City Council - Regular Meeting

uh good evening everyone welcome to the worcester city council meeting you can if you can please stand for the pledge of allegiance and the star spangled

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars Through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched Were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare The bombs bursting in air They proved through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free

And the home of the brave.

Roll call. Councilor Bergman. Here. Councilor Bilotta. Yeah, that's a condom here for the solo. Yeah, that's a king here that's a meet your here and so he to answer there. Yeah, that's a rose and beer. That's a to me here. I'm here.

Before we get started, we have a proclamation. Whereas September 17th, 2026 marks 239th anniversary of the draft of the Constitution of the United States by the Constitutional Convention. Whereas it is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and memorial anniversary and to the celebrations which commemorate the occasion. Whereas Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designated September 17th to the 23rd as Constitution Week. Now therefore, I, Mayor Joseph M. Petty, do hereby proclaim September 17th to the 23rd as Constitution Week and ask all our citizens to reaffirm the ideals of the framers of the contribution had in 1787. by protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us under the guardian of our liberties remembering the lost rights may never be regained um we have a presentation council bergman you want to give that to her thank you Is this your name, Deborah?

Thank you Mayor Petty and all of the members of the Worcester City Council for issuing this proclamation for Constitution Week. My name is Deborah Nurse and I serve as the State Chair of Commemorative Events for the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution. I also am a past regent of the Colonel Timothy Bigelow chapter of the DAR, which serves as stewards of our beloved 1774 chapter house, The Oaks, on Lincoln Street in Worcester. It is the Daughters of the American Revolution that initiated the petition to establish an annual nationwide period of reflection education to safeguard our constitutional heritage. It is an honor to receive this tonight in this city representing its rich revolutionary heritage rooted in the early pursuit of American liberty and the rule of law. This heritage will be on display this very Thursday night, Constitution Day, when this proclamation will be read and none other than John Hancock will throw the first pitch at the Worcester Red Sox game. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Okay, a motion to adopt that the City Council of Worcester hereby approves the minutes of City Council meeting of August 18th, 2026, local.

Councillor Bergman? Yes. Councillor Bilotto? Yes. Councillor Economo? Yes. Councillor Rizzolo? Yes. Councillor King?

Just point of order, Mr. Chairman. This is just to approve the minutes, right? Yes. Yes.

Councillor Mitra? Yes. Councillor Ojeda? Yes. Councillor Rivera? Yes. Councillor Rosen? Yes. Councillor Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty?

Yes, okay, we have two items that are gonna be held under privilege, one by Council Bellotta, number 7Z, that's Tom Marino's petition, and also 18.19A, Council King is holding under privilege the public camping ordinance for the homeless. So if people, I know people come down to speak, so you're more than welcome to speak. The council will take it up next week. But if you speak this week under the rules, you can't speak next week. But since you're here, I don't want to make you do two trips.

Point of order, Mr. Chairman. Yeah. Yes, my understanding is that there is an opportunity to speak a second time if the council chooses to amend the rules, is that right? We can do anything with the rules, that's correct.

Okay, just wanted to be clear, thank you. Go ahead, Mr. Cook.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Rule 39, items of public interest at every meeting of the city council under participation portion of the agenda. The chair shall recognize any person seeking such recognition for the purpose of addressing the council on any eligible item on the agenda for the meeting both in person and remotely. Any person who wishes to speak more than one agenda item shall combine the testimony on all items to one appearance at the microphone. The time for speaking shall not exceed two minutes for any one speaker, 30 minutes for all speakers. Rule 40, petitions. On the first occasion, a petition appears on the city council agenda. The prime petition may address the city council for no more than three minutes on the subject of their petition.

Thank you. Okay, so what is your name, city residents, and item number?

Nicole Apostola, City of Worcester. I would like to congratulate the city council on your receipt of the new camping ordinance, item 819A, which could possibly be the most revenue generating ordinance this city has ever seen. This ordinance states, unless expressly authorized by the city or applicable law, it shall be unlawful to sit, sleep, lie, or camp on any public street, road, bike path, sidewalk, or public property. Let's review what this can mean for the city. Before, a parent could take a couple of kids to the playground with no additional cost. Now, that baby in the stroller who falls asleep on public property will cost them $25. But the toddler doesn't want to be left out. The minute that kid has a tantrum and decides to lie down on the ground for that tantrum, that'll be another $25. Have you ever wanted to take your significant other for a fancy meal? What about the most expensive picnic this city has to offer? Lay down that quilt and open the picnic basket and your wallet. That'll be $25 a person. Sitting on your cooler while fishing, $25. Laying down on your towel at Coast Pond Beach, that'll be $25, please. Even the simple act of sitting down on the curb to wait for your bus. The bus might be free, but you're breaking the rules by sitting on the sidewalk will cost you $25. In these tough times, it's difficult to find new revenue streams. I congratulate the city administration for thinking outside the box and making the simple act of living in this city a findable offense. Thank you.

Our next speaker, please. Did you name the residents, item number?

Idaho has its city of Worcester, and amen to that. This city will be so expensive. Who wants to go to the oldest park in the country, Elm Park, and enjoy your family and spend the day and relax? Time out. I want to thank Councilor Ojeda for 11b. How the hell can more people be arrested in the past five years when we have been told that the crime rate has gone down in the past five years? There's something wrong in Denmark. That was the old saying in World War II. That was the secret code. There's something wrong in Denmark. It doesn't make sense. That has been printed in the Telegram and Gazette over and over, quoted by the Worcester Police Department. In the past five years, the crime rate has gone down. Now, on a better note, I would like to thank my counselor, Robert Bellato, for cleaning up the streets in my neighborhood. I can walk my dog without having to go out in the street around the garbage. Thank you, Counselor Bellato.

Is your name, see your residence item number?

Yes, mayor members to the council. My name is Dante Caporetta of Worcester and I'm speaking against item 8.19a. I'm back tonight because this proposed ordinance is not leadership. It is bad public policy masquerading as a solution. I stand here with lived experience. I was homeless. Today I teach housing policy here in Worcester and I brought some of my students tonight to watch how bad municipal policy gets made. Make no mistake, mass homelessness is not a personal failure. It's a direct result of systematically dismantled federal safety net and decades of state and local housing failure. Look at the reality of our city. Our rental vacancy rate is at an impossible 1.7%. Nearly 60% of Worcester residents rent. Half of those renters are cost burdened and severely cost burdened, paying a huge chunk of their income just to keep a roof over their heads. In Worcester today, one medical bill, one missed paycheck, one rent hike is all it takes to go from working class to unhoused. That was me. And looking around this room, it could be any of us. You cannot fine away poverty with $25 a day penalties. You cannot sweep people into non-existent affordable housing. And you cannot use the police and city agencies to clean up structural market crisis. Encampment bans don't eliminate homelessness. They simply scatter vulnerable human beings and disrupt care. It is ineffective and it is a moral failure. If the administration wants real solutions, start by listening to the community. Ask why the city manager has left qualified community members waiting for appointments to the commission of homelessness instead of mobilizing the expertise right in front of him. Real leadership requires building permanent supportive housing, expanding tenant protections, and investing in low barrier resources. Not passing cosmetic bans that criminalize survival. Vote no on this ordinance. Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm Sean Johnson, I live in Worcester. All of you have a choice that you can make. To either spend the resources that we have to put people in homes or to pass this ordinance and bring abuse to the most neglected and forgotten people in our city and that's just how I feel.

She named she was named number.

Gary Hunter, District 5, 819A to start out with. I'm looking around you councilors and I've been involved for a little while and I've talked to every one of you individually and I think you should be fair and honest with your constituents. This proposal was only approved by the Supreme Court because Donald Trump sent it to the Supreme Court. When you support his action, you're leaning in supporting Donald Trump. Now, I think you should admit maybe you're not Democrats anymore. A lot of you have been voting right-wing Republican, or maybe DR, Democrat Republican, to actually find people that are homeless $25 a day when they have nothing is the worst thing I've seen in a long time. If you can hold your heads up and say I voted for this, go ahead, but you're going to find out at election time that not a lot of people agree with you. The last thing I'd like to talk to, and again, you should be ashamed of yourself, Now, a lot of you have come up and needed extra time to make your point. And most of the time, it just gets passed. How the hell can you turn down Mr. King because you say he's divisive only because he doesn't agree with you? This is... Again, we have the names of the people that voted no on that. And you'll be hearing from us because the election time is coming soon, only a year away. Thank you.

Abby Mortillero, Worcester resident. And 8.19a, I think it is appalling that you're gonna criminalize being homeless. You're gonna make it a crime to be homeless. You know what that's called? That's fascism. Yeah, what side of history are you on? Are you on the side of the fascists or are you on the side of humanity? Okay. Nine H, it is important to have services for the homeless and reach out to other cities and have services, you know, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, you know, they're all adopting similar plans and, you know, let's have, you know, help for the homeless, not criminalization for the homeless. 9M, I love those woobins. Yep, definitely love the woobins. All right, 10A, 10-A, rent control, because let's not forget how people end up being homeless when you can't pay rent. And so having rent control is important, you know, preventative, so people don't become homeless in the first place. So, yeah, rent control. Yeah. Yeah. Next year there's going to be an election and guess who is gonna be running? And I might actually win too, yeah.

Nikolai Adams, Worcester. Instead of punishing the most vulnerable part of our population and with the downstream offense, punishing the entire city and its residents, I ask instead that you all put your time and effort into bolstering the systems that keep people out of this and help them when they are in it. Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

eight nineteen and my name is i live in district five in the commercial property and business owner in district two right next to saint john's i have a front row seat every day to the issues that are concerning most was to residents rampant drug use and its consequences lack of housing in a drug problem are two separate issues and you need to start treating them as such this proposal is targeting vulnerable people and systemic problems that you acknowledge cannot be fixed at a city level. Why are you choosing to criminalize poverty, which is both idiotic and unnecessarily cruel, rather than implement real solutions that could make all of our lives better? The trash, human waste, needles, and crime associated with our drug problem could be addressed if the city chose to. The solution to trash on the street is not new. The first city-organized sanitation initiatives were implemented by the Romans in 200 AD. Before cities provided sanitation services, everyone from the richest to the poorest of citizens just threw their trash in the street. put some of our budget into better sanitation programs taking into account our current situation. The trash created by the housed and unhoused who are unable to afford yellow bags and dirty needles are very real problems in our street. So choose to spend the money to pick them up. Everybody poops. If you don't believe me, there's a book about it. The solution to people pooping in the street already exists. Put some of our city budget into contracts with port-a-potty companies so people don't poop in the streets. You admit you have no new solutions for our nationwide drug problem or homelessness crisis, but just sure as shit could make it so we have less literal shit in our streets. We have a shortage of police officers in this city, which is about to get worse because of upcoming retirement eligibility. This proposal only puts more of a burden on the police department. Spend the money on the Department of Public Works and let the police focus on actual crimes, not just harassing poor people for being poor. Lastly, for those of you who say these people aren't from here, they came here because they can get services here, I'm not from here. I moved to Worcester because this city offered me benefits that Boston didn't, such as the ability to purchase a home. You may not like it, but these people live here now, just like I live here now, and it is the city's responsibility to spend its budget improving the lives and living standards of all of its residents. It's why I pay the highest commercial property taxes in the state. Thank you. You should fine people for drunk driving and hitting cars hard.

I'm Keith Linares, 1 Germain Street, District 1. Let's be honest about what item 819A really is. It's municipal theater designed to give the illusion of action without doing the hard work of building housing or opening safe shelter beds. Packaging criminalization as a framework lets you pretend enforcement is an act of care. In reality, finding an unhoused person $25 a day for pitching a tent or sleeping in a car doesn't create a single shelter bed. It doesn't build a single affordable home. It just sweeps the human misery that you all perpetuate out of sight and out of mind. There are 3,000 unhoused people in Worcester and less than 200 beds. The city manager's own memo admits Worcester faces a devastating shortage of shelters, supportive housing, and single room occupancies while vaguely promising to seek funding. Yet we have money to subsidize a baseball stadium. We have money to give tax breaks to developers. We have money to fund excessive police overtime and high tech surveillance gear. We have the money to settle millions of dollars in police misconduct lawsuits. To Gary Rosen. To Gary Rosen and Mo Bergman, you two need to stop this lie that all these people are busting in from out of town. You're perpetuating disinformation and lies. Most of the people that are on the streets are Worcester residents who can't afford to live here anymore because this body continually rolls over for luxury housing that working families can't afford. While I'm here, I want to voice support for my friend Keith Boucher, who's here for item 7A, because there's something rotten with our zoning around here, too. And Keith's been doing a hell of a job keeping up with some split zoning that's going on right next door to him. And while I'm here, I also want to make sure that you know that this bubbler is broken out here, and you need to fix it, because you've got 100 people in this room who can't get a drink of goddamn water.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Good evening, Council. My name is Jillian Joseph. I'm here to express concerns about agenda item 8.19a. I'm a Worcester resident in District 5, and I work as a physician associate and the director for the Road to Care mobile clinic, where our team provides medical and behavioral health care directly to people experiencing homelessness here in the city. many of them living in the encampments this ordinance targets. I'm not speaking about this population in the abstract. I'm speaking about the people we see every week, the people I know and that continue to come back for our services. There are three major issues with the ordinance as written. I want to start with the city's own numbers because they undercut the ordinance's central premise. The proposal assumes that when outreach offers shelter, shelter exists to offer. But the city's own framework document says that Worcester has 197 permanent shelter beds for a 2,026 count of over 1,000 unhoused people, 211 of them being chronically homeless. That same document says that even with the winter overflow shelters, another 136 beds when they ran at full capacity, there was still insufficient shelter for our population. So when this ordinance requires open quote, reasonable efforts to offer shelter and quote before a 72 hour clock starts in practice, there's very often nowhere to send someone. Reasonable efforts to offer is not the same as an available bed. Second, this isn't a one-time $25 fine. Under Section F, it's a $25 per day fine that violation continues. For someone with no income, that is not a deterrent, it is an unpayable debt. And despite the manager's letter clearly stating that being unhoused is not a crime and will not be treated as such, section e3 explicitly leaves criminal process on the table as an enforcement option i'm running out of time so i will say that i'm not asking you to ignore the real problems in the ordinance the sanitation issues fire risks etc are serious and need to be addressed but please do not pass this ordinance pause adoption until shelter capacity is actually sufficient to make the offer shelter real thank you

Good evening, Brittany Chapman. I'm also a member of the Road to Care Mobile Addiction Service. The city manager and commissioner have emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy and noted that the proposal is rooted in, quote, compassion, equity, and trauma-informed principles. I, too, would like to see this framework uphold these standards. It is precisely why it does not make sense to implement fines or an ordinance before first addressing the significant access and capacity challenges that currently exist. As part of Road to Care, a program that interfaces with this population on a daily basis, I would like to think of our team as a key stakeholder in this process and an important partner for collaboration. We have firsthand experience with the barriers this population encounters and could help inform an approach that is both practical and consistent with the stated goals of the proposal. Ultimately, passing the ordinance as written tonight does not seem aligned with the city manager's A clear statement that, quote, being unhoused is not a crime and will not be treated as such. If the goal is truly to approach this issue through a framework of compassion, equity, trauma-informed care, collaboration and synergy, then addressing access and capacity should come before imposing fines or penalties. Thank you.

Thank you. Did your name say residence?

Hello, my name is X Todd. I live right here in downtown Worcester. I would like to comment on item 819A, the anti-homeless camping ordinance, misguidedly framed as support and how inhumane such an ordinance is. All these ordinances do is kill and imprison our most vulnerable population, all for the crime of existing. Ask yourselves first if you've done everything in your power to make sure these people have places to go. And I don't just mean shelters for them to sleep and food kitchens for them to eat, though Worcester certainly doesn't have enough of either. What paths are there in Worcester for someone on the street to try and get work, get medical treatment, or even medication? Have you addressed the housing affordability crisis? Have you addressed the rampant slumlord problem in this city? The city has the money and resources to make life even just a little bit easier for people on the streets or to keep people off the streets. But instead, our rapacious police department continues to receive bumps in funding while the city refuses to even consider things like building shelters in old abandoned buildings like the old RMV. Because the developer might want to build there and make more money. And we know those developers will be granted leniency to violate labor contracts and their contracts with the city. Still, a council motivated by profit would find bringing in developers and shipping unhoused people to for profit prisons more appealing. But please remember, our city is not a business, it's where we live. And everyone who lives here should be taken care of. That is how our city council should be making decisions, not based on what choices can rake in the most money.

Thank you.

my name is alicia i've lived in worcester for the past seven years i'm here like many people today standing in support of our houses community and against the 8.19a policy that proposes fines for setting up tents in public areas i want to urge the city council to not just ask themselves what's the best way to clean up the city to make it look presentable to visitors and developers but instead ask how they could make it an affordable quality place to live for people to live for years to come No one wants to be on the streets. No one wants to freeze to death. No one wants to be stuck in a cycle that keeps them impoverished and immobilized for months or years of their lives. Most of us working class people here are a few paychecks away from homelessness. We are all much closer to needing to pitch a tent on the sidewalk for a night than we are to buying a million dollar vacation home. In Worcester, there's currently a shortage of over 8,500 rental units that should be affordable to low-income households. The rental vacancy rate in Worcester is hovering just over 2% compared to the estimated 5% to 8% that's needed to provide sufficient housing options to all tenants. It now costs upwards to $1,000 to rent a room with paid utilities and a shared apartment. So please tell me what physical space does the city of Worcester have to provide the homeless that's an alternative to living in tents or on the sidewalks? Homelessness is not a personal failure, but a policy failure. And we've seen policies like this fail in many other cities. A 2024 study published by Policy Studies Journal revealed that cities who introduced ordinances to criminalize behaviors associated with homelessness saw an immediate decrease in setting up tents the day after, but they immediately saw the jumps back to the same or higher rates just days later. Contrary to popular belief, just because we can't see signs of homelessness doesn't mean it's no longer there. It's right there in your backyard until you do something about it. The city should instead invest in policies that would introduce more affordable housing in Worcester and limit how much rents can increase. I'm here today because I believe regardless of the circumstances of a person's life, housing is a human right. I don't want homeless people to disappear into incarceration or worse. I want to see people get back on their feet. This policy will make it extremely hard for homeless folks on a daily basis.

Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Angelina Coco. I am a nurse practitioner that works with people experiencing homelessness, both in clinic-based and outreach, and I am also a proud Worcester resident. I'm deeply concerned about item 819A. I understand that encampments are not safe, stable, or dignified places to live. But the people that I care for are not sleeping outside because they were offered safe, appropriate alternatives. and chose not to accept them. Often these alternatives are unavailable, full, or inaccessible. So I ask you, where are we asking people to go? Telling someone to move does not resolve their homelessness. It moves them further and farther from safety, stability, and support. Telling someone to move, oh sorry, I already read that part. Sorry about that. All right, I have seen the consequences of that displacement. People can lose their belongings, medications, identification, relationships with outreach workers, and the fragile stability that they have worked so hard to build. Someone who has begun engaging in healthcare or recovery may become completely disconnected from care altogether. And for someone who may not have $25 to spare, this is not a fine, it's not a deterrent, it's an additional burden for someone who has nowhere else to go. I recognize that encampments raise real concerns about safety, sanitation, accessibility, and the impact on surrounding neighborhoods. These concerns deserve thoughtful attention, but we cannot address them simply by moving people out of sight. If we want people to leave encampments, we must first ensure them safe, appropriate alternatives are available. The people that I care for deserve more than 72 hours to move from one unsafe place to another. We meet people where they are and help them take on the next step towards civility. I hope that our city will do the same. We can't enforce our way out of homelessness. Thank you. We have to build our way out. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Maria. I live in District 5. I've lived in Worcester for seven years now. I'm speaking against Ordinance 819A, the public camping ban ordinance. Criminalizing homelessness is not and will never be the way to help people. According to the City of Worcester website, 221 permanent beds are available in shelters across the city. But as of a study in 2025, there are over 1,000 homeless individuals in the city with the numbers increasing every year, not to mention the current cost of living and housing crisis, which will only serve to further increase those numbers. What happens to all the homeless people who can't get into shelters? They're punished because we don't have the resources? And even if a person does get a spot in a shelter, they are overcrowded and dangerous. Women and gender minorities are frequently sexually assaulted in shelters. And this city council, based on the recommendation of the city manager, who is also pushing this ordinance, voted against a civilian review board, which was called for due to the DOJ's finding that Worcester police coerce victims into sex under threat of arrest and violence. Naturally, this ordinance would give police the go-ahead to harass homeless people and further assault them. Now, homeless women will have to choose between being raped in shelters and being raped by WPD. We also don't have nearly enough resources to get people into homes or treatment services. Advocates have been begging the city council and city government to provide more resources for homeless supportive services. You keep denying them. So these homeless people don't have anywhere to go. And even if a homeless person gets into a treatment service, they're just returned back on the street after it's over. According to the Journal of Psychiatric Services, about 70% of homeless adults in treatment go back to the street.

Hi, I'm Brady from Worcester District 5. I'm speaking against Ordinance 819A. Firstly, great statements from all before me, told to an audience historically without the empathy or intelligence to listen and really understand. I know that both of these are traditionally taught in kindergarten, which had to be 80 years ago for the Latia, but I do not hold forgiveness like your teachers must have to let you get this far without it. I am a quality engineer. My work and my understanding of good systems is two things. All systems live and die by their inspection, and the purpose of a system is what it does. Based on those principles, the WPD is a failing operation that serves the purpose of violence and rape. By criminalizing homeless people, you are giving WPD the thumbs up to harass and molest people on the street even more than they already do. The ordinance is part of a pattern that this administration, this ordinance is part of a pattern of this administration to try and cause as much harm to the people of Worcester, real people. This is probably also something you missed when you were dozing off in kindergarten, but homeless people are real people. That's your job, which I'm sure you've forgotten out of the sight of all your cartoon money bags, which is to care about the real people of Worcester. Oh, please.

Thank you. Damn. Hello, my name is Thea. I'm from District 5 of Worcester, and I have a little quibble with the wording of 8.19a. If I'm not incorrect, the wording is specifically, and I quote, that homeless people or someone in an encampment would have up to 72 hours before they must be removed. That is like, they would be asked up to 72 hours before they must leave to leave. With this wording to this letter of the law, you could ask a homeless person if you were a police officer, hello, you have one minute to leave, pack up your entire tent and all of your food and your dog and get out of here. Now again, I could be incorrect. or you may have meant at least 72 hours. But as it stands, this is not enforceable. Thanks.

Thank you.

Do I have to do anything with this?

Hi, my name is Gabriella.

I'm a Worcester resident here to speak out in opposition of item 819A. This so-called camping ban is really a ban on unhoused people surviving in public, and it is cruel and inhumane. Disappearing unhoused people from public view does not solve homelessness. Affordable housing and rent control are what solve homelessness. According to the Research Bureau, in Worcester, fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $2,387. To afford this without being cost burdened, a household needs to earn $95,000. The median household income in Worcester is $67,000. So many people in this city are struggling and at risk of becoming unhoused. And for those who are already unhoused, they also need affordable, stable, permanent housing. The 2026 point in time count identified over 1000 unhoused people in Worcester County, although I suspect that number is higher. There are only 197 beds in the homeless shelters in Worcester. When people are banned from sleeping in their cars or in tents, where do they go? Although I do think it would be beneficial for the city to work on increasing homeless shelter capacity, homeless shelters also do not solve the problem of homelessness. Once again, the solution to homelessness is affordable housing. Our unhoused neighbors are human beings deserving of respect, dignity, autonomy, and choice. There are many reasons why people may not be able to or want to stay in shelters, including but not limited to. If you have a pet, you can't take your pet in the shelter with you. Now you're forcing somebody to abandon their beloved pet. Also, as mentioned, feeling unsafe in shelters, being at risk of harassment and assault. Encampment sweeps create trauma, worsen people's mental health, destroy people's belongings, and create anger, fear, and distrust in the government. And sweeps are costly. Cities spend millions of dollars on encampment sweeps when you could just spend that money on affordable housing.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Dylan Young. I live up on Grafton Hill. I'm here to speak about Proposition 819A. And I just wanted to say that, well, I have a few things to say, but frankly, most people have said many of it already. But specifically, I want to talk about foster kids and how in Massachusetts, around 36% of homeless people report history of foster care. And Yeah, around 34% in a study in Massachusetts, 21-year-olds who are in foster care were homeless almost immediately since aging out. And we're pretty much failing citizens of Massachusetts from the cradle to the grave. I was, this past February, working or volunteering at the temporary shelter that was opened up by the Catholic Church after the RMV. Temporary shelter was not continued this past winter. And I have to say that this winter, people out there, it'll be cold. They will die. And it's the best you can come up with, just finding them about it. So that's it.

Thank you.

Hi. Hello. My name is Julia. I'm a citizen of Worcester and District 5. I'm here to speak towards item 8 19 a and just what an atrocity it would be for this city to try and pass an ordinance like that in a city that already does so much to disenfranchise homeless individuals. It would be even worse to then find them for trying to exist for trying to live for trying to find a way through what they are currently struggling with, instead of providing them care for these types of issues, for mental health issues, for physical health issues that all contribute to them being homeless. These are things that I've seen people struggle with when they are trying to seek housing. They're trying to do everything by the book. They're trying to do the right thing. that's being asked of them, and they are still being punished. I have witnessed people who have struggled with homelessness be attacked verbally by WPD for these struggles, for struggling with mental health, for not being able to regulate themselves in that moment, which is understandable because they're not dealing with a regulated central nervous system, and then you are re-traumatizing them by going in and doing these encampment suites. You are punishing people for struggling who were already struggling. And instead, I've seen this city time and time again try to reward the already rich, trying to come into the city, buy different lots, by giving them tax breaks and things like that, that do not serve the actual people of Worcester. This serves some rich guy somewhere else. Who cares? Who cares about him, frankly? This is not bringing in money to the citizens of Worcester. This is padding the other... I don't... I've seen the money pushed over to other organizations and agencies that do not end up actually helping the Worcester citizens. And it is a travesty to then want to, on top of everything else that people are struggling with, fine them for trying to exist without giving them sufficient supports, otherwise long term supports.

Before we have our next speaker, will this motion suspend the rules to allow people to speak for an hour?

Roll call. Mr. Chairman, I'd just like to amend that, that we have a motion to suspend the rules until the public participation is completed. Well, we can do that at the end of the hour.

I'll vote yes against. But that's my amendment. Okay, we'll do mine first and see who passes.

Council Bergman? Yes. Council Bilotta? Yes. Council Economo? Yes. Council Rizzolo? Yes. Council King? Yes. Council Mitra? Yes. Council Hader? Yes. Council Rivera? Yes. Council Rosen? Yes. Council Toomey? Yes. And Mayor Pegg?

Yes. Mr. Chairman, I made a motion. One of these fails because we just passed this one. One doesn't preempt the other.

Okay, is that true?

My motion was that we suspend the rules until the public participation is complete. Okay, roll call.

It could probably be less than an hour, I would guess.

Councillor Bergman? No. Councillor Pallotta?

Yes.

Councillor Economo? No. Councillor Rizzolo?

Yes.

Councillor King? Yes. Councillor Mitra? No. Councillor Ojeda?

Yes.

Councillor Rivera? No. Councillor Rosen? Yes. Councillor Toomey?

no the mayor petty yes so mr mayor that also passes 65. okay go ahead hi my name is minnie from district one and i'm talking about agenda 8 19 a I know that the unsheltered population crisis is scary to face on, but there are programs and models out there that can be our guideline to start helping people properly. Unsheltered programs with impactful success rate Number one, the Way Home from Houston, Texas. They started in 2012. They aligned local agency with federal funding into a single coordinated entry system. Unsheltered reduction rate since 2012 is 63% decline. Metro Denver Homeless Initiatives started in 1996 and they utilize real time by name data to match individual with specific housing and health resources. Reduction rate 25 to 26, 8%. street to home encampment response and the right care program from Dallas, Texas. They started in 2008 and these programs shifts away from criminalization towards multidisciplinary response team. Most multidisciplinary response team combines housing locators, behavioral health specialists, peer outreach and city services. They offer immediate identification recovery, medical and behavioral health care, and direct pathway to permanent supportive housing rather than simple displacement. And as a result of their program, there's a 60% decrease in arrests. Only 2 to 4% of calls end up in arrest or jail. 96% of issues are usually resolved without incarceration. 20 to 23% reduction in emergency room visits. There's a few other programs like that, but we do have a guideline to look after if you really cared.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Philip Donald Gerard II. I'm a District 5 Worcester resident. I'd like to express my disapproval for item 8.19a, which is overt class warfare on one of Worcester's most vulnerable populations. Banning, fining, antagonizing, criminalizing, disappearing people who are so obviously in need of our help will not solve homelessness. It will worsen its effects on those individuals and our community as a whole. Deciding to criminalize a person's very existence leaves them with nothing to lose, which endangers themselves, and everyone else around them. This is such a shameful idea to even suggest, let alone be in favor of. It's indicative of how out of touch and unfit some of Worcester's elected leadership is to lead the city, how unconcerned with meeting the material needs of human beings on an individual basis some of y'all are. It is evident that our current methods for housing unhoused people are ineffective. We need leadership who respects and values humanity unconditionally. There is no other way to effectively lead a population. Where has our empathy gone? Can we not imagine how we might behave if we were in an unhoused person's shoes? Can we not imagine the trauma these folks have already endured to be where they're at? Are you too uncomfortable at the very sight of an unhoused person asking for your help at a red light to acknowledge your own humanity that wants to act with empathy? You should be uncomfortable. That's what drives effective action. You should want unhoused people housed with your tax dollars, not criminalized. You want effective anti-homeless legislation? Start at housing as a human right and actually house people first. You'll be amazed at how quickly many of our social problems begin to disappear. But the root of this problem is much deeper, isn't it? We have a system that prioritizes monetary profit over human need. A capitalist doesn't see value in guaranteeing housing to people because there is no immediate profit for them. Guaranteeing food, electricity, education, healthcare, no immediate monetary profit exclusively to capitalists. They are socially profitable and valuable to everyone, but that is not good enough for the capitalists enjoying the current status quo. Thank you. Capitalism won't allow us to do right by our community. Even though it's been proven that societies are far more productive, less costly, and happier when everyone is guaranteed access to these things.

Next speaker please.

Good evening, my name is Nolly Medina. I'm from District 5 and I wanna speak on A19A, I think it is, and JL, a petition. So I urge the city council to act quickly to paint the crosswalk at Lovell Street and Lakeside Ave. Previous requests from children advocating for safe passage to and from school have been ignored and unrecognized. And this council is demonstrating to the youngest among us, the next generation of leaders, that they do not matter. My son and I have discussed the crosswalk with dozens of children and the lack of safety bothers them. They may not have the language yet, but they understand that oversight is at play. Imagine with so much going on in the young people's lives, the folks in charge of the city could not care less about their experiences crossing the street every day on their way to and from school, which is mandatory. give our children anything at all. But a win-win for everyone is to repaint the crosswalk on Lovell Street and Lakeside Ave, where children from five different schools take buses across the street and cross the street from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. This shows someone is listening to their concerns, sees them, cares about their safety, and for some of them, it will have a positive impact. For all of them, it will mean safety. And so the next item, homeless, on homeless, So, Worcester has adopted the Heritage Program's 2025 Manifestos Homelessness Policy to the letter, which emphasizes individual responsibility and proposes scaling back housing solutions, suggesting that federal programs may discourage work and economic mobility. This approach encourages limiting access to affordable housing and reduces protections for vulnerable populations, including the unsheltered individuals who are targeted. Worcester has prioritized market rate housing over affordable housing. And the wealthy city leadership shamelessly proposes seeking shelter outside in tumultuous weather, a crime. Shame on you. I urge the city council to listen to the people who work closely with the unhoused populations for solutions. They have ideas and solutions. Those who are not descendants of the pilgrims sitting before us indignantly, make decisions to preserve your positions. Remember these words. Then they came for the unsheltered. Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

James Powell, District 1. I'd like to speak on item 819A also. And I'd like to ask that before we consider fining people who may not have the money to pay the fine, We consider other ways to address homelessness and I'd like to suggest that we look at the cost of multi-family unit rentals and that we look at imposing strict caps on those maybe looking at 1% of the assessed value of the property per year divided among the number of units in that property. And if we could also further limit the costs to get someone into, for someone to enter into a rental agreement in those units, that would also help people who are currently unhoused seek housing on their own. Many people who are unhoused, of course, have employment but may not be sufficiently employed to to afford housing under the current conditions. Thank you.

Adam Wooster, just minutes ago, we recited the Pledge of Allegiance. You might remember the last line, with liberty and justice for all. Item 819A is making it clear that Wooster does not have justice for all. This proposal builds a two-tier justice system. If you're unfortunate enough to have nowhere to sleep indoors, you get fined $25. A fine you probably can't pay, so it grows, you miss a court date, and now can be jailed just for being homeless. Compare that to someone who goes out on a Tuesday night, has a few celebratory drinks with friends, drives home, and crashes into a parked car. What happens? The police tell her to find her own ride home. No field sobriety test, no potential- What's not on the agenda tonight, please?

No fine, all because- That's not on the agenda tonight, stick with the homeless issue.

This city needs accountability. You are showing everybody how corrupt you are. You couldn't even go one week. Kate, I hope you can hear me on Zoom.

Right here. Direct your comments to me, please.

Mayor Petty, I hope you can hear me too. Call the chief, more like vote her out.

Is your name C. Resnitz?

My name is D'Angelo Aponte and I'm a homeless resident of Western Mass. And I'm here to speak on item, I believe, 8198A or 819A, whatever it is. I just want to say three quick points and I'm going to leave, I'm not going to waste your time. Number one, this item, I believe in my heart and know. My father served as a veteran in Iraq. He was a combat engineer. And this is not only a slap in the face to every citizen in Worcester, but across America globally. Because how are we the richest country in the world and we're going to make homelessness a crime? We're not directly saying that it is, but let's ask questions here and get some answers. If nobody has nowhere to go, shelters are closing. CHL, Family Health Center, programs are closing for the people. Where are they going to go? You know what I'm saying? And on behalf of the homeless community here in Worcester, I'm here to speak for them and I'm speaking for them now. This is wrong and this is corrupt and we've got to do something better. We need solutions, not more problems. And I don't think finding people who can't afford it and they end up in jail. is any solution to anybody. And for everybody making fun of the homeless and downing us even more than we already are, I just want to say make some room because the cost of living is going up and everybody's struggling. And also another point I want to add, not everybody homeless is a drug addict or a criminal. Sometimes people just get down on their luck and life is a roller coaster. That is all.

Well, that's a hard one to follow up on. I'm Finn Berman. I'm a resident of Boxborough, Massachusetts, but I work here in Worcester. I am a community organizer with WAFT, Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team. Our motto is when you fight, you win. And I wish that that were more true, because when there isn't support, when there isn't funding, and when people give up, and when they're in further crisis, sometimes they don't win. And sometimes the system is broken and works against them, and the powers that be break rules and illegally evict people, and they end up out on the street. I'm dealing with more... I'm dealing with more than one more than two more than three residents of Worcester who have suffered from illegal evictions or foreclosures and ended up out on the street through no real fault of their own and That is a crime You passing an ordinance like in 819A would make my job much harder because I'm not just going to ditch people if they end up out on the street. Oh, you lost your home? Oh, well, I'm just going to deal with the people in houses. No, I still show up for them. I still go to their encampments. I still help them in whatever ways that I can. And I'm taking, I'm in Boxborough, I'm a resident of Boxborough, and I am taking care of your residents here in Worcester. So I don't want to hear this crap about, oh, we're about other city, other towns and cities are just sending people to our city and doing drugs here. No, there's also people commuting here and dealing with your traffic from other towns, other municipalities, and taking care of your people. My partner, who currently lives with me in Boxborough now, originally lived in Worcester. When he threw out his back and was having a hard time keeping his apartment and his landlord was pushing him out and he couldn't find a place to live, guess who took him? So your residents are being subsidized by neighboring towns as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, my name's Athena Haddon, I'm speaking on A18A, I'm a resident of D5. I'm a person also with lived experience and I work with the Sun House population every day. When the Supreme Court allowed cities to enforce public camping bans, I felt proud to live in Worcester. A city I believe would never punish people simply because they have nowhere to live, yet here we are. makes no sense for someone who cannot afford housing. If shelters are full, where are people supposed to go? Fines and encampment removals will not end homelessness. They will only move vulnerable people and push them further into poverty. The residents of Worcester are paying attention. We notice the counselors who don't show their faces. We notice those that vote against allowing residents to speak. The people of Worcester deserve to be seen, heard, and represented. Homelessness is not a crime and poverty should not be punished. I ask Worcester to lead with compassion, accountability, and real solutions. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello. Hello. We have a petition. He was the last one in line before, so can he go?

What item number are you speaking on?

JL.

JL? Okay.

Hi, I'm Manolo from District 5. I want the City Council to order the crosswalk at Lowell Street and Lakeside Ave repainted because it's not safe. The lines are hard to see, cars don't stop, and school buses are picking up crossing students without the crosswalk. Cars keep going and our parents are have to step into traffic to cross. I've been thinking about this crosswalk, but thinking won't make it safer. So I'm speaking up today. Please represent the crosswalk. I mean, please repaint the crosswalk. It will make everyone a little safer, especially children like me crossing the street on our way to and from school. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Justin Laporte, and I was here to speak on 819A.

I apologize.

A 72-hour eviction notice and a $25 a day fine for existing on public property doesn't push anyone towards shelter. It pushes people further into the dark, into hiding, into places where outreach workers can't find them, into the type of desperation that ends lives. You talk about this as a homelessness response, let me tell you what it actually is. It's punishment for being poor. You can't find someone out of homelessness. A $25 fine for a person living in a tent isn't a deterrent. It's a debt that they'll never be able to pay. It's a missed court date, a bench warrant that forever follows them, that makes housing and employment even more difficult. In a 72-hour notice, three days to disappear, where to? The shelters? for these people don't exist. I know this because I'm one of the ones on the phone in parking lots every single day trying to get beds for these individuals. There is no shelter bed waiting at the end of the 72 hours, and there never was. Here's what I know from doing this work. And from living in it. People don't stay outside because they want to or because they love camping. They stay outside because the shelter system is overwhelmed. Because many people have untreated mental illness and addiction issues. Things that I know very intimately myself. And because there's literally nowhere else to go. The people most affected by this ordinance deserve more than a 72 hour disappear from sight notice. They deserve somewhere to go. A ban with a fine and a deadline isn't housing, it's a broom. If we still want to solve this, the money and energy needs to go into expanding housing programs, housing first models, treatment beds, wraparound services that actually work. Punishment isn't policy, it's an abdication. I got into recovery and into the business of helping people because people out there like that saved me. Every person in a tent is somebody's child, somebody's parent, Thank you, I appreciate it. Thank you.

My name is Jamerson. I live in District 5. I've worked with the chronically unhoused population for almost a decade. I'm here to speak out against Ordinance 819A. The vast majority of the unhoused population don't choose to live outside. They're forced to or compelled to do so because society has either priced them out or failed to accord them reasonable accommodations to integrate into society on their own non-harmful terms or needs. They choose to sleep outside sometimes when there is ample room within the shelter, and I'm using a very broad definition of ample. Due to a myriad of factors, be they substandard sanitary conditions or dispossession of personal property, or legitimate fear for their physical, emotional, and or mental well-being, or medical concerns, or significant trauma, or overwhelmingly distressing mental health symptomatology that we are not providing adequate care for. Existing without shelter should never be criminalized. Holding a scintilla of autonomy over where someone chooses to sleep when they are unhoused should not be met with fines or criminality. The 20th century French poet, artist, actor, and theorist Antonin Artaud said, as long as we haven't been able to abolish a single cause of human desperation, we do not have the right to try to suppress the means by which man tries to cleanse himself of desperation. To me, that's the point. We have not, as a society, provided a safe space for vulnerable populations to exist, nor have we insisted, all of us, collectively or forcefully enough, for this to be rectified and transformed. To subsequently criminalize behaviors unbefitting to civil society is an absolute legal, ethical, and humanitarian abomination. Thank you.

Thank you.

uh friend nathan worcester the first item i'm going to take up here is 7a the item about the report concerning all the zoning and the prerequisites of all the different construction and zoning are there there should be a report the city should put out and i hope that is something that will fly uh the big elephant in the room tonight is eight time 819a so you know i could mix feelings about this all i can say is you can find somebody a hundred dollars a day you're never going to be able to collect it because they're homeless you know for a reason they probably have no money so uh THERE WAS AN ISSUE, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HAVING THE POLICE GO OUT TO ARREST PEOPLE. AND SOMEONE HERE, MIGHT HAVE BEEN YOU, MR. MAYOR, OR MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER, TOLD THE PEOPLE, WE CAN'T ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF THIS PROBLEM. AND YOU CAN'T. SO HAVING SAID THAT, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF THINK OUT OF THE BOX. We've got three major colleges within one, one and a half miles of this institution. They've got boodles and oodles and boodles of money. How about them spending some money and being a good neighbor and they will pony up and build some shelters instead of having somebody sleeping in your doorway here, people. and and as far as you know people say oh frederick homeless is only downtown i guarantee you anyone who who lives up on salisbury street if they went outside in the middle of the night and they went deep into the woods around the house i will guarantee you will find some people who are homeless you may not see them because they try to stay uh under the radar because they don't want people seeing them i guarantee you they're there i'll i'll mortgage the house on it

What's your name, say your address, item number?

My name is Principe Virtuez. I own Palace Elite Barber Spa here in Webster Square. Myself and my business have made every media platform in this city, including the Telegram and Gazette twice, for rising up from homelessness. I myself was homeless, not on drugs, just in a bad life predicament from birth. I'm a content creator with over 70K followers, and my content is helping the homeless and representing this city. I slept on the streets that I now represent on social media. With that said, proposing to punish people for being homeless not only makes our city look bad, but it's foolish. Punishing people for being homeless with fines is just gonna make it worse. They won't be able to pay the fines and next you'll be trying to incarcerate them for not paying the fines. I post helping homeless people on social media to spread awareness. I get donations from several community members all the time that support what I do. So that tells me that there are an abundance of people that want to help. It saddens me that the civilians will come out of their pocket with money that they work hard for. Civilians will offer services from their business that they worked hard to build. Civilians that own restaurants that are struggling in this economy We'll donate food. Civilians will stand up for this city every day. But the powers that be that we civilians rely on to lead look to punish the same people that us civilians are trying to help. People don't choose to be homeless. They just lost hope. Our leaders are supposed to inspire hope. We've got to do better.

Thank you.

My name is Fianna Jatan Singh. I'm a resident of District 3. I believe a different city in Louisville, Kentucky had tried to pass a similar ordinance as this, and it was found unconstitutional. Also, everybody deserves a right to life, like it says in the Constitution, life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Basically, this ban is saying that people don't have a right to live, because if you're going to find somebody for for that doesn't it's already unhoused like he's just said they have no money so why how would they be able to pay the fine so then you're going to try to lock them up so then you're going to pay more money to incarcerate them than you would have to just provide housing you should just try to have more housing for the unhoused community you should have porta potties you should have housing you should have supplies wraparound services there are many non-profits slash business owners that are willing to support with this so the funding is not the issue if you guys are trying to raise money by finding people that have no money you're idiots Thank you.

How you doing? My name is Kevin Lynch. I'm a citizen of Worcester. I'm also homeless. I suffer with a very dire heart condition. I stand here with only 18% of my heart in function, sitting in my car, which I live. I gauged in 175 heart rate, so it's just fair to say I'm very unhealthy, I'm very sick. I had been living at 20 Groton Place in Worcester for 14 months with a family member, a young adult, and a dog and two cats. And the banks took us to court with an immediate injunction. They didn't even go through the eviction process, and they threw us out in the snow. And we've been out in the snow since. My other family member's in a tent in the woods. He suffers with bipolar, beginning stages of schizophrenia, and he takes multiple seizures. We've been asking for help from everybody. There is no help out there at all. There is just no help. You go to a landlord, they want to run your quarry, they want to run your credit score. You're smiling the whole time I've been watching you. And that's a shame because God is watching. God is watching us all. This is a humanity issue and it's just insanity. you know my landlord was at the register of deeds as the owner and the court still threw us out of our home so there is a reason why people are homeless for a multiple to cross the spectrum reasons and people are you know sick out there and there is no help and you want to make sleeping while homeless a crime you know you're stuck at the hip with you know the Chamber of Commerce, and we built a stadium in this city. We discussed this, Mayor, about having money for the homeless center and everything before the stadium was built. We can do better than this as a people. Let's go, guys. Have a tap for humanity. We can teach homeless people skills to build. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Terry Kelly and I came up with a proposal for you guys back in 2011. Katrina hit the country and our government had boots on ground with guns at these people telling them to go back to the dome. There was no supplies, no food, no nothing, and people succumbed to the injuries. Now, I asked the city council for a shelter slash community center in every district. with a soup kitchen, educational center, because when the kids are 18, parents are kicking them out the door, a section for drug addiction so they can work on their addiction, a rental hall, just like Union Station, nice big rental hall to teach people how to run a business, cater, cook, or whatever, with three floors, men, families, AND WOMEN. FAMILIES, WOMEN AND MEN. IN EVERY DISTRICT. IN CASE WE HAVE A HURRICANE OR A TORNADO, YOU ALL LOOKED AT ME LIKE I HAD THREE HEADS. OKAY? NOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WE TAKE A HOMELESS PERSON AND PUT THEM IN AN APARTMENT AND GIVE THEM WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WOULD CREATE JOBS. Think about it. These things could be all across the whole state of Massachusetts. We are the heart of the Massachusetts. Do something. Stop leaving people homeless to die, to freeze on benches. Two men froze to death at St. John's in their garage. People forget about that. A volunteer, his car broke down. He froze to death in his car.

Thank you.

A volunteer from St. John's.

Thank you.

When will this stop? Thank you.

We'll go online and first speaker.

Thank you Mr. Mayor, first calling you is David Webb, trying to meet the resident now. Please say your name, city of residence, and the address you're calling about.

Yes.

David, can you hear us?

One second, are you able to hear me?

Yes.

Testing, can you hear me?

Yes.

okay cool great uh david webb regretfully worcester love the people hate the city it's getting worse by the year uh where are they supposed to go is a question batista and his police couldn't answer years ago and they still can't encampment sweeps are a waste of money and resources and it's disappointing that you all choose violence every time tonight's agenda is another one where you guys have an opportunity to either do good 7z or bad 819a you have police reform and crimson homelessness on the agenda I think we keep seeing national issues at a local level, and this is another example. Another time that I have to ask, what is the point of being so big and great if we can't take care of the vulnerable members of our community? Do you think they have an easier time getting housing when they get out of jail? Do you think jail helps, or are you actually not trying to help? I just spent a few months in the Worcester County House of Corrections, and I can assure you it is already quite full of people who could not afford a $40 bill when they were harassed by the Worcester Police Department. And if they weren't homeless when they got sent there, they are a few months later. So this is more steps in the wrong direction. This body had the opportunity to create a sanctioned encampment. The community has asked you for public bathrooms. You've had rent control tabled on your agenda for seven fucking years.

Seven years.

I am. It says fucking right here. This is a demonstration of the priorities of this administration. Buying people $25 a day is unreasonable, prohibitive, and ridiculous. Prohibiting picnics and hanging out on the sidewalk opens the city up to 14th Amendment concerns, just like it did when it attempted to attack the unhoused community through busking and panhandling. Hunting the unhoused community isn't a viable solution, in part because it's cruel and dehumanizing, but also because if it did work, then the millions that Eric Batista has wasted on the so-called Quality of Life Task Force would have made a difference. But it hasn't. Displacing them until they die is not a solution, and it's gross that this body doesn't see this. You don't have a place for them to go, and you know that because you literally just put out a request for nonprofits to open a winter shelter. On the subject of police reform, 7Z.

Can you wrap up, please? Thank you.

Sure. It's unfortunate. For some reason, the city manager thinks, I don't know why, at $350,000, $15,000 a year, you'd think he'd be able to afford telegram subscription.

Okay, next speaker.

There's a man next to his character with the reason now.

Can you hear me, yes. Karen Valentine going resident of Worcester. I'm speaking about 3 items. The petitions that are the subject of items 7 G and 7 H, pertaining to a federally funded transportation improvement program project at man Chandler streets should be filed with no discussion regarding 7 G. several counselors have repeatedly told constituents. There will be a public meeting about this project shortly. The premise of 7H is nonsensical. The design is for roundabouts, not rotaries, as the opponents stubbornly refused to acknowledge, so the petition is moot. Further transportation project design should not be the subject of up-down voting by the City Council. on item 819a this item should be withdrawn or absent that absolutely go to the standing committee on public health for a public hearing it is against rules to vote on it as is and a disservice to the public i'm embarrassed that this cruel ordinance has been put forth and expect you to put an end to it it will not solve the problem of homelessness in worcester and will only serve to worsen life for people who have few or no options and criminalizing sitting on the sidewalk I sometimes do this while waiting for a bus yet as a middle class white person I think we all know I will not be penalized and here's I know others is going to still have much to say about this item tonight.

Thank you. The next speaker.

Thank you, Samara the next speaker is a extra I'm trying to resume now.

Good evening. Eric Stratton, City of Worcester. Please apologize. My voice, I'm currently recovering from COVID. To begin, I just want to say, do better. Quite frankly, it is really embarrassing that we are all having to come and speak about this. It is just absolutely shocking to me that something like this ended up on our city agenda. First and foremost, ordinance like this is clearly been written by individuals who have absolutely demonstrated that they have no empathy and no understanding of homelessness or what causes homelessness. And where are the experts? You know, you have all of these individuals who work with the homeless daily coming to you and pleading with you not to pass this ordinance. Clearly they were not consulted by this. So why, why is it that we have to keep coming and arguing about these types of issues? 819A is really something that is just simply cruel and focused on criminalizing homelessness. It is just shocking to me that we spend all of this time and effort trying to criminalize it, and in this case, trying to even collect a $25 fine, when we could be investing the funds trying to enforce such an ordinance on actually serving this population and the underserved population of Worcester. Why is it that we have yet to see any kind of permanent shelter facility from the city? It continues to come up year after year after year. Even when private winter shelters come up, those are simply being done because none of you want to see this in your district. You all are turning a blind eye to your constituents. And yes, the homeless individuals or individuals suffering from homelessness in your community are still your constituents. And you have a responsibility to serve them. To me, this is absolutely cruel, and I am shocked to see this kind of thing come up.

Thank you.

Please, do better.

The next speaker is Dina Tedeschi. I'm going to try and meet the resident now.

Hi, good evening. My name is Dina Tedeschi. I'm a Worcester resident and I'm District 1 resident. And I am absolutely embarrassed and ashamed to see 819A presented on tonight's agenda. It was clearly not thought out in real respect to those individuals that are unhoused or experiencing homelessness. And just to appreciate how many of those individuals include families, children and students of our school district. That these are people that are using their part of our community and using our services, and it would be best served to use this money that we're currently using to address things after the fact, and to criminalize being homeless to use these funds in a forward motion to. provide services, build shelters. As someone mentioned, using experts. Clearly, there are a lot of people impassioned about this issue and are available to provide lots of information on how we could do better on this. And I would love to see that happen. 819 is an absolute abomination. Thank you.

Thank you.

So my next speaker is Christy Bates, Chairman of the Rosetta Knapp. Can you hear us?

I'm mute though.

Yep.

Yep, Christy Bates, thank you. Since Mayor Petty, I think a lot of ceremonial things get to you. I want to say in 1999, six Worcester firefighters died searching a burning warehouse for homeless people they believed were trapped inside, right here in Worcester. President Clinton... came here and told this city your tragedy is ours that legacy was about inclusion right like he he came here because he wanted to know the firefighters were serving the homeless right they they went in there and and firefighters are still continuing to die for this population because this population is them, okay? You try being a paramedic. You try being out there, right? As us Democrats, we need to be making sure that we're including all people, right? Firefighters need to be on our side, okay? That's what we need to be calling people in, right? This isn't about calling people out, which I could totally be doing right now, right? But think about why President Clinton, which is still alive, and I hope he listens to this, because this is awful, and this is never the worst, sir. that I thought that I was, I'm a subscriber of GBH. I'm a subscriber because I believe in hope.

Okay, thank you.

And I'm hurt. I got a key to the city from you, Mayor Petty. Is my time up?

Yes it is, you can wrap up, thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Natalie Gibson. Try to mute the resident now.

Hi, good evening. Can you hear me?

Yes.

Hi, Natalie Gibson, Worcester, Mass, District 5 resident. I'm speaking on item 819A. So let me get this straight. There's no rent control so landlords can hike up rents that are not proportional to pay wages. Then you allow developers to come into Worcester and cram large multi-unit apartments on postage stamp lots and overpopulate certain areas. These developers dangle a minuscule amount of affordable units that are equal to the Worcester Community AMI and not what Worcester City residents make. For that, they do receive some sort of TIF. I might be getting that acronym wrong, but they're getting something. People are losing their current housing due to situations like this, and then you expect to fine them for what this city is allowing to happen to them. When they can't pay these fines, because I'm sure most of them would rather use what little money they have to purchase their basic necessities or whatever it is they choose to use it for, you are going to jail them? give them a record which is going to make it harder for them to get housing, a job, and etc. Worcester is waging a class war and further dividing the residents. Poverty and homelessness should not be punishable by a fine or jail time. Winter is coming. Open the DCU Center for Emergency Housing as you opened it during the pandemic for medical care. If we can do it then, why can't we do it now? By the way, isn't the city getting federal funding for the unhoused population? What are you doing with that money? Also, where's the other money that was coming in from marijuana? Like all of this extra money we were supposed to be getting and using for things like this, where is all that money?

Thank you. Thank you.

The next speaker is Andrew. Hello there.

My name is Andrew. I am a student at Clark University. And I would like to say that while I don't live in Worcester, I'm from Portland. and area myself in Maine, we have had similar policies towards the homeless. And in the two years since I've been watching that, I have seen encampments taken out with bulldozers and the homeless population has only grown from there. I hope that this city will take more effort to do something beyond the the ineffective practice of simply shooing unhoused people into the dark corners of the world, and instead try and create solutions that prevent people from entering this position in the first place. Thank you.

Thank you.

Mayor, the next speaker is Echo. He's going to meet the resident now.

Hi, my name is Akeem Benjamin. What's crazy is.

No, go ahead, no. Echo, come back to Echo, go ahead. What's your name again?

My name is Akeem Benjamin. What's crazy is I'm homeless and my wife is homeless. And it hurts me to see a lot of homeless people dying in the streets, going through a lot of this. Me seeing a new fire department is crazy. Housing, new housing is crazy. I should go towards a homeless shelter. All these abandoned buildings, sitting there rotting away. Doing what? All these dispensaries, all these smoke shops. Stupid. Put that money towards a homeless shelter. Get these druggies off the streets. Get these people from dying off the streets. I'm born and raised out here. I've been out here for my whole life, and I hate to see this. I hate seeing this. Man, it hurts me because it's like, it's ridiculous. I'm moving back to Texas because of the way it is out here. This is ridiculous. The rent, the jobs, oh, forget about it. You can't even get a job, we'll pay rent because you gotta pay $7,500 a month. Like, what is up with that? This is bad. People, obviously, you know, we obviously gotta, I mean, y'all want us to stop sleeping in tents. Build some homeless shelters. You want to arrest us for some stupid, petty stuff? It's stupid. Getting us locked up, make us pay for fines we can't even pay for. We live off food stamps. Some of us can't even afford to get a job. Some of you don't have family. What if it was your, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's your kids out there. This just hurts. And then, like, seeing older people, elder people out there being homeless, I hate to see that. My mom raised me well to take care of my older son and my father. Like, I talk to my father. My father sees me stressed every day about this. I hate it. I hate seeing this. And it really hurts me, like, I'm holding this in, but it's stupid. Like, I walk down Main Street seeing bodies. Like, the other day, I'm going back to my, you know, yes, I'm going back to my old camp, seeing a freakin' body, ambulance hoppin' out, looking at the bands on the side of the road, on the highway. This is stupid. Thank you.

Thank you.

Echo, can you hear us?

Um, yes. Can you hear me?

Yep. Go ahead.

Hi, my name is Echo Loussaint Collins. I am a resident of Worcester and the founder and executive director of 508 chairs. I am calling to comment on the attempted criminalization of unhoused people. And through the summer, I worked with my youth, and we made and distributed about 800 meals in Worcester, in city commons, to assist the unsheltered, but more so to have conversations with them. And the one thing that the youth came back to me and continually said was, Miss Echo. These people are not all bad. They're not all criminals. They're not all addicts. They don't all have mental health issues. Like these are just people. And they had conversations with them and they found out their names and their stories and their families. And I say that to say that we are all one trauma, one incident, one job loss or tragedy or car accident or surgery that has you on the surgery that then has you addicted to painkillers. There's so much that could happen that we could all be unhoused and unsheltered. The cost of groceries is extremely high. What is affordable housing? I have a very good job, and it's hard to afford rent. And I have a job, and I have an education, and there is a second income in my household. So we're going to start seeing a lot more so-called regular people, citizens, out in the streets. And what are we going to do? throw away their stuff, find them, not be compassionate. And I'm just asking for compassion. And I'm asking this to go back to the standing committee as well.

Thank you. Okay, we're going to do petitions. If anybody's here for a petition, let me know. Keith Boucher. Boucher requests a public report to be written regarding the city's procedures in suing the zoning conditions. And there's a motion for the Economic Development Committee. Do you name and see your residents?

Keith Boucher, District 1, Worcester, Mass. I submitted this petition because my experience as a direct abutter to an active construction project has raised broader questions about how the city tracks and enforces requirements placed on development projects. Over the past year, the project next door has required our neighborhood to contact multiple city departments, review ZBA mandated site plans and permit requirements, request compliance reviews and monitor corrective actions has become increasingly difficult for residents to determine whether outstanding requirements have been satisfied how compliance issues are being addressed, and whether work has been properly authorized. Sustained neighborhood involvement is not a substitute for municipal oversight. When an approval expressly says that a requirement must be satisfied before a permit is issued, there should be a clear record showing that it was satisfied or a clear explanation of the authority under which work was allowed to proceed without it. The burden of compliance should not depend on whether neighboring residents are actively monitoring a project. Residents should be able to rely on the city to identify outstanding requirements, verify them before work proceeds, monitor corrective actions through resolution, and communicate enough information to know material concerns have been addressed. There also needs to be clarity about how different requirements interact. When a project is subject to ZBA conditions, permit requirements, and approvals from the city departments, it should be clear how those requirements are reconciled and sequenced and whether one department can authorize work while another required approval or condition remains outstanding. My petition asks for a public report explaining how these processes currently work, how departments coordinate, how outstanding conditions are tracked before later stages of construction are authorized, how stop work orders and corrective actions are followed through to resolution, and how significant compliance concerns reported by residents are documented and communicated. A clear public explanation of these procedures along with any needed improvements would strengthen accountability and public confidence in the process. I respectfully ask the council to support the referral of this petition and allow that review to move forward. Thank you.

Thank you. So the motion to send that to Economic Development, roll call. Council King.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to say I look forward to this report. I also wanted to mention that in addition to these concerns and the request for the report and improvements, procedural and coordination improvements to boost up public confidence in city development construction oversight processes, we have the concurrent issue um of folks reporting multiple delays in building projects costing money etc so there's two sides to this coin and while i agree with the petitioner my request would be mr chairman if you could reconsider saying this to economic development this right here mr chairman is a request for a report to be written regarding city procedures pertaining to these matters and also asking that the administration identify any procedural coordination improvement and that said report then go to economic development, Mr. Chairman. To send this to economic development without the opportunity for the city manager and his administration to provide the requested report will only delay the desired response. So I would ask, Mr. Chairman, that you consider sending this directly to the administration so they could produce what was requested before it goes to economic development. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Council Borgman?

I'll put it on the next economic development subcommittee meeting if it's going to get referred to us.

Okay, should we get a report first and then send that to them? Yeah, I think Mr. Pacheco, you asked to go to the economic development, I think. So send that to the city manager, come up with a report, then send it to the economic development. Is that fine? Okay, roll call.

Councillor Bergman? Yes. Councillor Pallotta? Yes. Councillor Economo? Yes. Councillor Zillow? Yes. Councillor King? Yes. Councillor Mitra? Yes. Councillor Ojeda? Yes. Councillor Rivera? Yes. Councillor Rosen? Yes. Councillor Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty?

Yes, 7B to 7W, for those of traffic and parking.

Mr. Chairman, I'd like to take out 7F, G, and H separately. I'd like to speak on them collectively.

Okay, so we'll do everyone except 7F, G, and H, roll call.

Councillor Bergman? Yes. Councillor Bilotto? Yes. Councillor Economo? Yes. Councillor Zolo? Yes. Councillor King? Yes to meet you yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, thank you Mister chairman just.

Regarding 7 G and he just wanted to clarify that this is going to go. The traffic and parking. OK. All right. I don't have any further questions on that. On 7F and 7O, if possible, Mr. Chairman, those are related to school matters. Those two items we have in my committee, pending issues to discuss pertaining to safety audits, walking, pedestrian, et cetera, in my subcommittee. So I'm just wondering if I can make a separate motion requesting that items pertaining to school safety and pedestrian safety, such as 7-0 and 7-F, that language be sent to my subcommittee as well. So I understand it's going to traffic and parking, but we're doing a comprehensive look at school safety.

Those are supposed to go with traffic and parking. Those should go there?

Yeah, it's a separate motion, Mr. Chairman, that that language is also moved to be included in the school safety discussion in the committee. Those are street issues on traffic and parking. Mr. Chairman, through the chair to the clerk, could you please read the pending item? pertaining to school, walkability, safety, et cetera, in the education committee that we're scheduling for our next meeting.

To the chair, to the council, are you requesting that I pull up your pending list?

I'm asking that you read the item on the pending list pertaining to school safety audit as relates to walking, et cetera. If you could please read that item for the record.

All right, so as a request, Standing Committee on Education invite the Worcester Public Schools Director of Safety and Upcoming Meeting for the Purpose of Discutting School Safety Matters.

Yes, is there more to that order? I'm sorry? Is there more to that order?

I can share with the rest of the council. So that is your pending item number four.

And then there's the one regarding the school audit.

There's only one school safety matters that I can see on the pending. It's a joint meeting between was supposed to lose them.

Can you read that please. Through chair.

Request standing committee on education to invite the Wilson Public Schools director of safety to an upcoming meeting for the purpose of discussing school safety matters.

Okay, Mr. Chairman, that was things that were requested some time ago as relates to many of these items, including school signage. We're just trying to get A SEPARATE MOTION NOT TO PREVENT ANYTHING FROM GOING TO TRAFFIC AND PARKING. SEPARATE MOTION THAT THESE, THE ITEMS THAT I READ BEYOND THE RECORD IN THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION TO INCLUDE AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION ON SAFETY.

COUNCILOR RIVERA. CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? NO, OKAY. SO MY MOTION IS TO SEND THESE TO TRAFFIC AND PARKING. THAT'S WHERE THEY BELONG, IS IN TRAFFIC AND PARKING. AND ROLL CALL.

Councillor Bergman.

Yes.

Councillor Belato. Yes. Councillor Economo. Yes. Councillor Rizzolo. Yes. Councillor King. Yes. Councillor Mitra.

Yes.

Councillor Aida. Yes. Councillor Rivera. Yes. Councillor Rosen. Yes. Councillor Toomey. Councillor Toomey.

Yes. Mayor Petty. Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

We are on. Mr. Chairman, I had a separate motion. I didn't get the motion. What was the motion? Just again, for clarification, the motion was not to send those items to prevent sending those items to traffic and parking. That was not my motion. I support that. uh the motion was that those particular items related to school safety for our kids that the motion is that we take that language on those two items and refer to the education committee for our safety discussion that we're having in our next meeting

They don't belong in education, they belong in, you can take it for a motion if you like. Excuse me? We'll send it to traffic and parking, that's where it belongs, is in traffic and parking.

Mr. Chairman, we're taking a look at safety issues in our, let me explain. In our committee, and there's a pattern of issues there it's not specific to these schools but these schools are examples of some of the concerns there's been the newspaper there's been articles about folks having to walk in the street on the west side up by the airport and now we have three additional issues we had testimony tonight from a young person indicating their concerns as relates to similar, and that's exactly what we're gonna be discussing in committee at our next education committee meeting. So the motion is that the language of those two items be sent to my committee. So your motion is not to pass it, but just to talk about it. Correct. So we can discuss them specifically in committee.

But not make a motion on it. But not make a vote on it. Because that's traffic and parking's job.

Yeah, no, we're not approving it for discussion.

Okay, okay. Any thoughts? No call.

I'm gonna vote yes, but I really don't understand.

Mr. Chairman, I withdraw the motion. It's good, we're good, yep.

Okay, okay. We are on... So the hearing 7, X and 7, Y for national grid for condo location in Gate Street in patchery roll call.

Council Berman. Some of the water. Yes, that's a car. Yes, it was all yes, it's a change. Yes, it's a meter. Yes, it's a hit up. Yes, it's a very yes, it's a rose. Yes, it's a to me. Yes, I'm a pretty.

Yes, I'm going to request the City Council to consider adopting an attached proposal in part and whole, titled Executive Summary Proposal for Police Reform in the City of Worcester. And you know it's held under privilege?

Yeah, so do I have to speak as a petitioner now, because it's the first time on?

No, you don't have to. You can come back next week and speak. Speak as a petitioner. Yeah, okay. We should put that off the petitions, so people don't have to wait until the end of the year.

Okay.

Okay. This held under privilege. We are in the manager's calendar. Recommend adoption of the resolution authorizing the tax agreement, finance agreement, amendment 3036, Washington Square. Motion to adopt and a roll call. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Bilotta? Yes. Councilor Economo? Yes. Councilor Bezzolo? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mitra? Yes. Councilor Ojeda? Yes. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes. And Mayor Petty?

Yes. Public Works, Transmitting Information and Communication Related to Dog Waste Disposal Advisory. Send that to Public Works. Mr. Chairman. Councilor Ojeda.

Yeah. Thank you. Just have a few questions, if you don't mind. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sorry I got all misplaced here, but I got it here, I believe. Yeah. So some of the questions I have through the chair, I'm not even sure. I guess, Commissioner, I can direct this to you, I believe. So it says that there are brochures mailed to every licensed dog owner in the city. So I guess one of my concerns is those are licensed dog owners. Some people probably do not have licenses, and there's probably many dogs, right? And one of the concerns I have is, I get many phone calls and emails about the school bus stops. Parents are picking up their kids and then that little patch of grass area is full of dog feces there in some areas. And I've asked to see if we can find a way to put signs to remind residents to pick up after themselves. And it's good that these messages are being sent periodically, but I'm just trying to figure out if there's a way of doing multiple signs throughout the city, probably in multiple languages, probably working at the bus stops where it's a QR code. I'm not sure, through the chair, through the commissioner, if there's any thoughts about that, of doing other ways, getting this information out through the schools as well.

Through the chair, that's certainly something that we are open to investigating. There was a request that came through the public works committee when we met last night for additional dog signs. So we're working with inspectional services and we will be working with legal to make sure that our signs are appropriate in those areas.

Okay, thank you. Yeah, I think, you know, and it's not just that. It's also those, you know, sending that information through the schools about the waste and what happens to the waterways with, you know, the dog waste that we're finding more and more. So I'm hoping that, you know, we can educate more people as much as possible, but really have an opportunity to, within the buses, the signs, like I said, at the bus stops and other locations, because... Again, being male to licensed dog owners, I'm pretty sure there's people here that have dogs, but they probably just haven't licensed their dogs. And we're not gonna go to every house and check if their dogs are licensed, unless we are doing that. But I think this is just, find better ways to really get this out, especially the fact that this is becoming a major issue in our city. So thank you.

So send that to Public Works, roll call.

Council Bregman? Yes. Council Bilotta?

Yes.

Council Economo?

Yes.

Council Rizzolo? Yes. Council King? Yes. Council Mitra? Yes. Council Ojeda? Yes. Council Rivera? Yes. Council Rosen? Yes. Council Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty?

Yes. We are on 8.11a, Transmitting Information and Communication Relative to the Street and Sidewalk Construction Progress Report. You can file that, or you want that in committee?

No, if I may, Mr. Chairman?

Yeah, Councilor Economo.

Thank you. Mr. Chairman here, I appreciate the report too. I think it's a good collaboration between DPW and DTM. I don't think it needs to go to committee. It's pretty self-explanatory. There's nothing further on it that is needed. The one thing I would ask as we go forward is just maybe a better explanation and communication, whether it's with us, the council, or the general public, as to having a better idea of timelines. I know things get selected. You know, like people ask me now about streets, and it's like, okay, well, the prior council selected streets to be resurfaced. So when are those streets going to be finished? I think that's important for people to know and understand those timelines, and especially with streets and with sidewalks. And on top of that, too, let me just throw this in. If a street does not have a sidewalk and it's getting improved, is a sidewalk added? or is it not added? Or are we just doing what's visibly there? I think that would be helpful to alleviate some questions that I'm sure all of us receive. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I have a question. Okay, Council Buota.

Yeah, thank you. I appreciate this report. I had a question on page, I believe it's five, it says, under, excuse me, not pavement preservation, but sidewalk projects, page eight of the report, excuse me. It says, above is remaining work for the 2025 construction season. Is there, that says sidewalk projects, are there any additional sidewalk projects that were started in this fiscal year? I'm just a little confused about this page.

Mr. Commissioner Rawley?

Or is the only work being done from work from 2025.

Through the year through the chair. So these these are I believe these are all active sidewalk projects that are standalone projects. So there's other sidewalks being constructed in association with the street project. These are standalone projects. The note is actually a carryover from the prior construction reports in 25. So it should now read 2526 season sidewalk projects.

No, I appreciate that. Thank you again. I just want to kind of, um, I know customer economy with a touch touch on it, but I think I'm again going to continue to beat the drum on sidewalk repairs need to be done in a more timely way. But, you know, our taxpayers constituents really deserve. Better timelines on this work, and if it's contractors. Not being good contractors, then these contractors should not be rewarded anymore because I hear a lot of concerns from residents. How long all the work takes there's just another article in the paper. I'm not familiar because it's over by the West side, but but where, where sidewalk constructions or schools. We're not done, so I continue to have just concerns about all of this, because it's concerning to my constituents and frankly, our taxpayers deserve better. I understand there's there's challenges. I know is is doing. You know, the best they can with what they have. I know we've talked about that continually and I, I absolutely believe is going in a better direction, but we still really need to do better on delivering concise timelines for constituents. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Mr chairman. Um. CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THIS REPORT FROM THE COMMISSIONER THROUGH THE CHAIR TO THE ADMINISTRATION. HOW ARE TIMELINES ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? HOW ARE YOU MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS AS RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR MATTER? Because again, it sounds like folks are looking for timelines. I know I've asked for timelines related to other matters in the past, and I'm just wondering what internal frameworks exist and how are you measuring the completion and the progress thereof?

Through the chair, when we issue a contract for roadway construction, let's take Mill and overlay for example, several roads are in the same contract and those are issued to many times several roads to one contractor. And that contractor has a period of time to be able to complete that work on all the roads. I will say that our engineering division is looking to tighten up those controls so that when we bid our next set of projects that we will have a tighter time frame for completion of a single road or a single sidewalk so that we don't end up with extended periods of time when roads or sidewalks are open to excavation.

Thank you. Let me ask it this way. So I appreciate the response as it relates to one contract, several roads, and you had mentioned that they have a period of time. Please fill in the gap there. What is the period of time? Who establishes it and who monitors it through the chair?

Commissioner?

Through the chair. What's the rubric? Through the chair, it depends on the number of roads, whether it's mill and overlay, whether it's full depth reconstruction. So it truly depends. We could provide information based on any particular road in question, but in general, it depends on the length of road, the materials that are gonna be used, and the preservation or construction techniques that'll be used.

So thank you. I understand the variables, given your experience and given the needs as it relates to the city of Worcester and our condition of our sidewalks, our streets, et cetera. I haven't heard the framework that you use for timelines. I've heard the variables. I haven't heard the framework that leaves MYSELF AS A COUNSELOR I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE IN THE DARK AND IF I'M IN THE DARK WHEN FOLKS ARE ASKING ME QUESTIONS THEY'RE IN THE DARK SO THE THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE EARLIER I CAN REMEMBER WHAT ROAD WAS WHAT'S THE TIME FRAMES THERE THROUGH THE CHAIR THROUGH THE CHAIR I'M SORRY FOR WHICH EXAMPLE I THOUGHT YOU'D GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF A ROAD THAT HAD MULTIPLE A contractor had multiple roads. I thought you referenced one of the roads on the list. So on that road you referenced, what's the timeframe within which your department expects completion?

Through the Chair, I didn't mean to reference one particular road. For example, if it's a mill and overlay, a contract will be put out for several roads in one contract. So again, it would depend on the contract, the construction that's going to be occurring, the length of roads, the width of roads, so there are multiple variables. In rare instances, or less frequently I'll say, we have, for example, Endicott and Bigelow construction. That would have a more defined timeline based on if there's drainage work, if there's sidewalk work, if there's full depth reconstruction. So again, we can certainly look at a particular road and we can look at what those variables were. But when I'm looking at the great number of roads that we have here, it's difficult for me other than just in general to be able to state what the criteria are that go into setting that timeline.

Thank you to the chair, to the manager. Given that description and the lack of definity that I heard pertaining to these manners, what's your expectation? How do you gauge if your department is overseeing these projects in a way that's effective and meets the needs of the city through the chair?

Mr. Manager?

To be fair to the council, when we work with the, as I work with the department, we look at multiple projects. And again, like the commissioner is explaining, it is extremely difficult to give you a scenario of one full death project in terms of beginning and end, 12, 18 months, 24 months, 36 months, et cetera, because every project requires a level of analysis, a level of work with the contractor to determine the timeline for that particular project. So we don't want to, PROVIDE ANY MISDIRECTION TO THE PUBLIC BY SAYING THESE PROJECTS TAKE 12 TO 18 MONTHS BECAUSE IT'S UNDER A REALISTIC NUMBER. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE EVALUATE AND MY EVALUATION OF THE DEPARTMENT IS THAT WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME THAT WE PROVIDE WITHIN THE That job needs to be completed within that time frame, and that there's benchmarks within that project that needs to be completed. As long as the contractor's meeting those bench lines within that contract, that is something that then I'm able to measure the success and the outcomes of the actual department. But every project is different, and that's why we would have to go through every single street or every single project to give you an actual timeline of that potential contract.

So through the chair, this particular table five on page eight that was referenced, it has, for example, Dolly Drive from Misco Road, 0% complete, 2025 construction season. Tattman Street, J Street to number one and number 17, also Tattman Street, Victoria Street to J Street, both 0% complete for the 2025 construction season. HOW ARE WE THEN TO HOUSE THE PUBLIC IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS? I JUST GRABBED ONE HERE FOR KING STREETS, 99% DONE. How do we explain to folks that are waiting and have been waiting for years, for months, for weeks, when this will be done, given what's communicated here? I get a call about Tappman Street. How am I to convey to them that the sidewalk repair is expected to be completed by such and such a date? Or are you telling me that that's not possible?

Mr. Manager.

To the chair, to the council, as part of the selection of these sidewalk projects, for example, that the councilors get to select, the district council select, and they work with the department. Part of that is we present to the council the projects that will be done within that construction season or within multiple construction seasons. And we try to explain that this project could take that variety of different dates. What's important is that there could be a contractor that has 10 sidewalks to accomplish, right? And so that contractor may need X amount of months or potentially an entire construction season to achieve all those 10. What becomes challenging is to try to give you a definitive date of when this particular street is gonna get done because the contractor can face a lot of different variables that impact their ability to deliver on that project. But the contract gives the ability to the contractor to achieve that within that season. uh... and so it is extremely difficult to try to give you a point in time because it's going to be uh... a moment where there will be variables that we won't or the contractor won't achieve it and so that would be a false expectations so what we tried to do is say Again, it's gonna be within that construction season, within that timeframe, and that contract then has the ability to complete that within that. Sometimes these projects are multi-year. They begin one year, but they're not fully get completed till the next construction season. Sometimes these things are selected, And we fund them in July 1st. We funded a bunch of projects in July 1st of this year, but we have to now go through a bidding process. We got to go through the bid, put out the bids, spend time waiting for the bids to come back, review the bids, approve the bids, then write the contracts. So by the time these contracts get approved, we're looking at probably end of September, if not October, for this work to begin, even though we approved the budget in July 1st. So again, there's a process in which these takes, so sometimes it becomes a little bit difficult. Now, we are working to clean this up a little bit and try to be more refined in these dates in the length of those contracts. I've asked the department to evaluate the length of contracts. Is 12 months too much? Is 18 months too much? Can we do it in eight months, in 10 months? And that's part of the discussion that we literally last week were recently engaging in because we need to be more precise in our communication to the council and the public about these particular timelines. But there's a little bit of nuance to some of the dates in trying to provide them specific dates.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hear the nuance and I appreciate the move towards being more precise. However, I think for the public that's listening, this is a bit frustrating to hear. Through the Charity Administration, what are the best practices as it relates to what we're talking about and notice and timelines and bids, et cetera? for completion of projects. I'm assuming that beyond your discussion, there's been some sort of research or exploration regarding best practices as it relates to these questions that have been put before you today through the chair.

through the council that's part of the work that they're going to do to provide to me in terms of what are those best practices what are the areas that we can strengthen um so that we can join some of this time and now the process in which a lot of this work has happened has not changed in the years that i've been here it's been the same process oh every single year however this year has become a little bit more there's been a little bit more attention to it. And so that's where the commissioner and I, I'm gonna spend some time looking through it, has this team looking through it, look at best practice and ways in which we can strengthen the process. But this process that we've engaged, the selection of streets and construction and the way that bids and projects have been completed, it's been happening probably for over 20 years in this city. But that's something, again, that we're going to be reviewing.

Commissioner. Through the chair, if I may. Per the city manager's request, we worked very closely with DTM and our folks at Do It so that we have updated and improved the mapping that we have on our engineering website. So that if residents have a concern or a question about a particular project, They can look at the map. They can filter it out by either roadway projects or safety improvement projects. They can click on the street, and that would give additional information, including what engineers from the engineering division have been assigned to the project. So if they have particular questions, they can call the engineering division. So that information exists on the DPW's engineering website. Is that new? No.

Through the chair that's new this year. So I want to again express appreciation for that transparency. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the explanations this evening. The reason I was asking about best practices, I think the city manager commented that it's been about 20 years or so we've been doing things the same way. And we know when we do things the same way, it's at times foolhardy when it's not as successful as it could be to expect better results. So Mr. Chairman, just would like to make a motion that we get back forth with best practices as relates to the questions that were posed this evening. and not just one best practice, best practices, so that the appropriate committee can have a little bit of oversight regarding what direction the manager in this department choose to go in. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Council Rivera.

My question is, I'm sorry if this has been answered before, but through the chair, through Commissioner Westerman, DOES THE CITY ONLY USE CONTRACTORS WHEN WORKING ON ALL THE CITY STREETS? OR DO YOU GUYS, THE CITY ALSO FIX SOME OF THE STREETS? JUST CONTRACTORS OR BOTH?

MR. COMMISSIONER. THROUGH THE CHAIR. I'M TERRIBLY SORRY. WOULD YOU REPEAT THE BEGINNING OF THAT QUESTION? SORRY.

DOES THE CITY ONLY USE CONTRACTORS WHEN THEY'RE FIXING THE STREETS? I KNOW YOU GUYS PUT OUT BIDS, RIGHT, TO FIX THE STREETS. IS THAT THE ONLY WAY IT'S BEEN DONE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, STUFF LIKE THAT? IS THAT THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE ALL THE TIME?

Through the chair, we have a procurement process that we have to follow. So that's where we put out the bid and the contractors bid on the projects for the streets. There are some projects that the DPW can accomplish. For example, if there are sidewalk repairs that are a few panels on a concrete sidewalk, for example, or resurfacing a bituminous concrete sidewalk. The DPW can accomplish that work, but in general, if they're larger repairs or reconstructions, that's work that's put out to bid. And the successful bidder who follows the procurement process, they are the ones that are selected.

Gotcha. So the city, to the chair, to the commissioner, the city mainly will work on sidewalks but not on the streets. Those are given out to bid to work outside of the city.

Through the chair, again, if they are smaller repairs or smaller resurfacing with our with our staff in the resources and equipment that we have. We can do that repair work ourselves, but in general, if it's a roadway reconstruction project, that requires a contractor who can mobilize large pieces of equipment and different subcontractors who can work on those particular items in the construction.

example um if it's a small street needs repairing stuff that would that be something that you guys would be able to do or still contract their bid the whole process small street just paving fixing stuff

Through the chair, the city doesn't have the necessary paving equipment, whether that be the screeds that spread the bituminous concrete, the rollers, the multi-ton rollers, whether they are rubber-tired or steel drums, the city doesn't have that equipment. So any resurfacing or repaving, that would be something that we put out to bid.

Gotcha, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Just to add a little bit more context, some of the work that the DBW crew does, majority is like pothole repairs or small patches. That's really the work that they do on the streets. Outside of any of that work requires contracted work because the required equipment that's needed to do even a long patchwork has to be a contracted work. The department doesn't have the equipment to be able to do something like that. So a lot of it is small little patches or actually pothole repairs.

sorry before you go to concert um for solo just remember one question um how is the um pothole master plan coming along with the city i know that you guys been going to work and stuff like that an update on how that's coming along

Commissioner. Through the Chair, as we're looking at this coming winter, we've been approved for funding for our batch plant for hot mix asphalt. We do have an abundant supply of millings, which is old asphalt that was milled off of roadways that we have stockpiled. And frankly, this is a great reuse of that item. So we are planning to have that in place, that batch plan in place before snow flies this year.

Thank you. Okay, Council Vizzolo.

Through you, Mr. Chairman, I'm looking for some guidance or education from you. I have a item on- You want to read it now? 9-0, and it mirrors this, and I wonder if we could take it now while the department's ahead to here.

OK 9 whole is request to stand to me a public works for the discussion road to the ways that to see can improve the process use the problem transportation mobility the public works to make their street and sidewalk real patient servicing project selections in each of the city's district councils said discussions include the timeline required to ensure streets and sidewalks are the surface in the time we may have.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, through you. Mr. Chairman, being a new councilor, when I came into the term and we sat with Commissioner Raleigh and went over at the time those speed humps that were picked or I should say were selected, not selected, but brought forth by the previous district councilor, and then I had the opportunity to pick which ones that I was allowed to, the seven or so that you're allowed to. At that time, I was given a list of streets and sidewalks that i was told again i'm not i'm not holding anybody to the you know saying that they misspoke or anything but when i was at that meeting i was given a list of sidewalks streets and sidewalks and told that these are the streets and sidewalks that would be done uh... this construction season uh... What I found out was that as as the time went by you know I asked him when when that would would happen did probably be August of September. So I waited till August of September and saw that those streets and sidewalks were being started so I inquired about it and I was told that they were picked in December of 2025, and because of that late date, they wouldn't be worked on until next year, so 2027. It'd be fiscal year 2027, I believe, July 1st of 26 to 27. June 30th of 27, but again, I was given that list and being a rookie to all this, I spoke to people that had their streets and sidewalks on this list and told them that their street and sidewalk was going to be done this year. And now I have to go back and tell them that. It's not going to be done this year. It's going to be done next construction season. And I can't tell them about procurement process and why it's the case that I was told it was going to be done this year. And it's unfortunately not going to happen until next year. Again, I'm not blaming anyone, Mr chairman, but there's something that's got to be. We've got to work. We've got to, we've got to work together and we've got to make a. A better process of how this goes because. You know, I just, I have to say that. It's tiresome to hear, well, this is the reason why we're not doing it. No, we need to put a plan together and make sure that if you're told that it's going to be fiscal, I look at this and it says, Mr. Chairman, through you, public works to repair the falling list of sidewalks during fiscal years 25 and 26. That's what it says on this list. And we're not getting to calendar year 27. And Mr. Chairman, in all due respect, I don't see work starting until later in the year, until August and September. So that isn't fiscal year. 26 it isn't it ends in June 30th. So are we going to get to these streets and sidewalks? Through you to the to the commissioner to the city manager. Are we going to get to those before June 30th? Because if not, I want to be able to tell people because that's what it says here. Fiscal year 2025 to 2026. If someone could answer that, I'd appreciate it.

Commission, where are we commissioner?

so through the chair um thank you for letting me sure take a look at the list So there are different time frames for the sidewalks and the street projects. So Councilor Fursello was referring to the sidewalk projects on that list. And I believe some of those are reflected in this sidewalk list. So for example, Dolly Drive is on there. As you've noted, that hasn't started yet. WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SIDEWALK PICKS IS THAT COUNCILORS HAD NOT SELECTED SIDEWALKS FOR THE PRIOR TWO YEARS SO THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY A CATCH-UP EXERCISE WHERE THE CITY MANAGER AGREED TO ALLOCATE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TOWARD CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALKS AND WE DID AN ADDITIONAL ROUND OF SIDEWALK PICKS. So that covered the 2025 and 26 timeframe, but we were doing so in a retroactive fashion. Okay. If I may, I'm sorry. Sure. So it was a one-time activity that was different than the normal cadence of the street and sidewalk selections, both previously and today.

I appreciate the explanation, but in all due respect, I cannot go and tell the constituent that I told them their sidewalk is going to be done this year or even next year. That for an answer it's it's just it doesn't make me look well doesn't make me look like I I have to tell you Mister chairman. I I know my colleague. Council meet your says he had elected to get things done and you know I I. I absolutely use that phrase in my campaign. Someone said to me one day, I'm glad you're coming back, John. I told my friend, I'm glad he's coming back because he gets things done. And we went and we ran with that, that I'm here to get things done. And it's frustrating when You see things that are on paper and what they say, and then you go and tell people and you can't come through. It's a question of your word, and I'm frustrated with that. I have to be honest with you, I am frustrated with that. Let me ask you this, through you, Mr. Chairman. I was told also that speed humps, the permanent speed humps, would start in approximately around August. I haven't saw a speed hump, a permanent speed hump yet in the district I represent, and now it's middle of September. When are those starting for you, Mr. Chairman?

Commissioners are all yeah, thank you to the chair so the speed up budgets are authorized July 1st with the new fiscal year. We immediately put a bid out for that work so they've all been bid and awarded. So that contractors been selected they have until the end of November to complete all of the permanent speed ups for this season.

Do you do 3, Mister chairman, do you have any idea when this time.

Commission. Through the chair, it should be within a matter of a week or two.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Riley. Mr. Chairman, I had people call me and say, we didn't get our speed hump this year. And then I referred back to the office and the aides looked it up and they said, well, that's because they had it. They had the temporary two years and what happens is then the third year is the permanent one. So I go back to them and I tell them, The reason why you have to wait until August is because you're getting a permanent speed hump. So although you have to wait that long, from that point on, it's permanent. It'll be there year in, year out. You won't have to worry about it. And here we are. I get calls. John, you told us it was going to be in August. And here we are in mid-September. But Mr. Raleigh says it's going to start in the next week or two. At least I can get back to them with that answer. But again, it's frustrating, Mr. Chairman. I'm not going to lie. And I want to cooperate with everyone. I want to get it. have a good relationship but at the same time i need to keep uh my word and uh you know it's your words your bond and uh it bothers me that uh you know in in i'll bring up a case i know the commissioner the commissioner uh wesseling through you mr chairman uh go back to me today there's a street on a list That was picked May 28th of 2024. There were four streets on this list to be done in District 3. Three of them or two of them would complete one Houghton Street from Acton to Hayward. They're working on right now, but Uppsala Street from Louise Street to Providence Street has not started and it's not going to start this year. and again we're talking about it was picked in 2024 and uh i don't know why it's held up the commissioner was told me he'd get back to me tomorrow i'm not i'm not trying to make anyone look bad i'm just saying this is the things that you know again i've told people oh if solid street's getting done and and then when it gets done it's also going to have speed humps Permanent speed humps attack, you know, along with it and people. You know, questioning me when it when is it going to start? And obviously it's not going to start right now. Because I know I through you, Mr Chairman, I brought it up to you back a few weeks back and no, a couple weeks back and you said. She's if it doesn't get if it hasn't get started now, it's not going to because then let me get done so. This is what I'm talking about Mister chairman and one of the example I'd like to bring up is this one. I have the meals here.

The left.

Excuse me about a minute left, OK, I'll make it quick. I was told by a constituent on St. Anthony Street, which is a dirt road off of Granite Street, that the Department of Public Works was out last construction season working on Granite Street to work on the the flow of rain water that the source couldn't handle and they'd come out to those streets and wash them out. And they didn't complete the work and they were told that they'd come back this construction season. So April of this year, I contacted, I didn't, but the staff in the office contacted the DPW asking about it. And he said, the gentleman in the email here, Assistant Commissioner Mello said the work would begin in and around August. And we put it in. You can wrap it up. Yeah. Very quickly, we put in the computer to recheck with them.

Mr. Chairman, point of order, Mr. Chairman. He's over his allotted time. I'd like to make a motion to suspend the rule so he can complete his thoughts. Mr. Chairman, that's my motion, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I'll only- Roll call, Mr. Chairman.

Roll call, whatever.

Thank you, thank you, council. Councilor Bergman?

Yes.

Councilor Bilotta? Yes. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.

The word back once the office called on it in August, we had it again. We had it in the computer to call back in August to make sure it was going to start then when we spoke to Commissioner Mello through email. The message back was, unfortunately, it's not going to happen this year. It's going to have to wait until spring of next year. Now, spring of next year, is there a procurement process that's going to happen again where that's going to delay that and it goes even further? These are the frustrations that we're dealing with, Mr. Chairman. I only bring them out because Again, I told this constituent that they'll be back in August, and now I had to go back and tell them, unfortunately, it's not going to happen until next year. So I'll leave it there, Mr. Chairman. I'll let the commissioner, if he could just address that, and I'll take it from there. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Commissioner?

uh through the chair um i absolutely will have the information on upsala for you tomorrow as i indicated uh and i've got a check on the granite street issue and i will also provide you with that information as to what the status is i believe that that was an item that had to be bid but i've got to confirm that and i'll get back to you

Mr. Chairman, can I just say one? If it had to be bid, how did the work start? Through you, Mr. Chairman. How did the work start last year, and they tell the constituents, the residents, that they'll be back next year to finish, and we have to put it back out to bid? That's what's confusing here, and if you could address that, Mr. Commissioner, I'd appreciate it.

Commissioner? Through the chair, that's the information that I'll provide to the councillor. Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Okay. Okay, so we have, I think councillor Cuomo spoke once, councillor Rivera's already spoke once, so I'm not speaking, councillor, you're up next.

Thank you Mr. Chair, to you too, city manager and the commissioners here. You know, we all hear this, that there are some dates given on that date that something will be completed, but it's not done, as my colleague, Councillor Frizzolo, has been expressing his frustration. I mean, we all feel the same way, that I have been saying this from consulship that we should have a smart goal, which means that we should have a deadline that this is when it will be done. And it's done through some good calculations. I believe something is missing here. So I understand that nobody is not finishing the job intentionally. I think that DPW, DTM, they're all working hard to get this done. But if it is not done on the time that you mentioned, Maybe there should be a communication. Maybe there should be an explanation and maybe change or update your whole chart that you have. That this was supposed to be done in 26 but couldn't be done. There is a column that explains why. So at least we counselors at the same time, if any constituent or residents wants to see why it didn't get done, there is an explanation. By not expressing anything, by not updating it, It is always very frustrating to anyone. So it's not very difficult to, in the era that we live in a technology being, we live in Massachusetts, second largest city, I think we should have the technology or the technical systems available to update these things with adding into the column that we receive here that this is the sidewalk will be done on this day, this is the roads will be paved on this day. He's saying that it's not done. We don't know why So if we could get this updated I think that might give us some idea and we can also probably talk to our constituents and say yeah I just saw this because of this reason this was not getting done Not that I know that nobody is really trying to intentionally not do it But there is a reason why it's not getting done if that reason can just be given the role budget was not there the material was not there or whatever the contract was not selected, whatever could be the reason. So we have an explanation. We see why it didn't happen and update it. It's not going to get done in 26. It'll get done in 27. So at least we are in a better position to explain to our constituents. So appreciate that change, if that could be done. Thank you.

Commissioner?

Through the chair, the spreadsheets that you're seeing in this report are pared down from a spreadsheet that probably has 70 different columns, but the point is well taken that if we're showing 0%, we can add a column in there that shows what the reason is, whether it's a utility hold or funding issue or something else, but we can absolutely provide that information.

Okay. Okay, we have Council Rosen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know one thing, even though we're talking about the issues we have with these streets and sidewalks, that we've come a long way, though, because I was first elected to city council after 10 years on the school committee in 1995. 1995. And at the time, and none of you, obviously, were on the council there. And Mayor Mariano appointed me right off the school committee. Where did I know the public works committee chair? Which was kind of unusual in those days. But the toughest thing we had was streets and sidewalks and they The five district councilors kept coming to me and saying, I've got more bad roads in my district than the other four, and I need more money. And I heard this from all five, and there's only a certain part of money. And no one ever had the idea of splitting it five ways, so now the district council, that's where it came from. When I was the DPW Chair of the Public Works Committee, I said, we're going to make this split up five ways. It's still happening, still working, although we certainly have problems. I live on a street called Herbert Road, and it runs into one of these that's presently under construction called Hadwin Lane. And you wouldn't even know they're two different streets. Maybe just look at the sign, because it's like one street. But OK, so it runs into Hadwin Lane, which is under construction now. Hadwin Lane runs down to Pleasant Street, not far from Richmond Ave, just so people have an idea. So they started working, and it was approved in 2021. Well, it's only been five years before they got started. Okay, five years. We waited. I've been there for 20 something years, and my neighbors kept saying, when are they going to pay? But I said, soon. But I never say to them it's going to be this year or next year. I've learned that lesson a long time ago. It's been five years, they've been working on it for three months. The problem is, on this street anyway, they come once a week, maybe on good weeks, twice a week. And, of course, my neighbors say, why don't they just finish the job? I don't know why they don't finish the job. I say to them, well, they've got other jobs to do. So if they have 10 jobs to do, we'll give everyone a day here and everyone a day there. And that, to me, is idiotic. I mean, this is a short street we're talking about. And they got all the granite curbs in. Looks great. And they put the first layer down. And that looks great because the street was just horrendous, one of the worst in the city, I'm sure. And so the progress is so slow, but they are making progress. I don't know if they're going to finish. It's only been three months. How do I know? There's 2 tenths of a mile street, but maybe not even that. It's been three months of construction, but they weren't there today. They weren't there yesterday. They'll probably be there. It's tomorrow, Wednesday. Yeah, we'll probably see them one day. because they have other streets to do what is wrong through the chair to the commission with them finishing the project. I don't care if it takes him 4 months but work on it and get it done. I mean if this tree isn't finished this construction yet it will just be idiotic.

Commissioner.

uh... through the chair that is what i had mentioned earlier where the engineering division is looking at that this was brought to our attention this is something that we're working at so that we don't have a contractor who comes in the issue you hit the nail on the head counselor is that we would issue a contract to a single contractor for many roads so the way that construction works there would be a contractor or subcontractor that is skilled in removing for example uh asphalt off the road so that contractor comes in and let's say there's five roads would remove the con the the bituminous concrete the asphalt from the first road then mobilize to go through the entire list of roads that they have the next utility contractor that would be coming in for example would be raising structures and that's a subcontractor so the subcontractor would come in and do those five roads the next contractor to come in would have the skill set in uh installing granite curbing so they would come in and do all of those roads so it's a process that we need to tighten up the timeline and we can do that through our contract and we're committed to doing that so that we don't end up with roads like hadwin where it starts at one point and it just uh you you described it perfectly uh that it that it takes more time than if it was just one contractor with one road

So through the chat, I understand that it's got to kind of be coordinated between the different companies that are working on these. And that can be difficult. I understand that. But there's just so many days. And again, I'm talking this road because I live right there. So many days where there's just nothing happening day after day. And that's a big problem. And I don't know. We, through the chat, when we... They bid these contracts, we give out these contracts. Are we that desperate that we can't say, here's how it's gonna be done? I mean, we want it done here. Hadwin Lane, it's been on the list five years, we're starting it in June, it's gotta be done by September. I mean, can't we, or we don't pay ya, or we pay ya half. I mean, there's gotta be some type of penalty For these companies.

Again, through the chair, sorry Mr. Mayor. Through the chair, that's something that we are committed to tightening up that time frame. So for example, if there's five roads, we might award the bid July 1st and say that they've got six months to complete all of those five roads. We need to look at how do we Shorten the time frame for each one of the roads. For example, instead of giving five roads six months or longer, whatever the period is, perhaps we start issuing contracts for only two roads and you've got three months to complete them or something like that. So that's something we're committed to doing for next year's construction.

And to make them comply, there should be some type of penalty. system let me just stick and i'm almost done mr jim stick to hadman lane it's probably one of the widest mouths of a road in worcester when it runs into pleasant street not far from uh richmond out very very wide and now i see it's been narrowed down because of the granite curbing it's been narrowed down to maybe one-third that width And the rest of it, the other two-thirds at that mouth, has granite curbing all around, and it looks like they're going to plant grass there. It's all I can think, because neighbors have asked me, and every time I drive by, you know, I see a lot of dirt. There was a lot of construction material there. Now it's just dirt. And I'm saying, I guess they're going to plant grass. I mean, they put curbs in, so it's not going to be part of the road where I'm going to drive. So I don't know if they're going to plant grass or flowers or whatever, but do we do that? I never saw that before through the gym.

THROUGH THE CHAIR. I CAN TAKE THE FIRST SHOT AT I CAN TAKE THE FIRST SHOT AT ANSWERING THAT AND COMMISSIONER ANSWERING THAT AND COMMISSIONER WESTERLAND MIGHT HAVE SOME WESTERLAND MIGHT HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ADD. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ADD. THAT'S A LOCATION WHERE IT HAD THAT'S A LOCATION WHERE IT HAD PROBABLY ONE OF THE WIDEST PROBABLY ONE OF THE WIDEST MOUTHS OF ANY INTERSECTIONS IN MOUTHS OF ANY INTERSECTIONS IN THE CITY WHICH WAS A SIGNIFICANT THE CITY WHICH WAS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. SAFETY CONCERN. I THINK THAT CROSSWALK WAS ABOUT I THINK THAT CROSSWALK WAS ABOUT 85, 90 FEET ACR CITY HAD CONSTANTLY BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS, PARTICULARLY FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL ABOUT HOW UNSAFE IT WAS TO CROSS BOTH HADWIN AND THEN ALSO PLEASANT STREET AT THAT LOCATION. SO AS PART OF THE PROJECT, DPW WORKED ON A RECONFIGURATION OF THAT TO REDUCE THOSE CROSSING DISTANCES AND GET RID OF THAT EXCESSIVE MY UNDERSTANDING IS, AND WE MAY HAVE TO REPORT BACK ON THE SPECIFIC DETAILS, WE WOULD HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE ENGINEERING DIVISION OF DPW FOR THIS, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YES, THAT WILL BE PLANTED. I'M NOT SURE IF IT MIGHT EITHER BE LIKE A BIO SWALE TREATMENT. I THINK A PORTION OF IT WILL BE, SO IT'S A NATURAL FEATURE THAT HELPS WITH STORM WATER INFILTRATION. AND SOME OF IT MAY BE PLANTED TO JUST BE ESSENTIALLY LAWN OR GRASS SPACE. but we can report back on the details on that.

Okay, it's kind of unusual, but that's fine. And my last point is this, so maybe the plows, the largest plows we have in the winter, which sometimes do that area, so if they come down the hill, Now, Richmond Ave's on the left. They first come down that hill, Pleasant Street, and they want to flip a right onto Edwin Lane. Now, it's been all changed. Of course, they used to have that huge wide mouth. Now, they don't have it. They got one third of it. And with the curbing, the angle is wrong if you're going to make that turn on a big plow. I mean, have we thought of that before, that they can't? A plow was going to have to, unless he goes way over to the other side of Pleasant Street in the makes a real square turn i suppose you could do it but it's going to be troublesome i'd say because the street is so narrow and i just thought the angle i mean i'm not an expert like you guys but i never would have picked that angle if i was just going to make the street one-third as wide so it could be a problem with big trucks or certainly plows thank you mr thank you okay we have council bergman

OK, thank you Mr Chairman. When I look over and heard counselor for Zolo speaking as he did to to both Commissioners reminded me of myself a few years ago before the frustration just. took over and I was unable to be as calm as he was. So I hope that doesn't happen to him. I will just say that through the chair to whichever commission, I'll go to Commissioner Westerling. When I look at the printout street name segment, segment construction type status, the one thing that stands out to me is a column that I think should be there and isn't, which is anticipated completion date. So through the chair to the commissioner, why isn't there a category that says that?

Commissioner?

Through the Chair, we can absolutely add that. We do have that information, and we can absolutely add another column to include anticipated completion.

I say that, Mr. Chairman, because as my colleagues have said, when constituents ask us when's something going to be completed, puts a huge burden on us. to try to represent to them what we believe to be accurate information. When the information turns out not to be accurate, I'm not saying intentionally, but it just turns out for whatever reason there are delays, it comes back to really make us look like we're not being truthful with our constituents. quite frankly i don't think that should be our role i think our role should be to transmit accurate information so through the chair of the commission i hope you consider putting a column on that says that if i may just switch to another topic that council rosen reminded me of because we both live in a similar neighborhood and both come across that hadwin project and I also was curious what's going on over there. So through the chair, this one goes to Commissioner Raleigh. Was the redesign of Hadron Road initiated by any sort of citizen petition, or was it something decided upon by the Transportation Mobility Department?

Commissioner?

THROUGH THE CHAIR. I'LL ACTUALLY HAVE TO DEFER TO COMMISSIONER WESTERLY ON THAT A LITTLE BIT. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A PETITIONER REQUEST. THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN REQUESTS OVER THE YEARS TO ADDRESS THE CROSSWALK SAFETY AND BOTH LEGS OF THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK SEVERAL YEARS. DTM did not initiate the design changes there. That was initiated by DPW. Certainly support them on a conceptual level, and we've consulted with them on the layout, but that was not something that we had involvement with.

Just if I may, Mr. Chairman, to Mr. Raleigh, who I appreciate answering the question, would you agree with me, Commissioner Raleigh, that Crosswalk concerns don't necessarily require the narrowing of the roadway. I mean, was there a specific request to narrow that roadway because of the crosswalk concerns? That's really my question.

Yeah, through the chair. I'd have to go back and search the records to see if there had been, but it is, if I may just finish, that is a technique that is most commonly employed when you have a really excessive crosswalk like that.

Well, I'll just finish with saying this, that one of the things that I think frustrates a lot of people in neighborhoods like that, there's been no public discussion about those changes. I heard what Council Rosen said. I agree with him. The angle of snow removal trucks coming out of there, it's going to be difficult. Making a right-hand turn coming down Hadwin onto Pleasant is going to be difficult. And there's been absolutely zero neighborhood input. So I just think, and I've said this before, when there are significant road changes, what is wrong with asking the neighbors what their opinion is? That's my question. When you do things like this after the fact, and people like Council Rosen and myself have to ask you what's going on, to me that spells an absolute failure in communication to the neighborhood when the councils themselves don't know what's going on. I hope it works out well, but I see this as a continuing pattern that frustrates the daylights out of me, that there's no communication to the neighbors about what you're doing, and then councilors themselves are left in the dark without an explanation to give to their constituents.

I don't need a response, but thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Okay, we have Councillor Carmo for Councillor Rivera. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

So you can see the frustration that we have, right? That we're dealing with. I think something else that might help us, is it calendar year? fiscal year right because you're telling us 20 25 26 or 27 okay so is that 26 27 25 26 right and it may be worth in January to come out with a January to July or end of June and then after whatever bids go out after July 1st for the second half of the year And just, I would also be remiss if I didn't say this too. Westinghouse Parkway got started this summer. They came in, they tore it all up, they left. It was over a month that it was just left dirt, okay? I find that unacceptable. I think when a contractor gets started, they should be there to do the job. Cheyenne Road. The people on Cheyenne Road are in their second year of waiting to get their street finished. They tore it all up last year, put the base coat down, and it's been like that all year. It hasn't been finished. The driveway aprons haven't been finished. The final coat of asphalt hasn't been done. It may be attached to Westinghouse Parkways from what I understand, but I find that completely unacceptable. That stretch of Cheyenne Road through the chair would be a one year, one season project. I can't see why that would be where it is today, still in the middle of September, and it's not done. So these are the frustrations that we're dealing with. And that's why I think it's important for us to tighten up these contracts, not leave them as loose. And I think no street, once it's started or torn apart, should be left unattended and unworked on for even a week or two. I feel we need to hold the contractor accountable to have his people lined up. And as somebody said earlier, I've learned my lesson too, not to give anybody a specific date. Because weather happens, unexpected issues at other job sites happen, and there's always delays. It's just the nature of construction. But I think in an effort to help us do our job, and not bother you guys too, to be on your backs all the time. You know, what are we doing? Where are we? I think that would be beneficial to us. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Manager.

Yeah, just quickly, I just want to, one, I just want to thank the council for bringing this up. This is something that's been heavily discussed internally with both of the commissioners here. This is something that is a priority in terms of trying to make sure that we provide better messaging. That's why the website is, we've strengthened that. We're going to try to strengthen more. That's why we brought back. the actual reports on a monthly basis we're going to strengthen this more there's a lot of work that needs to be done we need to also work better with some of our contractors we have challenges with some contractors perhaps may have too many roads that they're doing and that's why it's taking longer because they have too many roads but but you know we we we need to do better in that area we acknowledge that there's a bunch of areas that we need to strengthen and we need to work with council on these things and setting the expectations and understanding the deliverables as well. This is a big kind of undertaking. There are best practices out there, significant best practices across the entire nation. Some of those best practices are things that will require tough conversation on this floor because it will remove an ability of potentially council involvement. But those are best practices across the nation. And so we will look at that, we will bring that forward and have that conversation because at the end of the day, we all want the same thing. We want better roads and we want our residents to receive the response that they deserve. And so we're going to do what we can to make sure we come back with a report to answer all these questions that have been asked tonight. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Rivera.

MR. CHAIR, JUST REAL QUICK, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR, BECAUSE MINE IS AN AMENDMENT FOR SOLO'S ORDER THAT HASN'T BEEN VOTED ON YET. SO THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS FIRST, AND THEN I CAN GO.

YOU CAN PUT YOUR AMENDMENT. WE'LL COME BACK TO IT. YOU CAN DO YOUR AMENDMENT NOW. WE'LL COME BACK TO IT AT THE END.

ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY CLEARLY THAT MY I RISE FOR THIS. I HAVE NO NEGATIVE TO SAY ABOUT ANY COUNSELORS BEFORE ME, AFTER ME, CURRENTLY HERE. THIS IS STRICTLY THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED IN MY SHORT EIGHT-MONTH PERIOD THAT I'VE BEEN HERE AS CITY COUNSELOR. AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT. AND I'VE SEEN A LOT AND I'VE ALSO LEARNED A VERY GOOD LESSON AND IT TOOK ME EIGHT MONTHS DON'T GIVE NO DATES YOU KNOW BECAUSE MISTAKENLY I WAS GIVEN A DATE ON A STREET AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND NOW THE IS EGG ON MY FACE BUT IT'S OKAY BUT I DID NOTICE THAT A lot of the stuff with the streets and sidewalk that's going on, it's become politics over people. And I ran on people over politics. So I rise to offer an amendment to the order. I support the spirit of this order and the opportunity to discuss how we can improve the resurfacing and the rehabilitation of our streets and sidewalks. I know we all share commitment to providing municipal services as timely, predictable, and effective as possible. If we're going to review the current process, however, I believe it should be a holistic review that considers not only the timing of the projects, but also how projects are selected, scheduled, and coordinated between the city administration and the district counselors. With that said, my amendment would insert the following language at the end of original order. In addition to the timeliness, said discussion should consider ways in which project scheduling can be made more predictable and whether the current role of district counselors in the selection process is the most effective approach. And an order separate to that, I would consider, especially what we have here today, is similar to how DTM has done with the speed hub and speed table policy. I would request an order that a committee of public works to work with DPW to review the council selection process of streets and sidewalks to create a similar policy. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE CITY COUNCILS HERE FOREVER BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE RESIDENTS GET THEIR TAX PAYING RESIDENTS THAT THEY GET WHAT THEY WHAT THEY EARN AND WHAT THEY DESERVE AND AND AND A LOT OF THESE STREETS HAVE OVER 50 YEARS SIDEWALKS 40 YEARS 30 OR 20 YEARS JUST BEEN IGNORED AND AND WE SHOULD BE GO BY THE PCI WORST CASE SCENARIO ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS THE CITY, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO REPRESENT OUR CONSTITUENTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE HAVE COUNCILOR, EVERYBODY'S GOT IT. COUNCILOR KING FOR THE SECOND TIME, I THINK. THANK YOU.

JUST A CLARIFICATION. WAS THAT MOTION TO ELIMINATE DISTRICT COUNCILS FROM THE PROCESS? WHAT WAS THE MOTION?

It was a motion was to at the end was he had a separate motion to create a policy, have the public works create a written policy so people know how to, what the policy is and how streets are picked. That's why I took it. Okay, I didn't understand.

Okay, thanks. Mr. Chairman, I know that some time ago we took a vote to accept a grant or accept money for Grafton Street. and for addressing Grafton Street from Rice Square to Montefiore Street for the 2026 season. I'm just wondering if this work has begun, and if so, when will it be completed through the chair? When do the commissioners? Grafton Street and from Ray Square through Metaphoric Street. I think we've discussed this previously on the floor.

Through the chair, that was an item that the city sought and received a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. It was a grant for State numbered local roads. I would have to get back to the counselor as to what the time frame is for that. I believe that that was one that, similar to what happened with speed bumps, that we had to wait until the money was available before we could bid it. But I can get back to the council on the time frame for that work.

Third chance to the manager.

Mr. Manager?

Due the chair to the council, the project is under bid, is listed in the pamphlets that the council have in the report. The current project is under bid right now. Out to bid. Out to bid, yes.

Okay, will it get done this construction season to the chair?

Commissioner? Through the chair, that depends on the contractor that's selected and what they have for a time frame in their available schedule.

Thank you.

Okay.

Okay. So come to come to you want that 8.11 in your community is followed. The second report was sent consular. We haven't got to the second before you. So council is all so as amended in council. There is on along with it was sent to you. It comes was always report to request to go to the standing committee of public works as amended. And we'll so take come through there is order to send that to the administration. And any other reports are requested. Roll call.

All right, and the amendment is also as well?

It's amended, I said.

I got you.

Thank you. Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Bilotto? Yes. Councilor Economo? Yes. Councilor Zolo? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Yes. Yes. Councilor Ojeda? Yes. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty?

Yes. Okay, we have, let's just take an item out of order here.

Public Health. 819B. 819B.

819B, Transformation and Communication Road to the City of Worcester Opioid Allocation. We'll send that to Public Health. I'm sorry, roll call.

Dr. Bergman? Yeah. Dr. Belano? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

You Mister chair could we take 9 P out of order for us just to just wrap that up.

9 P. That was shouldn't it just keep comes to see a Western to see if I recognize September as National Service dog month.

Thank you Mr chairman had a great resident that was in the canal district show up to Michelle and her service dog. Healy. Great neighborhood residents and asked to acknowledge national service dog month. It's great. It's a great service. I had a service dog myself from an agency called needs up in sterling Massachusetts. I believe healy is from a. veteran companion canine companion agency and just really want to acknowledge the great work that service dogs do and they help out so many folks with disabilities uh from you know my service dog helped me with opening doors picking things up uh as well as just providing you know companionship and safety out in the community so just want to take some time to recognize all the great agencies uh and all the great service dogs out there that help out so many in our community thank you roll call

That's a burden. Yes, that's a lot of. Yes, the economy. Yes, the solo. Yes, that's a king. Yes, that's a meter. Yes, so here. Yes, it's a very yes to Rosa. Yes, it's to me. Yes, America.

Yes. This to speed humps. In terms of information communication concerning new policies and procedures for administration traffic calming speed hump program. Send that to traffic and parking. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered.

Roll call.

We hold the next one, 8.98.

Roll call. I'm sorry. Roll call. Council Bergman. Yes. Council Buolata. Yes, that's economy. Yes, there's a lot. Yes, that's a king. Yes, that's a meter. Yes, that's a later. Yes, that's a bear. Yes, that's Rosa. Yes, that's a to me. Yes, mayor pay.

Yes. Transmitting information communication road to the 20s. July 2026 financial update. Send that to mo roll call.

Hunter Bergman that's a lot of yes, that's a connoisseur. Yes, that's for solo. Yeah, that's a can yes, it's a major is trying to get through there. Yes, it's rose. Yes to me. Yes, mayor pretty.

Yes. This is a point 3, 0, 8, 3, information communication wrote to the upcoming D. C. U. special tax district for. Oceans of the mo. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bellotta. Yes. Councilor Economo. Yes. Councilor Zolo. Yes. Councilor King. Yes. Councilor Mitra.

Yes.

Councilor Haida. Yes. Councilor Rivera. Yes. Councilor Rosen. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Yes. Mayor Petty.

Yes. We have 8.35A, 8.36A, 8.37A through D, adopt on the roll call. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bellotta. Yes, it's economy. Yes, it was all yes, it's a king. Yes, it's a mutual. It's way to yes, through Vera. Yes, it's rose. Yes, it's a to me. Yes, they're pretty.

Yes, that's why I'm up is 9. A. The manager to bring information communication road to the economic development initiatives. And so the D.

Roll call. Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bellotta. Yes. Councilor Economo. Yes. Councilor Zolo. Yes. Councilor King. Yes. Councilor Mitra. Yes. Councilor Aheeda. Yes. Councilor Rivera. Yes. Councilor Rosen. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Yes. Mayor Petty.

Yes. Next item is transferring information communication relevant to the housing and neighborhood development activities. I'll send that to ED. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bellotta.

Yes.

Councilor Economo. Yes. Councilor Rosolo. Yes. Councilor King. Yes. Councilor Mitra. Yes. Councilor Hayter. Yes. Councilor Rivera. Yes. Councilor Rosen. Yes. Councilor Toomey.

Yes. Mayor Petty.

Yes.

Next item is communication. City Manager Transparent Information and Communication Road to the Semi-annual TIF-TI reporting June 30th, 2026. Senate DD.

Roll call. Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bilotta. Yes, it's a problem. Yes, it was all yes, that's a king. Yes, that's a yes. Yes, that's a hitter. Yes, it's Rivera. Yes, it's rose. Yes, it's to me. Yes, I'm a pretty.

Yes, I'm is on 9 be because the manager was the commission of the court to my counsel with a report detailing of operations occurring within the department for upcoming with the weather and snowstorm season said report should include a breakdown of the department's available personnel equipment anticipated improvements and snow in ice removal operations.

Mr. Chairman, as it reads.

Okay, as it reads, roll call.

Mr. Bergman? Yes. Mr. Bilotta? Yes. Mr. Economo? Yes. Mr. Zolo? Yes. Mr. King? Yes. Mr. Mitra? Yes. Mr. Ojeda? Yes. Mr. Rivera? Yes. Mr. Rosen? Yes. Mr. Toomey? Yes. And Mayor Petty?

Yes. Requesting the manager to provide counsel with a report detailing the conversion of private streets into public streets into the city. So the report should include information related to how many miles of private streets currently exist in the city, the process used by residents to convert streets from private to public, the legality of the fiscal amounts required to have the city pay to convert all private streets to public streets, and the process used by other municipalities to convert their private streets to public streets. Councilor Mitra. Thank you, Mr.

Chair. What I have experienced that any of the private streets that we have, if we want to, if any resident gives us the petition to change it into public street, looks like it gets very difficult to do that because the costs that the residents have to incur. I just wanted to know what it takes for us to really get it converted. I know the whole report which says, I know it's about 400 some miles of private streets we have in our city. Is there a legally, can the city or administration say that it is our city, we live in here, even though it's a private street, is there a legal right that the city has that they can Definitely change it from the point of the safety point of view How are the other municipalities are really converting? Private streets into public streets because of the safety reasons I say I've visited many private streets, and they're quite unsafe so I just wanted to have a report that what it takes for us to convert because it's getting very difficult really to Bring it back to a public street if we want to so I can get a report on that Okay, so send that to the administration I'll come sorry.

Yeah, what's that?

Yeah, that's fine. Okay. Okay, come to come to a hater

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a quick question to you, to the city manager. I remember probably when I first got on, this was something that came up, the private streets with Councilor Russell, and he wanted to know if there's been a change to the rate that residents would have to pay. I guess it was a... The rate is pretty much outdated or it was like the rate has never changed over time. So to the chair. Mr.

Manager.

To the chair, to the council, you're talking about two different things. What Council Russell had brought up and that you're alluding to right now regarding the rate is $6 per linear fee is for the maintenance of private roads that the city can provide on maintenance. the what dr mitra just brought forward this order it's about conversion of the actual street the two different things okay uh so the conversion it's it's we do an analysis of the cost of the entire project and then there's an assessment that's based onto the property owner based on the square footage of that property that has frontage to that road um And so what you're discussing, what you brought up here is the maintenance. So if there is a desire from a resident that requires some kind of maintenance to that private road, they can file a petition. The council will approve. We would then have to appropriate some funds to be able to provide that maintenance. And it's $6 per linear fee, depending on how much that maintenance program can extend.

So I guess that was the question then. So that clearly has not changed. How long has that been in place?

Mr. Major. That $6 kind of linear fee has been for a long time. I don't know exactly the date. I can get that to you afterwards. Yeah, that's fine. It's been on for a long time.

Yeah, sorry. I know that was something that Councilor Russell had wanted to know if we could look into that and if we would change that to help the residents. So I'm not sure if that ever has been talked about.

Through the chair to the council, we have not changed that as of yet. It is a matter of a funding situation, right? And can we be able to provide enough funding to be able to address these private roads? Understanding and knowing that we have significant amount of work on our public roads that we just talked about. So it's a matter of funding and kind of how to manage that appropriately.

Yeah, and just another thing. It just comes to mind that I've got a couple calls about residents really interested in looking into that and changing it from private to public. But then understanding that it's a cost of residence or somewhat of a cost of residence and just trying to figure out if there's other ways or if there's other things of avenues that you have thought about to better their roads. BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE THE ROAD HAS BEEN DONE OVER. SO I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT?

IT'S MORE SO ABOUT PUTTING FUNDING FORWARD. for the purposes of maintenance to these particular private roles based on the petitions so if an annual basis you have or if we have 2 or 3 petitions on that year we would then assess how much we need to allocate for that purposes of that year for me it's on that road. And so that it's based on that space on petitions based on need. That's good to know that thank you. Yeah. Thank you.

Thank you so send that to. The manager of those sorry vocal.

That's a Bergman that's a lot of that's the economy, yes, it was all. Yes, that's a kid. Yes, to meet you. Yes, yes, yes, yes, to me. Yes, the mayor play.

Yes request made by Council 3 report concerning any responsibility city has to ensure private streets are kept a basic minimum standard that allows public safety vehicles to pass through the road for the request is a report and good information showing how the city could allocate funding to ensure the roads are kept at set standard comes to be true.

Thank you is get to you to the administration. The manager. I'm kind of trying to see how we can bring some solution to these private streets because many of the streets we see are not very safe for the medical emergency vehicles to go or fire trucks to go. They're not really in a good position to be done. Does the city have any responsibility to have some kind of a standardized, at least a standard to maintain our streets that It may be private, but since you live in the city of Worcester, we have a responsibility to maintain it at a certain level. And if that is there, I'd like to know what that is. And does the city have the responsibility to at least bring it to that level? I'm not saying the city has to pay right now, but Can we do that? Because the city's private streets are in such a way, there are so many streets that medical emergency vehicles cannot go, fire trucks cannot go. So can we maintain it to a certain extent that it has a standard, to some extent it is in that quality, that at least that can be done? We don't want to put people's life in risk by not really keeping some level of standard procedure for any street. So my request was that And the city do that we have that possibility that a global thing or if you live on a private state, the city has no responsibility at all I would like to see that we have some responsibility to maintain it at least a certain level so that is safer. Bringing in safety as my major concern here.

Thank you for can just let me know about thank you so that to the manager or call.

That's a burden that's a lot of.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes request image request the commissioner of transportation mobility by Council to report to you in the monetary allocations required to resources, each of the season, major arteries as defined by the city's payment management program respectively so we put you in cool major arteries that are in need of such repairs come to me true.

Thank you again, Mr. Chair. Last one of the meetings that I had requested Commissioner Stephen Raleigh to give me the major arteries of the city and he was very grateful to give the report and he listed about 26 of them which are major arteries of the city. My goal was to see that once again we try to bring businesses here, we're seeing that how Almost every week we have a new business coming in we're going ribbon-cutting and we want to give them a sort of feeling that this is a city where you want to do business and They want we want to retain them one of the ways would be to see that they when they drive they find that city has Safe road and smooth roads So I wanted to see if we can at least the major arteries of the city we can pave them We can make them look good. Some of them are already in a position that they're in good shape like burn court like newton street but there are many which are not to that level that could attract people to come here stay here do business raise their family and find the city to be one of the best cities to live so that with that intent i just wanted to get have a gauge that if we do all these major streets uh resurface them pave them make them look good not just a piece of it like we are doing Park Avenue from Highland to Salisbury Street. That's the piece. It looks good, but the rest of the Park Avenue is not at that part. So my goal was to make some major arteries look very decent, look good, smooth, and pave them from the beginning to the end of that street. In order to do that, for those streets which are not yet done, may have an assessment of what it might cost. I'm not saying we've got to get it done all the time, but I know the budget is an issue. I understand that. But maybe there are some other ways we can get it funded. But I'd like to know what would it cost for us to really repave, redo all those streets to make the city look really nice and smooth and ride would be very comfortable. So with that intent, that that all of the business owners and residents to come to the city and stay something that they're coming but we want to be 10 them and that for them it should be it should be a good idea to see that the roads are very comfortable so if I can get that assessment of the prices what it costs that we should.

To that to the manager. I'm sorry.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes, 9, 8, Council Rosen request to see manager consider reviewing existing homelessness response actions plans to communities such as Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Spokane for the purposes of adopting a similar in Worcester in effort to enhance the season to serve as many needs of the screwing on House population comes Rose.

Thank you Mister chairman Mister chairman when we had the public comment section earlier we heard one of the comment to screaming at me screaming at me and I I said to myself we did he get that impression that what he was suggesting I believe in I have a said I I never said that but as I thought about it tonight, I said it must be from my item might want to 9 H which is an item that I'll take part of it in an effort to enhance the city's ability to serve the many needs of the growing unhoused population. He should have loved that part of it because if we listen to all the speakers tonight, that's basically what they're saying and that's what I was suggesting. I came up with this order a few weeks ago before I think we even had the plan in front of us that was discussed at length by the public today. But this is a pro homeless item. And there's a lot in it, and I'm not gonna go to my number one, but I'm gonna go to my number two, which I think set him off. Over the years here in the city of Worcester, even on the Worcester City Council, people have said, and it's not just in the council, and it's not just councilors who are here now, it's councilors in the past, but it's been said on the radio and TV and in newspaper, People have accused some of the surrounding towns of putting homeless on buses or in police cars and they're dropping them off at the border of Worcester. And I've never said that, never. I wouldn't talk that way. I wouldn't say that. I don't know who believes it. I don't believe it's true. But what I'm suggesting is, And I think the report that the manager submitted to the council about the anti-camping, I think he suggested at the beginning that what we've done for so many years in Worcester dealing with the homeless issue hasn't been working. And that's why I came up with this order. It hasn't been working. so i'm suggesting maybe we can have and has nothing to do with accusing any cities or towns nearby of sending their homeless to worcester because they don't want to deal with it and they can't afford it and worcester has service it wasn't that that wasn't my attention but as i listened to him and then i thought about it i said there must be this where i suggested a regional approach, a regional solution to homelessness, not just Worcester. And I put it this way. I said entering into formal inter-local agreements. They're done around the country. I mentioned Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, and Spokane. Yeah, they're a lot bigger than Worcester. But they sat down with the surrounding towns, and they came up with an agreement that let These four cities couldn't handle the homelessness issue either. They couldn't afford it. They were overwhelmed, similar to on a smaller scale with the city of Worcester here. And they came up with these agreements with several surrounding cities and towns to share the financial and operational expenses of a regional homelessness response. That's what I'm suggesting. I don't know, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Mayor and my colleagues, if we've ever even asked any of the towns to work with us. I know we've bashed them. We've been doing that in Worcester for a long time, saying they're putting them on buses and they're putting them on police cars and they're dropping them off at the border. I don't talk like that. I never said that, and that was not my intention here. My intention was to sit down with the cities and towns around us. I guess mostly towns, right? So seven or eight of the towns. Just like we did years ago with public health. We had a regional public health plan. It eventually didn't work as well as we all hoped, and we kind of dissolved that. But that was a good point at the time, a regional public health plan. Why not talk to Lester, Spencer, Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, Sterling, Shrewsbury? Why don't you just talk to them, invite them to sit down with us and say, would you people be interested in a regional approach to homelessness? I don't know if we've ever done that. I don't know if we're doing that. I haven't heard anything about that. But again, I want people to realize I never intended to accuse any of these towns of doing something they shouldn't do, bringing homelessness. And a woman said it tonight. She said, I'm from Worcester. I live in Worcester, seven or eight years. I wasn't born here. I just moved here. But now I'm part of Worcester. And anyone who comes to Worcester is now a Worcesterite. and we have to treat them with respect. And that's what I'm talking about. So I suggested we send this to the manager, and that's what I want. Whether it'll ever come back to us, I don't know. Not everything comes back, we know that. But could we get, Mr. Chairman, and the clerk, is it okay to get, can we get a dual referral? I'd love to send this to Public Health, where I hope when we do talk about the anti-camping uh proposal and ordinance of the manager i guess that's next tuesday when we talk about that i assume i'm hopeful that i'll make the motion next week that we do send that to the public health committee i'd like this to go to public health but with a report can we do a dual reef no so you want to the manager get the report the only and that's fine i'll agree that that's fine so refer to the manager the only trouble is when the manager has 2 000 requests You know, I guess I have to go to the manager during my monthly meeting and say, bring this to the top because I need this in my committee. But it's there to help the homeless. We're all here to help the homeless. Are there questions about the anti-camping proposal and ordinance of the manager? A lot of questions. A lot of us have the same questions that the public had tonight, and we'll deal with that in subcommittee. We'll certainly analyze that. We'll invite the public in, and we'll have a good public hearing. So I'm not afraid to deal with the issue, but again, Just to wrap it right up, Mr. Manager, in an effort to enhance the city's ability, the city doesn't have the ability right now. That's why we're trying other things, to serve the many needs of the growing unhoused population. That's not negative to the homeless folks. That's positive. I want to help them out like I know my other 10 colleagues do, too, and the manager does, too. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Yeah, just quickly just want to add some comments to the to the order we have been working with communities around us millbury shrewsbury arbor and grafton we've been in conversation some of those leaders we provided some trainings to them they've been interested in opening up potential. whether shelters or other resources. And so our team has provided some level of training to those communities. It's an ongoing conversation with these communities, and we're still engaging in that. We're going to continue to strengthen that part of the effort with Central Mass Housing Alliance CMH. They are the regional uh coordinator on the they're the one who has the coc the continuum of care uh for the city so their efforts are working with community partners whether spencer and lester uh just last year last winter we we worked with spencer to to uh open up some units and some or some some um uh a shelter for our seniors in in spencer and they were very open to that uh either spencer or leicester i don't remember but there's been some ongoing work and it will continue to do some of the work i do want to just clarify a point the the what i presented to council it's a it's a it's called a a disrupting the cycle framework It's a framework that one of the components, it's an encampment policy. It's not an anti-homeless policy. It's not an anti-homeless framework. It's a disrupting the cycle. That's the name of what we've named it. It's focused on a bunch of different efforts. One of them is an encampment policy that we introduced to council. So it's important to note that.

Thanks for clarifying that, Mr. Manager. And certainly, from what you just mentioned, you've written half the report already, so it would be nice to read that, and I'm glad to hear that we are doing things with talents. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you, Councillor Wada.

Thank you Mr. chairman, I didn't want to say, you know, I'd like to sign off on this as well. 1 thing that I think is missing from, you know, council Rosen's order in the report that we'll be looking at next week is a need for public bathrooms. It's a really dire need in the canal district. Um. There's not enough bathrooms for people to go to the bathroom. It's a public health hazard. People are able to defecate urinate on the sidewalk. It's been going on for years. We need to provide some type of additional. How bathroom facilities. 2 folks, I think we're having pushing everyone to the library is not fair to the library. I think they go above and beyond to help out folks that are in need or in crisis. I think, but we need some additional resources to really resolve this public health crisis. Because that's what it is. Thank you.

Thank you. Council or.

I just wanted to. kind of follow up on something Council Rosen said. I'm not going to shy away from something I had said in the past. It could be misinterpreted or twisted as something that was said in a heartless or cold way. Obviously, we care about all humanity, whether they live in Worcester, from Worcester, or not. But what I said in the past, and I'm going to say it again, is that And I do believe it to be true, because I've heard it from a number of very reliable sources, that the surrounding towns do encourage their folks that need services to come to Worcester. That's not something that's sustainable. We don't have the resources that can go on indefinitely addressing all the needs of all the folks, not only from Worcester, but from the surrounding towns. So that's an issue. And I've spoken to folks that I trust in this field. And I shouldn't say overwhelming, but the majority of folks that are unhoused in Worcester are folks from surrounding towns, more than 50%. And they know that because there's intake forms that are filled out when addressing this. Having said all that, there shouldn't be a discussion about whether we care or don't care about people from surrounding towns. It should be what I see Council Rosen's order stating, which is what the city manager said. It should be a collaboration between the towns and Worcester in trying to share resources so that we can maximize how many people we can help on a much more efficient basis. But let me be clear. I do think the priority of helping people should be, first and foremost, for Worcester residents. I'm not going to back away from that. People that pay taxes here, have worked here, have raised their families here. if we have a limited fund that's where the priority should be however i'd like to see that fund expanded and i think with the help of our surrounding towns we can and it'd be nice to think that we can help everybody and it would also be nice to think that the surrounding towns can contribute as much as needed so that nobody falls through the cracks. But this is a costly initiative. There is no cost to give to human life. I get it. But there's a certain reality, which is programs are not unlimited as far as our ability to pay for them. And I hope moving forward, we can stop the finger pointing about who cares for who. Realize we all care for everybody, but there's a financial reality that we have to address as well. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

So send this to the- Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chair.

Okay, Council King, Father, Council Toomey.

I'll go after Council Toomey, it's fine.

Council Toomey, go ahead.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to make a comment that I'm aware of several county sheriff's departments throughout Massachusetts that have entered into discussions of using your opioid settlement funds to help pay for housing for individuals that are from those particular towns.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of questions before I can vote in the affirmative on this. So I rise not in support at this time. My question to the chair, we've had some discussion about a regional approach in this item. In addition to that, we have some comments about THE CITY REACHING OUT TO SOME OF OUR CONTINGENT TOWNS AND LOCATIONS AND ENTERING INTO SOME STRATEGY REGARDING THIS POPULATION. THAT'S THE SUBJECT OF THIS ORDER. MR. CHAIRMAN, IT WAS MENTIONED SHREWSBURY, MILBURY, AUBURN, GRAFTON, ET CETERA. THROUGH THE CHAIRTEAM ADMINISTRATION, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE structure of the regional health alliance, for lack of a better term, that we had previously with these surrounding towns that dissolved At the time that it dissolved, I know something came across the council floor maybe a year or two ago, indicating this was sort of a win. So through the chair team administration, what was the function of that entity? What was the name of the entity? What was the mission of that entity through the chair?

Mr. Mayor?

THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION HERE IN THE CITY OF WHISTER ON THE HHS. THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION WAS RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE REGIONAL EFFORTS. central mass regional alliance health network uh um i could get a clear name on that but that was the purpose of the purpose of of their work was to work with the towns to provide regional public health support whether it was nursing whether inspections, tobacco, regional work around youth and youth surveys, a lot of those kind of efforts to bring public health issues as a region and our staff, our divisional staff, would provide that support to those towns where there's communication, efforts that were coming through the state that we needed to communicate to businesses, organizations, et cetera. That was really the mission of that network.

Thank you. And that's a believable point, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to file a motion requesting for this particular rendition of the council, a report back on the dissolution of those relationships, a definition as it relates to that regional public health structure. I don't think it's a stretch to say um that the issues facing the unsheltered and facing the city are of a public health nature and i like again a report on that it seems as though that no longer being in place perhaps puts us in a position that's not as advantageous as it relates to collaboration, perhaps, than it could be. So that would be my motion, Mr. Chairman. I'll certainly support this if that can occur. Thank you.

Okay, so we have Council Rosen's items and sent to the city manager. Council King's item is a report from the city manager. Take those collectively, roll call.

Mr. Chairman, just a point of order. Just kind of staying on the record, I'd like to get that report back for next week. It shouldn't be more than a page or two. Thank you. It's not part of the motion, just a statement. Okay.

Council Bregman? Yes. Mr. Bilotta? Yes. Mr. Economo? Yes. Mr. Zolo? Yes. Mr. King? Yes. Mr. Mitra? Yes. Mr. Ojeda? Yes. Mr. Rivera? Yes. Mr. Rosen? Yes. Mr. Toomey?

Yes.

Mayor Petty?

Yes. Council Rivera, request you may provide the City Council's report concerning best practices of public and used to report and take action against the invasive insect known as the spotted ointment fly.

I laugh because I never thought I would get so much questions on this issue and a lot of concerns, neighborhood meetings, everything. And I'm aware that the city has made their, you know, put out there. But they've done a spread awareness through social media and the website and everything. THERE IS A LITTLE, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THIS REPORT ORDER BECAUSE IT'S, I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT ALL IN THE AGENDA LIKE THIS, SO I JUST FIGURED OUT I'LL DO IT THIS WAY. AND I'M AWARE, LIKE I MENTIONED, THAT THE CITY HAS MADE SOME AWARENESS, EXPRESSED SOME WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO FUND THE ORDER WOULD BE ALSO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SITING OF EGG MASTERS IS REPORTED TO THE CITY BECAUSE IT GIVES WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT BUT IT DOESN'T SAY WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT THE NEIGHBORS ASK. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INFESTATION ON STATE-OWNED PROPERTY, THE CITY OR THE COMMONWEALTH? THEY WANT TO KNOW, HAS WHISTLER 311 BEEN USED AS A TOOL TO REPORT AND LOCATE EGG MASSES AND MAJOR CONCENTRATION? IF SO, HOW MANY? THEN THERE'S ALSO A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TREE OF HEAVEN AND THE SPOTTED LANTED FLIES. SO THEY WANT TO KNOW, BECAUSE THE TREE OF HEAVEN IS THE PREFERRED HOST OF THE SPOTTED LANTED FLIES, IS IT INCLUDED IN THE CITIES AND STATE RESPONSE? DOES THE CITY MAINTAIN AN INVENTORY OR MAP OF TREE OF HEAVEN AND MUNICIPAL AND PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY? WHAT PROCEDURES DOES THE CITY USE IF ANY TO TREAT AND REMOVE TREE OF HEAVEN AND ARE EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS TRAINED TO CUT IT DOWN AS THE TREES REGENERATE FROM THE ROOTS? IS A CITY COORDINATED WITH THE MAZDOT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RESOURCE, MAZDOT, RAILROADS, AND OTHER MAJOR LANDOWNERS TO LOCATE AND MANAGE TREE OF HEAVEN. AND SO WHAT DO THESE EFFORTS LOOK LIKE? milkweed milkweed is the administration aware of emerging research into milkweed's possible effect on spotted lanternflies. If this research proves promising, would the city consider launching a pilot program to plant milkweed on public land as a countermeasure against spotted lanternflies? THEY WANT THE CITY TO COORDINATE WITH THE MASS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RESOURCES TO DETERMINE WHAT ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES THE STATE CAN PROVIDE THE CITY. AND LASTLY, IF WE CAN DEVELOP A PLAN TO IDENTIFY AND CONTROL TREE OF HEAVEN ON CITY OWNED LAND AS PART OF THE CITY'S RESPONSE, INCLUDING PROPER TREATMENT AND REPLACEMENT IN APPROPRIATE NATIVE SPECIES. THANK YOU. SORRY.

Yeah, thank you, so we'll send that. Councilor Rivera's item has been amended to the manager, roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Bilotta? Yes. Councilor Economo? Yes. Councilor Zolo? Yes. Councilor King?

Yes.

Councilor Mitra? Yes. Councilor Hayda? Yes. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes. And Mayor Petty?

Yes, request to see Manager Curry an immediate action plan.

Motion to recuse.

Okay, Councilor Cronwell's item, Councilor Toomey has asked to recuse herself from this item. What item? So it says request the City Manager create a immediate action plan to address the recent violent instances that have occurred in and around the Worcester Common Downtown Central Business District, which has taken place over the last several months. Councilor Cronwell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't know, maybe, I don't know if the manager has an answer on this at this moment as to what's transpired or if there's any plan of changing the way things are done down in this area.

Mr. Manager.

Yeah, through the council, one of the things that we've tried to do is we've made some changes, assignments in the police department in terms of the oversight and enforcement in downtown. We've also tried to make sure that our officers are more visible in the areas of the downtown. I've asked the captain that's assigned to this area to introduce himself to the businesses I myself have had conversations with business owners as well to understand what are some of the concerns. Some of the activity that we've seen in the area has been just behaviors that are unacceptable in this area. So we want to make sure that we're paying attention, the officers are aware. We temporarily have had officers stationed in the common and different pockets of the downtown in their vehicles or outside the vehicles so that they're visible to the public. So we're looking at many different fronts to make sure that they're visible and this activity is deterred in the downtown.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I wasn't trying to, just for the record too, I wasn't trying to take anything away from Council Bellotta here. This is his district. I just had a number of residents who work down here reach out to me with concern, and that's why I ended up bringing this forward. So, other than that, we can file it.

Okay, so a motion is to file, roll call.

Councillor Bergman? Yes. Councillor Belato?

Yes, Mr. Chair, yeah, I just wanted to go on the record and say I appreciate Councillor O'Connell's motion here, or concern with what's going on. Thank you, yes.

Council Economo. Yes. Council Rizzolo. Yes. Council King.

Yes.

Council Mitra. Yes. Council Hader. Yes. Council Rivera. Yes. Council Rosen. Yes. Council Tumor recused herself and Mayor Perry.

Yes. Next on the request to stand, Committee on Public Safety, invite all social service agencies working with the homeless in addiction treatment programs to discuss the efforts in assisting the city in the public safety issues occurring over the past few months. Motion.

Motion.

Same thing, yeah. Okay, motion to withdraw, roll call.

Councillor Bergman.

Mr. Chairman, I have my hand up. What's that? I have my hand up. Oh, you did? I didn't see it. Okay, Councillor King.

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, this is an important matter as it relates to where we are, what's going on with the council, report from the administration, the dialogue and debate that's occurring, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to oppose a motion to file. This particular order asks for an invitation to a committee, to the Public Safety Committee, to invite all social service agencies working with the homeless and addiction treatment programs to discuss their efforts in assisting the city in ameliorating the public safety issues over the past few months. Mr. Chairman, I'm going to make a motion to amend that. my motion would be that that request go to the committee of public health i would also amend it to include where it says assisting the city in ameliorating the public safety i would ask in public health issues over the last few months to file this at this time IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LEGISLATION WORK THAT'S PENDING WITH THE COUNCIL IN LIGHT OF THE REALITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, IN LIGHT OF THE WORK OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, MR. CHAIRMAN, WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE IN MY OPINION. MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S MY MOTION TO AMEND. THANK YOU.

OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND. THE FIRST ITEM IS A MOTION TO FILE OR WITHDRAW.

Motion to withdraw, roll call. Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Bilotta?

No.

Councilor Economo? Yes. Councilor Pizzolo? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mitra? Yes. Councilor Haida? Yes. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty?

Yes. See it was withdrawn, so there's nothing else to.

What do you mean? I amended it. Yeah, she, it was still a motion to file. All right, so it'll be a separate motion. Mine's a separate motion, Mr. Chairman, with the language change, thank you.

Okay, Councilor King's motion for public health to have a regional meeting. I know before doing that, Mr. Mayor, you have all the social service agencies on a regular basis, or we do have a committee, anyways.

There's a language where it says public safety issues. Has that been changed?

Yes, it changes the Senate to public health.

No, I understand the request where it's going, but my question's a little different. Is the language- Public health, yes.

Public health issues, correct.

No, it's public health and public safety was the addition. It was changing committee, the language towards the end of the item, Mr. Chairman, for a point of clarification, was that it would read, ameliorating the public health and public safety issues. Okay, roll call.

I need to recuse myself.

Okay Council to me as recuse yourself roll call.

Council Berman, yes, that's a lot of yes, that's a common yes, it was all yes, it's a King yes, it's a major yes, it's a hitter yes, it's a very yes to Rosen, yes, the mayor petty.

Yes, come to a common request this image request to commercial public works and show various of our street and sidewalk projects throughout the city reviewed and addressed by reinstalling approve materials and redesigning. Reinstalling work done below acceptable stance said installations. It's put should include the installation of More suitable loan and hydro seating for new grass along Florida Ave and Park Ave from Salisbury Street to Highland Street improving the driveway installations that were worked on last year along Florida Ave removal of sand between the Bricks on Jermaine Street and the sand being installed in its place I get that the installation of more than Suitable loom and hydrosteam along the grass strip of Jermaine Street in the removal and replacement of the section of sidewalk that has heaved and cracked on Bronco Street in the vicinity of the office of the Rob Udis Road and Rawlson Road and the redesign and reinstallation of the grade change, grade work and approach to the Thondyke Road along Bronco Street from North Street, from the north. Councilor Economo.

And that's so quick. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So this is again, as I've been saying quite along this whole entire year, is there's something wrong with that process. And I'm very curious to better understand the language in the contracts to when it comes to the finishes that are being provided to the city of Worcester and its residents. And for instance, I have pictures from the type of soil that was used on Jermaine Street in Florida Ave. Now, you look at those pictures and you would say it is gravel. It's not organic material for any kind of grass growth. All the streets that I just outlined here were finished with that kind of material. Grass does not grow in that material. It's another weed bed. So again, somebody in our system is responsible to make sure that this work is getting done properly. on Jermaine Street. They put down the bricks for the sidewalk. They used sand to fill that in. Not a polymeric sand, not a stone dust, sand. And how's that look today? How did it look eight months? three months ago when i was there with assistant commissioner mellow and assistant commissioner gerhardt terrible looks terrible all of it looks terrible it's it's it's disgusting quite frankly and that's when i say even again salisbury street so parker from salisbury to highland was just done go look at the material that was used there we have to tighten up what we're asking for And in these areas here, I expect these to be corrected because that's what we owe our taxpayers. I'm very disappointed that these are not done yet. I will give credit where credit is due. David Dick was here last night. They did his sidewalk at the end of Thorndike Road. They did it about a week and a half ago. It came out excellent. I called him to let him know it was done. He called me back thanking me. That grade went down probably just 2%, but it made all the difference in the world for a gentleman who's in a wheelchair. The sidewalk along Burncoat Street by Quincy College opposite Arbutus and Rawlinson Road. A section of that has been finished. In talking with the assistant commissioner and the contractor that I saw on site, they will be back to do the rest. The rest of that area that heaved almost three inches this past winter. So it's important for us. as the municipality doing the work for ourselves to make sure we're getting what we're paying for and that's that's my frustration and that's where I feel somewhere in the process there is a breakdown of what is what is being asked for and who's inspecting that work for completion thank you Mr. Chairman you said that to the manager roll call

That's a very good. Yes, a lot of. Yes, it's a common. Yes, so yes, the king. Yes, the metro. Yes, so you know, yes, Rivera, yes, Rosa, yes, to me. Yes, I'm here.

Yes, Chris, the man to start to open traffic. So the time receptacles on self-restraint of the city, one 14, 1, 48, so the street comes from the truck.

Thank you. I'm scared. I think I had brought in the brought up the issues with this South Bay Street near gotten graphics and Coney Island the past as well, but I had a chance to walk with Mister Gordon the other day and seems like there are a lot of trash and are better being. put in front of his office doesn't look good and there's issue of many unhoused people there that you and Ms. Manager would like to meet with them as we have discussed about it to resolve their issues. But they wanted, they requested two U-beams to be installed there, if that could be possible, because that would probably help them at least to keep it cleaner in front of their office to do their business properly. That's the request, thank you.

We'll send that to the manager, roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Belata? Yes. Councilor Economo? Yes. Councilor Zolo? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mitra?

Yes.

Councilor Ojeda?

Yes.

Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty? Yes.

We had come to me to request a request to come for public works and show us in a patient. Staff to not use private driveways to turn the vehicles around the one court and trash and see streets for a question and request to show public works also show sanitation stuff to not leave garbage to pre including glass on city streets when you can press trash within their collection trucks come to meet her.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, the residents of Artemor Street, MEN, Chad, Thibodeau, she was here last meeting. She expressed her grievances and disappointment with the way the trash has been collected. And our trucks, they try to compress the trash and move into her driveway, and then all the trash that falls into the driveway. And then she has to clean it, wash it, sunglasses. So it's kind of a very ugly situation that they have to face. So she came in here last time to express that. I just wanted to make sure that our DPW department takes care of this, not entering into the private driveway with their trucks and not doing the compression of the trashes inside on the driveway and makes these debris be falling there and that they have to clean and wash so she even mentioned that she talked to the driver and wasn't very cooperative. I think let's take care of this issue so that doesn't happen again and give them some relief because there are children also in that area so just want to make sure that we're giving them what they're in a comfort zone.

Thank you. So that's the manager or call.

Council Bergman. Yes. Mr. Bilotta. Yes. Mr. Economo. Yes. Mr. Rizzolo. Yes. Mr. King. Yes. Mr. Mitra. Yes. Mr. Ojeda. Yes. Mr. Rivera. Yes. Mr. Rosen. Yes. Mr. Toomey. Yes. And Mayor Petty.

Yes. That brings us to the end of the meeting. Anything on the... Council Rizzolo, you want to suspend the rules?

Yes, Mr. Mayor.

Okay, roll call.

Council Bergman? Yes. Council Bilotta? Yes. Council Economo? Yes. Council Rizzolo? Yes. Council King? Yes. Council Mitra? Yes. Council Ojeda? Yes. Council Rivera? Yes. Council Rosen? Yes. Council Toomey? Yes. Mayor Petty?

Yes. Council Rizzolo?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I ask to suspend the rules because I need to correct the record on a vote I took at our last meeting. When the Civilian Review Board came before us, the motion on the floor was a motion to file. I understood that, to me, the item was being held and it would come back to this body for an up or down vote at a later date. That is not what a motion to file does. Filing ends the matter. A yes vote killed the proposal. A no vote kept it alive. I voted yes. I should have voted no. I spoke in favor of the board that night and then cast a vote that did the opposite of what I had just said. And I understand exactly how that looked to people watching. Nobody tricked me or nobody misled me. I misread the motion. That's on me and I own it. So with that said, let me explain why I got there. I want to start where I always start on this subject. I support the Worcester Police Department. I've supported the men and women of this department my entire career and public life. And nothing I say tonight changes that. The overwhelming majority of our officers do a hard, dangerous job with integrity, and they have my unwavering gratitude. But supporting the police has never meant pretending nothing ever goes wrong. In fact, supporting the police means holding accountable those who step out of line. That's how you protect the good name of the officers who do the job the right way every single day. When misconduct gets a pass, good cops pay for it. And that's why I must respond to what's been said since our last meeting. At that meeting, I described how an on-duty sergeant came to my home, photographed a political yard sign on my lawn, and how that photo ended up on social media with that particular member of the Worcester Police Department commenting that I was supporting an anti-police candidate and therefore against our law enforcement community. I did not name him. I did not want anyone to think the department was covering something up. Since then, Sergeant Anthony Petroni has come forward publicly and said he's the person I was talking about. He's spoken about his 30 year career.

We gotta be careful on the personnel issues, so.

Okay.

It's a public statement, Mr. Chairman, he's responding to.

I'm just stating facts, Mr. Chairman.

Let's get an opinion from the solicitor.

Mr. Chairman, I'm finishing this. I won't mention his name again. This is nonsense. I'm finishing this.

Okay. It's not nonsense.

He's spoken about his 30 year career, about his integrity being questioned, and about what his family is going through. I understand that. I have a family too. And that's why I have to share something I held back. Mr. Chairman, my daughter was home that day. She was in our driveway cleaning her car when the unmarked cruiser pulled up on our block. She saw him and he saw her. In her words, their eyes locked. She watched him take the picture and she called me right away to tell me what had just happened. When Eternal Affairs looked into this, my daughter spoke with them and told them everything she saw. In the end, they found there wasn't enough to act on. No discipline. Not so much as a note in his file that a complaint had ever been made. So let me be very clear. My daughter and I did not wake up that morning looking for a fight with anyone. We didn't go looking for this. It pulled into my driveway. I didn't put his name on this, the sergeant did. If his family is carrying a burden right now, I'm sorry for that. But I didn't create it, and my daughter didn't either. It was created by the decision he made to drive a department vehicle to my home on the clock and take that picture. I'm sorry, but that is brazen. And that is exactly why it belongs in this debate. If a city councilor, someone with a microphone and a seat at this table, can have his home photographed by an on duty officer, have an eyewitness give a first hand account to Eternal Affairs, and watch the whole thing end up with nothing on paper, what is the ordinary resident supposed to expect when they file a complaint? It's not a question about one sergeant, it's a question about whether the system we have works. It matters for residents, and it matters for the good officers too, who deserve a process the public trusts when it clears them. I'll end with this. I reiterate that I didn't come here tonight to attack anyone's career. I came here to set the record straight about what happened at my home and to my family. We all make mistakes. Life happens. I've made my share. But what matters is what you do next. You take accountability, you apologize, and you move forward. That's what we ask of our kids, and it's what we ask of ourselves. So I'd ask the sergeant to do just that. Be honest about what happened with your family, with your supporters, and with this city. If that day comes, you won't hear another word about it from me. I'll accept it and we'll move on. But it must start with the truth. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to bring forth the truth.

Thank you. Suspension, Council King.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER, AND I HAVE MY OWN ISSUE THAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS SINCE WE'RE UNDER SUSPENSION OF RULES. THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL FOR ZOLO FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE MOMENT TO ADMIT THAT YOU MESSED UP ON A VOTE AND TAKING FULL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M A TUPAC FAN. There was a recent trial. KPD said I did it. I was convicted. We just heard testimony that an officer in Worcester Police Department did a KPD. Chairman make a motion that this body convene an executive session to review an eternal affairs matters pertaining to the issue that was just broached about conduct that is was perhaps during working hours. I don't know if such a report exists. I don't know if there was an internal process, but to sit here and listen to that and not request an executive session to determine what the administration has or hasn't done would not be responsible, Mr. Chairman. That'd be my motion. Mr. Chairman, on the suspension of rules, I'd also, on a separate matter, like to ask and make a point. Such a man. In this particular form of government. Plenty. We have a a mayor with limited duties and one of the most important duties as important as anything else. Is the appointment of committees that falls under rule 48 that the mayor should appoint members of City Council City Council meetings committees in accordance with the requirements of these rules. Mr. Chairman, Rule 49 offers for temporary appointments to fill vacancies under a number of situations. One is due to a vacancy seat on the council, meaning we have nine instead of 10, including the mayor, 10 instead of 11. That's one. Two, the inability of a member to attend a particular meeting of a committee upon which he or she serves, and that happens at times. The mayor assigns someone to a committee if they can't get a quorum or what have you, or if there's an absence and they want a full committee. The third aspect of Rule 39, Mr. Chairman, is that In the event of a vacancy, or, and this is the quote, the third way, for some other reason deemed sufficient by the mayor, the mayor may appoint a member pro tem. And it goes on. In addition, Mr. Chairman, Part of this assignment of committees recognizes the mayor shall be, and this is a quote from Rule 48, an ex-officio chair of any committee of which he or she is a member, and on all other committees. And it goes on. Mr. Chairman, when a mayor serves as an ex-official member or chair, my experience has been when we were negotiating the interim contract with the city manager, we had a discussion around the fact that the mayor has the ability to come into a subcommittee, and share it even when he's assigned others to it so as an ex-official the mayor serves it means that he is a member of any subcommittee automatically by virtue of being the mayor And that this, the purpose of this is that even though he selects and appoints counselors to the subcommittee, he can be a full participant, make motions, vote, and chair the committee. And we had a discussion, Mr. Chairman, back when we were doing the interim contract around, Mr. Mayor, if you want to come in and chair, feel free. I understand the rules. I will be deferential. And our discussion was that you'd come into the first couple of negotiations and see how it goes. But we both recognized the authority you had to chair that committee if you were so inclined. Now, that could have been invoked when was not in her committee. It was not. In another instance, Mr. Chairman, in the media we've had a public temporary pause invoked by a counselor who's on this call and I've heard nothing from the mayor as it relates to any formal response for that committee. We also know as part of the rules is that you can go with two instead of three committee members and the vice chair can serve as the chair.

I say all that, Mr. Chairman, to say this.

With full sensitivity to this matter, I would just like a report back on rules 48 and 49 for the committee to go to this council so we can have clarity on any potential rules that could come into play for this body in like circumstances. I think it's perhaps a discussion that we should have had. I've had off the record with folks last session. Perhaps it's an on record discussion we should have now. Mr. Chairman, so that would be the way of my motion. Thank you.

I don't really understand the motion, but he just wanted, what?

You don't understand the motion, Mr. Chairman?

This one, the qualification of 48 and 49?

I wanna report back on the actual 48 and 49 to the council and any related charter language for the council and the public's edification.

Okay, roll call. Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bilotta. Yes. Councilor Economo. Yes. Councilor Zolo. Yes. Councilor King. Yes. Councilor Mitra. Yes. Councilor Hayter.

Yes.

Councilor Rivera. Yes. Councilor Rosen. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Same. Mayor Petty. Yes.

The motion to go into executive session. Councilor Celeste will give us an opinion on that.

through the mayor to the council. You cannot enter into executive session for personnel matters. For any employees who are appointed by the city manager, it can't be an executive session or spoken about in open meeting.

Say that again, I'm sorry.