City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Worester City Council meeting. If you can please stand for the pledge of allegiance and the star spangle bana.

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Good evening everyone. Welcome to the city council meeting. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. [singing] At the twilight lasting, who brought stripes that [singing] bright stars through the [music] fight for the [singing] [music] [singing] welcome We held [singing] at the twilight last stripes and bright stars through the perilous. [singing and music] [singing] Well, I think we're a little out of practice being on on Zoom, so Okay.

Okay. Um Okay. First item of business. We're going to do a roll call. Councelor Bergman here. Councilorio. Councilorio here. Councilor Aier here. Councilor King here. Council Carlson here. Councelor Nen, councelor Aada here. Councelor Basilvo here. Councelor Russell here. Councelor Tumi here. Mayor Petty here. Okay. Approve of the minutes. Roll call. Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Glorio. Yes. Councelor Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council Marlson. Yes.

Council Nuen. Council. Yes. Council. Yes. Council Russell. Yes. Council Tumi. Yes. And Mayor Petty. Yes. Okay. We're going to hold. Council King has asked to hold 11 A and B and which is the audit reports from the West Police Department. And I'm going to hold items 8A to 8 G. Um so both of these needs needs a vote. So uh roll call. So Mr. Mayor, are you also going to introduce the new tables or

Oh, yeah. We also have a third we have another version of uh the table. So, I'm just going to make a motion that we accept the uh the third version of the fiscal year 2026 task classification package and revised version in order to make the necessary adjustments to finalize the fiscal year 2026 municipal budget and to hold all items for the reconvene task classification hearing on December 9th, 2025. Okay. So, we have another one. Everybody should receive that. So roll call this and this is on 11 A and B also right? Yes. Y four. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Clorio. Yes. Cont. Yes. Councilor King. Yes. Council morson. Yes.

Councor Nuen. Council. Yes. Councelor Pascillo. Yes. Councilor Russell. Yes. Council. Yes. And mayor Petty. Yes. Okay. We are on I'm sorry. public participation. A person may speak for no more than two minutes items item appearing on the agenda. Mr. Clark.

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

There's your name, city res, and item number. Yes. Uh Fred Nathan Worcester. Items A 9A. Yeah. Uh 9B, C and D. Uh the speed limit signs. You can have all the speed limit signs in the city. You can have all the speed humps, bumps, whatever you want to call them in the city. But if people um just race from one stop sign or one red light or one speed hump to another and if you don't think it happens, then you're really have your head in the sand. People race from one sign to another. And if there's anyone here that thinks I am wrong, I don't drive, but I see it. I I can see this stuff. But having said that, on to the next item. As far as the tax classification, I have a feeling why uh a new table's coming out cuz people when they when they wrote all this stuff up forgot about one big thing. WPI took all the property that with the hotels off the tax roles and now you got to figure out, oh my god, we made a mistake here. How are we going to correct it? It being interesting to see if if I'm far off in that assumption and in general all the property that has been taken off the roles by other colleges. I'm sure WPI is not the only one in the last year since they did the tax classification where tax properties been taken off the rules. It' be interesting to see how accurate I am

on that. I'm going to say I'm pretty accurate. That's just me. Thank you. Anybody else? Seeing nobody else. See nobody on the line. Anybody on the line? Uh no, Mr. May I don't have anybody who raised their hand. So we'll close this part of the meeting. We'll go to hearings and orders. First meet first motion 7 to 7D 7G. The motion is to open the hearing. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Councelor Bergman. [clears throat]

Councelor Bergman. Yes, Santa Cl.

Caloria. Yes. Council Aier. Yes. Councor King. Yes. Council Mor Carlson. Yes. Counc. Councelora. Yes. Council. Yes. Councelor Russell. Yes. Council Tumi. Yes. And Mayor Petty. Yes. So these anybody opposed the 200 location at Grove Street? We have one at Level Street and Mil Street. Seeing nobody opposed, the motion is to close the hearing and to adopt on the roll call. Councelor Bergman, yes. Councelor Clorio, yes. AI, yes. King, yes. Mark Carlson,

yes. Councelor Nian, councelora, yes. Basil, yes. Councelor Russell, yes. Tumi, yes. And Mayor Petty, yes. And there was that was from 7 A to 7G. Okay. 11. We held that we are on petitions. 9A refer to public works. Anybody here? No. So send the public works. 9B and 9J. We're refer to traffic and parking. Okay. We take collectively on the roll call. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councor. Yes. A. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Mar Carlson. Yes. Councelor Nen, councelor, yes. Councelor Basilo, yes. Councilor Russell, yes. Councelor Tumi, yes. And Mayor Petty,

yes. We are on the manager's calendar. We are on 10.1A transformation communication rel to the appointment of Daniel Foster and as an alternative member of the historical commission. Thank you, Daniel, for your service. And we are going to place it on file. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Glorio. Yes. Counc. Yes. Council King, yes. Maro Carlson, yes. Council, yes. Councor Basilo, yes. Councelor Russell, yes. Tumi, yes. Mayor Petty, yes. 10.2A.

Okay. Council has announced she's going to recuse herself from this part of the meeting. 10.2A recommending the appointment of Steven Tumi to the planning board. That is on a roll call. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councilorio. Yes. Gia. Yes. Council King. Council King. Council New Yan. I'm sorry. Council Marlson. Yes. Council New Yang. Council Aa. Yes. I'm a yes. King's a yes. Yep. I thank you. Council Basilo. Yes. Councilor Russell. Yes.

Council Tumus yourself and Mayor Petty. Yes, we are in 10.13A transmitting information communication to the Aaron Brody wound camera assistant trial program. We can send that to public safety. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Korea. Yes. Gier. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council me Carlson. Yes. Councelor Nen. Councelor Aada. Yes. Basil. Yes. Councor Russell. Yes. Tumi. Yes.

Petty. Yes, we are on 10.26A transmitting information communication with the financial update for the period ending September 30th, 2025. Send it to MLO. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Korea. Yes. Council. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council M Carlson. Yes. Council Nan. Council. Yes. Councelor Basillo. Yes. Councelor Russell. Yes. Councelor Tumi. Yes. And Mayor Petty,

yes. We have finance items 10.35 A through C, 10.36 A through C, 10.37 A and B. The motion is adopted on the roll call. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Korea. Yes. Counc. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council Mar Carlson. Yes. Councelor Nen. Councelora. Yes. Council. Yes. Council Russell, yes. Tumi, yes. And Mayor Petty, yes. Finance on the loan order, recommend adoption on the roll call. Roll call. Councelor Bergman, yes. Councor, yes. AI, yes. Councelor King, yes. Council moral Carlson.

Yes. Councelor Nuen. Oh, yes. Basilo. Yes. Russell, yes. Tumi, yes. And Mayor Petty, yes. Communication C manager recommend this is um sorry 11 C. Mr. Chairman, Council Russell, and just announcing this is

I'd like to hold this item again, please, and ask for my colleague support to hold it a second time. And in the meantime, when it comes back, uh my goal would be to send it to public works committee at the next meeting. But I'd also like some information from the administration about the uh the the ambulance service that moved out of there. And there was an article recently in the telegram about the uh uh UMass's redoing of their ambulance services. So I'm wondering and obviously concerned because when UMass went in there uh they bragged about how the response uh for that section of the city would be handled out of that fire bond for for medical emergencies. So I'm looking for that information as well. But as far as the building itself, I'm hoping that this goes at the next meeting goes to the public works committee uh the future public works committee to to deal with uh in the next term.

Sure. So that's regarding 100 Pro Street. Mr. Chairman, uh Council King, Council Russell's done. Is he done? Yes.

Um so I I just had a couple of questions from the chair. So, I was a part of um some folks that were protesting when that station was shut down. Um and the concern in the community at the time was as counselor Russell mentioned the response time. Um just wondering if the the manager can kind of share a little bit um you know how we would be able to um ensure you know folks in that area are safe. Um is there any ability to share kind of what the what the plan is for that particular parcel? Mr. Manager.

Yeah. Through the chair to the council. You know, one of the things that we've actually engaged in is a a study uh on the entire network of ambulance services here in the city. We've partnered with UMass to engage in that full analysis which will encompass this area as well. Um, as you can see, there's been some articles and news recently on some of the paramedic situations at UMass, but we as a city, we took a proactive approach um, in terms of our uh, our understanding kind of where we're at as a city, some of the challenges that the fire department has experienced and some of the challenges UMass has experienced to get an outside consultant, do a comprehensive study to them that we can be able to present to council and the public in terms of what are the challenges, what are the gaps and how do we fulfill that as a city. So that should be forthcoming. I believe about a month or so ago that contract was awarded. Um so it it will be some time before that there the the analysis is fully conducted but we look forward to bring that to the council as soon as possible.

Thank you. Um and is there any possibility of um you know uh ensuring that that that space will be part of that network? This particular address at 100 you know we have uh an aging population with our seniors the response time uh I'd be interested to see you know what that would look like here. We know that, you know, when they took the firefighters out there, those are the folks that usually arrive first. Now, we have this particular service that's leaving through the charity administration. Um, is there any have you had engaged with any folks in the community over the past few months regarding um sort of, you know, these sorts of supportive services, not just in that location, but in the community?

Mr. Andrew. Yeah. through the chair of the council. I've had some meetings with some folks uh who are interested in going through a process of establishing their own private EMS service here in the city that could augment some of the services that are happening throughout. Uh they're interested in this property. Um we've we've had other interest from other organizations uh as well in that area. Um, and so based on that interest, based on the need and the kind of the the the infrastructure that's required of that property, we felt as though this would be a good opportunity to explore that and to try to retain uh at least a potential ambulance service in that neighborhood as well.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to go on record in support of retaining that sort of uh ambulatory response service in that neighborhood. I know I as well have engaged with stakeholders here in the city um to provide EMS services um you know and and have supported them with their state process as I know the manager as well and I I I really hope um as councelor Russell um longtime advocate in this community has has mentioned um would be helpful moving forward. So, I support council Russell's motion um you know and I'm hoping that we can have um a lifesaving sustaining um service and thank you.

Okay. So, collective we take those motions collectively or holding go council if the manager thinks that this is going to take a while. Maybe we should be tableabling this item instead of holding it just so that we're when he comes back. He had mentioned the month. So if it's going to be that long instead of just holding it now when they're tableing it next week let's just table it. Okay. So we have two motions. One is

Mr. Chairman I I just got a question on that second time. Um I I just you know I just like the the manager to speak to um you know timelines and you know really what you're trying to get done there. Um you know we have things that are up been laid on the table for a year, two years, three years, five years, I don't know. Um I'm just wondering um you know you brought this forward for a reason and if you could speak to that in terms of timeliness and time frames through the chair. Mr. Manager.

Yeah. Through the sh to the council. We um once we were notified by UMass that they were vacating the lease of that property. We did our due diligence uh public facilities to understand the needs the overall needs of that property. There are significant mechanical needs, structural needs. Um, and we did an assessment in terms of what it would require, what it would need, and and whether this would be best to present it to the public for the purposes of either a potential EMS or for other services um that the that the neighborhood would would need. And so we came to the conclusion that it was best for us to present it and put it out to as an RFP uh for people to select different bids and people to have an opportunity to acquire this property. Um, and so, you know, if I I I understand that there's a desire here to table it because I know there's a further conversations uh that want to have and and reports from the from the uh from uh that the council has requested. But I think that there's two things. One, the study is going to something that could take longer, but the actual data in terms of what the council Russell has requested, that's something that I think we can relatively get pretty quickly. Uh but the comprehensive day uh uh study it's it's it's a comprehensive because it encompasses the entire city. So but the data that the counselor has requested we can provide that pretty quickly for him so that if we want to move quickly to move it to public works and try to get some motion on this um we can do it much quicker.

If you want a table that's fine too I don't you want to send it to public works. No I want to I'm sorry.

Yeah I'm sorry. I I I um I support you know trying to have some fluidity here um you know and getting it to committee um with the counselor's requesting reports um I think the broader analysis of um our responsiveness to you know as a city um for folks in the private sector um is important. I know that uh myself and others [clears throat] advocated with UMass directly regarding this most recent concern that was brought to before many of us as councils. Um but you know if we can get something in there um that will save a life, the sooner the better or sustain a life, the sooner the better. Um so I would support sending this to committee um you know with the reports coming versus tableing it having to have another meeting etc. Um, I'd like to kind of get it in quue if the council was open to that.

Councelor Russell,

Mr. Chairman, uh, I just was thought I was just trying to save a step. It's okay with me if we just hold the item and then get the information back from manager, but this item that was be the way it was before us originally last week was to put it out for RFP and part of that discussion was possible housing, possible other uses, whatever it may be. So once we sell it, there's no going back to, you know, for emergency services. So, but if the manager has some great ideas for private companies or whatever else, I'm all ears for it and I know the neighbors are are all ears. So, in short, I have no problem holding it now for the information as it comes forward and then at that point we could either table it or send it to committee. But I don't think it should go to committee until we have more information because once we send it to committee, it's starting the process of selling it.

Okay. So the motion is to hold us under privilege. Um roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Gloria. Yes. Council Gier. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council Mar Carlson. Yes. Councelor New Yang. Council. Yes. Councelor Pascilo. Yes. Councelor Russell. Yes. Council Tumi. Yes. Mayor Py. Yes. Now the motion for Mr. I have something under suspension. Oh, hang on a second. for the other motions that were made by councelor Russ for councelor king. A roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Gloria. Yes. Council AI. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council moral Carlson. Yes. Councelor Nuen. Council Hayda. Yes. Council.

Yes. Councor Russell. Councelor Tumi. Yes. And Mayor Penny. Yes. Councilor Hijad, do you have something though? Oh, we have a motion for under suspension. Roll call. Councelor Bergman, yes. Councelor Coreio, yes. Councelor Aier, yes. Councelor King, yes. Council Carlson, yes. Council Nuen, council, yes. Councelor Basilo, yes. Councelor Russell, yes. Council Tumi, yes. And Mary Patty, yes. Councelor,

thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, just mainly wanted to say thank you to Clerk Evangeli for an amazing job this past um weekend. It probably felt like a longer uh time to I was there all day Saturday uh or Sunday and just witnessed an amazing coordinated professional uh extremely well organized recount uh which involved a lot of work. So kudos to you uh Clerk Vanjali, kudos to uh Claire Robbins, Deputy Clerk AJ Puddle, the election commission and all volunteers. I'd never experienced a recount before. I heard from the attorneys um who had been doing this work across the state that they felt this was one of the best high caliber uh operations that they'd seen. So congratulations and well done.

Congratulations Mr. Clark. You guys made us proud and the whole team all the people that came out that worked for us and even the people that were counting for the observers everybody handled themselves professionally and it was good that everybody got along in the in the in the room. So it shows a lot. So thank you. With that we have wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving and uh we'll see you in a couple weeks. We will not be meeting next week. We will be in a week from Tuesday. We'll be holding the tax classification a week from Tuesday. A week two weeks from tonight, a week from next Tuesday. So um motion was adjourned. Roll call. Councelor Bergman. Yes. Councelor Coreio. Yes. Gier. Yes. Councelor King. Yes. Council Marlson. Yes. Councelor Nen. Council. Yes.

Basil. Yes, to Russell. Yes, to Tumi. Yes. And Mayor Petty. Yes.