CITY OF WORCESTER | Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Meeting | Wednesday, March 23, 2022 | Esther Howland (South) Chamber | Convened: 6:03 P.M. | Adjourned: 8:09 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 George J Russell | | Councilor Sean M Rose |
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City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | Chairperson Councilor Khrystian E King
Councilor George J Russell
Councilor Sean M Rose | | | | | Also: | State Representative James J. O’Day
City Auditor Robert Stearns
Chief Financial Officer Timothy McGourthy
City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli, 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 attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated.
Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/93823030890
Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Phone Number: (929) 205 6099
Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Access Code: 938 2303 0890 | 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 Committee meeting of February 9, 2022. | View Agenda | | | | | | | 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. | |
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| | | 3a. | Regarding pending state legislation, including home rule petitions, impacting the city. | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved to take the item up collectively with item #5e.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized State Representative O’Day, who discussed pending home rule petitions before the State Delegation, including one relative to the School Committee election process and one relative to private street abatement assessments. State Representative O’Day also discussed being elected to the State Legislature, as well as his previous Committee assignments.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who expressed appreciation for sharing district lines with Representative O’Day and for the work being done in their neighborhoods.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized State Representative O’Day, who discussed legislation pending before the State Legislature relative to end of life options.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the timeframes associated with the various pending home rule petitions affecting the city.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend the item be held. Recommend Hold. | |
| 4. | Communications of the City Auditor | |
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| | | 4a. | Transmitting the city’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the year ended June 30, 2021 audited by the Certified Public Accountant firm of CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP.
# 14a CC February 15, 2022 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved for a roll call vote to take the item up collectively with item #4b. Motion approved on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Auditor, who provided an overview of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the state of the city’s finances, including the amount of funds allocated to reserve and enterprise accounts with the City Auditor.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed how funds allocated from the Financial Integrity Plan are converted to free cash depending on the way operational funds are spent with the City Auditor.
Chairperson Councilor King discussed the appropriateness of the City Auditor’s Office auditing payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements with local nonprofit agencies with the City Auditor.
Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays: Request City Manager provide City Council with an audit of the current PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreements that are active over the last ten years, as well as which agreements are inactive and any further details that could inform the City Council.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend the item be placed on file. Recommend File. | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with an audit of the current PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreements that are active over the last ten years, as well as which agreements are inactive and any further details that could inform the City Council. | |
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| | | 4b. | Transmitting the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for Worcester Retirement System (WRS) for the year ended December 31, 2020 audited by the Certified Public Accountant firm of ClifftonLarsonAllen, LLP.
# 14d CC February 15, 2022 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the City Auditor, who provided highlights associated with the item.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend the item be placed on file. Recommend File. | |
| 5. | Communications of the City Clerk | |
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| | | 5a. | Transmitting an informational communication regarding updates concerning efforts to make the City Council office and City Council meetings more accessible to the public.
# 9a CC February 8, 2022 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved to take the item up collectively with items #5b and #5c.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Clerk, who provided the Committee a presentation relative to updates made to make the City Council office and City Council meetings more accessible to the public. Said updates included the “Find My City Councilor” application, educational videos relative to process for petitioning City Council, an online petitioning process and converting to ZOOM for virtual attendance to City Council and Standing Committee meetings.
Chairperson Councilor King discussed the appropriateness of having residents sign up for virtual public participation prior to City Council and Standing Committee meetings with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed how residents are identified during virtual participation with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor King then brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays: Request City Clerk explore the feasibility of providing multi-language options for the City Council meeting videos, including providing subtitles.
Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays: Request City Clerk consider including information relative to State Representatives, the State Delegation and any changes in School Committee districting, if and when it occurs, in the mapping of the “Find My City Councilor” application.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend item #5b be held. Recommend Hold.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Clerk, who provided an overview of public participants in City Council meetings from 2016 to present, especially as it relates to increased public participation through virtual means.
Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning access to analytics from Facebook livestreaming and touchpoints regarding Standing Committee meetings.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the purview of the Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee, as well as said purview’s listing on the city’s website.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed enhancing public engagement.
Chairperson Councilor King discussed opportunities to use technology to decrease burdens on the City Clerk Office’s staff.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend item #5c be placed on file. Recommend File.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend item #5a be placed on file. Recommend File. | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Clerk explore the feasibility of providing multi-language options for the City Council meeting videos, including providing subtitles | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning access to analytics from Facebook livestreaming and touchpoints regarding Standing Committee meetings. | | | | Request City Clerk consider including information relative to State Representatives, the State Delegation and any changes in School Committee districting, if and when it occurs, in the mapping of the “Find My City Councilor” application. | |
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| | | 5b. | Transmitting an information communication relative to the implementation a new, secure, online option for residents to engage and attend live meetings via the ZOOM Webinar platform.
# 11a CC February 1, 2022 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold (See Item #5a) | |
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| | | 5c. | Transmitting an informational communication concerning the total number of public participants in City Council meetings from 2016 to present.
# 9c CC January 25, 2022 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend File (See Item #5a) | |
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| | | 5d. | Transmitting an informational communication concerning the district city council maps that are approved and finalized for the Five City Council districts by Local Election District Review Commission (LEDRC).
# 10a CC January 18, 2022 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Clerk, who provided an overview of the communication, including information relative to the LEDRC approving the City Council district lines.
Chairperson Councilor King discussed the composition of the various districts in the city, as well as how Minority Majority districts are comprised with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed areas in the city where the largest amount of minority growth occurred with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Rose, who discussed the transition of services associated with the amended district lines with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning how many eligible voters reside in each current district. Further, request City Clerk compare and contrast the impact the new City Council districts would have on said numbers.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed how population increases have had an effect on the new City Council district lines.
Chairperson Councilor King then brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays: Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning the strategies the department will use to educate the public as to the new district council lines, for civic engagement purposes.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Clerk, who provided an overview of actions taken by the Board of Election Commissioners relative to the processes the Board will undertake to educate voters of the new City Council district lines.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend item be placed on file. Recommend File. | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning how many eligible voters reside in each current district. Further, request City Clerk compare and contrast the impact the new City Council districts would have on said numbers. | | | | Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report concerning the strategies the department will use to educate the public as to the new district council lines, for civic engagement purposes. | |
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| | | 5e. | Transmitting an informational communication relative to an update concerning the 2020 re-districting process.
# 12c CC November 9, 2021
In Committee December 20, 2021 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the City Clerk, who thanked State Representative O’Day for his support during the re-districting process. The City Clerk then discussed the actions that occurred during the re-districting process, including the efforts made to minimize the amount of split precincts in the city.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who moved to recommend the item be placed on file.
Chairperson Councilor King discussed the School Committee re-districting process, including timelines associated with the consent decree and public hearings scheduled by the Board of Election Commissioners and with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who raised concerns relative to discussing the School Committee re-districting process.
Chairperson Councilor King moved to recommend item be placed on file. Recommend File. | |
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| | | 6a. | Report of the Committee on Economic Development Upon the Communication of Mayor Joseph M. Petty transmitting "A Report of the Discussions of the Mayor's Tax Policy Committee"; recommend to refer to the Standing Committee on Municipal Operations the portions of the Mayor’s Tax Policy Communication relating to the following: 1.) Commonwealth Compensation for the Provision of Regional Social Services; 2.) Chapter 70 Funding Reform; 3.) State Pilot Payments; 4.) Expanding Local Pilot Program; 5.) Tax Relief Programs; 6.) Consolidation; 7.) Creating a Penny Sales Tax and; 8.) Moving Multi-Unit Housing from Residential to Commercial Tax Rate.
# 12a Tuesday, May 30, 2017
In Committee September 5, 2017 - Portion relative to six (6) Consolidation - Placed on file.
In Committee August 20, 2018 - Portion relative to eight (8) Moving Multi-Unit Housing from Residential to Commercial Tax Rate - Placed on file.
In Committee November 26, 2018 - Portion realtive to one (1) Commonwealth Compensation for the Provision of Regional Social Services and seven (7) Creating a Penny Sales Tax - Held.
In Committee February 9, 2022 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized Councilor Rose, who provided an overview of actions taken during his time as Chair of Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the importance of the State Legislature’s support for actions within the Report to occur.
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. | |
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| | | 6b. | Petition of Todd Holland request all City of Worcester agendas include the name of the specific person(s) or department presenting on each item in a given agenda.
# 12j CC September 13, 2016
In Committee February 9, 2022 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the City Clerk, who discussed attempts to reach the petitioner, who no longer lives in the city, as well as ways to provide additional information on the City Council agendas.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who moved to place the item on file.
Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager include the name of the Department Heads of each department on City Council agenda headings.
Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who moved for the record to state he was against the aforementioned Chairman’s Order.
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. | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager include the name of the Department Heads of each department on City Council agenda headings. | |
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