City Council 07/21/2026

• Meeting Date: July 21, 2026
• Governing Body: Worcester City Council
• Type of Meeting: Regular Meeting
• Attendees:
  • Mayor Joseph Petty
  • Councilor Morris Bergman
  • Councilor Robert Bilotta
  • Councilor Tony Economou
  • Councilor John Fresolo
  • Councilor Khrystian King
  • Councilor Satya Mitra
  • Councilor Luis Ojeda
  • Councilor Jose Rivera
  • Councilor Gary Rosen
  • Councilor Kathleen Toomey
• Staff Present: City Manager Eric Batista, City Clerk

The public participation portion of the meeting lasted over two hours, with the vast majority of speakers addressing Item 10.5A regarding the Civilian Review Board (CRB).

• Mary Sackstetter (Worcester): Cited a history of police corruption and the Department of Justice (DOJ) report. She argued that a CRB would cost less than the $10 million in settlements paid by the city over the last decade.
• Tom Marino (Worcester): Characterized the City Manager's report as a "manifesto on centralized government control" and criticized the lack of independent oversight.
• William Gardner (Former WPD Officer): Shared personal experiences of being assaulted by fellow officers and witnessing misconduct described in the DOJ report. He stated, "The conversation about a Civilian Review Board should not be summarily dismissed."
• Ellen Shemitz (Former Human Rights Commission Chair): Objected to the City Manager's decision, noting that internal changes fail to address fundamental accountability. She highlighted that the HRC has not received requested misconduct records in three years.
• Elizabeth O'Callaghan (Former HRC Vice Chair): Emphasized that the state POST commission is not a substitute for local oversight due to its limited capacity to investigate only 3-4% of complaints.
• Janet Davis (NAACP/Black Families Together): Read a letter from community organizations calling on the Council to reject the Manager's recommendation and create a CRB with full subpoena powers.
• Giselle Rivera Flores (District 5): Noted that Worcester has paid over $6.6 million in taxpayer funds to settle police misconduct lawsuits since 2010.
• Etel Haxhiaj (Former Councilor): Criticized the administration for a lack of community process and for suggesting that body cameras are a substitute for accountability.
• Gordon Davis (Worcester): Complained about "legally flawed" code enforcement by the DPW regarding sump pumps under Chapter 12, Section 24, Subsection C.
• Tia Christina Kufor (Canal District): Reported that residents near Polar Park are facing financial hardship due to a lack of residential parking, with some accumulating $2,000 in tickets.

The City Manager submitted a report recommending that the city not create an independent Civilian Review Board, citing existing internal "guardrails" such as the Bureau of Professional Standards and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office.

• Action: Councilor Khrystian King held the item under personal privilege for further review and deliberation.
• Discussion: Councilor King noted the recommendation was "intended to undermine city council debate." Councilor Bergman expressed concern that the item was held before public testimony concluded, suggesting a coordinated effort.

The Council considered a vote to rescind existing speed regulations on Hope Avenue to improve pedestrian safety following a recent tragedy.

• Action: Voted to rescind the 35 and 30 mph speed regulations for Hope Avenue and return the public way to the statutory speed limit of 25 mph under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 90, Section 17C.
• Vote Outcome: Approved 11-0 on a roll call vote.
• Additional Motion: Councilor King requested a full investigative report on the recent fatal accident, including factors like lighting and crossing markings.

Councilor Mitra requested a report detailing a potential debt service payment schedule for a $100 million loan order ($20 million annually for five years) dedicated to resurfacing main arteries and sidewalks.

• Discussion: City Manager Batista warned that such a loan would significantly impact the city's bond rating and could necessitate tax increases or operational layoffs. Councilor Rosen opposed the request, citing the potential harm to the city's financial integrity.
• Vote Outcome: Approved 7-3-1 on a roll call vote.
  • Yes: Bergman, Economou, Fresolo, Mitra, Rivera, Toomey, Petty.
  • No: Bilotta, Ojeda, Rosen.
  • Abstain: King.

Councilor Economou raised concerns regarding chronic neighborhood noise and loud music emanating from events at St. Joan of Arc Church.

• Action: Requested the City Manager organize a meeting between church leadership, the Police Chief, Inspectional Services, and the License Commission.
• Discussion: The City Manager noted that the premises had been temporarily shut down in July 2026 for noise violations, but complaints resumed after notices were removed on July 10th.
• Motion: Councilor King requested a qualitative data report and timeline of city responsiveness to these complaints.

Councilor Rosen requested a joint meeting with the Board of Health and medical professionals to discuss youth exposure and addiction to tobacco, nicotine, and vaping.

• Discussion: Councilor Rosen noted that while the Board of Health recently eased some siting restrictions for tobacco businesses, pediatricians and youth advocates expressed grave concerns about addiction rates.
• Vote Outcome: Approved 11-0 on a roll call vote.

• Item 10.26A: Approved the transfer of funds from the MSBA Stabilization Fund to the New High School Fund and the closure of the MSBA Stabilization Fund (Roll Call: 10-0; Councilor Haxhiaj recused).
• Item 10.35A-J: Approved various finance items and grants totaling approximately $12 million.
• Item 12E: Requested a report on best practices for providing residents with a 911 follow-up survey post-incident (Roll Call: 11-0).
• Item 12N: Requested a report on the settlement of the Town of Holden sewer lawsuit and the status of negotiations with West Boylston and Rutland.

• Recognition: The Council recognized Lieutenant LaRange for his 40 years and 4 months of service to the Worcester Police Department upon his retirement.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following the conclusion of the agenda.