CITY OF WORCESTER | Public Service and Transportation Committee Meeting | Monday, March 19, 2012 | Esther Howland (South) Chamber | Convened: 10:40 A.M. | Adjourned: 12:52 P.M. |
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Mayor Joseph M. Petty | www.worcesterma.gov |
Clerk of the City Council David J. Rushford | Committee Members | Chairperson Philip P Palmieri | Councilor Frederick C Rushton | Councilor Kathleen M Toomey | |
City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | Chairperson Councilor Philip P Palmieri Councilor Frederick C Rushton Councilor Kathleen M Toomey Councilor Tony Economou Councilor William J. Eddy City Manager Michael V. O'Brien State Representative JamesO'Day Robin Kennedy from the Lt. Governors Office Field Engineering Manager Bob Pendrick Assistant City Clerk Susan M. Ledoux, clerk | | | | | Also: | Commissioner of the Department of Utilities David Cash Department of Public Utilities Liaison Mary Coleman From National Grid: Director of Community & Customer Management Aleta Fazzone Community Manager for Worcester Kevin Shaughnessy Director of Operations for Central/Western MA Tim O'Leary Dispatch/Control Center Director Mike Gallagher Senior Forestry Supervisor Eric Gemborys Media Relations Deb Drew
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| | | 1a. | Order of Councilor Philip P. Palmieri, Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey, Councilor Tony Economou, Council William J. Eddy, Councilor Frederick C. Rushton, Councilor Joseph C. O'Brien, Councilor Sarai Rivera, Councilor George J. Russell, Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes and Mayor Joseph M. Petty - Request the Standing Committee on Public Service & Transportation to hold a public hearing and invite representatives from National Grid and the Department of Public Utilities to discuss the trimming of trees around electrical power lines and informing the city administration when power outages take place in the City of Worcester. # 10b CC February 07, 2012 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold The Chairman invited opening statements from the following persons: Director of Community & Customer Management Aleta Fazzone City Manager Michael V. O'Brien Michael Lanava on behalf of the Mayor
The Chairman recognized the following persons from the audience: Jo Hart, Worcester resident Steven O'Connor, Worcester resident
| | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager request National Grid provide their five year tree trimming plan that includes monies spent in the last three years and future monies to be invested. Further, request a map that highlights the areas where tree trimming took place in the last three years and where trimming will take place in the future.
| | | | Request City Manager request National Grid report what were their workforce levels prior to deregulation and what are they currently.
| | | | Request City Manager request National Grid select areas in the city that could be feasible and cost effective to upgrade the infrastructure by placing it underground. | | | | Request City Manager request National Grid provide a list of the top ten ways a consumer could save money on their electric bill.
| | | | Request City Manager request National Grid provide a list of their customers that are identified with medical needs.
| | | | Request City Manager request National Grid provide a list of areas in the city who have the most outages. | | | | Request City Manager report to Department of Public Utilities when new development projects are impacted by the cost of upgrading National Grids systems and these costs are prohibitive to the project.
| | | | Request City Manager request National Grid provide a detailed report as to what are the capabilities of their current system, such as what it can do and what it can't do, and what can be improved so it would be able to provide real time information.
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2. | Communications of the City Manager - Part I | |
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| | | 2a. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City's Cable Franchise License. # 8.38B CM March 04, 2008
In Committee March 19, 2008 - Held In Committee October 15, 2008 - Held
| Attachments | | | In Committee for informational purposes only | | |
| | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2b. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Government Channel Program Guide. # 8.4A CM April 15, 2008
In Committee October 15, 2008 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2c. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Cable Television Advisory Committee's Review of Public, Educational and Government Access Programming. # 7.4A CM May 20, 2008
In Committee October 15, 2008 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2d. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Transition from Analog TV to Digital TV. # 8.12A CM October 07, 2008
In Committee October 15, 2008 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2e. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City of Worcester's Government Access Channel 12 Receiving First Place Honors by the Alliance For Community Media-Northeast Region in the 11th Annual Northeast Region Video Contest. # 9.12A CM December 02, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2f. | Ttransmitting informational communication relative to Charter Communication's Switched Digital Network Transition that is scheduled to begin on February 11, 2009. # 8.12A CM February 03, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2g. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Charter Communication's Restructuring under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Law. # 8.12A CM February 24, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2h. | Transmitting informational communication relative to an Agreement with Charter Communications for Production Services Support. # 10.11A CM August 10, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2i. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Charter Communications' Third Quarter 2010 Report on Charter's Response Time to Customer Phone Calls. # 9.11A CM November 30, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2j. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Cable Television License Renewal Process with Charter Communications. # 9.11A CM December 14, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2k. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Charter Communication's 1st Quarter Report on Response Time in Handling Phone Calls to Customer Care. # 10.11A CM June 07, 2011 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2l. | Transmitting communication relative to KKO study.
#8D CM April 15, 2003
In Committee October 13, 2004 - Held In Committee November 30, 2005 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2m. | Transmitting communication rrelative to MBTA Commuter Rail Service Improvement Project. #8C CM June 29, 2004
In Committee October 13, 2004 - Held In Committee November 30, 2005 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2n. | Transmitting communication relative to KKO/HNTB Studies.
#8H CM August 17, 2004
In Committee October 13, 2004 - Held In Committee November 30, 2005 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2o. | Transmitting communication relative to CSX contract with the MBTA.
#8M CM August 17, 2004
In Committee October 13, 2004 - Held In Committee November 30, 2005 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2p. | Transmitting informational communication relative to transportation options for residents of the City of Worcester and the entire region.
#34D CM September 27, 2005
In Committee November 30, 2005 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2q. | Transmitting informational communication regarding the status of city projects submitted to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). # 9.12A CM October 30, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2r. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Properties in the City Owned by CSX Corporation. # 7.29A CM April 01, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2s. | Transmitting informational communication regarding the Rail Summit held on May 9, 2008
# 11a CC May 13, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2t. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a Worcester Regional Mobility Study Public Informational Meeting. # 7.5A CM April 28, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2u. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Present and Future Funding for the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA). # 7.39C CM September 01, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2v. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Livery Businesses. # 8.17A CM December 22, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2w. | Transmitting informational communication relative to CSX and Hazardous Material Transportation. # 9.39B CM June 15, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2x. | Transmitting communication relative to the City of Worcester Telecommunications Analysis.
#15A CM April 5, 2005
In Committee February 27, 2006 - Held In Committee October 23, 2006 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2y. | Transmitting informational communication relative to legal opinion as to the rights and responsibilities of Towing Operators.
#16B CM May 14, 2002
In Committee April 23, 2003 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 2z. | Transmitting informational communication relative to future DPW issues.
#24B CM March 18, 2003 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
3. | Communications of the City Manager - Part II | |
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| | | 3a. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Green Energy Sources Available.
#17A CM August 17, 2004 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3b. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Policy for Massachusetts Electric to Site Transformers/Switch Gears.
#23A CM September 7, 2004 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3c. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City of Worcester's East-West Corridor.
#11B CM November 22, 2005 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3d. | Transmitting the City of Worcester Climate Action Plan. # 7.37A CM January 30, 2007
In Committee for Informational Purposes Only - Approved by City Council on August 13, 2007
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3e. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City of Worcester being awarded the 2007 E-Government from Common Cause Massachusetts. # 8.32A CM April 03, 2007
In Committee April 30, 2007 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3f. | Transmitting an update of the Economic Development Initiatives - May 2007. # 5a CC May 15, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3g. | Transmitting informational communication regarding the Implementation of the Climate Action Plan and the procurement of an Energy Service Company. # 10.37B CM August 14, 2007 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3h. | Transmitting the Monthly Economic Development Initiatives Status Report for the Month of June 2008. # 9.5D CM July 08, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3i. | Transmitting the Monthly Economic Development Initiatives Status Report for the Month of August 2008. # 11.5B CM August 12, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3j. | Transmitting the Monthly Economic Development Initiatives Status Report for the Month of September 2008. # 8.5D CM September 09, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3k. | Transmitting Monthly Economic Development Initiatives Status Report - October 2008 # 5a CC October 14, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3l. | Transmitting the Economic Development Report for the Month of October 2008. # 8.5C CM November 10, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3m. | Transmitting the Monthly Economic Development Initiatives Status Report - December 2008. # 9.5F CM December 02, 2008 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3n. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the use of Live Streaming Video on the City's E-Government Channel.
# 7.36A CM January 06, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3o. | Transmitting the January 2009 Economic Development Report. # 8.5C CM January 20, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3p. | Transmitting the February 2009 Economic Development Report. # 8.5A CM February 24, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3q. | Transmitting the February 2009 Economic Development Report # 8.5A CM March 17, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3r. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City of Worcester's Receipt of the 2009 E-Government Award. # 10.36A CM April 14, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3s. | Transmitting the July 2009 Economic Development Quarterly Report. # 9.5B CM July 28, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3t. | Transmitting informational communication relative to an Update on the City's Purchase of the Street Light System from National Grid. # 7.13B CM September 15, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3u. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Worcester Regional Transit Authority and Paratransit Brokerage Services, Inc. # 10.39A CM October 20, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3v. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the launch of the City's Redesigned Website on Monday, October 19, 2009. # 10.33A CM October 20, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3w. | Transmitting information relative to the Use of Technology for the transmittal of information to the General Public. # 9.39E CM December 01, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3x. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Taxi and Livery Companies. # 8.17A CM December 15, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3y. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City's response to Google's request for proposals for a "dark fiber" network. # 9c CC March 09, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 3z. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the transfer of the Worcester Regional Airport. # 4a CC June 01, 2010 | Attachments | | | In Committee for informational purposes only | | |
| | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
4. | Communications of the City Manager - Part III | |
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| | | 4a. | Transmitting informational communication relative to CSX Terminal Expansion Project. # 10.39C CM August 10, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4b. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the use of Social Media for City Business. # 9.39B CM October 19, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4c. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Charter Communication's 4th Quarter 2010 Report on Response Times in Handling Phone Calls to Customer Care. # 8.11B CM January 25, 2011 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4d. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the City's Snow Storm of October 29-30, 2011. # 17b CC November 01, 2011 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4e. | Transmitting informational communication relative to Charter Communication's 4th Quarter Report on Response Time in Handling Phone Calls to Customer Care. # 8.4A CM February 28, 2012 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommmend Hold | |
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| | | 4f. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Proposed Fare Increases and Service Reductions. # 8.32A CM January 31, 2012 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4g. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the Worcester Regional Transit Authority's (WRTA) Building Progress at Union Station. # 10.4A CM March 13, 2012 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4h. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a Status Report on the City's Street Light System. # 10.7A CM March 13, 2012 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 4i. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a Petition that Charter Communications' Filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). # 10.13A CM March 13, 2012 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5a. | Communication of Dr. Roberta Schaefer, President & CEO of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, transmitting report "Worcester Regional Airport Positioned to Take Off" # 13e CC June 08, 2010 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5b. | Communication of the Department of Telecommunications & Energy Notice of investigation into the appropriate pricing, based upon total element long run incremental costs, for unbundled network elements and combinations of unbundled network elements to be charged by Verizon New England, Inc. d/b/a Verizon, Mass. as well as appropriate avoided cost discount for Verizon's Resale Services, in the Commonwealth on Mass. #58 CM January 30, 2001
In Committee April 23, 2003 - Held In Committee June 23, 2004 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5c. | Report of the Committee on Public Service and Transportation upon the Communication of the City Manager relative to taxicabs that are handicap accessible.
#89 CC July 6, 2004
In Committee September 30, 2004 - Held In Committee June 12, 2006 - Held
In Committee December 21, 2009
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5d. | Order of Mayor Timothy P. Murray, Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey, and Councilor Gary Rosen - request the City Manager to seek the input of the general public professionals in real estate development and leasing, graduate students in college or university management programs, among others, to formulate a new and exciting marketing plan for Union Station and to suggest what strategies, besides the RFP process, might be available to implement such a plan.
#39 CC February 7, 2006. | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5e. | Order of Councilor Paul P. Clancy Jr. request the City Council Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation explore the heaviest possible fines the city could issue against violators of the taxi and livery licensing. Further, request the committee with the City Solicitor and the Police Chief determine what other options are available to enforce payment of fines. # 20b CC December 15, 2009 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5f. | Order of Councilor Fredrick C. Rushton request the Committee on Public Service and Transportation explore the feasibility of the long term benefits in creating a Worcester municipal utility for electrical power generation and distribution. # 17g CC November 01, 2011 | Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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| | | 5g. | Order of Councilor Philip P. Palmieri - Request City Manager to ask the MBTA if there will be any changes to the commuter rail and CSX plans that were previously agreed upon by City Council and the Administration. Further, request the Standing Committee on Public Service & Transportation invite the MBTA and any other entity to a meeting to discuss commuter rail services and further, request the administration consider holding a Transportation summit. Further, request towns and cities in metro Worcester be included in a future transportation summit as the city acts as the connection to metro Boston through commuter rail service. Further, request City Manager report to City Council the process the MBTA will use to get input from the public. Further, request City Manager report to City Council what was the actual commitment made by the MBTA in terms of increased commuter rail services when the city agreed to the CSX freight yard and if there was no commitment what is the plan to get a commitment. Further, request City Manager inform the Grafton Hill Business Association the timetable for construction activity associated with CSX on Grafton Street. # 10k CC January 24, 2012
In Committe for Informational Purpose Only
| Attachments | | | | | | | Recommend Hold | |
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