PUBLIC SERVICE & TRANSPORTATION

SEPTEMBER 15, 2003

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 5:45 p.m.

Adjourned: 7:40 p.m.

 

Present were:      Chairperson Councillor Joseph M. Petty

                             Councillor Michael C. Perotto

                             Councillor Stephen T. Patton

 

Also:                     Mary MacInnes, Administrator WRTA

                              Richard Glavin, Customer Service Administrator WRTA

                              Chief Development Officer Philip Niddrie

                              Airport Director Eric Waldron

                              Airport Commission Chairperson Michael Amir

                              City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

 

AIRPORT

 

Communications of the City Manager

 

1.       Relative to construction work at the Worcester Regional Airport.

#3A CM   June 13, 2000

Recommend File

 

2.       Relative to status report on any construction within the Airport Environs Overlay.

#3A CM  April 24, 2001

Recommend File

 

3.       Relative to construction in Airport Environs Overlay.

#21C CM   April 24, 2001

Recommend File

 

4.       Relative to recent communication with Mass. Highway concerning their Proposed Access Road.

#24C CM  December 19, 2000

Recommend File

 

5.       Relative to timeline on the Airport Access Road.

#24A CM  April 24, 2001

 

Recommend File

 

6.       Relative to recommendations to Mass. Highway, to date, for a "re-build" alternative on the proposed Airport Access Road in the City.

#3A CM  March 19, 2002

Recommend File

 

7.       Relative to contract between the City and Massport relative to access road.

#16D CM  August 21, 2001

Recommend File

 

8.       Relative to Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Report on access to Worcester Regional Airport.

#7F CM  August 21, 2001

Recommend File

 

9.       Relative to Worcester Regional Airport Access Road.

#29E CM  May 14, 2002

Recommend File

 

10.     Relative to Master Plan Information request.

#5 CC  February 13, 2001

Recommend File

 

11.     Relative to American Eagle launches New England Jet Service between Worcester and Chicago O’Hare, and the announcement of additional flights by ASA/Delta to and from Atlanta.

#3A CM  April 3, 2001

Recommend File

 

12.     Relative to legal obligations – Closing Airport.

#16E CM  August 21, 2001

Recommend File

 

13.     Relative to passenger counts at the Worcester Regional Airport for the past five years.

#3B CM  August 21, 2001

Recommend File

 

14.     Relative to impact on Parking/City’s ability to provide parking at Worcester Regional Airport.

#3A CM  August 21, 2001

Recommend File

 

15.     Relative to Airport Citizens Advisory Committee meetings.

#7M  CM  August 21, 2001

Recommend File

 

16.     Relative to Airport Marketing.

#7B CM December 4, 2001

Recommend File

 

17.     Relative to a report answering several questions that were recently asked by City Council regarding commercial flights at the Worcester Regional Airport.

#16 CC  March 5, 2002

Recommend File

 

18.     Relative to Airline contacts.

#7C CM  March 5, 2002

Recommend File

 

19.     Relative to a letter which I have forwarded to Craig Coy, Chief Executive Officer of Massport, relative to the article which appeared in the April 18, 2002 edition of the Boston Herald regarding Massport's commitment to the Worcester Regional Airport.

#3A CM  April 23, 2002

Recommend File

 

20.     Relative to Massport’s commitment to the five-year operating agreement.

#3A CM  May 14, 2002

Recommend File

 

21.     Relative to Chamber of Commerce Airport promotion.

#7E CM  May 28, 2002

Recommend File

 

22.     Relative to interest of   CommutAir operating out of our regional airport.

#3A CM  June 11, 2002

Recommend File

 

23.     Relative to tenant/airline recruitment.

          #8C CM  July 1, 2003

Recommend File

 

24.     Relative to FY04 Personal Services Appropriation (Airport).

          #3A CM  September 9, 2003

Recommend File

 

Petitions

 

25.     Joan L. Crowell, LPWNA Pres., The Leesville Pond Watershed Neighborhood Assoc. request City Council make a recommendation to the Mass. Highway Dept. to withdraw the Greater Worcester Access Improvement Project.  Transportation System Management type improvements in combination with “Park & Ride” concepts, would be feasible alternatives to building an access road.

#16 CC  July 11, 2000

Recommend Leave to Withdraw

 

26.     William S. Coleman, III request City Council place before the voters of Worcester the following non-binding question:  Do you support the construction of an Airport Access Road?

#7 CC  May 14, 2002

Recommend File

 

Communications

 

27.     Thomas Kinton, Jr. Acting Exec. Director of Aviation at Massport concerning the loss of the American Eagle morning flight from Worcester to Chicago.

#3A CM  March 5, 2002

Recommend File

 

Questions:

1.     William S. Coleman III, 4 Brownell Circle, Worcester

2.     Joan Crowell, 5 Bernice Street, Worcester

3.     John Carnegie, 3 Sorrento Street, Worcester

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager coordinate a tour of the Worcester Regional Airport facilities for the members of the Public Service and Transportation Committee, the Airport Commissioners, the Economic Development Office staff and appropriate representatives from MassPort.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager consider including a survey in the mailing of a future property tax bill that queries the taxpayers of Worcester concerning improved access to and from the Worcester Regional Airport.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a detailed report concerning the indebtedness by the Worcester Regional Airport, to whom the money is owed, the use of debt, a repayment schedule covering each debt instrument, and the budgetary line item covering repayment and the interest expenses.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a detailed report concerning capacity issues at Logan International, Bradley International, Hanscom Field, Manchester, Pease International, T.F. Green, Portland International, Bangor International and Burlington International Airports and the impact upon when the City of Worcester could expect the Worcester Regional Airport to be a commercially viable airport.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a report detailing any hazardous waste, environmental, brownfields, or any other issue that would provide an impediment to a potential private developer of airport property.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a report that compares various development alternatives of the airport property and recommends the highest and best use.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a report determining the impact of the existing commitment to the development of the three parcels of airport property on the various development alternatives.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a report on any current discussions that are occurring between MassPort and the City of Worcester concerning the continuation of the current contract.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to begin the process of preparing a Request for Proposal to develop all of the airport property.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager to provide the City Council with a report concerning the effect of the September 11th tragedy and no commercial flights in or out of Worcester Regional Airport, on the businesses located within the airport terminal, MassPort’s rental agreement with these businesses, and MassPort’s actions to assist them in surviving.

 

WRTA

 

28.     Communication of the City Manager relative to response to WRTA requests.

          #8F CM   September 9, 2003

Recommend File

 

PRESENTATION  - AN UPDATE ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE WRTA.

Questions:

1.     William S. Coleman, III, 4 Brownell Circle, Worcester

2.     Alan DeWitt,  Mayside Lane, Worcester

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager request the Administrator of the WRTA provide the City Council with details of transit service in the vicinity of Webster Square/Lakeside/Mill Street in light of supermarket closing/opening.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager communicate with the owner/operator of the redeveloped Lincoln Plaza and request his input advancing the idea of providing transit service to and from the shopping area.