Executive Summary
The Worcester City Council meeting held on May 19, 2026, was presided over by Vice Chair Khrystian King. The primary focus of the meeting was a contentious debate regarding the proposed conversion of Vial Avenue (also referred to as Viley Ave) from a private to a public street, which ultimately failed to pass. The Council also discussed expanding payment plans for street assessments to 35 years, increasing developer fees for the housing trust fund, and the importance of funding for after-school and summer programs. Several municipal appointments were confirmed, including Sherry Pitcher as Chair of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority, and various financial transfers and grants were approved.
Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Khrystian King at 12:00 AM on May 19, 2026.
Attendees:
- Vice Chair: Khrystian King
- Councilors: Morris Bergman, Robert Bilotta, Tony Economou, John Fresolo, Satya Mitra, Luis Ojeda, Jose Rivera, Gary Rosen, Kathleen Toomey.
- City Officials: City Manager Eric Bautista, City Clerk.
Actions:
- The Council approved the minutes of the meeting held on April 28, 2026 (Item 5A).
Public Participation
Numerous residents provided testimony on various agenda items:
- Vial Avenue Conversion (Item 19A):
- Opponents: Melinda Martin, Jason Quintel, Ferdowsu Mohamud, Peter Stanley, Marco Crawford, Delaney Lawson, and Colton Chassie cited financial hardships (estimated assessments of $14,000-$15,000), loss of neighborhood character, and concerns over increased traffic.
- Proponents: Janice St. Amand, John Como, and Kelly Force emphasized public safety, emergency vehicle access, and difficulties with snow removal on the current private way.
- After-School and Summer Programs: Lewis Darden, Marion, Shakora Baldwin, Anne Bureau, and Georgette urged the Council to prioritize funding for affordable childcare and youth development in the city budget.
- Housing and Zoning (Item 12V & 7B):
- Echo Louissant-Collins supported increasing developer fees for the housing trust fund from 3% to 5% to encourage affordable housing units.
- Ruby Pezzanetti (Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center) spoke in favor of a zoning amendment for properties at 600 and 604 Lincoln Street.
- General Concerns: Fred Nathan questioned the lack of background information on grants (Item 935A/C) and a $1.6 million transfer for parking expenses (Item 936C).
Street Conversions and Assessments (Items 19A and 12E)
The Council held an extensive discussion on the conversion of Vial Avenue and the financial burden of betterments on residents.
Item 19A: Requesting Vial Street from north of Darling Street to Lorenz Street and Darling Street east to Pearsav be converted to public roads.
- Motion to Recommit to Committee: Failed (5-5).
- Roll Call (Yes): Economou, Mitra, Rivera, Toomey, King.
- Roll Call (No): Bergman, Bilotta, Fresolo, Ojeda, Rosen.
- Motion to Adopt Conversion: Failed (1-9).
- Roll Call (Yes): Economou.
- Roll Call (No): Bergman, Bilotta, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey.
Item 12E: Request to the City Manager for a report on the feasibility of extending 10 and 20-year payment plans for private street conversions to a 35-year option.
- Outcome: Approved as amended to request a report from the Commissioner of Public Works and the Chief Financial Officer.
Appointments and Confirmations
The Council acted on several appointments to city boards and commissions:
- Confirmed (Item 9.2A-C):
- Carlos Rosende: Planning Board (Alternate).
- Enzi Maharami: Zoning Board of Appeals.
- Sherry Pitcher: Chair of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority.
- Filed (Item 9.18B-C):
- Christian Gutierrez-Lovate: Community Preservation Committee.
- Michael Akene Nwagbo: Constable.
- Michael Baker: Historical Commission (Alternate).
Financial Matters and Grants
The Council addressed several financial items and grant acceptances:
- HUD Funding (Item 9.4A): Referred to Health and Human Services for the FY2027 program year, including Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Emergency Solution Grants, and Home Investment Partnership Program funds.
- Operational Transfers (Items 9.35 - 9.37): Various transfers for fiscal year-end expenses and prior year liabilities were adopted.
- Donations (Item 9.39A): Accepted a donation of 50 free lunches from Alma Gaucho restaurant for police and fire personnel on duty for Memorial Day, May 25, 2026.
Petitions and Referrals
The following items were referred to their respective committees:
- Parks and Recreation: Request for street tree removal at 61 Garrison Avenue (Item 7A).
- Planning Board: Zoning amendment request for the Edward M. Kennedy Center (Item 7B).
- Public Works: Items 7C through 7K regarding infrastructure and sidewalks.
- Traffic and Parking: Items 7L through 7Z and 8A through 8G regarding traffic calming and parking regulations.
Postponed Business and Adjournment
Due to the late hour, several items were postponed to the next meeting:
- Item 12R: Research into historical commitments regarding the naming of parks and streets after Aries Ann Ward (1862-1959).
- General Postponement: All remaining items on the agenda were postponed to be the first items of business at the next City Council meeting.
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:15 AM.