a financial overview of the city, including information relative to expenses and revenues in the city.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed the State budget’s impact on the city with the Chief Financial Officer.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized the following speakers:
1. Fred Taylor, Worcester resident, spoke concerning another item on the agenda

Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be placed on file. Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the Chief Financial Officer, who discussed the various “buckets” that the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are to be used out of, the approval process for using ARPA funds on certain issues, the fluidity of the ARPA funding recommendations and the ad hoc committees that will help oversee how ARPA funding is allocated.

Chairperson Councilor King discussed social justice aspects of ARPA funding, including the public input process for allocating funding with the Chief Financial Officer.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the process by which the city will receive ARPA funding, how the State plans to use ARPA monies and what is being done to receive funding recommendations from external stakeholders with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Development Officer.

Chairperson Councilor King then brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager work with the city’s partners, such as separate government housing authorities and Upper Blackstone Clean Water, to determine whether they qualify for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding beyond what the city may allocate to them.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed the equity lens through which ARPA funding will be spent, the timing of when the funds have and will be received by the city and what flexibility the city has to allocate ARPA funding with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Development Officer.

Chairperson Councilor King then brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager establish a dashboard related to fund disbursement of ARPA funds. Further, request said dashboard include information as to allocation timelines and prioritizations.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized the following speakers:
1. Nelly Medina, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to aspects of the item
2. Kevin Ksen, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to aspects of the item
3. Johanna Hampton-Dance, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to aspects of the item
4. Fred Taylor, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to aspects of the item

Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Orders: 1) Request City Manager prioritize communities that have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 when allocating ARPA monies to various initiatives. Further, request said prioritization be reflected in writing and shared with the community; 2) Request City Manager identify where ARPA funds are streaming to, as well as provide oversight, accountability, transparency, parameters and expectations for ARPA fund dispersal in an effort to evaluate the successes of said allocations; 3) Request City Manager establish increased contact with the city’s community providers relative to ARPA fund disbursement, in an effort to provide ongoing communication to various communities relative to said allocations; 4) Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion concerning whether the City Council has the authority to enforce the prioritization of local jobs, as well as diversity goals relating to men, women, businesses and the BIPOC community, as they relate to the expenditure of ARPA funds; 5) Request City Manager provide City Council with a report of the reports filed by the city to the Department of Treasury relative to the city’s use of ARPA funds, in an effort to confirm they have been filed.

Chairperson Councilor King discussed the evaluation process for how funding will be allocated to various community groups with the Chief Development Officer.

Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide full transparency as it relates to the allocation of ARPA funds and proceed with said allocations as though they are all subject to the Open Meeting Law.

Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote relative to the support of the aforementioned Chairman’s Orders. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays.

Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be placed on file. Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Request City Manager work with the city’s partners, such as separate government housing authorities and Upper Blackstone Clean Water, to determine whether they qualify for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding beyond what the city may allocate to them.

Request City Manager establish a dashboard related to fund disbursement of ARPA funds. Further, request said dashboard include information as to allocation timelines and prioritizations.

Request City Manager prioritize communities that have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 when allocating ARPA monies to various initiatives. Further, request said prioritization be reflected in writing and shared with the community.

Request City Manager identify where ARPA funds are streaming to, as well as provide oversight, accountability, transparency, parameters and expectations for ARPA fund dispersal in an effort to evaluate the successes of said allocations.

Request City Manager establish increased contact with the city’s community providers relative to ARPA fund disbursement, in an effort to provide ongoing communication to various communities relative to said allocations.

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with a legal opinion concerning whether the City Council has the authority to enforce the prioritization of local jobs, as well as diversity goals relating to men, women, businesses and the BIPOC community, as they relate to the expenditure of ARPA funds.

Request City Manager provide City Council with a report of the reports filed by the city to the Department of Treasury relative to the city’s use of ARPA funds, in an effort to confirm they have been filed.

Request City Manager provide full transparency as it relates to the allocation of ARPA funds and proceed with said allocations as though they are all subject to the Open Meeting Law.

Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the Executive Director of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, who provided a presentation relative to his bureau’s findings relative to the process of changing the Worcester School Committee’s election process.

Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with an update concerning whether the professional helping the city through the School Committee redistricting process has been selected.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed whether the Worcester Regional Research Bureau has done research on the history of City Council districts with the Executive Director of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized the following speakers:
1. Jeuji Diamondstone, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to the item

Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Orders: 1) Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning public testimony received during hearings relative to the School Committee redistricting process; and 2) Request City Clerk provide City Council with the Worcester Regional Research Bureau’s March 2020 report relative to voter turnout information.

Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be placed on file. Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with an update concerning whether the professional helping the city through the School Committee redistricting process has been selected.

Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning public testimony received during hearings relative to the School Committee redistricting process.

Request City Clerk provide City Council with the Worcester Regional Research Bureau’s March 2020 report relative to voter turnout information.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who moved to recommend the item be held.

Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed updating information relative to how the city can expand its tax base.

Chairperson Councilor King then brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Clerk provide the city’s federal and state representatives with the members’ of Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations contact information for the purpose of expanding discussion on topics within the Committee’s purview.

Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend the item be held. Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Request City Clerk provide the city’s federal and state representatives with the members’ of Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations contact information for the purpose of expanding discussion on topics within the Committee’s purview.

Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized Councilor Russell and Councilor Rose, who discussed the intent of the petition with the Assistant City Clerk.

Chairperson Councilor King recommend the item be held. Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays