City Council 03/10/2026

• Date: March 10, 2026
• Governing Body: Worcester City Council
• Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
• Attendees: Mayor Joseph M. Petty, Councilors Morris Bergman, Robert Bilotta, John Fresolo, Khrystian King, Satya Mitra, Luis Ojeda, Jose Rivera, Gary Rosen, and Kathleen Toomey. (Absent: Councilor Tony Economou).
• Official Actions: The Council approved the minutes of the February 10, 2026, meeting.

Dr. Robert Goddard First Launch Centennial

• Mayor Petty proclaimed March 16, 2026, as the date to recognize the 100th anniversary of Dr. Robert Goddard’s first liquid-fueled rocket launch in Auburn/Worcester.
• Key Quote: "The City of Worcester joins the Town of Auburn... to host a series of festivities in honor of the Goddards."
• Charles and Phil (representatives) noted that 100 rockets will be launched in Auburn to mark the occasion, and a public event will be held at the Hanover Theater on March 22nd.

Summary of Public Comments

• Jennifer Safford (Worcester NAACP): Opposed the Mankiti Group TIF/TIE, citing reports of "wage theft, misclassification, and a lack of accountability" involving contractors like Barbara Drywall and Martinez Drywall.
• David Manejian (Carpenters Local 336): Urged the Council to be "tough on criminal contractors" and noted that Barbara Drywall had received $83,000 in civil citations for wage theft.
• Genesis Santana (Local Carpenter): Opposed the Mankiti Group, stating, "They broke that code already one time, and it was fined for $5,000, which we all know that $5,000 is a laughable offense."
• Mark Kornstein (Resident): Supported a freeze on the Specialized Stretch Energy Code, arguing it is "impeding the work of developers" and driving up housing costs.
• Andrew Marsh (Resident): Opposed the construction of a new police station (Item 12B), questioning the wisdom of increasing the police budget.
• R.O. DiPasquale (WCCA TV): Discussed the critical funding situation at WCCA TV and the need for a new cable contract negotiation.

Housing Development Certified Project Application - 401-409 Main Street

• The Council debated a Tax Increment Exemption (TIE) for the Mankiti Group's project at the former Shacks Building, involving 43 market-rate units and 5 affordable units.
• Discussion: Councilor Rosen and Councilor King raised concerns regarding the developer's history of RDO non-compliance at 204 Main Street. Councilor Bergman argued that the allegations were not proven and that the project is necessary for the tax base.
• Official Action: Approved the TIE agreement.
• Vote Count: 6-4.
  • Yes: Bergman, Fresolo, Mitra, Rivera, Toomey, Petty.
  • No: Bilotta, King, Ojeda, Rosen.
• Resolutions Adopted:
  1. Councilor Mitra's Resolution: Reaffirming commitment to the RDO and declaring intent to rescind agreements found out of "future compliance."
  2. Councilor Rosen's Resolution: Requiring a clawback provision for any future infractions of the RDO by the developer or subcontractors.

Specialized Stretch Energy Code Freeze

• The Council considered a request to freeze the implementation of the Specialized Stretch Energy Code for 12 months.
• Discussion: Proponents argued the code creates design complexity and financial hurdles for housing. Opponents argued it is essential for the Green Worcester Plan's goal of net zero by 2045.
• Official Action: Voted to request a report back from the City Manager regarding the feasibility of a 12-month freeze.
• Vote Count: 8-2.
  • Yes: Bergman, Fresolo, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty.
  • No: Bilotta, King.

Future Police Station (Item 12B)

• Action: Adopted an order requesting a report on prioritizing a future police station and the status of the current facility.
• Discussion: Councilor Toomey described the current building as "tired" with leaking roofs and failing ventilation.

School Bus Safety (Item 12G)

• Action: Adopted an order to explore the feasibility of a pilot program for deploying cameras to catch vehicles illegally passing school buses.

DPW Audit (Item 12O)

• Action: Requested a report from the DPW Commissioner regarding evaluations of departmental policies, procedures, and internal communications.

2026 FIFA World Cup (Items 12D and 13B)

• Action: Adopted a resolution designating Worcester as an official host city for Ghanaian fans and delegations during the 2026 World Cup.
• Details: The initiative includes community programming, public viewing spaces, and trade forums. Councilor King noted the large Ghanaian diaspora in Worcester makes it a "symbolic home."

Irish-American Heritage Month (Item 12A)

• Action: Authorized the raising of the Irish flag and recognized March 2026 as Irish-American Heritage Month.
• Key Quote: Councilor Rivera noted, "The Irish didn't just come to Worcester. They helped define it."

Conservation Commission Transfers (Item 10.4E)

• Action: Authorized the transfer of jurisdiction of several properties to the Conservation Commission, including God’s Acre, Crow Hill, and Patches Reservoir.

Zoning Ordinance Review (Item 12T)

• Action: Requested a report on the feasibility of eliminating the "four or more unrelated parties" portion of the zoning ordinance to alleviate housing pressure.

100 Providence Street (Item 20G)

• Action: Taken off the table and adopted the order regarding the jurisdiction and disposition of the property.
• Vote Count: 6-4.
  • Yes: Bergman, Fresolo, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty.
  • No: Bilotta, King, Mitra, Ojeda.