CITY OF WORCESTER | Public Health and Human Services Committee Meeting | Thursday, June 13, 2024 | Esther Howland (South) Chamber | Convened: 4:03 P.M. | Adjourned: 5:34 P.M. |
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Mayor
Joseph M. Petty | 
www.worcesterma.gov |
Clerk of the City Council
Nikolin Vangjeli | Committee Members | | Chairperson Luis A Ojeda | | Vice Chairperson Etel Haxhiaj | | Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson |
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City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | Chairperson Councilor Luis A. Ojeda
Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who participated in the meeting remotely
Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson | | | | | Also: | Director of Neighborhood Development Gregory Baker
Director of Housing Development and Healthy Homes James Brooks
Commissioner of Health and Human Services Matilde Castiel, M.D.
Director of Public Health Soloe Dennis
Deputy Director of Public Health Ian Wong
Medical Director Michael Hirsh, M.D.
Chief Epidemiologist Nikki Nixon
Deputy City Clerk Stephen AJ 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 attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated.
Public Health and Human Services Committee Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83696810013
Public Health and Human Services Committee Zoom Phone Number: (929) 205 6099
Public Health and Human Services Committee Zoom Access Code: 836 9681 0013 | Attachments |
| 2. | Approval of the Minutes | |
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| | | 2a. | Order- That the City Council Standing Committee of Public Health and Human Services hereby approves the minutes of the Public Health and Human Services Committee meeting on April 30, 2024. | View Agenda | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Ojeda 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 | |
| 3. | Communications of the City Manager | |
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| | | 3a. | Recommend adoption of funding for U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Entitlement Programs - Program Year 50
# 9.4A CM May 28, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Ojeda read the item and recognized the Director of Housing Development and Healthy Homes and Director of Neighborhood Development, who provided an overview of the various funds received by the city from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Entitlement Programs.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized the following speakers:
1. Noreen Johnson-Smith, no residence given, spoke in favor of the item
2. Kaska Yaw, no residence given, spoke in favor of the item
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who discussed whether Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds can be used for providing services like sanitation solutions and portable bathrooms at homeless encampments, deferred maintenance by the city’s residents associated with the de-leading program, and some of the health-related issues being caused as a result of the city’s older housing stock with the Director of Housing Development and Healthy Homes.
Councilor Ojeda brought forth the following two (2) Chairman’s Orders: 1) Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding can be used for portable bathrooms in homeless encampments and/or for wraparound services and other facilities for the city’s homeless population; and 2) Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning health-related issues associated with the city’s older multi-family home housing stock, including asthma-related issues and elderly trip and fall-related issues. Said report should include any pertinent data collected from the Commonwealth on similar issues.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who spoke concerning $207,000.00 relative to two (2) programs related to demolition projects, the average number of demolition sites in the city per year, and the process relevant to the decrease in funding relative to Public Health and Human Services with the Director of Housing Development and Healthy Homes and the Director of Neighborhood Development.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda then spoke concerning best practices relating to neighborhood based public facility and safety improvements, the process relevant to community outreach regarding the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, and the responsibilities and qualifications related to open positions in the Community Development Advisory Board with the Director of Neighborhood Development.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved.
Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning whether U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding can be used for portable bathrooms in homeless encampments and/or for wraparound services and other facilities for the city’s homeless population. | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning health-related issues associated with the city’s older multi-family home housing stock, including asthma-related issues and elderly trip and fall-related issues. Said report should include any pertinent data collected from the Commonwealth on similar issues. | |
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| | | 3b. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the procedures businesses must follow to sell tobacco products, the current number of licenses issued for such sales, and the maximum allowable limit for tobacco-selling businesses within our city.
# 9.20A CM April 2, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Ojeda read the item and recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who spoke concerning the number of tobacco permits issued in the city, the process relevant to inspecting establishments that have tobacco permits, the maximum capacity of tobacco permits issued in the city, the data related to increased complaints during the summertime months, and the process relevant to establishments with tobacco permits to be within 500 feet of each other and if an establishment within 500 feet is sold what the process is related to grandfathered permits to the location with the Director of Public Health, the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and the Deputy Director of Public Health.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda then spoke concerning the process relevant to transferring tobacco permits to establishments within 500 feet of another tobacco permit establishment if sold, the background check process to obtain a tobacco permit, best practices to limit the amount of tobacco permits, and the process relevant to the maximum capacity of 235 tobacco permits issued in the city with the Director of Public Health and the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who spoke concerning both the Board of Health and City Council having purview over the tobacco ordinance and the process relevant to expiring tobacco permits with the Director of Public Health.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the process for reducing the number of licenses granted within the city that allow for the sale of tobacco products.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the process for reducing the number of licenses granted within the city that allow for the sale of tobacco products. | |
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| | | 3c. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a summary of the impact of Covid-19 on Worcester, with a particular emphasis on hot spots.
# 8.19A CM March 19, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Ojeda read the item and recognized the Medical Director, who provided an overview related to the impacts Covid-19 has had on the city since May 2023.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who spoke concerning densely populated areas in the city that were impacted the most by Covid-19 as relates to housing and racial equity disparities with the Medical Director.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who spoke concerning the probability related to an individual being diagnosed with Covid-19 more than once with the Medical Director.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda then spoke concerning the percentage of individuals who have received the Covid-19 vaccination boosters that continue to be diagnosed with Covid-19 and the types of community outreach practiced within densely populated neighborhoods in the city with the Medical Director and Commissioner of Health and Human Services.
Chairperson Councilor Ojeda moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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