City Council 03/10/2026

Good evening everyone, welcome to the Worcester City Council meeting. If you can, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star-Spangled Banner.

Black, and United States of America, to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice.

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 We're so gallantly streaming And the rocket's red glare The bombs bursting in air They proved through the night that our flag was still there.

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave and the home of the brave.

Just ask everybody to remain standing so we have a moment of silence. Two city councils will pass away in the last few months. First being Judge William McManus who passed away last month. who served this community and government both as a high school teacher, a lawyer, a city council in the late 60s and early 70s, and a community person with family health, Mercy Center, an overall good person for this community. and also for Dennis Irish, who I served four terms with on the council. Dennis was also a community person, worked with St. Vincent's, UMass Hospital, Small Business Administration Bureau, and also worked with the Worcester Public Library Foundation, Family Health Center of Worcester and also was a big Worcester rugby football fan and played that sport. So let's have a moment of silence for both of those gentlemen.

Thank you. Do a roll call.

Bergman, here, Councilor Bilotta, here, Councilor Economou, Councilor Fresolo, here, Councilor King, here, Here. Councilor Mitra?

Yes.

Councilor Ojeda? Here. Councilor Rivera? Here. Councilor Rosen? Here. Councilor Toomey?

Here.

And Mayor Petty?

Here. Okay, we have a proclamation. We have a big month ahead of us here in the City of Worcester. Charles, good to see you. Phil, good to see you both here today. And good luck on your guarded first launch centennial here in the City of Worcester in time of Auburn. So thank you. Whereas March 16, 2026 marks the 100th year anniversary of Dr. Robert Nestor's legendary first liquid-fueled rocket launch. whereas the city of Worcester has long fostered the spirit of innovation in combination with its educational infrastructure, industrial capability, and sustained institutional support during Robert Gard's lifetime helped create the ecosystem that is needed to become the father of modern rocketry. whereas that innovative spirit can be seen with the Commonwealth designated city of Tech Hub acknowledging its place as a center for life sciences and with Whistler maintaining its industrial past acting as a home to advanced manufacturing, robotics, precision machining, and prototyping.

Whereas the City of Worcester joins the Town of Auburn, Worcester Public Library, Organizations including the Wonder Mission, Equitarium, Museum of Worcester, Clark University, Worcester Polytech Institute, Discover Central Massachusetts, and groups around the country to host a series of festivities in honor of the guardians. whereas the Wisdom, whereas the Wonder Mission also seeks to inspire, elevate, and celebrate our own modern day today and tomorrow gardens. scientists, engineers, innovators, explorers, and educators who dream big, work tirelessly to expand human knowledge, and receive little public acknowledgement or notoriety. Now, therefore, I, Mayor Joseph M. Petty of the City of Worcester, will hereby proclaim March 16, 2026 as the date to recognize Dr. Robin and Esther Goddard's first launch centennial. Encourage all residents to join in celebration of this special occasion. Rivera, and the Goliaths Legacy and Vision.

Councilor Rivera, would you like to hand that to them? Since this is your district. Charles, and a lot of events are planned. Do we just want to go over the itinerary real quick? We've got a couple of events coming up. I'll give you a minute.

Thank you so much. It's an honor to accept this on behalf of Robert and Esther and all the countless volunteers that have been coming together to promote this great event. It's been a great week. Governor Healey gave us a gubernatorial proclamation last week. We had two new books on Goddard just published, came out today. and all these wonderful organizations around the city have really stepped up and I think it's going to be an incredible week of celebrations. and just keep remembering that this is a centennial year so it's really not the end of the Goddard celebration but it's a year to really leverage his legacy for the benefit of especially our younger generation And this Sunday, my colleague Phil Nidre has managed to get 176 Worcester students to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade wearing Robert Goddard shirts. should be a great week.

And we especially want to invite everyone to a free public event at the Hanover Theater next Sunday, the 22nd, following Sunday. And it's really shaping up to be an incredibly inspiring event with astronauts and luminaries and a lot of interaction, especially with rocket clubs and astronomy clubs and the scouts, et cetera. So thank you all. The Goddards thank you. And go Goddard.

Now, March 16th, you're going to launch some rockets out of Auburn?

A hundred rockets are going to be fired in honor of one for each decade. And more especially, a couple of the big aerospace organizations have promoted this national movement where rocket clubs and science museums all over the country are going to be firing off a rocket on March 16th and hopefully we'll have a big social media campaign of how that works out. So thank you all.

Thank you very much. Okay, next item up is approve of the minutes. City Councilor C. E. Worcester hereby approves the minutes of the City Council meeting February 10th, 2026. All those in favor? Public participation. The person may speak for no more than two minutes. I am appearing on the agenda. Mr. Clerk.

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 addressing the council on any eligible items 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 to one appearance at the microphone. The time for speaking shall not exceed two minutes for any one speaker or 30 minutes for all speakers. will afford the petitions. On the first occasion, any petition appears on the City Council agenda. The primary petition may address the City Council for no more than three minutes on the subject of their petition.

Thank you. Is your name, City of Residence, and item number?

Yes, our friend Nathan Worcester. 11G. the report on the traffic and parking about the mobility on Grove Street. Here we are talking more about bike lanes. I think the city has to do a better job with the potholes before you're gonna put in any more bike lanes. That's just me. 12B. I mean, when the police station was built, it was probably already obsolete then. We need a new police station. It's a no-brainer. The only question is, where are you gonna put it? 12 I about putting having people of the residence park on Meade Street

during off hours to kind of free up during the snowstorms. and easier to plow those streets down there. I mean, they're torture. All you have to do is just even walk and never mind drive through there. And as far as the Mankiti, that project, a lot of people are here. I'm just curious if they are bad, the city needs to investigate them and do a better job of vetting them to make sure that they are the real deal. If there's something that they're doing that's wrong, the city... could be held liable at some point if somebody really wanted to push the right buttons.

Thank you. And next speaker, name and city of residence.

Item number? Happy Mortel Arrow, City of Worcester, District 4. I'm here to speak first on item 19A. I am against giving tax breaks to the Mankiti group. Greedy, greedy, greedy, greedy, greedy Mankiti group. that just cares only about money, doesn't care about workers, doesn't care about people. They just care about money and they just want more tax breaks. and I say no. Stop, don't. Do not give them, do not give these greedy billionaires Tax breaks, you know, they don't deserve it. They don't. They don't deserve tax breaks, all right?

All right, so 20A, rent control. I definitely think rent control is something that is important for a city. I speak on that every week, you know. I do definitely think we need some rent control. 20C, Housing Stability. We definitely also need that. You know, some housing stability and also rent control. 20D, systemic racism, you know, that is an issue, you know, and I definitely think, you know, that needs to be addressed. Yeah, please. Alright, so thank you for your time. I'll be gone now. Thank you.

What's your name, see your residence number?

I'm Gary Hunter, I live in District 5. Welcome back. I have a couple things I'd like to bring up. The first thing is 12M. The trash removal, the schedule, it was switched back and forth and back and forth. And I'm just wondering what's going on with the system to give people notice when the changes are made. We see it on Facebook. but I believe the system that they used to use is not working anymore and nobody knows and there's so much confusion and trash all over the place because no one knows when they're gonna pick up. The next one I would like to talk to is 19B. First I would like to say though is I would like to thank Mr. Rosen, bringing up items last week and not backing down.

Public records are public records, and I would say thank you for pushing that through. but as far as the 19B, I don't think this company deserves tax breaks. They've already proven they were cheaters. I went to the public, I went to the meeting on this, the commission, and the chairman of the commission was more important. The first thing that was brought up was make sure we limit the time people can respond to this. Make sure it will be 30 minutes and that'll be it. Make sure, that was the first item that was brought up at the meeting. What we need to do is get off the pot and vote on this. If you're against it, Fine, if you're for it, but get on the records. I think there's a lot of times we are not standing up and want our vote counted.

we have so many things on here that have not been resolved and we just hold them, we put them to next week, we put them to the next week, we send them to commission, they don't come back. This one has been talked about for a month now. We're either going to give them the TIF or we're not. I totally, most of the people that have been here talking are against it. So please, you work for us, not for the other way around.

Thank you.

Good evening, everybody. I'm R. O. DiPasquale. I'm here for item 12Q. But before I do, I want to say I hope you do support the local carpenters. They deserve it. I hope to express details of what I'm gonna talk about at the next public service and transportation meeting. As you may know, there's a congressional bill, HR 2289, that's out there right now. It's in debate. that'll devastate municipalities as an authority over cable providers and telephone providers as well as devastate WCCA. So I hope someone is looking into it on the city side to see what we can do to combat that. We're in a critical funding situation at WCCA. So a realistic conversation needs to take place. Two minutes isn't going to do it, certainly. Without knowing the intent of the city with the negotiation and the overall negotiation status, it's impossible for WCCATV to move forward. We're already at a less than critical staff operation. Having to wait it out is not acceptable.

This is not just a TV station we're talking about or a simple community media enterprise. It's a civic asset. an institution that places the camera, the narrative in the hands of the people and educates people how to use these tools. It defeats, it helps defeat the digital media gap. It's true media equity. We've been doing it before it was even in fashion. It's a career pathway that empowers the disenfranchised. No one does what WCCATV does. If we have to close, our downsides to the point where you can't recognize it. it's gonna be a really sad state. If you're gonna fight for a less than 10 year cable contract on the next one, you gotta start negotiating now because we're already two and a half years over with the other expirated contracts. So things to think about. I appreciate the council, I appreciate all the support over the last 40 years that the Worcester City Council has given WCCATV. So I want to say thank you to that as I end today this conversation.

Thank you. Should names see your residence and item number?

Good afternoon. It's David Huffman, 214 Holden Street. Through the chair, I'd just like to thank Rivera, Economou, Ojeda, Bilotta, and the Park and Transportation Committee. We had a petition that went forward about far traffic, speed enforcement, Brattle Street, Holden Street, Aria Street. it's been so gratifying watching the police over the last week getting them one after another as quickly as they set up they're giving tickets out so it's been an incredible week that we've had just wanted to say thank you particularly to the Worcester Police Department they really stood up in the doing a great job out there. Thank you.

Thank you. Is your name, see your residence and item number?

Good evening. My name is Jennifer Safford, and I am a Worcester resident speaking today on behalf of 19A and on the behalf of the Worcester NAACP. Our organization has always supported development that strengthens neighborhoods and creates opportunity, but development must never come at the expense of workers' rights. or Public Trust. That is why we stand firmly against granting a TIE or TIF to the Mankiti Group or any developer who has not committed to hiring responsible contractors and ensuring strong oversight to prevent wage theft. We have received concerning reports about the Mankiti Group's project at 204 Main Street. Barbara Drywall, a contractor that should not be working on a tax-subsidized project, was reportedly on site. Additionally, workers from Martinez Drywall were placed on Barbara Drywall's payroll. These are not small administrative errors. These are red flags that point to potential wage theft, misclassification, and a lack of accountability.

When public dollars are used to support private development, the public has a right to expect that every worker is treated fairly, paid legally and protected from exploitation. Worcester residents should not be subsidizing contractors who cut corners or violate labor standards. We want to see Worcester thrive. We want investment in our downtown and in our neighborhoods, but we cannot support development that is not transparent that does not follow the rules or that puts workers at risk. We ask this council to stand with workers, stand with the community, and stand for responsible development. Do not approve a TIF or TIE until the Mankiti Group and any future developer can demonstrate a real commitment to responsible contracting and meaningful oversight. Thank you for listening and thank you for your leadership on this important issue.

Thank you.

Andrew Marsh, 212 May Street in Worcester. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I rise in opposition to Order 12B. Mr. Mayor, the question about construction of the future police station presents us with an opportunity to address a much more fundamental question. How much taxpayer money do we really need to be giving to the Worcester Police Department in the municipal budget? And is the police department a wise investment at all? The events of the last year or so have brought that into serious doubt for me. Displacing homeless people, assisting ICE in assaulting the people of this city, weaponizing the criminal legal process to strangle opposition, these are not what I consider a wise municipal investment. While any of us can anecdotally point to individual officers who are fundamentally good people, as a culture and institution, the WPD and their associated union wield far too much political and legal power for my liking. and I am not persuaded that they wield that power for the betterment of everyone.

The City Council has an opportunity and most importantly the responsibility to constrain the Police Department's worst excesses by controlling its funding. It needs to stop treating it as a sacred cow that we must never even entertain touching. We need a good faith, honest discussion about whether the department's budget deserves to be as high as it is. and if we as a city come to a consensus that it isn't, then we cannot fear the idea of reducing it to a more acceptable level and thus reallocating the difference to municipal services that address society's woes without the threat of violence as a stick. I believe in a better, great society than that. I know it can seem unfathomable to a lot of people, including my own mother, but that's no excuse for us to not dream bigger. I yield back the balance of my time.

Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Margo Barnett. I've been a resident of the city of Worcester for about 36 years. I'm here to speak on two items. The first one is 19A. I'd like to ditto everything that Stafford said about it. This council passed a responsible development ordinance. That means that companies that engage in wage theft will not get public dollars, a tiff or a tie. Many of you signed a responsible development pledge about this specific Company. And we expect you to put your money where your mouth is and our money where your mouth is. So I am asking you, I am demanding of you, that you do not approve this TIF or tie for the Menkini Group. The second item is 12S.

I was really proud of this city when it was the first gateway city to pass specialized stretch codes. We did it in a timely manner that would allow the implementation of Councilor, Electrification. At the time, I just heard about this today, so I didn't make a great presentation on this. When this came up, we had lots of statistics. We were pointed to all the times that The can was kicked down the road around our climate goals. We will not meet our climate goals if we keep kicking the can down the road. This council already voted to implement the specialized stretch codes. do not freeze them. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mr. Chair. For the record, Mark Kornstein. I'm a lifelong resident of Worcester. I'm here to speak in favor of item 12S, and to a certain degree, item 12C, requesting at least a 12-month freeze on the Specialized Stretch Energy Code. Like most residents, I strongly support sustainable, energy-efficient policies. However, the specialized stretch energy code has become more of a burden than a benefit to our community. Currently, these requirements are so convoluted, they are impeding the work of developers, architects, and contractors while creating a massive enforcement headache for our city's inspectors. I've seen residential projects stall because developers are not certain how to navigate these different compliance pathways. Compliance often requires specialized third party certifiers who are in extremely short supply. Compliance doesn't cause just months of delays. It drives up the cost of every single unit we try to build in the city. the standard stretch code is a rigorous high quality efficiency standard.

I'm asking the council to implement at least a 12 month freeze on the specialized code so we can evaluate if the standard code meets our goals without these unnecessary hurdles. Thank you.

Good evening, Roberta Bryan, Worcester Business Development Corporation. Speaking tonight on two items, one is 12S. I do stand here in support of the recommendation for a pause for the specialized stretch code. While WBDC is striving to implement the most sustainable development at Greentech Park, it has come to our attention that the rollout of the specialized stretch code has created questions and conflicts within the document that are taking some time to answer confidently. Areas where we have found the code needs additional time and attention Contractors and architects need time to develop the expertise needed to navigate the code and additionally skilled labor to construct to the code. Inspectors are already stretched thin and now adding additional inspections and compliance is resource intensive. Product manufacturers are behind in being able to supply compliant products at scale and adding time to already tight schedules. And finally, our electric grid is stretched thin in a pause to this implementation.

of the Code will allow for our utilities to catch up to the demand that the Code will bring. Allowing additional time to fully develop the Code and its implementation will allow for a better environment for all of us to work within. regarding 401-409 Main Street. I again stand here in support of the application for this project. The residents of Worcester cannot be denied housing due to allegations that have not been enforced by the body that has that purview. The law is clear where enforcement lies, and we should all stand together to strengthen the laws in Massachusetts to allow for contractors to be liable for subcontractor violations. Until that happens, it is unfair to the residents to hold court on the sidewalks and in council chambers. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker, name and city of residence, item number.

Hi, my name is Genesis Santana. I am a Worcester resident. I am speaking against the Mankiti group because I was born in Worcester. I reside in Worcester. And God willing, not anytime soon, I possibly may even die in Worcester, right? Because I've lived here my whole life. And I'm I am a carpenter here as well. And I want to build my city. I'm not sure what anyone else hears when they hear the word Worcester. But for a very long time, I never really heard really good things about it. and I do have the option to like you know pack up shop and leave but I am NOT that type of person I'm a type of person who likes to sink my teeth into the ground and stand where I stand and just make things better instead of pack up and run.

So I decided to be a carpenter and I wanted to get my hands in my city and build in my city. This group, Minkeri, is based out of Washington. So they don't have that love for the city. They're just here to do a project, and they're here to go. that's not what I see when I see high schools like Bernco potentially being built or when I see high schools like Doherty being built. That's not what I see because my child goes to these schools So this is very personal for me when I hear companies from many, many states away coming in and not following the Worcester's responsible development ordinance. That was, you know, they broke that code already One time, and it was fine for $5,000, which we all know that $5,000 is a laughable offense. If I'm going to be fined $5,000 and I'm a big company, that means nothing. So there's no incentive for them to really stop.

So I'm seeing here that they have a second defense. I'm not sure how much they were fined, but I don't stand by this. I don't stand by this in this city.

Thank you.

Yeah, how you doing? My name is David Manejian. I'm the regional manager for Carpenter's Local 336. I live on 6 Old Brook Drive. I'm speaking on 19A. What's before you tonight is the same deal when this whole thing first started. There's no further commitments, no new policies or changes to it. So I ask you please to be tough on criminal contractors and those that benefit from illegally low prices. We all want housing, but we need it to be built lawfully, especially when taxpayer money is in question. You are the stewards of the taxpayer money. You will be voting on that tonight. I want to remind you of a letter that was sent to the city manager by Barber Drywall's attorney. They worked on 204 Main Street for the Mankiti Group. and they were comparing the Attorney General's civil citations to parking tickets. That was $83,000 in fines.

Barbara Drywall's comparisons to its citations as parking tickets is inaccurate and offensive, and the Attorney General's issuance of civil citations for wage theft is actually an alternative to initiating criminal proceedings. Now on 204 Main Street, which is a Makiti project that already had tax relief on it. Once again, there are further issues. The Attorney General has complaints from workers. More of them keep coming to our office. They are getting paid in personal checks and there are no tax deductions getting taken out. So why was Martinez Drywall not reported? They weren't reported on certified payrolls. Quite frankly, because these are the kind of behaviors that we see, right? So they don't have to report what they're doing. We caught it. The city caught it. I filed a complaint in early February. I still have not received a response from the city administration on that.

Now, as you decide tonight to vote, please recognize that by moving this item forward with no further actions and no stipulations and no changes, for the Shacks Building, you're consenting in agreeing to wage theft and tax fraud on taxpayer-funded projects. Thank you.

Thank you.

My name is Colin Novick. I'm with the Greater Worcester Land Trust, a resident of the city of Worcester. I'm here to speak about 10-4E. This ends up being a ConCom cleanup. It's a bureaucratic thing. There are three major parcels. that are being transferred to the Conservation Commission, the first of which is God's Acre. Right now, there is no managing or holding entity, no one for us to call, no one to partner with, no one to coordinate with if we need to do a cleanup. if we need to do volunteer activities, we need to work on trails, putting it with the CONCOM would solve this problem. The second is Crow Hill. Crow Hill was preserved because of the Conservation Commission, through the Conservation Commission, and has been listed as a Conservation Commission property in all of our open space and recreation plans. It turns out that we can't find the vote, so we're fixing finding the vote. We've always treated it as concom. We just need the paperwork to show it. Then we have Patches Reservoir, preserved in 1968, Worcester's very first conservation acquisition. It was done long before the Land and Water Conservation Fund using HUD money.

This was a neighborhood youth-led effort with wonderful pictures of children sitting on a dam trying to protect their neighborhood open space. This is something which has been treated as CONCOM for forever, but we don't have the paperwork and we need it to actually be officially, technically held by the CONCOM. If you look in the open space plane, it says CONCOM, we just need to fix the paperwork. The last two are two strategic moves. Belmont Street, a leftover piece from the Belmont home. It's part of the Greenhill Park corridor. It's a public access point on Belmont Street. It is not terribly developable and it is also in an environmental justice area. This makes good sense. Thank you, administration. The last one is Shurer Trail, a vibrant wetland. People are not going to be building the wetland. However, it is contiguous to the Greater Worcester Land Trust and to the Conservation Commission. It is a wonderful habitat. It's tax title land. This would make a lot of sense. Thank you, administration. 10-4E is a wonderful project. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Steve Hart, District 1. I'm here to speak on 12S. which reads, request the City Manager, request Commissioner of Inspectional Services and Chief Development Officer consider freezing the implementation and regulatory enforcement of the Specialized Stretch Energy Code for a period of no less than 12 months. On the Worcester website, it reads, on September 26, 2023, the Worcester City Council voted to adopt a specialized stretch code to go into effect on July 1, 2024. This opt-in code will help our city meet our commitments of becoming the greenest mid-sized city in the country and becoming a net zero city by 2045 per the Green Worcester Plan. I'm confused. I'm very confused.

I heard a previous speaker mention how burdened the code department is. This council has no problem putting additional funds into other departments. Why don't we just beef up that department to handle this? I really don't understand where this consideration comes from. I'm assuming it comes from the development and Chamber of Commerce element that's beholden or some of these city councilors to beholden to. I don't hear any architects here tonight or builders complaining about their problems. And keep in mind, if this were to go through in the right timing, it would make Mankiti's group a more profitable project.

They will probably save a fair amount of money by eliminating the Specialized Stretch Energy Code. I request serious consideration of this matter.

Thank you.

Good evening. Darnell Dunn with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. I'm here to speak on item 12S. Several people have spoken about it. I just wanted to share some statements from two developers who've been very active in the market. in Restrepo Properties, and Tremont Management. Here's what they said. In general, the biggest issue is the additional layer regulations increases construction cost, introduces more design and compliance complexity, and makes an already challenging project harder to finance. For most, if not all, local and or emerging developers, especially those working on smaller or mid-sized housing projects, even modest cost increases cause the difference between moving a project forward or scrapping it altogether. If you look at the permits and property projects that are permitted currently in Worcester, there's over 3,000 projects permitted that haven't been started yet.

A big factor is the added cost and compliance of fulfilling the specialized stretch energy code. So something that we consider bringing to committee and discussing in more detail. hearing from people who are in the market who have these projects permitted and really getting a good understanding and a handle of why these projects aren't happening currently and what we can do to activate more housing creation in the city of Worcester.

Thank you. Okay, we got a couple, two people online.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'll get one more. Before we go online, we get Fred. Really quickly. Does your name say residence?

Fred Taylor, Worcester resident. A couple of my colleagues in the competence union have spoken about the TIF, so I'm not gonna speak about that. I would do want to speak about I think it's Order 12A. So many of you know that I'm a representative of the Juneteenth Black Heritage Festival Committee. And there was a lot of controversy a couple years ago because We were told that we can't have the flag flying for more than 24 hours. I see an order here with the same request and I really hope that you're not gonna go against the rules that you told me that were in place regarding the flag. That's all I wanted to say.

Thank you. Mr. Clerk. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The first speaker is Evelyn. I'm going to try to meet the resident now. Please state your name and study of residence.

Oh, hello, Evelyn Hurwitz. I'm a resident of District 1, and I'm speaking in support of item 10.4C. I just want to express my support to the City Council and the City's Executive Office of Economic Development to do a close examination of zoning ordinances regarding preserving our urban Tree Canopy, particularly restricting clear cutting of trees for development projects. Clark University's Geography Department did a study after the ALV infestation that found that we lost more tree canopy due to development projects than to the Asian longhorned beetle. the new urban forestry master plan includes an action step to closely review how we manage development relative to preserving and protecting our tree canopy and as I'm sure you all know Trees help to clear the air pollution.

They help to manage storm water and flooding, cool heat islands, and many more benefits to the city. I appreciate the EOED's thoughtful approach and look forward to thoughtful discussions in the appropriate council subcommittee. I also want to mention for item 12S that to speak against pausing the specialized stretch energy building code which was discussed in great detail in previous meetings and the council fully supported. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. The next speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The next speaker is Paul. I'm going to try to meet the resident now.

Good evening. My name is Paul Poppinshaw. I live on Midland Street, and I'm a resident of Worcester, and I want to speak on item 10C. Tree Canopy Protection. Worcester is designated as a tree city. Avalanche has very succinctly summarized some of the benefits of trees. What we know is that some neighborhoods in Worcester lack trees. that create these benefits and the Department of Public Works is developing a plan to ensure that these underserved neighborhoods are achieved the benefits of street trees.

Also, the urban forest tree commission is working on proposed changes to permitting requirements that will help preserve significant trees in the city. I would also like to comment on 12S, the request for delay of 12 months of implementation of the specialized energy stretch code. A lot of the Objections presented tonight to this measure have to do with the cost of doing a project properly. The code adoption had strong citizen support as part of the Green Worcester aspirations to meet our mission reduction. Commitments we need to have all new construction be highly efficient. You have 10 seconds.

in order to ensure that we meet our emission codes, I do not support delay of this implementation.

Thank you. The next speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The next speaker is Gemma. Please state your name and city residents.

Gemma Kamara, City of Residence is Worcester, 7 Porter Street. So I am a firm supporter of development in Worcester. We do need housing, and we need it now. But we cannot continue to hand out tax breaks to developers who engage in tax fraud or wage theft. Worcester residents aren't going to pack up and run. So I echo that. from what I heard earlier today. We are staying and fighting for a city where workers' rights are taken seriously. This is exactly why the city was the responsible development ordinance. As we consider tax reliefs or a census, I urge the City Council to ensure we are supporting partners who follow the law, treat workers fairly, and actually contribute to the tax base. Responsible developers have nothing to fear. In fact, This protects them from being underbidden by bad actors. Taxpayers funders incentives must reflect Worcester's values and benefit the people who live and work here.

and I would also like to echo my support for item 13b regarding the FIFA, the World Cup and the designation here in Worcester. I want to echo the Worcester Cultural Division who they're doing some great work in terms of not only just putting a spotlight on one country, but there's going to be a series of watch parties happening here in the city of Worcester. City Council. So you'll be a little bit more broader in those terms of those countries that are going to be having work up here in Boston and MOAD. the Massachusetts Organization of African Descendants. We are willing to be working with the Worcester Cultural Division to partake and engage and to host some of those watch parties here for the Haitian community, Ghanaian community and other communities here in the city of Worcester. So I just want to echo all of these great things happening in Worcester and also through my support towards this responsible development ordinance. So thank you.

Thank you.

So my last speaker is Eric Stratton, trying to meet the resident now.

Good evening, Eric Stratton, City of Worcester. Regarding 12A for the new police station, no, just, you know, hard no on this guy. I mean, we're staring down, what, a $30 million fine to the city of Holden? And I'm assuming the city has not squirreled funds away to help cover that cost in case they had lost this case despite kicking this case you know kicking the can down the road for years that to me seems very financially irresponsible you know especially given the fact that we pay millions in lawsuits related to poor behavior from the police and we still have yet resolved the issue of the Department of Justice report. This one should be a hard no. You know, read the room, guys. We need to be acting responsibly. which leads me to my next two points regarding 19A, the TIF. Again, no, you've heard from a number of residents, you've heard from Carpenters, we need to work with responsible partners.

And frankly, it seems like the city does not have a very good Track record when it comes to TIFFs, failing to have clawbacks related to the ballpark where we had promises from developers that never came to fruition. In this case, we're dealing with issues of Wage theft and tax fraud. Again, the city should send a strong message. If you do this, we aren't going to work with you. It's that easy. Or if they don't want to develop, that's fine. Let someone else develop it. Regarding 12S, the stretch code, as you've heard from others, we absolutely should stick with this. You all acting as our elected officials and representing your constituents who had strong support for the stretch code, are now looking about walking it back? Forget it. You know, what's the point then if you all are going to pass ordinances or requirements and then immediately walk them back? You have 10 seconds. Please, stick to your guns on this. Show some spine. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, I see nobody else. We'll close that part of the meeting.

We will go to... Mr. Chairman, may we please take 19A out of order? Let's do the petitions first, I'll come back to that. Okay, thank you.

Okay. So we have hearings and audits. The motion is to open the hearing regarding National Grid Condo Location on Windsor Street and North Hampton Street. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Anybody against this item? see nobody opposed. Motion to close the hearing and to adopt. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Okay, we'll come back to the first item of business. Petitions 9A to 9B refer to the Planning Board. All those in favor?

Mr. Chairman, I just want to- Counselor? Yes, I just want to amend 9B.

F. Okay, we're not, we're gonna get there in a second. Okay. Okay. Let's just do 9A to 9B, and we'll refer to the planning board. All those in favor? Opposed? So, audit. 9C to 9F? Rivera.

Yes, thank you. First, I want to amend 9F to say Request sidewalk installation on Clover Street between Herd Street and Pineview Ave. Not resurfering, please. I also, while we're at it, want to file 12R.

12R.

And also on 9C, I would like to take that into, have the councilors put, take into consideration.

Okay. Thank you. So 12R, what did you want to do on 12R, rescind it?

12R, I'm going to file.

You're going to file that? Yeah.

I'm going to work with the petition here in 9F.

So 12 hours motions to file. So 9C to 9F, we have an amendment from resurfacing to installation of. Thank you. and then on 9th C, I didn't hear what was that, what's that one you wanted to do?

Oh, and reconsideration.

Oh, after we pass it?

Yeah.

Okay. Okay, so the motion is nine C to nine F, nine F as amended, and filed 12R. All those in favor? Opposed? So ordered. And 12E, since we just passed it, is the motion is to What was it?

12R, file.

File, and 12, 9C was? 9C was reconsideration.

Reconsideration, so the motion is to reconsider. Mr. Chairman, this point of order, that's reconsidering sending it to committee?

Yes.

Oh, no, I misunderstood that.

OK, what is it?

So Mr. Chairman, if I can provide some clarity. There's a Public Works Committee meeting next week. We want to do the agenda possibly tomorrow. So we're asking the council to take a vote to send it to committee and just ask for reconsideration on that vote. So we can bypass that rule of 48 hours before we send it to committee.

Okay, so basically we already voted, now just asking for a regular reconsideration.

So nobody can. So you don't have to wait until 48 hours. Correct, proceed. Thank you.

Okay, who's in favor for the reconsideration? Bergeman.

This is a motion for reconsideration. A nine C. No. Councilor Bilotta.

No.

Councilor Economou. Councilor Yes. No. Procedures, no. No, no, I apologize. Councilor King. No. Councilor Mitra.

No.

Councilor Ojeda.

Just, sorry, quick question. So, we did A and B, but did we vote on C? Yes.

Okay, sorry.

I didn't hear you. Okay. So, no.

No. Rivera? No. Councilor Rosen? No. Councilor Toomey? No. And Mayor Petty?

No. 9G to 9T, refer to traffic and parking. all those in favor of postal audit, we have a request that we go to 19A. Salon de Privilege, employee of the Committee of Economic Development, Department of Communications, City Manager, recommend approval of the housing development certified project application, tax exemption agreement for 401, 409, Main Street, recommend adoption of the company. Resolution, Councilman Bergman. You wanna speak on this?

I'm happy to speak on it, Mr. Chairman. So as everybody here knows, This has been before the body several times. I went out to committee, came back, and there was various opportunities that required it, various scenarios that required it to be held. We had, I think, a healthy, good debate at the subcommittee level. Representative McKitty was there. Certainly a number of representatives of the Carpenters Union were there. Members of the public were there. And at the end of the day, a lot of this, for me at least, comes back to something I said at the very beginning, which is that the responsible development ordinance is important. It should be supported. But it also should have language that's clear, not gray. and I hear language tonight from some of the people testifying using terms of criminal contractors, wage theft, tax fraud.

If any of those were proven at the subcommittee level, I'd be the first one here to say that I wouldn't vote to support the TIF or the TIE, but they weren't. And the allegations are just that. and unless and until they're proven, the fact that somebody paid a fine doesn't necessarily mean it's a recognition of guilt. people pay fines and penalties all the time. And our ordinance needs to be tightened so that there is language that reflects the fact that when you accept some level of responsibility, the punishment or the fine or the penalty can be what some people here are suggesting which is cutting off the tie or the TIF. But the language doesn't say that. and there's a chairman's order that came out of that committee asking that the language be tightened. Furthermore, I would say that to me at least, that language has to be pretty clear, especially when you're talking about not McKee's own

I understand the responsible development ordinance has within it what we would call in the legal profession some sort of a curious liability that you're responsible for the people under you. But for me, there's a world of difference between saying McKinney did something versus saying a subcontractor did something before McKinney. hired them. Therefore, McKitty should be denied the TIF and the TAG. Let me also just mention the practical consequences of what some people are asking, which I won't support. and I'll support going ahead with the funding. And that is that this isn't a half empty, half full glass scenario conversation where some could argue, Well, we're giving away a lot, but we're getting something versus if we don't do business with McKinney, we'll get the whole glass full. The numbers don't work here. And Mr. Dunn can address that. But for those who think we give out tips and ties like candy, we don't. Very few people that ask get them.

And the reason why they get them is because it's not practical. in most circumstances for them to get funding. So the project will just sit there. And the fact that it will just sit there means the city of Worcester's tax base will not have millions of dollars that will come in even with the TIF of the tax. So I would dispute that we can have somebody else just roll in and take over the development without giving them any assistance. The cost of development in Worcester is pretty much the same as the cost of development in Boston. But the return on the investment is different in Worcester than it is in Boston. Any developer will tell you that. The numbers are much harder in Worcester. I'm not proposing we give tips and ties to everybody that comes along. I'm confident we don't and we won't because Mr. Dunn is a great caretaker of making sure that those don't get handed out routinely. I understand some of the passion. I understand some of the arguments.

But let me just say one other thing, which I think gets overlooked at these somewhat heated meetings. and that is yes, the Carpenters Union is opposed to them. I understand that, we all understand that. They're not the only union in the city. There are multiple unions in the city who have never come before the microphones to say that they have an issue with us. So when I make a decision to vote on this, I don't vote just for one union. I vote for what I believe the majority of the best interest of all the unions. There will be jobs that will come out of this. They may not all be Worcester-based jobs, but hopefully majority of them are. and there'll be work that comes out of this. And if we had language that was clear, I would support cutting off McKinney. But from what McKitty did based on the language of our ordinance does not, in my opinion, justify anything further than what's already happened, which is they've paid a fine. What it does do is motivate me, and I know my colleagues on the subcommittee,

and others, I'm sure here, is to try to create language that prevents in the future ducking behind the so-called gray. But you can't punish somebody for language that's unclear. And I've read the ordinance. We've heard the testimony. I've heard the allegations. I haven't seen one affidavit, and I'm not saying they don't exist, but I haven't seen it. One affidavit that says they're committing tax fraud. I haven't seen it. Where is it? We've had weeks of delays, item being held. It's not here. There used to be a commercial, Mr. Chairman, when I was younger. Where's the beef? If I saw the beef, I would take a different vote on this. But these are allegations. and maybe it's my legal background, maybe it's my sense of fairness, but I'm not voting against somebody unless it's proven to me they've done something that I can be satisfied violates the law. And in this particular case, that hasn't been proven.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mitra.

Thank you Mr. Chair. I think I would just like to say that about the Mankiti group, we had in our committee a very good, very healthy discussion. Many residents came and They talked to us about Menkiri Group. We had a good conversation with the president of the Menkiri Group. We also informed her that we would like them to work with the Carpenters Union so we can really come together. and they were all in compliance and they agreed to do the things that needs to be done. I think Mankiri Group has a good reputation. We have seen them doing a lot of good work in our city. and many underutilized properties into developed properties and given the economic development for the city. But we did hear from many residents about the RDO that not being mentioned and hold them to that.

With that, I thought that it would be nice if I can have the council to vote for this resolution to go with it. And I'll read that, what it reads is, that the City Council of City of Worcester does hereby reaffirm its commitment to upholding subsection of Section 35A of Chapter 2 of the revised Ordinance of 2008 relative to the general requirements and assurance associated with tax increment exemption agreements that granted by the City of Worcester, including any agreement to the Menkiri Group for 401 to 409 Main Street, by declaring its intent to rescind any such agreement found out of compliance with the rules and regulations set forth said responsible development ordinance. So I would like the council to really honor this resolution.

And I think with that resolution, with that contingency, I would like to vote for that.

Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Toomey.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the things that is incredibly important is that we have to distinguish that we're talking about two completely different jobs. This particular one that we're voting on tonight is a huge change in the original job that was being performed there. to transfer a building to make it turn a business commercial building into residential truly requires a great deal of tightening of the belt and making sure that you can actually afford to do this. There are not very many companies out there, as was mentioned tonight, that could deal with the massive increases in steel and all that other stuff. So we have a major project up on and the old Fallon Health Building.

That's a project that they also have have support tie to have. So I want to ask through you, Mr. Chair, to Mr. Dunn if he could come up and talk about the steps that need to be taken in order for us to be able to go back I think this process correct that it has to go to the if there are complaints they have to be heard by the Attorney General Through you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair to the Councilor. So as part of the Responsible Development Ordinance, staff in my office do the monitoring and enforcement of that local ordinance here. So we receive a substantial amount of documentation from these projects, both in the pre-construction phase on the contractors that they're seeking to utilize on the project, making sure that those contractors are in good standing by researching the databases that we have access to, like the Attorney General's enforcement database, the debarment lists, in the case of this one as an aside, I know we've talked about it before, but this particular subcontractor where there has been issues did not have those violations at the time of Mankiti Group and their general contractor bringing that. and Subcontractor onto that job. And then throughout the construction, we're receiving certified payroll forms from each of the contractors that participate. We're reviewing that both in terms of the tabulation of some of our goals.

So as the council knows, we have goals for workforce hours for Worcester residents, workforce hours for people of color, workforce hours for women, MWBE goals. So when we look at the ownership of those subcontractors, do any of those companies, do they have ownerships that are either women or minority owned companies and have goals around that? and then we're also getting daily logs. So when workers arrive to the site, they sign into the site. That's usually pretty standard practice for companies anyways to ensure workplace safety. So then we review all of that information. And when there's inconsistencies or if there's gaps in information, we go back to them and say, this doesn't seem right or there's a missing link here. and ask them to either clarify that or resubmit or then identify the issue. And if there's a persistent issue, we would consider some of the remedies that are called for in the ordinance. But as it relates to if we are getting information, that is inaccurate, right?

So like these are submitted to us, attested to by the appropriate representatives of those companies. If that information is and others, perceived to be inaccurate or alleged to be inaccurate, then we would have to share that information with the appropriate enforcement agencies. And I think that's what you're referencing, if there's allegations that there are people being paid under the table, but we have records of them being on payroll, if there's other allegations of misclassification of those employees, we need to involve the appropriate enforcement agency at the state level, which is the Attorney General. if one of those situations comes to a resolution and there is in fact determination by the Attorney General that that situation was in violation of law then we would take appropriate action under our local ordinance, but it wouldn't be our office's role to conduct those investigations of false information or fraudulent information that's being provided to us.

So I think that we're doing due diligence. And I think it's important that if there is information that other and other entities have that it be shared. I think I've mentioned that at the subcommittee meeting, that there needs to be better communication. and I think it's very important that based on what you've just said, I think we've been very thorough in what we're doing with what we're being given. and that's what we need to do. And so the next step is with the Attorney General. The other aspect of this is that we need, people keep talking about we're giving all this tax money away. Actually, you're not giving away tax money. You're giving a break, but there's no actual dollar given to the company. That's the important thing that I think people don't understand.

You're basically saying, OK, for the next 10 years, you can pay $10,000. you know, taxes, and then after 10 years, it'll be worth, I don't know, 20,000, whatever. That's how it works. So the full value comes up after 10 years. and that's what we're doing if we don't work with these companies through you Mr. Chair then it's my understanding that there's not a they're not banging the door down, right? There are certain companies that have the ability to be able to work in conjunction with the city and the town to enhance the building opportunities that are here. If we don't have Mankiti Group, If we don't award this through you, Mr.

Chair, I know you don't have a crystal ball, but what is the likelihood that it will sit and not be a finished product through you, Mr. Chair?

Through the Chair to the Councilor, as you noted, I wouldn't want to speculate on what may or may not occur if this doesn't move forward, but I think in looking at the status of the building as we've seen over the last you know six plus no even probably closer to ten years eight to ten years that they've owned it they would have already undertake this investment if they were able to secure the financing if the numbers made sense if the project was viable So I think we're seeing that in the fact that the project has been stalled for that amount of time as they've been working on the financing, securing different resources, like there are historic tax credits involved in this as well. that take a substantial amount of time to assemble. And so if it was viable and not necessary to provide this level of assistance, then I think we would have already seen that project under construction at this point.

Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that. I just want to make it very clear. I come from a union family. My father was a glazer, worked for Pittsburgh Glass for a long time. So I understand how important it is. that are and I knew what a scab was when I was four years old when my father was on strike. It's very important that we help to ensure that there is no wage theft and that there is no tax fraud. Those things are very important, especially for people working with their hands. So as a city, we need to continue to do our due diligence and we'll work with the regulations and the form within the format that we have. And I think I have no problem signing on to Council Mitra's Resolution but I do think that this needs to be voted and I think it's again I want to remind people that this is a very different project

and it needs to have these assisted financial tools to be able to get this project done. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor Zoll.

Through you, Mr. Chairman, one quick question to the administration. Just curious, who is responsible for recording the weekly log of those working on the job site?

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair to the Councilor, there's a daily log at the job site that the general contractor would be responsible for. It's their responsibility to keep the job site safe. In terms of the weekly information we get, that's the certified payroll forms are done on a weekly basis.

Through you, Mr. Chairman, and who collects those facts, whoever's working on the job site? Is it the Attorney General's office? Is it the City of Worcester? Who's collecting them?

through the Chair to the Councilor, the way this works is that there is often a general contractor, the lead contractor that is hired by the developer, and then there are a series of subcontractors across different trades and those subcontractors provide their certified payroll forms to the general contractor who aggregates that and provides it to the city of Worcester. They're providing that because it is required and called for in our responsible development ordinance. If there was just a private job, in the City of Worcester that wasn't receiving that form of assistance, we wouldn't be getting that type of information. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair. Councilor Bilotta.

What's that?

Councilor Mitra. Anybody wants to go first, that's all. Councilor Mitra for a second time?

Mr. Chair, thank you. I just wanted to bring up that it's important that we get this project moving. We have Mankiri Group. I know we have heard Many residents came and talked about the RDO. We have this resolution. I just want to make a small correction to this that by declaring its intent to rescind any such agreement found out out of future compliance, with the rules and regulations set forth in said responsible development ordinance. I also wanted to inform everyone as Mr. Dunn said that if we don't have this project going, then our revenue is very small, tax revenue. If it is improved, done, completed, I know that the tax increment, the exemption that the Mankiti Group or any developer in this case Mankiti Group will get is about in 10 years about close to $600,000 if I'm not wrong.

But the benefit that the city is getting because of the improved value of this project is about 1.2 million, if I'm not wrong, that the city will be getting in taxes. So if we don't do it, we get $200,000. So if we hold it, and not get it done, we're losing money. And any developer, as Councilor Bergman mentioned, that The cost of doing the business here in Worcester and Boston is the same, but the revenue is so low that for any developer to do it without this exemption given to them would be a losing proposition. So nobody will do it. So I think it is important that we think hard and we heard the residents and are holding them responsible to follow our RDO. and hopefully it'll all be taken care of because we're going to be watching them that they follow our ordinance. So thank you, that's all I wanted to say.

Could you just read your correction, your amendment?

Yeah, correction is only that out of future compliance instead of just compliance. Okay. Thank you.

Okay. Is the end of the word future for compliance? Was that? Okay, we're adding the word future to these so we're clear. We're adding the word future where it says compliance at the end? Okay, okay, okay. Anybody else?

Yeah, Mr. Chairman, I still have a lot of concerns about this project. I haven't felt that they've really been properly addressed by Mankiti and their representatives. And we talk about the urgency to develop things. in fairness, Venkates has been sitting on this property for close to a decade. And that's absolutely their right to do so. But when the urgency gets thrown around, doesn't quite square with me. And again, you know, this tax break is a tax break. Worcester is not giving them tax dollars, but by giving them a tax break, they are eligible for HDB credits. And that is Massachusetts taxpayer money going to developments that a lot of Massachusetts residents can't afford. and that's why we're seeing there was an article recently a lot of residents are moving out of the city our workforce is moving out of the state that was reference that I know

that the credo is we need to build. We need to build. I absolutely agree with that. And I think there are certain developments that need tax breaks to work. And I think it's important that we as a city do that. but I think we also need to make sure that where local workers are on the job, because that contributes to local economy, that contributes to families being able to buy homes locally. I still don't feel comfortable voting on this. And I will be voting no. And a vote no on this particular project is not a vote against development in general. And I think, as a council, we are the stewards of taxpayer money. And there's too many questions around this for me, and I don't feel comfortable with it. And I think we need to be firmer

we say we need to be firmer this is how we be firmer and I implore other councils to join me in that with saying all right enough Mankiti guaranteed they're not going to walk away they've invested a lot and um and I think that's why we have an opportunity to say Let's do better, Mankiti. You're already invested a lot. We know you are, but we can't just... ignore flags. So for me, that's where I'm coming from with this. And again, we talk about affordable housing too. you know 60% AMI the AMI for Worcester is based off of Worcester but also it's based off of Holden and you know, Milbury and other communities. So the ceiling is a little inflated when we talk about that. Whereas, you know, the area median income for AMI for Worcester is, you know, around 100K. but the AMI for Worcester alone is closer to around high 60s.

So, and we need, We need affordable housing of all kinds. We need market rate. We need luxury. Any real city that has this mix of housing. And that's what Worcester, I think, has always had. But we can't just... not hold developers accountable and so that's where I stand on that and thank you.

Thank you. Anybody else? Council Rosen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think we've heard for many months now from the administration, from many people that we need about 12,000 units maybe during the next eight to 10 years. So I assume if we need 12,000, these 48, make some contribution, not huge, but certainly 48 is a good number. There's two things we're looking at tonight. I'm totally in favor of the project. I do want to see the old Shacks building 401 to 409 Main Street developed. I want to see the 43 market rate units. I want to see the five affordable units. As I said,

you know tiny dent in our 12,000 but you gotta start somewhere and keep adding and we get a lot of development in apartments going on and we've seen that in the upcoming report from the from Peter Dunn and Economic Development, some great stuff going on in Worcester. And we're all proud of that. And I think we all want this project. But that's not what's on the agenda tonight. It's not, do you want Mankini to build 48 more units? Yes. but that's not what the vote is tonight. The vote is do we think, are we sure, maybe do we even care if the Mentiti group has followed on other projects, especially down the old Olympic building, the Garden Fresh building if you want. have they followed the responsible development ordinance? That's what we're talking about tonight, not whether we want this developed. We all want it developed. 11 zip. Well, 10, there's only 10 people here. Yeah, if that were the vote, but it's not.

It's not that easy. It's not that simple. It's a vote that takes a little courage. You have to look at what's going on in the past. Does Menkeity have the right to choose contractor who will choose subcontractors that violate our responsible development ordinance. Now, the Responsible Development Ordinance and that, the buck stops with the developer, with the Mankiti Group. That's what it is. That's what we have. It doesn't say, barb a drywall, we're gonna fine you $5,000. It doesn't say, Martinez Drywall, we're gonna fine you $5,000 either. It says Mankiti Group, we're gonna fine you a drop in the bucket. $5,000. The owners of the Manchini Group are multi-millionaires. They're multi-millionaires.

And the tax the people who pay taxes in Worcester, the residents of Worcester, most of them who pay taxes, they're not multimillionaires. They have trouble paying their rent. trouble paying their mortgage, trouble paying their health insurance, trouble paying for food, trouble paying, we know we can list 10 other things. 10 other expenses at least, their utilities. They have all that trouble. They're not multimillionaires. I don't know what it's like to be a multimillionaire. Probably no one in this council does. More power to them. I'm not jealous of them. I say great. They must be great business folks if they're multi-millionaires. But should, should the residents of the city of Worcester who aren't multimillionaires, is it really necessary that they help finance multimillionaires? I'm not so sure. and I listened to a couple of my colleagues and it was almost like I heard years ago.

Years ago I heard, and it was probably true, 10, 15, maybe 20 years ago, Worcester is desperate for development. We were so desperate. Remember the project that was on the council then? when a man from Boston bought the Worcester Common Outlets and promised us all these things. I don't know what happened to him. We know what happened to that Worcester Common Outlets. We were probably desperate in those days. were not desperate any longer. Mr. Dunn says many people come to Worcester with proposed projects and they get turned down for TIFs and like this tax increment exemption ties, they get turned down. Why are they so different than Mankiti? We can't turn Mankiti down. Oh my goodness, we can't turn Mankiti down. But we can turn all the others down. I just want to remind my colleagues, we are not desperate. We are not desperate.

And I don't think Mankiti is going to own that property for another 10 years and say, we'll teach them, we'll sit on it and just pay the taxes and we won't do anything with it. I'm not so sure. I didn't hear Mr. Dunn say tonight in previous meetings that the project wouldn't be done definitely. I don't think he knows for sure. I think it might be done anyway. even if we don't grant this tax exemption. the Responsible Development Ordinance. Some of us on the council, well most of us didn't do it, but some of the council voted for it. We all support it, we all support it.

You're in your second five.

Okay, we all support it. I not only support it, I want to enforce it. There's a huge difference between supporting it and telling people during a campaign you support it, signing a pledge you support it, and then really showing your true colors and saying, yeah, I support it, but no, let's not enforce it. We're desperate, okay? We can't enforce it. We don't have to enforce it. I'm saying we should enforce it. What's wrong with doing that? So if you're not going to enforce it tonight, we shouldn't have it. We shouldn't have an RDO. I want it. I want to enforce it. It was great. Some of you, give your credit. You changed your mind tonight, but you used to be in favor of enforcing it. You saw the need for it.

The administration told us there was a big need. I see one of my colleagues doing this. doing that, I don't know what that's about, but you don't have to do that, okay? I listened to you and I didn't bob my head. You don't have to do that to your colleagues just because we disagree. We disagree. I see a company here owned by multimillionaires who want the residents of Worcester with all their financial problems, we know their financial problems, want tax relief from our residents. It's too bad. Too bad. I won't support it. I won't vote for it at all. And I'm tired of hearing. I mentioned tired of hearing that we're desperate. We're not. I'm tired of hearing that the Worcester Chamber of Commerce supports this and really twists our arm and wants the project. Well good, that's good, they have every right to do that.

that doesn't make me supportive because the Worcester Chamber of Commerce wants it. I'm gonna look at the RDO and see if I think this company and their contractors and subcontractors will keep this RDO. I don't think so, I don't think so. and I've got an order or a resolution just like Dr. Mitra. Just coincidence, I guess, because I didn't consult with Dr. Mitra. I'm gonna read mine, maybe we can vote on both of them. They're similar, but they're not exactly the same. $5,000 fine to Mankiti Group. $5,000. My goodness. That's peanuts. That's peanuts. Should have been $50,000 then. There's an RDO, $5,000, that's no punishment, no punishment at all. If we vote down this tax, increment exemption for Mankiti tonight.

Just think of the good message that sends to future developers. The Worcester City Council supports its own ordinance. It enforces its own ordinance. and you're gonna have to comply with it 100%, 100% in future projects. Not that the Worcester City Council are pushovers, that Mankiti was fined, which means Mankiti had to admit they did something wrong. And you might say, oh, I heard a councilor say, it wasn't Mankiti. it was Barber Drywall, it was Martinez Dryway. It was a subcontractors. That's not what the, we didn't find those people even though they were the ones who were guilty. We didn't find them, okay? Here's the resolution order. I don't know, Nico, if you can maybe give me the right word, but here's what I came up with, similar to Dr. Mitra's, but a little different, I'd say. You've got about one minute left.

in the development agreement between the city and the Mankini Group for a tax increment exemption, TIE, for their housing project at 401 to 409 Main Street, request the city council vote tonight to require that a clawback provision be added stating that any infraction of the city's responsible development ordinance by the developer, the contractor, or subcontractors will automatically result in a clawback of taxes already forgiven and an elimination of future tax benefits on the aforementioned project. If you don't support that, you're saying, yeah, we have a responsible development ordinance, but it's not, it has no teeth. It's not meaningful, okay? We don't have to enforce it. We just have to say we support it. and I can't do that. My last, I know my last few seconds, Mr. Mayor. Where is my, John F. Kennedy. Quote from John F. Kennedy, who I remember well.

Some of you, you know, it's history. For me, John F. Kennedy was current events.

OK, can you wrap it up, please?

Yes, I am. Here's what John F. Kennedy said. There is something immoral about abandoning your own judgment. Tonight, I will not abandon my own judgment. I vote against this tax increment exemption for Mankiti.

Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Seeing Councilor Bergman for a second time.

I won't use my full five minutes, Mr. Chairman. I just want to say that I guess I've seen a lot on this body over the years and usually the default position when one side doesn't have facts to disagree with the other is to try to pit one group against another. And unfortunately, this whole notion that I'm not a millionaire. I'm not a millionaire. Probably nobody here is a millionaire. But the truth is. the taxpayers of the city of Worcester will lose out in over a million dollars if this property is not developed by the Makita Group or someone else. And what I'm hearing from Mr. Dunn, I'm not putting words in his mouth, is that it's been sitting there a long time. inspire me confidence. What I heard from my colleague, Councilor Rosen, is he thinks it's going to get developed by somebody else. Well, I'm going to put my money with the professionals who have a good analysis of whether or not the property will likely be developed or not and how it can get developed without

are helping through this financing. And I'm going to stick with my original vote. But one of the reasons why I want to stand is there's all this discussion about True Courage and Changing One's Colors or Seeing Their True Colors. It's very easy to sit in this room knowing who the audience is and what position they take on a particular item and placate to that. I'm going to do the opposite. I'm going to go with not necessarily people in this room, but the 200,000 plus other people. And I've said this before. who live in this city, one third of which who own real estate and will lose out in an additional million dollars to offset their real estate tax bill if this property remains undeveloped. So through the chair, I just have one or two really brief questions to Mr. Dunn. Through the Chair, Mr. Dunn, how many requests do you get a year for similar type of tax relief from projects in the City of Worcester, from any developer?

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair to the Councilor, I really don't have those figures in front of me. I would say it could range on any given year between five and 12.

Okay, and how many are usually chosen for you to advocate for?

I'd say we probably are averaging one to two a year.

So fair to say the vast majority you don't advocate for. Is that fair? Yes. And what would be the criteria that you would advocate for a particular entity like Makiti tonight in asking that we support this.

through the chair of the council. We do have some established goals as we look at that. And it's actually called out right in the, responsible development ordinance. So our goals with either commercial TIFs or residential ties is to see an expansion of the city's tax base, to see an elimination of blight or to redevelop an underutilized property. to create permanent full-time livable wage jobs for Worcester residents, to create new housing opportunities for Worcester residents, enhancing the diversification of the city's housing stock and economic activities, improving the livability and stabilization in the city's neighborhoods and commercial districts, encouraging sustainable and resilient building design, directly and indirectly spurring additional unsubsidized private development in Worcester and then benefiting the long-term economic development goals of the City of Worcester. So to boil that down into some of what we look for is a proposed project in

all of the review that we do in terms of the projects financing and their pro forma. is it really necessary in order for it to move forward? I would probably say that that is the most common cause of us maybe not providing a recommendation to the city council is our review and potential other sources. Sometimes projects, depending on their characteristics, might be eligible for a certain number of tools in the toolbox, so to speak, at the local, state and federal level. So sometimes we're redirecting folks to other programs that could assist. So those are some of the things that we look at.

So through the chair, my last question. You advocating for the McKinney tie tonight, I would assume means that you feel financially, after looking at their paperwork, it's necessary.

Correct. That's very clear.

Thank you.

No.

Anybody else? Mr. Chairman, I had One of my colleagues just kind of accused me of something. May I just respond?

Hang on, I have a show. Let's just finish everybody. Okay, yeah, I just want to respond to him. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nobody else?

Councilor Toomey for a second time.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I stand to remind people that those who watched or were at the meeting that we specifically asked the administration to come back with tighter and I think that they need time to be able to craft those. So we did ask for that at the meeting and I think that that's something that this body needs to understand that we weren't just saying We're going to just dismiss everything. We asked specifically for tighter control and tighter any new type of Thank you. Okay, nobody else?

So under the rules of the council, you'd like to speak on your reputation, I take it?

I'd like to respond to my colleague who made an accusation. I'm gonna be very brief.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When my colleague, Councilor Bergman, basically accuses me of playing to the crowd here, I've known my colleague and friend, Councilor Bergman for years. and I can't believe he would dare say that. But he did say it, but I know him. He doesn't think that. I don't need a crowd of people here to do what I think is right. I don't need that, I never have and I never will. I'm supporting the taxpayers and the city of Worcester because I think the project is good, but I think the tie, the tax increment exemption for them is bad business for the city of Worcester, bad business by this city council. But I do not need a crowd of people

Okay, to have the courage of my convictions. I don't need that, okay? And that's why I read that Kennedy quote that you have to sometimes go with your own judgment. I'm not gonna go with the Chamber of Commerce because they tell me what to do and I'm not gonna go with other groups because they tell me what to do. I'm gonna try to do what's right and that's what I'm doing tonight regardless of 20 people here or 200 people or no people here. They could all disappear now, walk out now, and I wouldn't change my mind to Councilor Bergman. Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Okay. Seeing nobody else, we have a motion to Councilor King.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

I just want to begin by saying you know I appreciate this public hearing. I appreciate the dialogue. I watched the two and a half hour subcommittee meeting. you know, over the last few days, Councilor Berger had a great meeting, Satra Mitra, Councilor at Large, and Kate Toomey had great comments, and Mr. Dunn did his thing. I'm extremely perplexed tonight that as this issue comes before our body, there's not a representation from Mankiti that spoke. and that represented their interests. So I just want to state that for the record. I will also say I don't think that Bo Mankini or his family are monsters. I do think that This is a vote of principle, and this is a vote for the people, Mr. Chairman.

I spent my entire life standing up for working folks. We've fought for this on this council for many years. and what I've been looking here for Mr. Chairman is assurances for the future. I've been looking for a corrective action plan, none of which is before us today. Nothing. I am convinced that that is perhaps in the works based on my conversation with Mankiti, but it's not here. It's not before us. Mr. Chairman, I want to address three comments that stood out to me tonight. One is, that we need language that's not gray. That if these allegations were proven, counselors would not support this. and stating that these are allegations, just that, until proven guilty.

In addition to that, we had a comment saying that it's unfair to hold court on the sidelines or in this council chamber when the body that enforces these citations has not done so. Mr. Chairman, there was another comment around if we find that there's payroll fraud or wage theft, we should not support this. So Mr. Chairman, I would like to, Enter into the record an email that I had sent out back on February 4th, and I'm going to speak to it. Mr. Chairman, I reached out to the Office of the Attorney General in early February.

As a result of that, Mr. Chairman, I had some questions because I sat here in other proceedings and heard the terms. Hey, these are just allegations that are under appeal. So I wanted to hear from the Attorney General's Office a little bit more. And I was responded to by a senior policy advisor and then a response from the Fair Labor Division. Mr. Chairman, my questions were covering a number of matters. Is there a finding of fact? How should we interpret a citation? Is it simply an allegation? What are the consequences regarding citations issued by the Fair Labor Division? And what is the current appeal status referenced to the matters that came before us?

Mr. Chairman, I'm going to read from that response. That response with regards to what does this all mean. It's indicated here that the citations issued, and I quote, represents this office, meaning the Attorney General's, final factual and legal determination regarding the prevailing wage violations uncovered. And for our attorneys here that are playing word games, I'm a bit disappointed. that we continue to talk about allegations. This is from the Attorney General, not from Khrystian King. Uncovered during the pendency of this matter.

As such, this office does not characterize the facts underpinning the citations as quote, allegations. Additionally, Mass DOR can place a lien on real and personal property of a delinquent party, including interests. It also indicates that in the matter pertaining to Barbara Drywall and Joseph Barber, while those have been appealed with the Division of Administrative Law Appeals quote, the appeal does not negate this office's explanation of enforcement sections. It does pause, as mentioned, the enforcement action. Mr. Chairman, there's a two-day hearing that will occur on April 7th and 9th of this year.

And at that time, the Division of Administrative Law and Appeals will issue a decision. These are not allegations. Any attorney worth its salt. No so. Let's not play with the people, Mr. Chairman. In addition to that, we know that these citations outline failure to purvey prevailing wage, failure to submit certified payroll, statement of compliance to an awarding authority, failure to furnish records, failure to make timely payments, failure to submit certified payroll records, et cetera. Mr. Chairman, we've also heard that there is additional concerns regarding potential fraudulent payroll records that apparently have not been responded to by the administration. So I bring that all up to say this, Mr. Chairman.

There's a lot of unanswered questions. There's a lot of unanswered questions. and to vote to move this forward at this time is a concern of mine. Through the chair to the administration, as relates to accessing HDIP funds that this tie, is required to achieve. My understanding is that there's a current phasing of that now, and there's a potential additional opportunity to perhaps present again at a later date, perhaps in the summer, perhaps in the fall. So, Mr. Chair, if you could explain to the public what that looks like for this round or potential round.

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair and the Councilor, that's correct. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities at the state level that administers this program and the state tax credit element of the program has an active round right now. While they're still making those decisions, they're reviewing the applications submitted that were due in January. they should be announcing those maybe by the end of March maybe early April aside from that there have been no subsequent rounds advertised but it would be reasonable to expect, as you noted, that there could be one in the summer or fall of 2026?

Thank you. And for the record, I noted that because that's what Mr. Dunn stated in the subcommittee meeting. I didn't make that up on my own. So that was the professional's judgment there. Mr. Chairman, to the Chair, as it relates to the subcontractors, Martinez or Barbara Drywall, what have you, are you aware of whether or not there's been any consequences levied by the developer, Mankiti Group, to those subcontractors through the chair.

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair to the Councilor, I guess I'm not sure how you would define consequences and if it would be my position to be commenting on a private contractual matter at this time.

Are you aware of any... So this is the question. I don't have before me, Mr. Chairman, Okay. I don't have before me, Mr. Chairman, anything indicating that those subcontractors are being held accountable by the developer. Why is that important? because Mankiti has done good work in this city. I expect him to continue to do good work. But if we have a subcontra that's being irresponsible, and the other subcontractors that they're working with are being irresponsible. What assurances do we have moving forward that's not going to happen? Particularly if there's no consequences however we're defining it, for the folks that are at the front line of this, Mr. Chairman. There's a lot of principled debate here, for sure. I cannot support

Moving this forward, I certainly would ask the Charity Administration what would prevent another request to the city in 90 days or what have you for a future round of consideration for H-TIP. Is there anything that will prevent that or to the solicitor or anyone else?

Through the Chair to the Councilor, I think if we had provided a recommendation to Council like what is before you and the Council decided to decline that recommendation, I don't see why we would put forth the same recommendation at a subsequent time.

So there's been a number of issues outlined as it relates to this. So I would certainly ask you to take that under full consideration. There's certain things that are not happening. We have April 7th, April 9th appeals. We have a finding. from the Attorney General's office. We don't have any idea what the corrective action plan is. There's no assurances moving forward. I'm not sure how we have a responsible vote in the affirmative without those things being answered, Mr. Chairman. Those are significant gaps. We are tasked with taking difficult votes. This is not easy. I've been a number one advocate for affordable housing and housing. We know that we need to increase the housing stock, Mr. Chairman. But we also have to send a message that when you steal from people, you're stealing from families. When you steal from families, you're stealing from the community, Mr. Chairman.

And I am not alleging that Mankiti is stealing anything. but they are the head of the pyramid. They're at the top of the pyramid. They are ultimately responsible, Mr. Chairman. And again, no assurances, no action plan, no representation presented to us tonight from anyone from that group. I will not be voting in the affirmative on this. Mr. Chairman, thank you.

Thank you. Toomey, did you just speak twice on that? You spoke once, twice. I don't want to. Third time. Motion to suspend the rules.

Motion to suspend the rules.

I'm fine with that. All those in favor? Opposed, so recorded.

Thank you.

No, we should do a roll call on that. I think we need a roll call.

Okay.

Brueggemann, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty.

Mr. Chairman, I'm just curious. My colleague received this information on February 10th and has had it. It's now March 10th. and he's just sharing it now and I'm wondering why we didn't have any other information, any of this presented to us before. I mean, that's almost a month. Our meeting was March 3rd at Economic Development. Should this not have been presented at that time?

Bergman.

To be honest, I mean, I understand where my colleague's coming from, but to me, whether it was presented March 10th, I'm sorry, February 10th when it was received or March 3rd when we had a committee meeting. It really doesn't matter. I can take insults of all my legal abilities. That's fine. I'm here speaking as a city councilor. Quoting, this office does not characterize the facts underpin the citations allegations. Any prosecuting office is going to say we're not making it up, but where are the facts that back up the allegations. Where are the facts that were proven? They don't exist on this document, which is what I've been saying since the first time I spoke on this issue months ago. that we keep saying there are allegations. Yes, the attorney general's office says we don't consider them allegations. OK, I expect that. With the district attorney's office, their charges, somebody say, oh, they're only allegations? They'd say, no, we intend to prove this. That's what this says. They intend to prove it. Of course they intend to prove it or they wouldn't have issued a citation.

But that doesn't change the question that I've had since day one. Where are the facts to prove this? If an agency says it's true and other people say it's true, that's fine. But I need more than somebody telling me it's true. I need proof. And this document, this two-page document, other than, reaffirming that the Attorney General's Office thinks it's true doesn't prove it. So I appreciate having it. I would appreciate having it a month ago, which would have been the courtesy I would have given a colleague. But having it now doesn't change a damn thing. there's no proof here. I wish there was, because I'd said from the very beginning, my position tonight would have been a lot different had I had proof. But allegation top allegation, you can pile as many sandwich levels of allegations you want, it isn't gonna make the sandwich any tastier to me.

Mayor Petty.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the committee for their report. I want to thank the discussion of the council. I think it's been pretty much respectful. and it's a good dialogue and some learning things we need to do here, but I want to thank the audience for coming out. I want to thank the carpenters for coming out and saying their piece here. I've supported the committees from the beginning on this and I still think they're making the right decision on this. But I do have a question. I do agree with Councilor Bergman in respect on the on, this is always gonna say it's an allegation, well, it's gonna be, they're gonna prove this. So maybe to Mr. Don. Oh my God. But we invite responsible, what they weren't allowed is that we need to beef up the responsible employer ordinance. and Dean of Violation and Responsibility as of today.

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair to the Mayor, I appreciate the question because I think some clarity is probably helpful. I also think that it's just important because I just think that there could be a perception that maybe based on this email that was presented that maybe we weren't providing sort of accurate information but what's being referenced is known to our staff the citations being referenced the ones that they have made a decision on and issued citations on are not related to 204 Main Street We've talked about this. They're related to other projects. It's not a prevailing wage job. So the citation about nonpayment of prevailing wages for which they are now appealing, and there is an ongoing process associated with that, 204 Main Street is not a prevailing wage job. So these are the citations that were known to the administration, known to our staff. It's what resulted in the letter of noncompliance that we referenced in the transmittal letter to council. So this is not new information. It's not.

What I think is we need to bifurcate is that there's new information being shared at the podium about potential issues going on at 204 Main Street. Sounds like the folks that have referenced that have submitted information to the Attorney General. They have not concluded any investigation in that matter. There are no citations from the Attorney General's office on that project here in Worcester. Mr. Mayor

Thank you. So, Mr. Chair, in regards to this then, There's no, first of all, this council voted for the responsibility of employee rights, because we believe in this, we believe in the wage theft ordinance that we had originally, and I still believe in that. They also, talking to the administration and council on this is that, There is no violation of the responsibility as it's written today. and so I think I do agree with Dr. Mitra and Council Rosen's amendments. Yeah, it's almost the same thing on both of those and that we should call it back if there is a violation of the Responsible Employer Ordinance. This is to us about, we're talking about the taxpayer,

is I think it was mentioned by Dr. Mitra, Councilor Mitra, they want $2.1 million in taxes received from this, which isn't the overall be all to this issue we have in front of us, but it's an issue that matters. I know that if this does go down, you won't see this project present to us again the way it is here today, as you have stated. So in March or April, they're going to come out with the state grants on this to make sure this happens. So I'm in support of this as of now. And if things do come out, I think with the two Orders from Dr. Mitra and Councilor Rosen that we can call this back if we have to if they are in violation. So it gives us more time. We can proceed with this. And I just want to thank the administration. His staff did work very hard on this. I want to put that out to you.

I know it's not just you, Mr. Dunn, but I know some people in your staff who took this thought personally as far as making sure that this happened, that we get the right facts out, which they did. Doesn't mean we have to agree or disagree. but so I just want to compliment your staff for trying to give us all the information to make this project in front of us feasible to vote on. So again, I just want to thank the council, and I believe in the responsibility of the office. If we have to beef it up, I think Councilor Toomey said that from the committee, let's beef it up so we have language in there that's not great. So, thank you.

and Councilor Rosen. Through the Chair to Mr. Dunn. Mr. Dunn, why did the City of Worcester fine the Mankiti Group $5,000?

Through the Chair to the Councilor, I think as we've discussed at length in several settings, as a result of our ongoing monitoring of projects and the contractors participating on those projects, We learned of citations that were issued to a subcontractor that is participating on the 204 Main Street project, not related to their participation on that project, but on other projects in the Commonwealth. and based on our reading of the ordinance and our interpretation, that created a noncompliance issue for the developer because there is a section of the ordinance that says the developer must ensure that all contractors and subcontractors must not within the last three years have been found in violation of those related laws to their business.

So through the chair to Mr. Dunn, the Mencati group did break the responsible development ordinance if we find them. And one of the councilors says there's no evidence We fined them. They paid the money. I understand it was not them. It was a subcontract, some other project. but I thought our responsible development ordinance doesn't want the developers to hire contractors and subcontractors that break the rules. that engage in poor record keeping or tax fraud or wage theft, any of those. I thought that was why one of the big reasons we have it besides having women owned businesses involved, minorities involved. There's a lot of reasons we had this. But it seems to me that there was evidence. If I were Menchini and there was no evidence that we broke the RDO, even if it was a measly $5,000, I wouldn't have paid it. They paid it through the chair to Mr. Dunn.

Did they finally say, OK, we agreed. Shouldn't have hired Barber. Maybe Martinez shouldn't have hired them either. Did they get rid of them then? Say, well, okay, Worcester, you're right. We'll give you the $5,000, even though it's peanuts. We'll give you the $5,000, and we're also going to get rid of those too. Did we get rid of either of them through the chair, Mr. Dunn? Did they get rid of them?

I'm sorry, Mr. Dunn.

Sure. Through the Chair to the Councilor, as we've discussed before, I think the contextualizing the timing of this is important because it is not like there was a subcontractor that Mankiti Group and their general contractor were considering to participate on 204 Main Street that had a history of these types of issues or these citations in front of them while they were being hired to work on this project, right? They hired this contractor. They were reviewed like we always do as the developer partners that we work with do, that there were no outstanding citations, recent citations against that subcontractor within the last three years. So at the time of them being engaged on the project, through the eyes of the ordinance, they were in good standing. While they were participating on the project, a citation emerged. a few citations emerged based on their work on other projects in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

What is open to interpretation, and I think it's being alluded to here, is that our ordinance does not say if that situation arises, if you have a contractor that was in good standing and they are participating on the job and they have some issue elsewhere in the Commonwealth, how should the developer bring the project back into compliance. That is what is open to interpretation. Our witness does not say if that occurs, they need to break that contract that obligation that they have and dismiss that subcontractor from the job. It does not say that. I guess actions that we are now debating about with Mankiti Group and what did they do, what could they have done, what should they have done is open for interpretation. It is not clear in the ordinance when that type of situation arises with those set of circumstances what they should do to bring the project into compliance.

It would be different and I would say that they shouldn't have even brought a contractor onto the job if Prior to doing so, they had multiple citations leading up to that over the last three years, but that wasn't the case here. At the time of them being engaged, they were in good standing through the eyes of the ordinance.

through the chair, to my colleagues, to the mayor, the city manager, to Mr. Dunn, Mankiti must have been in noncompliance to the RDO. They must have been. We find them. We fined them. They paid the fine. To me, that's an admission of guilt. Now, I know someone in the council, oh, people pay fines all the time. There's no admission of guilt. To me, it is. if they weren't guilty of violating the RGO, they shouldn't pay the fine. But they did. So if I just ask you for a yes or no, through the chair to Mr. Dunn on a yes or no, did the Menchiti Group violate the RDO of the city of Worcester? Yes or no? Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Rivera, followed by Councilor King. No, go ahead.

Oh, sorry. A lot's going on. A lot's been said tonight. And basically, I think what it comes down to is we're going to make a decision today. And hopefully, the best decision is made on what's best for the residents of the city of Worcester. That's how I'm looking at it. And I think that anything that's going to bring jobs and housing to the city of Worcester is a net plus. But I'm going to agree with because I've not experienced what others have experienced. And obviously, fool me once, shame on you. Put me twice, shame on them. But I will say that I would ask if I can amend Councilor Rosen's order just to say that stating that any infraction that the McKinney Group is found guilty of

and the City's Responsible Development Ordinance, then we can start talking about the callbacks because, you know, stating any infraction in the City's Responsible Ordinance is can be clear, but we want guilty of, found guilty of. Just for clarity purposes.

I'm not an attorney, Mr. Chairman, but the whole guilty thing is, I mean, I'm just saying there's an infraction of the city's responsible development ordinance. That covers it. Either there is or there isn't. Well, there isn't, but Gilt, Innocence. This is not a court of law. It's the Worcester City Council.

He's speaking.

So that was it. I mean, if he doesn't want the amendment, that's fine. But, you know, that's the only thing I ask. And that's why I'm a yes for this.

Thank you. Councilor King.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Through the Charity Administration, can you speak to the additional concerns that have been brought forward to the city regarding Martinez Drywall, and is that related to Minkiti? Through the Chair.

Mr. Dunn.

Through the Chair to the Councilor, we received a letter from the Carpenters Union as they reviewed public records that were provided relative to cross checking daily and many sign-in logs from the project with the certified payroll forms that we have on file. And the certified payroll forms that we have on file for the drywall work have all been submitted by Barber Drywall. and some of the sign-in logs. Some of the employees, because the employees individually do that when they arrive at the site, listed their employer as Martinez Drywall. And so the question and the Concern is that if there is another employer, another subcontractor on the job, why are we not seeing certified payroll forms from Martinez Drywall? All of the drywall payrolls we have been receiving is from Barbara Drywall.

Through the Chair, is that potentially fraudulent? Potentially? Based on your experience?

through the Chair of the Councilor. I'm not going to speculate on that.

Thank you. That's a good answer. Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate. I asked the Attorney General to explain the legal significance of its citations and penalties that were issued in this manner, Mr. Chairman. So I want to reiterate, these are not allegations. These are not allegations. They indicated that the legal significance and clarification is that These are characterized as the facts, Mr. Chairman, not allegations. and to continue to refer to it that way really does a disservice to the folks that were unfairly compromised and we heard

and the Mayor say that there was no violation of the ordinance. I heard Mr. Dunn say that there was. With all of that, there is not enough to move this thing forward. Where is Mankiti, Mr. Chairman? Why aren't they here? Why aren't they speaking to this body?

OK. Okay. Okay, so we have two amendments. Not amendments, but two orders.

Point of order, Mr. Chairman. Just regarding the two orders, we just heard testimony from Mr. Dunn that they were in violation of the ordinance and these motions call for actions as it relates to that. So are we calling right now? that these motions go into effect upon this roll call. That's my question for a point of order, Mr. Chairman.

Yeah, sure. What I was gonna do is refer it back to the, pass it, refer it to the law department, make sure we have the wording right, and send it back to us.

This is a resolution, this one. I don't know what the second one is. So we don't need a resolution. It's just a resolution reconfirming commitment. I don't know what Gary's is if I don't have it in front of me.

We're talking about the $5,000, right? Yeah. Mr. Dunn? What are you doing?

Mr. Mayor, I could be wrong. I don't see the language in front of me, but I thought Councilor Rosen was saying that if this moves forward with 401 to 409 Main Street, if there is any infraction, that the tax benefits provided, which is the item in front of you. What's in front of the council is 401 to 409 Main Street, not 204 Main Street. So my understanding of that resolution is that if there is any infraction at all, on 401 to 409 Main Street that the tax benefits would immediately cease as well as be recaptured if any had been provided. That was my understanding, but I want to speak for the councilor. Yeah, that's right.

it would be a clawback, but would they lose the eight-chip dip of money too? Would the state say, well, you took yours back, so we're taking our money away?

Mr. Dunn?

Through the Chair to the Councilor, you bring up a good point actually, in the sense that the form of agreement that we have, the tax increment exemption contracts, is a state form. It has to be in substantial accordance with the state contract form. It gets reviewed by them, approved by them. We actually requested the state the ability to put a clause in there about our responsible development ordinance. So it's in the body of the contract as it relates to potential events of default. And then it also has included all of the text of the ordinance by way of exhibit. So we did have the state approval to do that. as it relates to the tax credit piece of it. There is a section and it's in the packet because we provide copies of these contracts in the item that we submit to council. There is a whole section about default

and as it relates to the default and the sort of remedy at the state level with the tax credit that is defined by the implementation regulations of the program. So what we do, whatever we do is not going to affect how they will carry out the default provisions of their program regulations.

OK, through the chair, my last question. Would the state have anything to do with us if we vote the two amendments? very similar, basically clawbacks. If there's an infraction, would the state have anything to do with us actually doing that clawback? Could they prevent it? somehow, or it would be allowed because the City Council does it, the City of Worcester does it, and then they could decide what they want to do with their own HDIP money, but I hope that they wouldn't have a say in what we as the City of Worcester and the City Council could do.

Sure, through the Chair of the Councilor. It's a good question. So the way the linkage that occurs in this contract is that we've added this clause about our responsible development ordinance, and it says that if there is A termination of the tie agreement, then it would constitute an event of default. So they would then carry out what's called for in their program regulations of treating the default. a little more nuanced because basically there's just two options where they look at if there's a breach or an event of default before the project is done versus after after the project is done. So that would determine how they handle that. But to your question, a project needs to have an executed are all eligible for active tax increment exemption to be able to receive that tax credit. So for example, if something were to happen during the construction and we were to terminate our tie agreement, they would not receive the state investment tax credit because they would not be able to achieve that final

which is needed once the project's done because they wouldn't have an active tax increment exemption at the time of trying to get that certification and that final tax credit award from the Commonwealth. So we do have influence and control over whether that occurs or doesn't occur.

Okay, thank you. Good response, good answer. Mr. Chairman, if we look at the two amendments, Councilor Mitra and my amendment, they're only to be enforced if tonight we take the vote in favor of the tax increment exemption. If we didn't, if we turned it down, then those two points are moot. We don't need those, because there wouldn't be. But we're basically saying, if there's a violation, we vote the tie tonight. If there's a violation in the future, then that's it. We're not gonna keep giving them chance after chance. We'll go in front of the Economic Development Committee, have another meeting, say don't do it again, you've done it already, don't do it again. No, we're not going to do it that way if we support the amendments. But I think the first vote we have to take is for or against the tax increment exemption. If that passes, and I can count like everyone else here, I can predict how many in favor and how many opposed. Okay, so it's gonna pass, obviously it's gonna pass.

But then we should take the vote on the two amendments. Now you mentioned the wording. Mr. Chairman, we have the law department here right now. I mean, they weren't that complicated. I mean, I don't know if the law department or the city solicitor would like to say tonight the wording's pretty good. I thought Dr. Meach's was pretty good, and I'm sure he thought mine was pretty good wording. so I don't know, does Alex wanna?

Could we combine these into one? Like maybe add the word quarterback to Dr. Mitra's?

Yeah, but mine was a little more specific to the Menchini group. because that's what we're talking about here. We're talking about the Mankiti group. We're worried about other groups. If we give Mankiti the right message tonight, other developers will get the same message and they'll say, okay, we better do it right when we develop here in the city of Worcester. I don't think my wording was that poor. I think it's basically, hey, don't do it. Do the project, don't do it, get the right contract and the right subcontracts, and do the work right. and then we'll have a good project. We'll have those 48 residents, those 48 apartments. But do it right. I just hope this council has the courage to tell Mankiti, you better do the old shacks building right. Looks good so far, the outside. The facade is beautiful. Oh my god, they restored that beautifully. So do the project right and we'll all be happy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Not to make it more confusing.

Mayor Petty.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Shouldn't the callback also be, we're gonna vote on 401, 409, but the accusations are made on 20, is it 204? I forget the address, but 200 Main Street. Mr. Dunn? and shouldn't that be the callback? Should we amend, so maybe have a third one? Okay, the mayor has the floor. Can I respond? Because my point is, this is where the verbal violation could have occurred, was at 204 Main Street. So in a separate motion, we should have a callback provision on that. Is that doable here tonight?

Mr. Dunn. Through the Chair to the Mayor, the tax increment exemption agreement is already executed with the Mankiti Group for the Rosens, 204 Main Street. And I understand the intent of Councilor Rosen's resolution. I will say, kind of as I was describing, is this clause in all of our tax increment exemption agreements that talks about compliance with our responsible development ordinance? And in the ordinance itself, there is a section relative to Remedies, and Corrective Action. And it says that, aside from what we've talked about before with the initial letter of noncompliance and the $5,000 fine, it says that failure to implement a corrective action plan may result in a revocation or a reduction of local tax benefits associated with the project in the sole determination of the city of Worcester.

and the severity of the noncompliance issues will inform the city's determination on whether to revoke the tax benefits or the degree in which the tax benefits may be reduced. So I think contractually, we're already covered. both in terms of the 204 Main Street as well as 401 to 409 Main Street. I just think, again, not to to summarize or kind of characterize the intent of the Councilor, but I think what's being suggested under this resolution is that it will be sort of a zero tolerance that it is already up to the city of Worcester to make a decision relative to any noncompliance and if that would result in a revocation or reduction of the local tax benefits. And I think the resolution is intending to memorialize that if there is Satcher, Meacham. Councilor Satcher, Meacham.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through you to the solicitor, I would probably like to say that I respect the resolution that was brought by Councilor Rosen. I have the resolution I think at the end of the day they both mean the same that we want them to follow the RDO. That's our main goal, to let them know that we are wanting everyone, whoever comes as a developer, follows our responsible development ordinance. So I think whether it's a clawback or it's a rescind, I think the word play, you can do whatever, but I would suggest that maybe we can have one resolution that will be, maybe we can take the help of the city solicitor and Rosens, and then bring the same meaning and then have that resolution and move forward.

And ma'am, Solicitor? So you're suggesting we take Councilor Rosens?

I'm saying no, but if there is a clawback that can be done, then I have given my resolution. If there is any way you could. I think I'll be suggesting that let's have one and have our solicitor make one out of this. Both are valid.

Through the chair, the resolution is just really reinforcing what the ordinance already has and what's in our contracts in our tie-in TIF agreements. So the authority is there. It would be up to the body. It's just an expression of support.

So we could do both of them?

Sure, or you could do one. What's that?

Mr. Cork? Mr. Chairman, just for clarification, usually with the rules is once there's a resolution forward and there's a similar one, you have to amend I think one or the other to pass one you can't pass the same for the same meaning that's my understanding okay a little bit different one has claw back there one has okay so

through the chair, so the clawback is already in the ordinance as Peter said.

So it's more of an expression now is what he's saying. So we could do both of them, it's not really pat, okay.

Well, I would just do one, but the clawback is in the contract and the ordinance.

You can only get this group to agree to one. Councilor Mitra? McBurn? You're up.

Yeah, I think my resolution clearly says what I meant, is that they have to follow the ordinance. If not, in future, there will be and so on. We have taken out of all the contacts that we have given. And the clawback is already there. So I'd like this resolution to be voted in and we move forward.

Maybe we make yours a resolution? Let's work on that. Councilor Toomey, followed by Councilor Bergman.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Chairman's order that we put forward in the committee clearly covers all of this already. We had already voted to have this addressed in subcommittee, so we were looking for a report to come back from the city solicitor, Mr. Chair, on this.

Councilor, Mr. Manager?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just want to say a few things just to try to see if I can bring some point of clarification and a little bit of probably better direction in terms of the discussion that is happening. What we have in front of us is a tie recommendation to the council body for a new project, a 401, 409 Main Street. Nothing has happened in that project yet other than simply requesting a tax increment for the project. However, we're taking what's happened in the previous project and trying to add it to these, and I think that's creating the confusion. If there is a clawback or there's a desire to claw back a particular tax benefit that this developer is receiving, I think the attention of the clawback should be on 204. Not on the future development that hasn't even started. There's no contractor in place. There's no subcontractors in place. Nobody is there.

There's already language in the ordinance that allows us to consider the clawback and to have discussions on the potential of a clawback of other further corrective actions on 204. We were expressed tonight that the Attorney General is going to be having a hearing later next month on 204. on the citations or allegations or whatever you wanna call it into a four. So I think what we could, in terms of trying to clarify is here on 401 is a simple vote. Do we want to give a tax benefit or not? And if we do, we want to... moved this project forward. However, you as council still have the ability to look back at 204, the project that was already pre-approved, based on what happens to the Attorney General's office to make a determination whether you want to claw back

that tax break that was provided on 204 so that you don't stop a project and you allow or you go back to the 204 to provide some corrective action. And I think those are the things that are being conflated here tonight. but my suggestion is and what our recommendation as an administration is let's move forward on 401 and then find a way that if there is further action that the Attorney Generals and other bodies take on 204 then then that that becomes a Thank you Mr. Chairman.

all due respect to the city manager, let me read the item that we're considering. Upon the communication of the city manager, recommend approval of a housing development certified project application slash tax increment exemption agreement for 401 to 409 Main Street. That's what we're talking about. I'm not talking about any previous projects. I'm talking about the future. I want them to know. I want them to know that this is a strong RDO, if it's violated at the new project, not the old project, it's almost done, isn't it? But if it's violated at the new project, I know we have the right to do it in the ordinance already, But Mr. Chairman, listen to what you've heard all these hours tonight. We might have the right to do it. Do we have the courage to do it? I would say, no, we don't have the courage to do it. That's why I'd like to, now Dr. Mitra, Councilor Mitra says he wants to declare the intent to rescind.

Mine doesn't say anything about intent. It says it's gonna happen. It's gonna automatically happen. They break the RDO. It automatically happens. We don't come back for three or four meetings of the Economic Development Committee or three or four hours more. It happens. Mankiti, can you handle that? Can you do it right? Can you do what you're supposed to do? I think they can, but let's tell them they better do what they have to do. So it's not intent. One is intent, one is an automatic penalty. We're coming in here and it'll take us five minutes Mr. Dunn will say, oh, I don't believe they violated over at the shack building 401 to 409. And we'll say, yeah, remember that amendment we passed? Too bad. I wish they hadn't done it. And you know what? I predict. they'll be fine, they won't violate it. Because we're telling them you can't violate it.

Thank you Mr. Chair. So the motion is, so before this sort of idea then we can talk about points of order but, The first motion would be to, the item under privilege is to vote on that. The second motion would be to vote on both of these collectively. But that's all fine, Councilor King.

just a point of order does this vote mean that based on the Attorney General's findings that they've been out of compliance and we're gonna rescind what we're voting on already?

No, that's not my understanding.

Okay, that's fine. I think she, nope. That's correct, that's correct right now.

Okay, and Mr. Chairman, again, No corrective action plan. I would like to make a motion that Mankiti provide us a corrective action plan prior to the next council meeting. Thank you.

I guess we have three motions.

Okay.

Okay, so the first motion we'll take is on the item itself, is the approval of the Housing Development Certified Project Tax Amendment and Exemption Agreement for 401, 409 Main Street. Recommend adoption of the accompanying resolution. Roll call.

Brueggemann.

Yes.

On the item itself.

Hang on for one second. So this is on the item itself on the tie. So yes or no. Then we'll do the two, three audits after that. Yeah. Okay.

Okay. Councilor Brueggemann.

Yes.

Bilotta? No. Councilor Economou, Councilor Fresolo? Yes. Councilor King? No. Councilor Mitra? Yes. Councilor Ojeda? No. Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? No. Councilor Toomey? Yes. And Mayor Petty? Yes. So Mr. Mayor, that passes six to four.

Then the next item is to take these three orders together. These, Councilor Mitras. Okay, so we'll take Councilor Mitra's first, and as presented, Councilor Rosen's second, and Councilor King is just asking for a corrective action plan, so we'll take that, all those in favor opposed on Councilor King's motion. those in favor or opposed award it. So the first motion is on Councilor Mitra's resolution roll call.

Mr. Chairman, just for the record, there was also an amendment, I think, by Councilor Mitra to include the future with that amendment as well. Include what?

Oh, future, yeah, as amended. Okay, Councilor Mitra's honor, as amended.

Yes. Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Bilotta.

No.

Councilor Economou, Councilor Fresolo.

Yes.

Councilor King. No. Councilor Mitra.

Yes.

Councilor Ojeda. No. Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? No. Councilor Toomey?

Yes.

Mayor Petty? Yes.

Councilor Rosens? What's the point of order?

Mr. Chairman, point of order. Is this a resolution or an amendment? Councilor Rosen, is this a resolution?

It's an order, a similar order. It's only like Dr. Mitra's, but you could refer to it either way, I guess.

Well, Dr. Mitra's is a resolution.

Yes.

This is an order, there's a difference.

Yep, it's an order. Is that fair? I'd like an opinion from Nico on that one. To me, it's semantics, but probably not. It is semantics. I agree with you on that.

So through you, Chair, to the Council. So the way I'm reading it, Councilor Mitra had a resolution. I think Councilor Rosen had a similar resolution because, you know, order directed the manager, it's in the ordinance. So it's just the body itself declaring. Maybe the solicitor can jump in. I think, Councilor Rosen, your intent is to also declare with this vote that the developer has to hold on to, you know, make sure that we hold them accountable.

It's going to happen.

It's just going to happen. So you're resolving tonight, I'm assuming. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but are you ordering the manager or are you resolving that the council will hold this developer responsible if they violate the ordinance?

That's right, but I still don't know if you call an order or a resolution. To me, it doesn't matter. I would recommend it's a resolution. You decide, but.

Okay, it's a resolution. A resolution. Yep. Roll call.

Bergman? Yes. Councilor Bilotta? Yes. Councilor Economou? Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, and Mayor Petty.

Okay, we're going to go back.

Oh, you got Council Kings. What?

We did Council Kings already, yep. Okay, so we are on appointments. I believe that's correct. 10.1A, Transformation and Communication, which involves the appointment of Kristen Gutierrez-Levote to the Historical Commission. I want to thank Kristen for her service, for their service, and the motion is placed on file. Those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Recommend the appointment of Wilderize Perez-Ferreri to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board of Trustees. We'll confirm that on the roll call. Roll call.

Bregman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, and Mayor Petty.

Yes. We are in economic development, Transmitting Information, Communication, Economic Development Initiatives. Okay.

Okay.

I got a couple questions. We are on 10.48.

I thought you were done.

So, yes, we'll take 10.4A through. F. Okay, perfect. Mr. Mayor, 10A is what you're speaking on?

Yeah, so to take them all collectively, I'll just try to do them all, I guess, but I just have, Mr. Dunn, I just want to, People should read these reports. I hear people come into the council and say, we don't do anything. There's nothing on housing. There's nothing on this, nothing on that. Take some time to read this economic development report. some of the stuff is upsetting that we're not moving forward we get the hotel but we have a new hotel that's going to go up probably in Washington Square we're on pace to do that we have a hotel that was still waiting for it by the ballpark but it appears to be going The way I read the report, and you can tell me different, it seems to be positive, moving in the right direction, Mr. Dunn. You're working with the developer there.

Yes, there's a chair to the mayor. You know, as we've seen to your point on a couple of other hotel proposals in the city, one that had been proposed previously but is moving forward because they took ownership of the property from the Redevelopment Authority and then another one on Providence Street. of 146, and some momentum that's kind of building for the proposed hotel in the ballpark diff area. The market conditions have certainly improved as it relates to the impact of the pandemic, and we know the you know significant impact that the pandemic had on hotel hospitality industries so that has really rebounded our occupancy rates have been solid over the last couple of years our you know room rates have been solid there is still you know this kind of Fundamental issue that we have with some projects and economic feasibility construction cost interest rates and sort of the return on investment and attracting that capital whether it's

Mr. Mayor

Thank you, and I appreciate that. Let me ask you another quick one. Dunholmes Building. It appears that we're going through a third iteration of the project, or the way I read this quickly, that we had... to the project, maybe a year 2024, 2025. And then we're waiting for another amendment to it in the future.

Yes, through the Chair to the Mayor. The Denholm, as we, I think, all know, and part of the reason why the Redevelopment Authority was asked to get involved in that property is that it's extremely complicated. It's a building that really does not have an adaptive reuse scenario for it because of its previous use as a department store in the depth of the building. There's a lot of what we would call dead space in the middle of the building that creates challenges. for those types of adaptive reuse as you think about natural light and windows on a housing type of redevelopment. And as it had been office space, a lot of common area maintenance, a lot of fees involved. maintaining those common areas. It's kind of why you see a lot of interior malls sort of going in different directions. And so we expected it would be a and a long road to kind of stitch together all of the necessary pieces to make the project happen. So as a quick summary, the Redevelopment Authority,

Title to the property did a request for proposals process on that we had four proposals two of which were not qualified they didn't meet the minimum criteria and then the final two proposals were evaluated by staff and the and WRA Board. They did select the Mankiti Group proposal. I know we've talked a lot about the Mankiti Group tonight. proposal included an 11 story building with 233 residential units and ground floor commercial space. And so the redevelopment authority executed what we call a land disposition and development agreement. It's like version of a purchase and sale agreement. And in that, there's a series of milestones on the project progress starting with due diligence. And so their initial due diligence timeline came to a deadline in 2025. And as a result of that effort and their report back to the WRA board about that, the estimated and so forth.

And so the cost involved in the abatement and the demolition of the building is significantly more expensive than I think anybody had anticipated. So as part of that, they had requested an extension to that time frame, as well as a modification as they looked at overall project feasibility and what's currently happening and in market conditions and as we've seen with some other projects similarly when you think about these kind of tower type proposals that are over seven stories When you get over seven stories, you're talking about a different level of building typology and building code that drives a lot of costs. is part of their effort to really drive the feasibility of their proposal. They had revised the proposal to be seven stories, which is more in line with what we're seeing in the market because of those conditions. Still at a healthy 190.

Unit Count estimated and as part of the WRA Board's consideration of that extension and that amendment the WRA Board requested and the McKitty Group agreed to a Accruing Non-Refundable Deposit as part of that to maintain their sort of exclusivity and their agreement with the WRA moving forward into this, what I would say, next kind of benchmark of timeline. where we're at right now you know things could certainly continue to evolve as we move forward but particularly what we're strategizing on right now is assembling resources to tackle the abatement and demolition of the building so we would Love to see that get started before the end of the calendar year. We're actively working on various proposals to state and federal sources. We've already secured a $500,000 site readiness grant from Mass Development on that.

we're working on some other programs including brownfields that could help with some of the abatement and environmental remediation necessary at the property so we're working on stitching together those resources to really get the property pad ready because having the building standing in that you know multi-million dollar cost before you even get started on a sort of blank canvas for a new construction creates a lot of risk and challenges around feasibility so we hope to Be able to accomplish that and get it more pad ready and prepared for the new construction to follow.

Mr. Mayor.

I look forward to that project starting and completion. If people want to look at the report, we talk about, the report goes under the Rossi Development, Hunter Washington Street, Table Talk Properties, which has three or four items, Union Station, which is important, doing the on the renovation there, and also putting it out to bid. We also have the Community Preservation Program, Green Deal Revitalization Project, the Lincoln Square Boys Club, the Auditorium, which is important. Hopefully that comes to fruition quickly. I know it's a... very important to the administration and the council to get that done as a priority. Then we have Habitat for Humanity, 100 Providence Street, 36 Washington Square. We're gonna talk about different programs that can help people out if they need some assistance. And then the next item is on the housing. People should take time and read the housing report. You know, when I go on, I talk in the community, people don't think we're doing anything on housing.

In addition to the 2025 building permits represented, 546 new housing units, over 20% are deed-restricted affordable housing. That's a big number. and Summits. If I remember in the previous report, some were under 60% AMI. A good portion of them were. I think it's in the deal that you cut, Mr. Dunn, or your team cuts with the developer. So sometimes you'll see 30, 40, 50%. which I praised you on that and you still haven't backed off on that. So those are a lot of units. and on the inclusionary zoning in total, the inclusionary zoning has a facility pipeline of 768 housing units, 381 which are 50% deed restricted affordable housing, and 105, which is 14%, ADA accessible units. So we not only get in the affordable housing, we're also adding on, which goes beyond, I think, the ADA requirements in some cases. So we get more than what we're asking for in the ordinance. Some people should realize that.

People should take the time to read this. The ADUs, we have 50 permits and 14 have been done. Is that the right number? And then we have subsidies, people who are interested. We have a whole bunch of different plans. who had abatement plans, grants, rental assistance. Rental assistance, I know we passed, Mr. Manager, with the ARPA money, was able to give a couple million dollars I think twice as submitted to City Council relative to the ARPA status. And this has allocated a total of $2.23 million in rental assistance. and 2.13 million to utility assistance, which is pretty, I have to say, was well needed this winter. So hopefully this weather maintains what it is today. And so I just want to thank you. Everyone put Jim Brooks and your department. I'm probably missing some people, but taking the time out to do this. very thorough report. And also the tree canopy which someone called in and spoke about how important that is. I know we're trying to get funding through the state.

I know it's hard to get, especially with the budget cuts. So you can push on that, hopefully get some funding from the state on that. And the other report was on I think I got pretty much everything I wanted to talk about. I just want to get down and say I think we're doing a good job, Mr. Dunn, your team. It's not a big team, but I think Thank you. So this is a well thought out report and people should take the time to read it and understand what we're doing here as a city. Thank you.

John, Fresolo, District 3.

You have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Through you. To the administration, could you give me a little edification on the hotel on Providence Street next to, I believe, the Vernon Hill Post when I go there on Sundays for the Queen of Hearts. they always ask me so I want to be able to answer their questions so could you just briefly give us a little update?

Sure, through the Chair to the Councilor. So that project went through the permitting process over the course of and much of 2025. It involved a number of different approvals required for that, both from the Conservation Commission, because there's some adjacent wetlands, as you're probably familiar with, so they had to do sort of navigating of that as well as some I think some enhancements to that to avoid negative impacts as well as a site plan approval with the planning board and there might have been a zoning board approval as well. So they have all of their entitlements from those boards and commissions. They're currently working on, I think their building permit right now. Last time I checked a couple weeks ago, it hadn't been issued yet, but I think they're working towards that. Submiddle right now. I know it was brought up. I'm sure it'll be discussed on impacts of the specialized stretch code. And they're kind of navigating some of that as it relates to the design and the plans necessary to secure that building permit. and overall it's 122 rooms, I think it is. It's an extended stay model.

It's a Wood Springs Suites, so a product or a brand that we don't have in the city today. and it would be to your point right off of that junction there with 146 right by the post there. So I think their goal is to get started with construction in 2026, but subject to that building permit ultimately being issued.

Thank you so much, I appreciate that. Just one other thing through you, Mr. Chairman, is the former St. Vincent's Nursing School, I just read here, and I was notified by the manager of Congress and McGovern securing a $1.2 million air mark. That's a good thing, obviously. and does that progress the project along more seriously? Obviously it does, I would think, but could you touch on that as far as what the process would go after that?

Yeah, sure, through the Chair to the Councilor. When you make attempts for federal earmarks, especially in the current environment, you never know if they're going to come through. So we had submitted that, gosh, probably 18 months ago or so. So not in connection with this particular developer. And we can't just pass through the earmark to the developer that's been selected to take that on. But it is going to go a long way in again preparing the historic building for its adaptive reuse because there is a significant amount of environmental remediation that needs to occur there, particularly with asbestos. and so we'll use those dollars as a municipality to get those conditions remediated to and so on and improve the overall feasibility for the project because then if we're able to take that on and address that then it's something that the developer won't have to do as part of their budget. and they're currently working to assemble the historic tax credits associated with that. As I'm sure many are aware it takes

and some time for those various applications both at the state level and the federal level to get those approvals and then ultimately get those tax credit allocations into the project. So they're making some progress on that, but it'll be some time to put together all the pieces associated with the project.

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, this is one of my babies. This is one of the reasons why I ran for this seat when it became open. I'm very interested in making sure this happens and comes to fruition so I thank you for your due diligence and your hard work and those in your department. Mr. Dunn, thank you so much, thank you.

Duncan, we have Councilor Mitchell followed by Councilor Porter.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, through you to Mr. Dunn. Mr. Dunn, I'm so happy to see this report that you have presented. A lot of work, a lot of hard work for your office, as well as the economic development Department. I'm really thankful to see the city is really doing so many things which really makes our economic development program go forward. As I said that we are always thinking and talking about rebuilding homes, apartments, market rate, affordable housing. Along with that, I think it is important that we do have other factors also, other items also suggested. Good hotel, good entertainment in the place. We want to bring in some trade shows. We want to make our city to be really attractive and for businesses, for people to come in here and see that this city is Not just the city, but it's got so many other things that people can come. Good colleges we already have. So I think the development that is happening is really moving forward in a positive direction.

Thank you and also your office colleagues for doing such a great job. What really fascinated me is to see the legacy business program I think it's a great idea. We've got to be business friendly. We've got to show that the city cares for our businesses and does the recognition for what they do. And the fabric that you have mentioned there, I really thought that was a great item. I hope that we'll continue to do this. I'm sure you have some team or the committee who will make the decisions. So overall, to the Administrator and to the Chief Development Officer, Mr. Dunn, wonderful job. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Okay, Councilor Bilotta.

Economic Development Team and City Manager, So much going on in these reports, so much good work, and it speaks to really the hard work and expertise of our economic development team and the city manager. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund has done fantastic work. and we're really fortunate that we've been able to build uh you know those 72 accessible affordable units so I want to thank the affordable housing trust fund for doing that your team Mr. Dunn and also uh you know Jim Brooks uh Jeanette Tozer I want to thank the advocates from Center for Living and Working that we brought this to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and helped advocate for this. And us working together as a community has really made Something great happened with this. The 50 ADUs is great. It's exciting to see the new Washington Square, that building go up, the elder home repair. I think is really something beneficial to seniors that want to stay in their homes. So again, like Mayor Petty said, there is a lot of work going on for affordable housing in Worcester. I think we're doing more than what other communities are doing.

always want to see if there's ways that we could you know squeeze out more 30 percent AMI but I know that is a case-by-case thing but I think there's a lot of really great stuff in this report and things that are happening in the cities really trying to leverage everything we can so thank you.

Thank you. Councilor Toomey.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I certainly will talk more about this in committee, but I did want to say that I appreciated all the work that's being done on the Minority Women Business Enterprise Initiative. I started working on that several years ago, making sure that those members of our community had a connection with the state to be able to become certified and help meet all of our needs too in construction, et cetera. So thank you for the great work on that. Thank you.

Thank you. Council King.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to commend the manager and our chief development officer for this report and all some of these things we've had before us previously in reports. But it's good to get updates. Mr. Chairman, through the chair, as it relates to 100 Providence Street, I know that I believe that that was tabled. This is a property. that was used for emergency medical services. Prior to that, fire department. And there was an item submitted back in November to authorize a request for proposal. that was tabled by the prior council. had some conversations with the manager about this. And I know there were questions asked on the floor as it relates to EMS services and the like. through the chair to the administration.

Is there any outstanding questions that were asked of the administration pertaining to this property that have not been answered? Because I'm of the mind to take it off the table and move it forward.

Mr. Manager?

I think one of the questions that was asked and with the previous council was the potential impacts if we don't have an ambulance service in the area. We don't have that data right now. We're working with UMass on a survey, on an audit of the current system, the ambulance system in the city. that would take into consideration all those things. But we don't have the ability right now to have that data. And again, it was almost regarding because of the interest of potentially if we lose ambulance service. in the city, could this be another potential ambulance service location and what that impacts is to the District 3 residents of the city? but that's the answer that I have yet to bring back to the council because we're working through an audit kind of survey process to better understand what's happening right now in the ambulance service to bring it back.

Thank you. Through the chair to the administration, can you share about any interest that you're aware of in that property sort of thematically? Were folks interested in that property as it relates to public health and safety, service provision and things of that nature? If you could share a little bit about and some of the discussions you've had about potential use for that property.

Mr. Manager?

Yeah, through the Chair to the Council, there's been multiple discussions from different people related to that property. One is commercial use, potentially an ambulance service. and Tadita that's interested in that property. There's also a desire that other folks have met with me related to housing, some potential kind of nonprofit use as well in that area. So there's been different and many other interests are related to 100 Providence Street.

and do you have an idea of when that report will come back or that process and if you could speak a little bit on what would happen if we did take this off the table and move it forward.

Mr. Manager.

Through the Chair to the Council, I don't know right now, top of my head, in terms of when we will receive that report back from the consultant in terms of the study that's happening. That's something that I can relay back to the Council. I do think that understanding and knowing the impacts of an ambulance service there, even if we were to put an RFP process today specifically only targeting ambulance services for that particular location, I think one of the challenges that we're having not just here but across many communities is the demand for ambulance services in those kind of companies. I don't know if that would be a fruitful proposal and so that's something that we will engage. The people that are currently interested, the party that generated some interest related to that. I just don't know if the market is there for ambulance services, particularly to either this site or any other site right now currently in the city. There's been some movement of ambulance services.

UMass used to lease this place, and they terminated the lease. Once the lease ended, they left there, and move there to another location. There's challenges with that current site to be continued as an ambulance service because of certain conditions that that site imposes on that type of use. So again, it might be tougher to be able to get another ambulance service in. So I don't know if the data or the study that we're doing will provide any fruitful conversations or outcomes for another ambulance service to occupy that location.

Thank you. Fair enough. I think at some point we should take that off the table. It may not be tonight, it sounds like. But I think that we should take it off the table and try to move this thing forward. and that's a particular property I had experience with going way back when it was an ambulance service. And that was, I'm sorry, what was the fire department and then the ambulance service over the years. So that's particular interest. Mr. Chairman, in addition to that, I wanted to commend the administration and the Chief Development Officer on the Diverse Business Certification Grant Program. as well as the Legacy Business Program. That Legacy Business Program recognizes local businesses that have a long-standing impact on the city.

As you know, Mr. Chairman, I brought forward it with unanimous support of this council in order requesting a supplier diversity audit. and I'm looking forward to that. But if I wanted just a quick opportunity to the chair, to the administration, if you can just speak on the Legacy Business Program and how we think that will impact local business.

Mr. Dunn?

Sure, through the Chair to the Councilor and I will start by just appreciating a lot of the acknowledgement and recognition of my staff and the team around me because a lot of the Great work that you're reading about in these reports is a result of their hard work and effort and including this specific question with the and the legacy business program. I think our business development team was sort of reflecting on some of the programs that we offer, particularly some of the financial assistance programs More of the traditional programs that we operate yearly under Community Development Block Grant versus some of the things that we were able to be creative with under the American Rescue Plan Act. And as we know, the American Rescue Plan Act is winding down at this point. So just thinking about how some of those existing traditional programs we have under CDBG sort of lend themselves more towards new businesses that are going to occupy a vacant storefront or existing businesses that might be expanding versus just

trying to think about ways, a program, some sort of assistance or ways to support our longstanding businesses. Because with some of the stuff we do under CDBG, it's got federal regulations associated with it. you have to kind of navigate that and comply with their eligibility criteria and the outcomes that they want you to see with those federal resources but how do we kind of do something for our existing businesses and I know we've talked before both from the administration perspective and the council supporting the personal property tax exemption threshold for small businesses. So again, kind of thinking through that, our business development team said, well, maybe we could launch this legacy business program, which really seeks to honor and recognize those longstanding small businesses that have contributed to the city's cultural and economic and social identity because you have seen some close over the years. Sometimes it could be that

that current ownership doesn't have maybe the next generation to pass that business down to or maybe the conditions aren't right to consider like an ESOP, an employee ownership model where you kind of sell the business to the employees. or one employee if it's not multiple employees. And so trying to make sure that for those longstanding businesses that we have that they're not feeling like they're not not recognized and appreciated. So we launched this, a series of nomination period in December. It closed recently in February. We received over 300 nominations, not 300 different businesses, but 300 nominations, which I think was a really great response rate. We're currently going through those with a committee. We're forming a committee. Right now we're looking at representations on that committee, both internal and external. We felt like because of the nature of this program,

Engaging the Chamber of Commerce as well as Preservation Worcester and the Museum of Worcester might be good perspectives to have as they kind of celebrate and try to preserve the history and tell the story of Worcester in their institutions, having them participate in this effort with us. And so once that first cohort of Awardees is determined. Some of the things that we're looking to do, we can't necessarily put money associated with it, although we could consider that in the future if there's various sponsorship opportunities or Municipal resources available. But for this cohort, we are planning on providing obviously the recognition from the municipality, some promotional materials. We have a great communications team in the manager's office where we can maybe give them some of that content, do some

you know video vignettes or some content that they can then use in their efforts to celebrate in their marketing channels and then ultimately develop this sort of Worcester legacy business list so that we can you know preserve that story for not just now but for the future and so those are some of the initial benefits that have been contemplated with this but appreciate sort of our business development division thinking outside the box and making sure that those long-standing existing businesses are recognized for their contributions.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And lastly, the Seaver Street property, Denham Building, 611 Main Street, the RMV property. that the WRA took action on, the auditorium, I just think we as a body have to stay mindful of those properties. I would like a more communicative process to this council. I know the WRA does its thing. There's some reports that go to the city manager. but if that could come to the council you know and I'll make that by way of motion any any meeting minutes or anything like that related to those properties come before the council Mr. Chairman I have a prior standing order as it relates to the auditorium, which I haven't been in since I graduated high school.

And we've been really patient with that property. and I know that the governor pledged some support of matching dollars and would like a detailed update by way of a motion. on where we are with that property. Are we looking at perhaps going in another direction? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Okay, so take those along with the Councilor King's motions and take these items. We have on the 10.4A, through F, and F, I forgot to mention that, the Day Resource Center is in F, which is a great project, so I'm glad that's moving forward. So send out the ED committee, all those items.

Mr. Chairman, if I may, I just wanted to call attention to item number D. It would be more proper for that to go to the Planning Board rather than the Economic Development Committee.

Okay, so we'll send D to the Planning Board and the others to Economic Development.

Mr. Mayor, also 10.4E we need to adopt.

and we're gonna recommend, okay, so we're gonna adopt E, so let's keep E out, A, B, C and D and F, all those in favor, opposed, so ordered. E is the motion to adopt the transfer and jurisdiction of several properties of the Conservation Commission. Roll call.

Bergman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty. Yes.

I just want to be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to Peter Dunn and his team. Peter Dunn, as you can see, We have a great chief development officer in the city. He's very knowledgeable, understands the products, what we have, the housing market, and he's done an exceptional job. here for us and he continues to do that every single day. So I want to give kudos to him and the leadership of his department because what we're able to do and produce as a city doesn't happen without them and their leadership and their expertise. and also having their ears to the ground, to the neighborhoods, to the residents, to the business owners and understanding their needs and how do we work in this complex nature of business to try to get these things done. So kudos to Peter and his team for always producing great results in the city of Worcester. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, we are on finance items 10.35A, 10.36A through C, 10.37A, Adopt on a roll call. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman.

Yes.

Councilor Bilotta.

Yes.

Councilor Economou, Councilor Fresolo. Yes. Councilor King. Yes. Councilor Mitra. Yes. Councilor Ojeda.

Yes.

Mr. Rivera. Yes. Mr. Rosen. Yes. Mr. Toomey. Yes. And Mayor Petty.

Yes. Okay, we are on Chairman's Orders 11.8 through 11G. Motions to adopt. All those in favor, opposed, supported. Okay, now come the orders.

Okay.

Okay, so the first one, requesting Manager Meir organize the Irish flag to be raised from before March 17, 26 to March 18, 26 in honor of the Irish American Heritage Month, Councilor Toomey.

Mr. Chair, I had called the city clerk's office and spoke with an employee and asked that a order be put on to organize for the Irish flag. It was a clerical error on a staff member's part that that said before. We certainly comply with all of the rules and regulations. Okay. So I just want that to be very clear and hope that the council supports this.

Okay, those in favor, opposed, so ordered. We're gonna follow the rules and regulations on that.

Mr. Chairman, could we possibly take the resolution?

I guess, okay.

Well-remembered.

Which item is that one?

I got it, yeah, I got it, yeah.

1380, City Councilor, City of Worcester. Those hereby support and recognize March 2026 as an Irish-American month in the City of Worcester. Roll call.

Bergeman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty.

So let's just take something out of the order here. Communication of the city of Oto, go there. He's sitting there all night and he's still got a ways to go.

Mr. Channon, I was gonna speak on this.

on the resolution we just passed? Yeah. Don't you usually speak before the resolution's passed?

Well, you didn't give me a chance.

I stood up for you. Okay, go ahead, then we'll go to the auditor. Thank you. Motion to suspend the rules, Mr. Chimenez. Yep, all those in favor? Go ahead.

So it's an honor following this resolution to recognize Irish heritage in Worcester. The story of the Irish in Worcester is the story of our city itself. In the mid 1800s, thousands of Irish immigrants arrived here, fleeing the devastation of the Great Irish Famine. They came with little more than hope, faith, and determination, but they built neighborhoods and churches and communities that still define Worcester today. Neighborhoods like Green Island and Vernon Hill and Grafton Hill, Webster Square, and yes, even Shrewsbury Street, shown by the name Shamrock Street, became the heart of Irish life where families supported one another and preserved traditions and of the foundation for thriving community. Faith played a vital role. Symbols like the twin spires of St. John's Catholic Church and Worcester remind us of the devotion and perseverance of these immigrant families. The Irish helped build Worcester physically and socially

They dug canals led by Tobias Boland, laid railroad tracks, and worked in factories and wire mills, powering the city's industrial growth. They also played a leading role in labor unions advocating for fair wages, safer working conditions, and the rights of all workers, a commitment to justice that shaped Whistler's neighborhoods and workforce. My own family, McDermott Brothers Construction was one of the first union contractors and also built the first AOH headquarters on Trumbull Street. Irish Americans also defined public service here. For generations, Irish families, including my own great-grandfather, James Tinsley, in 1914, followed by my grandfather, Captain Jack Tinsley, and several of his brothers filled the ranks of Worcester Police Department and Worcester Fire Department, taught our children and created businesses like Bay State Savings Bank, still here today. In 1901, Philip J. O'Donnell was the first Irish Catholic mayor in Worcester. And 80 odd years later, in addition to many others, my uncle Joe Tinsley was mayor.

Leaders like John Jack Foley and Tim Murray carried the values of community and leadership into City Hall and further to state government. Our longest serving mayor, Joe Petty, leads our city today. Irish culture remains a vibrant part of Worcester life. Organizations like the Ancient Order of Hibernians and events like the Worcester St. Patrick's Day Parade honor heritage, celebrate community, and bring joy to thousands each year. In 1997, the AOH unveiled the Celtic Cross on the Common. It was led by Mayor Thomas Early and the Councilor Dan Herlihy. writers chronicled our neighborhoods and stories preserving the voice and pride of Irish Worcester as illustrated by inventing Irish America, generation, class, and ethnic identity in a New England city from 1980 to 1990. I'm sorry, 1890 to 1928 by Timothy J. Maha, yet another one of my relatives. Yes, I'm related to everybody in Worcester.

So today, as we celebrate Irish heritage, we recognize more than history. We honor neighborhoods built by hard work, Churches grounded in faith and labor movements that shaped fairness and dignity, leaders who guided our city and traditions that bring us together, from Green Island, named such, by my great uncle Monsignor Tinsley. Lorraine and Laurie were here. She'd tell you that's exactly true. To City Hall, from the farmhouse, firehouses, to police stations, to the streets of our city, celebrating the St. Patrick's parade. The Irish didn't just come to Worcester. They helped define it. and that spirit, the Irish spirit, is still alive today in family, in faith, in service and in community. Thank you to all and may the courage and pride of Worcester's Irish families continue to inspire this city for generations to come. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, so we'll go with 14A, Transmitting Annual Report Concerning the Other Post-Appointment Trust Fund. I'm gonna refer that to M.O. Anybody have any questions? You're closing the gap, Mr. Arata. Keep on going. Okay, so I'll send that to MLO. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Okay, we are on 12B, request of the Manager and City Council of the report concerning whether the future police station would be prioritized, including information related to the status of the current building, which serves the city's present needs. So I'll be quick on it.

Item 12B, Mayor Joseph Petty.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know this issue has been brought up several times. Myself, when I was Chair of Public Safety probably years ago, and Councilor Toomey has, Councilor Bergman has. And I think it's something where we build a new police station or we renovate the current police station. I know this is gonna be a long-term plan. The funding's probably not right there to do it immediately. Some of the projects we have going on right now in the city. and so forth. But something we should be ready for is to make sure that we have a building that meets the needs of the police department, the community together and making sure that it's up to date. That building was built probably I think in the late 60s or sometime in the 1960s. It was built almost the same way as Boston City Hall or the old library when it was first, before we renovated it. It was almost built as a barrier to keep people out. So I think a lot of work needs to go on that.

We have a good police force that deserves the best technology in the building that and we have issues in that building there's no question about it I was in there a couple weeks ago just to see it see some of the the rooms by a lack of better term, the new rooms, probably the facilities in certain parts of that building need to be renovated. And especially though some of the locker rooms, especially when it comes to the women's locker room, et cetera and also just in general. The holding cells et cetera are all out of date in my mind but so something that needs to be looked at and so something I think it's gonna be a long term plan but it's something we should start planning for in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We have Councilor at-large, Sachsha Mitra, followed by Councilor Toomey.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate your order. I think I'd like to sign on to that because there's a good need for our police building to be renovated or redone. I just wanted to bring up to your attention that in the beginning when I got sworn in, Chief of Police invited me to take a tour of the building. I went there. It was very nice to see the operations. At the same time, I think the female law enforcement officers requested me to come and take a look at their locker room. And I did go and visit. It's really in a shape that needs a lot of work to be done. There are bathrooms. The number of officers are there. Compared to that, the room is very small. So definitely we need a lot of work to be done. So I would like to request an amendment to the order.

It says request city manager provide city council with a report concerning how building of a future police station will be Prioritize including information related to the status of the current building and whether it serves the cities. I'd like to add and law enforcement officers. President Needs. So kind of those who are working there, we've got to look at that. It also serves their present needs, not only cities. So I'd like to add that amendment. Cities and law enforcement officers. Thank you. Mayor, if that's okay with you.

Thank you. Councilor at large, Kate Toomey.

Thank you. I signed on to this because, as the mayor said, it's something that I've brought up a number of times as well. I think it's incredibly important that people understand that this really isn't a nice to have. This isn't just because, well, we want them to have a happy place to work. This is really a failing build. The roofs leak. So a few months, either the water heaters go out or the elevators go out. It's a tired building. It's an old building. And it's not really that healthy. There's been a lot, as I said, there's been a lot of leaks. The ventilation system certainly needs to be improved or upgraded. I've spoken often about the possibility of taking a look at

selling that property, which is a prime property right on 290, and perhaps building two stations, making the police stations more accessible and more visible in parts of the city. That's just one solution. Another solution would be to find another building that's far more accommodating for the modern needs of Our department and also the public. Certainly all of the things are on the table. But I just think it's very important that we present a Unified approach in moving forward with this. So whatever way we come up with that's reasonable, that can also work with our budget, I think is also a critical element.

I think we owe the men and women who work in that building and have worked in the building the dignity to say you matter and take a look at improving those facilities. Thank you.

Thank you. District 5, Councilor Jose Rivera.

One, I'd like to sign on as well. And mine was kind of more of an idea, recommendation to think about, hopefully for the professionals who are going to sort that out. I think that property is prime. I would not want to move the police station from there. It's close to everything, right off to 98. I mean, it's perfect. If maybe they can build a new building in the parking lot area, then demolish that and build like a garage space where the old police station used to be. It'll keep it right there. Just an idea for the professionals. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor at large, Morris Bergman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I signed on because, like my colleagues, other colleagues have said, it's an idea that's overdue as far as deliberating how we can accomplish this. I'm mindful. and I want our taxpayers to be aware of this and our residents are mindful that there are lots of tax obligations out there. And as the mayor said, this isn't something that's gonna get built overnight, but the discussion should begin at some point. There's no better time than the present. I will say that when we've had discussions, about recruitment. I think it helps. I don't think it hurts to have in the queue the idea that there'll be new building sometime in the future, especially for new recruits. I'll also say that I could make the argument both ways that the current location is a good location, but I would also say that one of the things that's always troubled me, but always caused me pause at the location the building's in now.

And certainly none of us here today were around when that building was built. is that it takes 400 people more or less that are in that building on a regular basis. It kind of isolates them from the rest of the community. kind of get there through a highway. They don't really integrate because of where they're located and it's always been my feeling that if we could find a way to build another building, it should be built somewhere in the downtown area where those 400 or more men and women can go buy lunch in the local restaurants. They can mingle among the patrons that visit stores and make them feel safer and certainly make the business owners feel safer as well. If we're not going to go to the model of building a brand new building, I hope we will consider something that we've all, I believe, at least heard and some of us have talked about before, and that is a precinct model where we look at maybe a less elaborate one building, But as Councilor Toomey had mentioned, morph into other buildings, one per district, maybe renting space or modest location in size.

so that, again, the officers can integrate well with the neighborhoods. The neighborhoods can have a sense that they're police officers. And wouldn't it be wonderful, no matter what district you're in, whether it's District 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, to have foot beats not just in the summer, but all year round weather permitting. So I think all those are in play. I think the only thing I would hesitate for us not to do is to do nothing. But I'm mindful of the fact that whatever we do going forward will take its time. But I'm glad we're having this conversation. Thank you.

That's it. All right. So the order is 12B. As amended, we'll include that it serves the city and law enforcement's present needs. Do we need a roll call on this? Roll call.

Councillor Bergman? Yes. Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty, Vice Chair, Councilor King.

Yes, we're going to take 12C, request the city manager conduct a comprehensive review of all ordinances, permitting processes. fee structures, and all other practices that prohibit and or delay investment in the city. Mayor Petty.

I'll be quick on this. The governor's doing the same thing at the state level. with certain, who knows what the budget's gonna look like over the next year or so. I think it's important that we look at anything. Look at the small businesses. It would be nice to have an example of some businesses Let's make, for instance, we have a restaurant that wants to open up here in the city of Worcester. Do what you want, Mr. Manager. Make a 100 seat restaurant. What's the cost? you know, between all the environmental issues they have, what do you call that, the trap that they have, the grease trap, and other things that are very, very expensive, the fire code, I'm not saying eliminating the fire code, but stuff to look at so people have an idea how expensive it is to open a business here in the City of Worcester or maintain a business here in the City of Worcester. and we'll get some, I know there's more on later on, talking about that in particular, one issue. But there's a lot of fees that we could be looking at. The council even talks about it over the last year.

certain fees that we we look at is it is it worth it sometimes when you're bringing in maybe twenty thirty thousand dollars is it worth the charge of small business so in large businesses so I think it's important that we look at this and see what you can come up with

Thank you, Councilor Rivera, is the sign on? Yes.

Okay, roll call, oh.

Sign on it.

All right, sign on, sign on, everybody wants to sign on. Everyone signed on. Roll call, Mr. Clerk.

Brinkman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, Mitra, Ojeda, Yes. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey?

Yes.

Mayor Petty? Yes. And Vice Chair, Councilor Kerr? Yes. There's one more. There's one more.

So we're gonna do, the next item is 12D, and we also have the resolution by Councilor King and so I by myself. of the City of Worcester. Of course, they manage all required tasks, so the city of Worcester is the official host city for the NAM fans with the delegation community and cultural program during the 2027 Fafa World Cup from June 18th to June 27th. We have a resolution for the City Council to enlist those hereby affirm the city's intent to welcome Guinean fans and delegations that may be consistent with public safety, cultural respect, city policy, This resolution is non-binding on the Republic of Ghana and does not create financial obligations beyond those lawfully approved by the City. I refer you to that the City Councilor, City of Worcester, does hereby call upon the City of Worcester to step forward and recognize the official host city County, Fans, Delegations, and Related Cultural Trade and Community Program during the period of June 18th, 27th, during the 2026 FIFO. World Cup, and further firms of Cesar's support welcoming the commendation getting visitors and supports during such time.

Councilor King and Petty.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before I begin, I want to say that it was a pleasure to work on this Resolution for the City Council. I want to thank Mayor Joseph M. Kwame Petty for the order. He's worked hard in a long time with this population and I know it's appreciated throughout the city and beyond Mr. Chairman. That being said, For my colleagues, this resolution is about welcoming the world to Worcester through culture, through our community, and through the language of sports. 2026, FIFA Cup comes to our region. This initiative will affirm that Worcester is ready to host Ghanaian fans and delegations while also supporting opportunities for

communities and fans and viewing spaces for supporters of World Cup teams from around the world. It's important to celebrate culture, support our local economy, and show that Worcester is a city that brings people together. Mr. Chairman, this is a global moment. The World Cup will bring international attention to our region. Worcester has the opportunity to participate in that momentum by welcoming visitors and fans from around the world showcasing Worcester's hospitality and diversity. The resolution recognizes the possibility of hosting Ghanaian fans and delegations celebrating the strong cultural ties between the Ghanaian community and the broader African diaspora in Massachusetts and across New England.

As importantly, the concept includes community connections, fan connections and festivities, and public viewing spaces, again, open to all supporters of all World Cup teams. Worcester residents and visitors will have a place to gather, watch masses, and celebrate the energy and global spirit of the tournament together. This economic opportunity will bring opportunities for our restaurants, our hotels, our small businesses, and cultural organizations. It will help position Worcester as a welcoming destination during a global event. Community programming is a must. Coordination will involve the mayor's office, the city manager, relevant city departments, and representatives connected to the Ghanaian cultural and diplomatic institutions. Mr. Chairman, the World Cup is the world's game.

This resolution simply says that when the world gathers to celebrate it, Worcester will be ready to welcome everyone. Mr. Chairman, with some specifics, I'd like to share a thank you to Efua Dufo, Kelvis Quenor, for their vision. I also want to acknowledge the intersection that has occurred between stakeholders beyond the manager and the city manager in my office with local faith leavers, interfaith councils, , Ghanaian Religious Representatives, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the Greater Accra Metropolitan, the Mayor of Accra, Backhouse Concepts, and the Honorable Alfredo Coy, Vandupur, Head of Parliamentary Committee of Foreign Affairs, Ghana, in these efforts to identify a suitable venue and date. Mr. Chairman, this lasts over a period of days.

This will require contact coordination, planning, related matters. Mr. Chairman, as well, there is currently pending with the government of the Republic of Ghana, a strategic host city and diaspora engagement proposal that includes the and many other efforts that we can initiate here, the potential efforts by this body to designate Worcester, Massachusetts as the official host city for Ghanaian supporters and affiliated delegations. Worcester is uniquely positioned as a whole city due to our large and well-organized Ghanaian diaspora. the proximity to local matches in Providence, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia. And beyond logistics, Worcester is a symbolic home for the Ghanaian community and a powerful platform for diaspora engagement. Mr. Chairman,

We are asking that once this is approved the government of Ghana designates Worcester as its official host city. Mr. Chairman, we know that the City of Worcester offers a unique combination of strategic advantage. We have a dense and established Ghanaian population. We have the infrastructure of supporting large scale gatherings. We have municipal, academic, and institutional environments that can be helpful. And we are a symbolic home for Ghanaians abroad. We are looking at programming that's not just about arrival. It's also about business and trade and investment forum that will occur. Also, we're looking at cultural community and youth programming. We're looking at the end of this time period coordinated travel to Philadelphia from Worcester.

and this is for a 12-day residency period, Mr. Chairman. We will operate as an extended national hub for Ghana in the United States, supporting trade and investment. We're looking at interfaith sessions, Mr. Chairman, where We will be working with folks from all different religions in programming. There's also been some contact with our local colleges and institutions to serve as host sites as occurring in other parts of the country. Mr. Chairman. we are We are also looking at cultural showcases. And again, they're planning a mid-week, once approved, interfaith unity worship service involving Christians, Muslims, Druze, and traditional faith leaders.

serving as a moment of reflection, prayer, and solidarity. Mr. Chairman, as we heard earlier, this impacts beyond Ghana. This impacts all of the folks that are currently gonna be playing in our area, Haiti, Scotland, Norway, Morocco, England, Bolivia, Iraq, potentially, Mr. Chairman. And this is a great event that will spur economic activities here in the city of Worcester. And I've met with the city. I know that with the city manager that there are questions regarding what will this cost? There is no, this agreement and proposal doesn't require any funding, no commitment to funding.

on behalf of the city outside of normal permitting and public safety processes that should occur. Those are certainly some questions. Mr. Chairman, we stand where if we can move on this quickly, that we will have a response from the Minister of Sports. in Ghana, and let's do this for the city of Worcester and beyond. Thank you. Mayor Joseph M. Kwame Petty.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It was well earned. Hard to earn.

Yes, absolutely.

But this is a great... I think this is a great resolution. I want my order. I talked to the Mayor Acra. I know you were working on, Mr. Chairman, College and Universities and they expect for that purpose about 500 or so, 500 to 600 people that would take advantage of that. And they expect another 1,500 to come into the city. So I had discussions with the scouts of Central Massachusetts. That's where I learned about all these watches that are going on in the city, which was mentioned tonight and you mentioned, Mr. Chairman. and which is different to what this is. But the watch is something that we should advertise too. So we need a hand. Where is the watch going to be? Where is the... Again, any community you're going to meet, it could be at a church, it could be at one of the churches or one of the organizations that they have here in the city. They have a number of establishments in the city of Worcester.

I know we need to meet with, I know the City Manager's Office is working on this along with Discover Central Massachusetts. the Department of Transportation is offering some service if we need coordinated transportation with the Canadian community going back and forth. So this is gonna be pretty big. as long as Foxborough pays the bill. So it's going to be a pretty big project for the city of Worcester. Worcester's on the map right now. If you really think about the Ghanaian community, the African community, it probably represents per capita one of the largest in the country. We're smaller than Texas. But per capita, I think we have a larger population here in the city of Worcester. So this is pretty big. So you could get a lot of up to 2,000 visitors here in the city of Worcester, if not more, from Africa, from Ghana. and which I think will go a long way. I think the first game, not their first game, but the game they're playing in Foxborough is gonna be with England. So I think that would be, A great turnout. It was a good English community, too, here in Massachusetts. So we had some real fun with that.

So I'm glad to support this with Councilor King. and City Council. It's going to be a great project going forward and we're celebrating culture here in the City of Worcester. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council Rivera wants to sign on.

I was gonna say too, I was gonna say one more thing.

Everyone wants to sign on.

Mayor Racker's supposed to hopefully come through with the city this week, and I'll let you know, so.

All right, great. Sign on. Roll call, Mr. Clerk.

Councilor Bergman?

Yes.

Councilor Bilotta?

Yes.

Councilor Economou, Councilor Fresolo? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mitra. Yes. Councilor Ojeda. Yes. Councilor Rivera. Yes. Councilor Rosen. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Mayor Petty. Yes. Okay, we're going back to...

12E, request to stand in command of public service and transportation, invite the Central Mass Regional Planning Commission to convene to discuss the ongoing Verne Street 290 Exchange Interchange Transportation Study. Councilor Bilotta.

Thanks. Just wanted to put this on the agenda to get them to the subcommittee meeting to talk about the I-290 interchange transportation study. It's a really exciting project that they're going on to really reimagine Reinvest in the 290 interchange and the Vernon Street bridge that goes over there. There's going to be two events coming up on Thursday, the 19th right across the street at the JMAC from six to eight and then Wednesday, March and I know CMRPC is really looking for community input. We all know the history of 290 and how it impacted the city. cut the city in half, separated communities, destroyed the Laurel Clayton neighborhood, destroyed major components of the Polish and Lithuanian neighborhoods, and you know we're still kind of dealing with with those impacts in the city but I think this is an exciting project because they're trying to see how can we reconnect Vernon Street to the rest of the city and reconnect the canal district and

So I think it's a really exciting project and just wanted to get the community to put this on their radar.

Thank you. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Okay, we are on the next item, F. Request to be managed, request Chief Equity Office of Development Americans with Disability Transition Plan as part of the city's ongoing effort to assess the current level of ADA Belotta, Clerk, Employment and Program Services, Activities and City-Owned Facilities, Councilor Belotta.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. I know we have an ADA transition plan through the chair to the city managers. is there any updates on that or would you know through this order would it be possible to get an update maybe you know in a month or so um yeah we'll see that question through the chair to the manager mr manager

Yeah, through the Chair to the Council, we've had a transitional ADA plan that we've had for quite a while. I think it's a good order now to give us an opportunity to update it, review. I know there was an audit submitted as well for us to be able to audit our municipal properties starting with City Hall. So that will give it an opportunity to create a plan moving forward.

Okay, thank you. I just want to say, you know, it's critical that we really do our due diligence to make sure that all our public facilities, including our public schools, are accessible and equitable. So thank you.

Dr. Mitra.

No, Councilor Mitra. I don't have to sign on to it.

Sign on to it? Sign on. Okay. Okay, so as amended, all those in favor of postal audit, 12G, request amended by council report concerning deploying cameras to catch people who are illegally passed off school buses. Councilor King.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd just like to amend this to read a report concerning exploring the feasibility of a pilot for deploying cameras who are illegally passing school buses. Mr. Chairman, we know that stop-arm enforcement as they call it is extremely important. I know that in Brockton, they've recently started this. I've witnessed, I'm sure many of you have witnessed over the years, you know, close calls. And here in a city as dense and as populated as the city of Worcester, with us working on school safety audits and the like, that this could go a long way, Mr. Chairman.

and I just want to know, through the Charity Administration, have you had any exposure to the potential of using school bus cameras to enhance student safety? At this time or in the recent recent times through the chair.

Yeah, through the chair, through the council. There's been conversation at school committee, but also I personally have had conversations with the superintendent related to this program. The police department is extremely involved in it. and looking at kind of the process in which we will evaluate anyone that violates the actual camera or Valleys, the buses. So that will give us an opportunity to explore it. We've provided an initial kind of what the cost of this program would be. And that's something that we're currently exploring internally in terms of what can we do and what's the capacity. of the current departments to be able to do this.

I appreciate that. As the chair of education committee, something I would also like to get before my committee, I was not aware of the work that's been going on with the city. and the schools. I would like an updated report on that, Mr. Chairman. I know that this was a law sponsored by State Senator Michael Moore and that that legislation did in fact move forward. And it allows school districts to equip buses with cameras to capture photo and video evidence of schools. I would also like a time frame for this. One of the things we know that we're facing here in the city of Worcester is some budgetary challenges. We just took a vote on exploring feasibility of a new Police Station. We need to figure out if there is funding, what's available for that. But at the same time,

We're talking about burn code. The same time we have the elephant in the room of $35 million we're trying to deal with. So we have to be realistic here. And what I do know, Mr. Chairman, is that there have been identified State Support, and grants and things of that nature in other localities. Mr. Chairman, I'd also like to amend this to also read that there's any grant sourcing that we can do an exploration that that be reported back to the council, Mr. Chairman. Again, I think the intersection of what we're hearing, we talk about snow removal, we talk about student safety, we talk about Walkability for our kids. We talk about traffic and parking. There's an intersection with our Wiltshire Public Schools that happens across departments. and there's a lot in front of our various committees. But I would like to get an idea of where we're at with this in a joint meeting.

as often occurs in the Education Committee, Mr. Chairman. So I don't know if it's also able to I guess I can wait. I don't know how long that report will take. I'd like to get in sooner than later, Mr. Chairman, to my committee. Thank you.

Thank you. I know just FYI, schools have been For the year, I've been working on the suit. I know the school has asked the chief to work on this. He's worked on it for about a year. And I think you have a good order to have it brought out because even though you said Brockton, it'd be interesting to know. Brockton passed it, right, you said? it would be interesting to know whether Brockton's enforcing it. So I think we should get that legal perspective too on this because I know there's some legal issues going on here. So I hope their report was sent to the Education Committee for a hearing with the school department.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Okay, Councilor Rivera wants to sign on. and everybody else does too, okay. As amended, okay, with the amendments, all those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Next item is, we are on 12H, request manager, request commission of transportation mobility, review Highway 3 which intersects Grove and Main, for the purpose of adjusting the timing of traffic rates and slowing. Do not block intersection signage at said intersection to ensure more roads coming down Hanging Street towards Lincoln Street. Do not block traffic traversing between Main Street and Grove Street. It's so true. It's so true.

We all know it if you go down Main Street. I hate to say it, but especially rush hour in the evening, Evening. 2.30 on, I guess, rush hour at Lincoln Square. It's just a disaster. We're going to build, what, 150 new senior apartments in the area, too? So it's going to be worse. Maybe we have to open up that Johnson Tunnel and bring it back to life. because that might be the answer. But in any case, I have occasion to go down Main Street to Lincoln Square to get over to Grove Street on a few occasions and that's one of the longest lights in Worcester. It's probably if you miss the light, and you do because it's a short light, so you probably wait three minutes. But the trouble is you might wait three, three, and three because you can't move. You could be the first cat. waiting for the green light. What happens, they come down Highland Street and they stop and they block the main street traffic. You're sitting there looking at your green light, wishing you could go through, and you can't. They come down that hill, think they might go through the red light,

but they block Main Street. We need at least signage saying, do not block Main Street. And I think we need to take that light that's right before they're coming down the hill and have them stop much sooner So when the green light on Main Street changes to green, there'll be no one there we can get through. So it seems to be an easy thing to solve. But I know there's a lot of people who've gone down Main Street and you see this and it's just A terrible situation. I don't mind waiting. I don't mind waiting six minutes, but when it's 9 or 12, and you can't turn around. the country around a couple of times I noticed and I was able to turn around and go back towards City Hall and go up State Street and go around so but you know if you miss that turn you're stuck there for who knows how long and they just don't care They just don't care. They stop and block Main Street. It makes no sense.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Councilor Cahn, on purpose.

Mr. Chairman, where is he? I absolutely support opening up the Ernest Johnson tunnel. Unfortunately, we lost one of our staunchest supporters in Councilor Russell on that issue. I think that there's a whole host of reasons for that. I know I have a pending order as it relates to that. One of which was securing some funding from the developer when towards that end, towards reopening and addressing some of the issues that we have. That being said, Mr. Chairman, just through the chair to the administration, is this like a mass DOT thing? Is it city of Worcester? Like what is it?

Yeah, through the Chair to the Council. Any project or any redesign or any improvements that are made to this area requires MassDOT's engagement. But we as a city have the opportunity to work with them in partnership with them. to consider any potential improvements to the area so it doesn't preclude us from evaluating the area and working with DOT to suggest some of the improvements that need to be made.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask if we could amend that just to include that we're working with MassDOT on this matter or continue to, whichever works. and to that addition to that Mr. Chairman that particular area when you're coming down in front of the old Lincoln Square Boys Club where I was a proud member Best Boys Club Louie in the city, Lincoln Square. So that being said, coming down that hill, I filed orders in the past. when they changed near the light, where it's two turns to the left. There's often near misses. It's also compromise. you know, pedestrian safety when they're not following the rules and crossing when they shouldn't. But it's an additional issue. You're talking about four lanes of traffic. It bottlenecks as you come down.

and I would just like to make a separate motion that that be looked at for redesign, maybe report back on any traffic challenges or and other safety issues as it relates to that, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Thank you.

And again. Does that sign on? No.

It was a clarification. Yeah, go ahead. I had a gap at the Boys and Girls Club.

OK. OK. Okay, you need to fix the light coming from Salisbury Street that way in front of the auditorium into downtown. It's like you get three cars through it and it turns red. Like 20 cars are backed up. Mr. Manager?

Yeah, through the chair to the council, I just want to, I do agree that that area is a very tough congested area. Not only McGrath Boulevard, you have sometimes not even four, you have five or six lanes, you have Two lanes going left on one way. Then you've got to go three up front. And it's just crazy. The sidewalks there are very narrow. It's very tough to try to beat the crosswalk, to run and try to make sure you get to the other side. It's a very, very tough area. I know historically years ago way before my time there was a massive rotary probably the biggest rotary in the city was right in front of that location there's been different solutions that has provided there Currently, right now, we are exploring a process of evaluating that area, which include the tunnel. I'm hopeful that we can come back to the council

with a report that would signal kind of some ideas and suggestions of what we can do to improve the area, which also include the usability of that tunnel as well. More to come on that as we continue to have fruitful conversations about it.

Okay, so Sunday as amended. Councilor Bergman?

Quickly, through the Chair to the City Manager, If hypothetically the DPW worker had seen this issue before Councilor Rosen had brought it up, As far as you know, would that be something that would be brought before the council to correct? Would that be something that would be corrected on their own? And I'm asking that for a particular reason.

Mr. Manager? Yeah, through the Chichester Council. There are times where we as a city or the department may see that we need to improve. We get a lot of calls, complaints, et cetera, to a particular area. We can initiate that. Any decision regarding improvements or resource allocation has to be brought forward for the council for discussion and approval.

I'm just Mr. Chairman I'm just gonna end by commenting and I'll put an order on sometime in the future but you know I think all of us drive by certain intersections I'm sure Council Rosen noticed this and that's the impetus of this order but street signs missing or something doesn't line up and I'm just wondering It shouldn't be up to us. I don't mind doing it. I'm not going to take the position it's not my job. It is. But at the same time, I'd love to know, on their own initiative, a DPW employees calling these things in themselves. Because if we're calling them in, they certainly should be calling them in. And I never see anything brought before us that said this is a recommendation of DPW to do this or do that on a small scale. I understand they're in charge of the big projects. I get that. but I think one of the things that frustrates myself and maybe some of my colleagues is if I'm out there and I'm noticing these things and I'm calling them in and I'm not a member,

of DPW, I am a city employee, but I'm not, I would hope that they're doing the same thing. I don't know if they are, so we'll try to get a future order to see if they are, but boy, it would be great if they were.

Thank you. Okay, so we're gonna send that to the, The manager has amended those in favor of postal audit. The custody manager exposes the feasibility of using the employee parking lot 25 Meade Street. for resident parking after work hours, particularly during inclement weather, to help improve plowing on the side streets and ease the burden of the residents impacted by the parking bans. Councilor Ojeda.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll be quick. Hopefully there's no more snow. But going forward, there's some we need to look into, especially in some of these tight streets, especially around the schools as well. hopefully we can look into this and to me I think it's a no-brainer obviously it's just being able to communicate with the residents and make sure that they leave in a timely manner so those that need to get to work and park their cars back in the parking lots that they can do that with no issues

Thank you. Thank you, Senator. The manager, all those in favor, opposed, so ordered. requesting a committee on Veteran Memorial Parks and Recreation to host a discussion between the city, the Friends Institute Park, with the Polytech Institute, and other interested parties concerned in making improvements to Institute Park. located at District 2 at 82 Salisbury Street as well as 16 acres man-made Salisbury Pond located inside the park. It's a beautiful and iconic park. It was named recognition of WPI and dominated by Steve Salisbury III in 1887. to provide green space for the school and the city. Such discussion should include strengthening the partnerships between all parties associated with the park's well-being, clearing the pond's perimeter of invasive growth, restoring and replacing parks corroded Rosen, Restroom fixtures, excuse me, up the park's branded entrance sign, an open and never used snack bar hidden away in the restroom concession building, Councilor Rosen, Councilor Fresolo.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this beautiful, historic Institute Park just needs some tender Loving Care. And it's a tribute to the city of Worcester. And it's used by so many groups. I know we have the Juneteenth Festival, the Caribbean Festival. There are three major concerts here in the summer of the Mass Symphony Orchestra, another group that we should be very proud of in the city that they're having their 75th anniversary this summer, 75 years, and it's gonna be a July 4th, maybe July 3rd concert with fireworks, expecting a huge crowd because it's also the 250th anniversary of United States. There's three groups primarily concerned with Institute Park. Many others, but mainly the three groups. The City of Worcester Parks Department, which overall does a very good job there. and the friends of Institute Park, which does a terrific job over there.

And then there's my alma mater, WPI. and I don't know, they tend to disappoint many of us at times, WPI, but they should be thrilled. So many of their students use that park. They don't understand the value of having that park right across the street. It's a great park. I mean, many universities and colleges would love to have a park across the street for their students, like Institute Park. It would be nice if we could could get the three groups I just mentioned together and kind of nudge WPI. We're not asking for a pilot payment, as I've done in the past. but we're asking for them to take a look at the things I mentioned there. I mentioned the overgrowth, the invasive growth. You can't even see the water usually when the snow melts and in another month, won't be able to see the water because all around the perimeter is this tall invasive growth.

The corroded restroom fixtures, we built that so no one could kill the bathroom. We put some stainless steel in there now. It's all corroded. It's rusty. It's embarrassing. I expect the July, I think it's July 3rd concert there with fireworks, if it's nice weather, thousands of people, maybe not as big East Park, because that probably gets, what, $10,000? But they may get $3,000 or $4,000 certainly at this. So the restroom needs some tender loving care. Maybe they can be just shined up if we keep the same fixtures there. The sign needs a little bit of work at Institute Park. And then I don't think probably many of us, I just found out maybe a week or two ago, when I was at a Friends of Institute Park meeting, that there's a snack bar there. It's never been used. No one even knows it's there. Now, you didn't know who said Mr. Mayor. It's the bathrooms on one side that people use, even though I'm saying they're corroded and embarrassing. Right behind there, no one ever goes behind.

I never go behind that building. There's a snack bar. and some of the WPI students with, I don't know, another person, I don't know his involvement with WPI, but they've been painting the walls, sanding them down, painting them, and I'd love to get that thing open, the snack bar, for the July 3rd concert. So it needs some loving care. I'm hoping that Councilor Fresolo's committee can maybe call in these three groups, Parks Department, WPI, friends of the Institute Park, and maybe talk to WPI and get them more on board. There's so much they can do with this park. in terms of manpower, in terms of some finances too, they should probably want that water cleaned up. And the water needs some ecological work. This is WPI. It's an engineering school. What are they thinking? Get over there. Now the Parks Department doesn't hire a lot of engineers. We do some.

And we have the person who's in charge, Katie who's in charge, I guess the waterways and so on, the water bodies. That's all great. But you got WPI right there. They should be helping out with this park. And it was built, it was turned over to the city of Worcester for the city to use and WPI to use. It's called Institute Park. Institute Park. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. So come on, WPI, if anyone's watching from WPI, jump on board. Let's work with them and bring back this park. You know, it needs some tender loving care, and I know WPI hopefully will be willing to work with us. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Senator. To the Manager, all those in favor? Opposed? So, ordered. Request the Manager to request the Commission of Public Works to review and repair a street light at pole number three at Gwinnett Street, which is out of service and needs to be repaired. Dr. Mitra, Councilor Mitra.

Yes, Mr. Chair, through you, through the administration, I think this, we had, the resident had called to 311, then we had also made a call O'Neill, and the City Council. Again, the 3-1-1, but the street light is still not on, so I just thought of putting it in the order, so kind of emphasizing that it should be taken care of.

Thank you. Okay, next one is 12I, I mean 12L. Request to manage, review, and enforce city ordinance associated with residents, business offenses, et cetera, obstructing visibility of vehicles turning onto roads, said review should include Bush's obstructing visibility on Bronco Street at the intersection of Randall Street and Budas Road. Councilor Mitra.

Thank you again Mr. Chair through you to the City Manager that this came to my attention because some of the streets when you go from Burncourt from side streets like Randall and or Butus to Burncourt, there are bushes that the residents have which obstructs the view to turn right or left. So I just wanted to know what is the ordinance that we have, how high the residents can have the bushes or the fences If I could get an idea so that these people, those who are trying to go through the stop sign, they have to go past the stop sign to look at the left or right. Or maybe we can have a mirror posted there so they can see the traffic. But the question was, what should be the height that the ordinance allows us to do? Thank you.

Okay, thank you. To the manager, all those in favor of the postal audit. M, request the City Manager to provide counsel with a report concerning how the City notified residents of trash delays during the weeks beginning February 23rd of 2026. to March 2nd, 2026, stemming from the winter weather events and later the absence of alert WSTA. Federal requests to report include additional strategies to ensure residents are made aware of such trash pickup delays.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, once again to you, to Mr. Manager, as you recognize that in the last Snowstorm that we had. We didn't have the trash pickup on Monday. I think it was delayed by a day. But I think many residents did not know about it. And they put the trash bags on Monday. They were all there. They didn't know it. So a lot of people are questioning that if we don't have the Worcester Alert System working, which it was not working at that time, What is the way that we inform them immediately? How is the thing? Is there any other ways that we can really inform our residents or householders, kind of asking them to register with us, giving them, giving us their cell phone number and then kind of do a mass blast the information to the cell phone so they all get the information that tomorrow there will be no trash pickup or any other ways because many residents just had No idea.

Even many of city workers had their own trash bags out there on Monday. Did not know that it was not to be picked up on Monday, but to be picked up on Tuesday. Just want to know how we can facilitate this system so all residents are aware on time and they are not under the dark that what's going to happen. So if you can really look into that. Thank you.

I just wanted to ask to the chair, to the administration, can you just give us an update on the new alert that's been in testing, stuff like that. Mr. Mayor.

Yeah, to the chair, to the council, we're currently working on that. We executed the contract. We're working right now trying to expedite with the company the process to try to get this launched to the city as soon as possible. I'm hopeful. I know last time I spoke to Council, we were hoping in two and a half weeks we'd be ready to go. Unfortunately, there's been a little delay by the company, but our hope is to get it done as soon as possible. They've expedited, they put their efforts to expedite this process knowing that we need something right away. So they're hopeful that we can get something relatively soon.

Through the Chair's administration, so it's not in the testing phase yet?

Mr. Manager?

To the Chair, to the Council, we've tested a couple of elements internally, but we're still working through those details right now.

Okay, so I just want to make sure that my constituents know exactly that. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Toomey.

Mr. Chair, we just had this report in Subcommittee, Public Safety, so it's all explained there very comprehensively.

Okay, so send that to the Manager. All those in favor, opposed, supported. I request that you may consider implementing a discounted rate of 20% to 25% for parking in municipal garages or parking lots for employees of various businesses in the downtown Worcester area. Dr. Mitra.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Once again, to you too, Mr. Chair, Manager. I was wondering if this council kind of reflects that we're so business friendly. We like to give them some opportunity to do business in downtown. In order to make that happen, there are many things we can do to show that how much we want them to do the business. One of the thoughts that came to my mind, maybe the city parking garages that we have, if we can offer discounted rate for those who are working for the businesses in downtown probably will make them feel better It looks good for us that the city council or the city cares for them and friendly for their businesses to be here. So anything that we can do. Currently, you know, everything, prices are up. So we're doing this small favor to all those employees who work around downtown. There are five city garages. I would request that to consider giving them maybe 20-25% discounted rate to park there.

That will make the business owners feel good and that will also reflect good on this council that we care for them.

Okay, send that to the manager. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. Question manager, consider hiring a consultant to conduct a third-party evaluation audit of the Department of Public Works to evaluate departmental policies, operational procedures, internal communications facilities. Equipment manager, Councilor Bilotta.

Yeah, FILE is more of an exploratory order in requesting that we work on improving policies in terms of communications. I know there's many orders that have come up in the new council, countless orders in previous council about how our Department of Public Works operations, how are the procedures operated, how are internal communications going, how are our facilities and equipment being managed. I know Commissioner Westerling is taking a look under the hood. I know we've had these conversations before. So I'd like to file it because I think and I'd like to make an amendment as well though, excuse me, not file, but to make an amendment that requests if the DPW commissioner could come back to council with a report on What evaluations has he done to policies and procedures? What steps is he taking to improve these things?

Because I think the questions I have, is it work culture? Is it facilities? Is it technology? and how could we help as a council to assist the Commissioner and assist the people that work in DPW and customer service because I know obviously the last winter they've had their hands full and I know everyone's been working very hard but you know I think sometimes there's still gaps and there's still things that are get missed so we'd love to see how we could close those gaps so thank you.

Thank you. All those in favor? Councilor Cain wants to sign on. Anybody else? Everybody? Okay, as amended, to the manager, all those in favor, opposed to the order, request manager, request the Commission of Public Works review the current road conditions on College Street for the purpose of determining any emergency street repairs. That should be conducted on the street, Councilor Frizzolo.

Mr. Chairman, through you and the administration, College Street itself and the sidewalks, we're talking myself and Councilor Ojeda, who has also the other side of College Street. It's in deplorable condition, so much so that when we contacted DPW, Jay Mello wrote back, College Street is tentatively programmed for resurfacing, not until 2028. 28, though, prior to the resurfacing, all the utilities in the road, both public and private, must be relocated. And that work is supposed to begin the fall of this year. So obviously, Mr. Manager, I cannot wait till that construction begins. So we have contacted Commissioner Westerling and

He has said that he has contacted those in the department to go and fill those potholes. But just to give you some Some idea of how bad it is. We have a pavement condition index, a PCI. And from Boyden Street, City View, Kendig, Dutton, Electric, and Ellie Way, It takes you from the top of the Holy Cross all the way down to the Auburn line. We wait in the major rehabilitation stage. That's the worst it can be. I'm one that, and I know, probably all my colleagues feel that the College of the Holy Cross is a great gem and a great institution here in the city. And not only for those people that live on College Hill and have to drive and use that road because we do get complaints on a frequent basis.

The college itself that brings so many families in to the city and visitors to the city. One thing I want to stress too about Holy Cross is that it's a huge employer. employees, hundreds of people and a lot of them live in that area of College Hill and Quincy Village that I know and they love working at the Cross and the other point was that they have bought up a lot of property. But one thing I was unaware of that from the end of 1900s, 1999, 2000 area, every House that they have bought up or property that they have bought up on College Hill. They still continue to pay the taxes. I know I didn't know that before being elected to this body. and I don't believe that many of our constituents know that.

So for the general public, I wanted to make that point as well that any property they have purchased, they are still paying the taxes on. So that's a kudos to them for that. So again, I'd ask that we make sure that and I'll follow through obviously with the commission but we need to address that as soon as possible and the sidewalks too are as bad as the street so I'd appreciate that thank you Mr. Chairman

You'll send that to the manager. All those in favor, oppose, so ordered. Requesting a Committee on Public Service and Transportation to invite representatives from WCCA TV 194 to discuss the progress, achievements, and the future of the public access TV station and community media center, Councilor Rosen.

as it reads, Mr. Chairman.

You starting the president at 11 o'clock at night? Okay, I think, people wanna sign on? Okay. All those in favor, as amended. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. We are on S. Request City Manager request Commissioner of Inspection Services and Chief Demand Officer to consider freezing the implementation of regulatory enforcement of the specialized stretch zone. Bergman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I just want to make clear, and I think most of my colleagues and not all of them know this, there is a stretch code that we we follow. So the specialized stretch code was something above and beyond the regular stretch code that we voted to accept. The time we voted to accept it, and I've checked, I don't think it's changed much, we were one of about 35 communities out of 351 cities and towns of Massachusetts that opted in. Certainly not the majority, less than 10% or about 10% have opted in, approximately 90% haven't. At the time, I think all of us had a good faith belief that it was going to run smoothly and that it was the right thing to do at the time. Since then, we've come to learn that it conflicts in some ways with the international building code. It also creates hurdles that are unrealistic at the moment, including putting a lot more and many others.

And quite frankly the ability to monitor and a huge source of resources that we can't really afford to spare. It's also having a detrimental impact on the small local builder. Bilotta that people like to portray where, you know, this is about helping somebody from Washington, New York make money. No, it's about somebody in Worcester who can't get their project done and we need housing units because of the specialized dredge code. this isn't an ask to get rid of it. This is an ask deposit. And I think we'll find that the Commission of Buildings and Code would agree that this has become a very problematic issue for their department as well as for developers and as well as interpreting whether or not people are not in violation of the specialized stretch code. Now, I just want to address something that some of the public had mentioned earlier today.

Yeah, we did vote for this. And I'm going to say right now that there are always unintended consequences. There are a number of votes over the time I've been on the council that I wish I could take back. and there's absolutely nothing wrong with saying when I voted for something at the time I had the best intentions of this being a good idea and maybe in retrospect it's not. and I don't know if it is or isn't. So I'm not willing to write this off and say in a year from now if this was adopted, I wouldn't still support it. What I am saying is that when we supported it, we did not know the unintended consequences of what would happen. that's what maturity and that's what experience teaches us that sometimes we make decisions that we have to look back upon and say you know what maybe it wasn't the best decision to make and maybe it was But right now, we need a pause.

And I'm suggesting that the city manager do what he has to do, his due diligence, which I'm sure he will do, to inquire with the right and appropriate department heads and report back to us within a relatively short period of time, if he can, on whether or not it's a good idea to pause it. I hope he comes back and says it is because I feel that from all the parties I've spoken to, We do have an existing stretch code that is environmentally friendly. And this is not saying we don't want to be environmentally friendly. This is just saying there are kinks in this specialized code. that we have to work out before we can say whether or not we want to go back to it. So thank you, Mr.

Chair. Should this be clear, asking for a report back on this?

Yes, but I'm hoping, and I'm not going to speak for the city manager, but I'm hoping the report back comes with a recommendation.

Thank you. OK. Councilor King?

Mr. Chairman, you indicated this was a request for a report back. There's nothing in this order that indicates that. Are you amending it?

Yeah. Well, he said it in his voice. Yeah, but we can amend that to say that, Council Bergman. They're looking for a report back in the recommendation.

This says here to consider freezing. It doesn't say a report back.

I have no issue amending it. It doesn't say that, but it does ask the commissioner and the city manager to consider freezing implementation. So I would hope they would come back with a report regardless, but if If it troubles my colleague, I certainly will amend it to include a report back to us with a recommendation.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm not troubled. I'm not supporting it either way. Just want clarification. That being said, Mr. Chairman, just a couple of questions. Through the Charity Administration, to what degree is this aligned, the stretch code and the specialized stretch code with the What is it? The Green Worcester Plan, through the Chair.

Mr. Manager.

Through the Chair and the Council, this is one of the recommendations and is in alignment with the Green Worcester Plan.

And that's in effect?

on the Green Wilson plan. It's in effect, yes.

Okay, there's a goal for net zero status by 2045?

To the council, that is correct.

Okay, and through the chair to the administration, what would a pause do to that date, the goal of net zero by 2045? Theoretically, through the Chair.

Mr. Manager?

I mean, theoretically, it's a loaded question because I won't know what the impacts could potentially be. one year or 12 months, again, to evaluate the current code. Like the councilor mentioned, it's not currently in the international building code. They're having challenges in terms of alignment. there's conversations at the state level regarding this. So there's an indication that there needs to be some correction or some better alignment related to the current existing international building trade school.

Mr. Chairman, is it correct through the chair to the administration that there's multiple pathways towards compliance as relates to this through the chair, incentives, et cetera? to achieve this, specialized in the stretch code, specialized stretch code and stretch code.

Through the chairs of the council, that was one of the kind of incentives as part of the specialized stretch code, not only at the state, but also federal level, that there were potential incentives or there could be potential incentives for developers to utilize as part of the development strategies. those incentives were starting to see a decline significantly in those, especially at the federal level. There's a different strategy at the federal level related incentives to sustainability. So there's a decline in those incentives. And then there's also the constraints that are happening here at the state level has impacted a little bit of those incentives as well.

Through the chair team administration, can you share a little bit about who your administration's been engaging with in respect to freezing the specialized stretch coat? or is that putting words in your mouth, like just explain what is that? Mr.

Manager?

Yeah, to the Chair, to the Council, part of our conversations related to this has strictly been with the economic development team. in terms of conversations and things that we've heard from developers in terms of their concerns, their impact. Again, they have to hire high-level consultants that sometimes it's tough to find to be able to have the knowledge and expertise to manage this code. The actual equipment that they're seeking to retrofit their properties, there's enough lag time, the costs are high. So there's a little bit of everything that's happening and those are the things that we're hearing. from developers as part of Peter Dunn and myself's engagement with the development community.

Thank you. And through the Chair to perhaps the Clerk or the Solicitor or the Administration. When we adopted this, did it require a supermajority or was this just a 6-5? majority required to move that forward when we opted in to whomever.

Six to five?

Six votes. Thank you. You know, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the dialogue that I'm just learning about that's occurring. to some degree or another. But we took a vote on this. I think it went into effect in July of 2024 or so. and it's important. I know that when I was chairing the committee that Councilor Haidt is currently chairing, we had these items before us and there was concerns that we would not to attain the goals in the Green Worcester Plan. There's news articles on it. And to request consideration of freezing, where theoretically freezing isn't going to expedite anything towards the goal that we're trying to reach in 2045. and the fact that there's no data supporting this. I'm hearing a little bit about conversations, that and the third, that I'm not going to support this Mr. Chairman going to, the administration.

I would support this. I'm not going to support it. There's no data. There's nothing here. We need to continue pushing forward. And when and if the administration gets to the point where there's substantive conversations that should enlighten I look forward to that being filed during a manager's agenda. But this right here, I think, is premature. and I'm not going to ask to freeze the enforcement on implementation of this code. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Councilor Ojeda.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yeah, just for clarification, this was voted in in 23, but it got signed in in 24, is that correct, to the chair, to the city clerk?

To the Chair, to the Council, correct. So I'm just pulling up the history right now on this item. My understanding was in September in 23 was voted on by Council and then it was supposed to go into effect in July of 24.

Yeah, OK, thank you. So through the chair, to the city manager, Someone had mentioned, and maybe you can help me with this, someone had mentioned, I can't remember who it was tonight, about this is one of the reasons why projects are being delayed. is that is that safe to say is that true and do we know if there's like actual current projects right now Mr.

Manager uh through the chance to come they are actively projects right now that are delayed uh that are contemplating whether they want to pursue the project or not Some of them are affordable housing projects. Some of them are market rate projects, even commercial projects. Like we had testimonies here today related to the Green Tech Park. that's part of the discussions that are happening right now in conversations with developers when they're building. Because these costs, you're talking about millions of dollars of costs related to that. And so oftentimes when you see developers increasing costs in some areas, oftentimes they're coming in a different direction to try to get incentives from the city to offset those costs. So again, these are the things that we have to explore as part of the negotiation process.

Thank you so so so therefore it's also safe to say that not only is it I'm trying to get the word here but a delay on some of our housing it's also Put in delay on jobs as well.

Opportunities for jobs.

Mr. Manager.

Through the Chair, through Council, that is correct. Any project that we're not developing or there's no development happening, those are jobs in those sites that are not being acted upon at the time.

OK. I know I had met with one developer had reached out, and one of the concerns I guess it was due to the timeline of the actual filing of the of the paperwork as well and it seemed like that that became a problem I guess it was because of COVID or whatever and then through this process so it just seems like um and obviously I'll say we, even though I wasn't on at the time. I don't think we took a long look at this. It just seems like this came up fairly quickly and the vote went through. It seems like this is happening throughout the state. So this is something I think we definitely need to look into if this is definitely creating problems with jobs, opportunities for jobs, and most importantly, some affordable housing. As you know, we're We're behind in a lot of housing. And this is something I feel as though we do need to look into. And I'm hoping we can get a report back as soon as possible.

Okay, so the motion right now on a roll call is to send this to the manager as amended, getting the report back to the council before we implement it. So, okay, roll call.

Councillor Bergman? Point of order, could you just read the motion, please?

The motion is to. Here it is. Request City Manager, request the Commission of Inspectional Services and Chief Development Office to consider freezing the implementation of regulatory enforcement of the specialized stretch code, including code for the period not less than 12 months, which has been amended to ask for a report back regarding this item.

Brueggemann? Yes. Councilor Bilotta? No. Councilor Economou? Fasolo, yes, Councilor King, no, Councilor Mitra, yes, Councilor Ojeda, yes, Councilor Rivera, yes, Councilor Rosen, yes, Councilor Toomey, yes, and Mayor Petty, yes.

McKesson, City Manager, request the Commissioner of Inspectorial Service to provide City Council a report detailing recommendations as to the feasibility and advisability of eliminating the four or more unrelated parties portion of the City's zoning ordinance as it relates to tenants of the multifamily buildings that were originally built for or more bedrooms.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a subject that's come up before, although it's been a kind of a pause in how long it's been since it last came up, but I think the timing is appropriate for it to come up again. We have a new and a relatively new Commissioner of Code and Buildings. We have a sparsity of apartments and just to kind of quickly summarize for some of my colleagues who weren't around for some of the original arguments, the state and the city both had a almost identical if not identical requirement in their zoning ordinances that four or more people that are unrelated cannot occupy a unit. The state version of that was ruled unconstitutional. The city has kept their version of it, although there have been various times we've had discussions on why are we continuing to keep that. So in a typical scenario, you'd have, let's say, four people who are roommates, but all four of them are not roommates.

related to each other, that would be considered illegal. It's difficulty to enforce. It also doesn't make any practical sense because the original reasons came through during the Depression when people of multiple languages couldn't communicate well, and there was a fear of fire safety issues, which obviously are negated to a large degree these days by smoke detectors and otherwise. I do know that some of my colleagues originally when I had brought this up were concerned that it would be a motivation for people to take a house and then start converting it into four bedroom units. and that's why I was very careful to say that related to multifamily buildings that were originally built with four more bedrooms, we actually had the previous assessor provide us with information that I'm sure we could churn up again. And there weren't that many properties that were built with four or more bedrooms. These were traditionally triple deckers that had four bedrooms in each unit on each floor. And if I recall, there just weren't that many of them.

and I think regardless of how many there are, I think it would relieve some pressure on the available units. It would also eliminate a law that is questionably constitutional and it would also provide an opportunity for cheaper rent if there's four people instead of three people living in a unit. And let me just finish by saying how confusing and complicated and, to me, nonsensible the law is. that you have to be three related people. So in theory, if you're a husband and a wife and an adopted child, two adopted children, you're in violation of that ordinance, which is not uncommon. And I would also say that for purposes following through on this, I don't know what legal authority the code would have and what time it would take to actually research the names on mailboxes. But in many cultures, the names are different. It doesn't mean they're not related. So I think for all those reasons,

it's time for the commissioner of inspection services to weigh in with a report and maybe we can all take a fresh look given the makeup of this council and do away with something that I believe should have been done away with a long time ago. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chair. King.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think this is a great order. I do have a question as it relates to this. does this require a whole petition? Does it require a vote? Does it require the city council? What is required to actually remove this through a chair?

Madam Solicitor, Mr. Manager.

To the council. It's just an amendment to the ordinance. There's currently a city ordinance related to this. So it would be a recommendation to make an amendment to the ordinance.

All right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll sign off.

Okay, so send that to the manager. All those in favor, opposed, so awarded. We're on 15A, the motion is adopted on a roll call. Chairman, 15A.

Yeah.

Thank you. I just have a quick question. for us to vote to authorize entering into a five-year lease agreement on behalf that the school committee is recommending for a parking lot associated with the Durkin administration vote. There's no numbers on here. What are the numbers, Mr. Chairman, to the chair, to whoever put this on the agenda? How much money are we talking about?

Oh, yeah. I see it. Where? Swift.

How much money? I don't think we have that information. The whole purpose was, you can enter a three, I believe a three year lease, or do a five year lease, you need to have a vote with the council. I know, but how much money are we voting? I'm not sure what it is. I don't have it.

It's not, it's just.

Any lease agreements and oftentimes any usual contracts that the city has where soft course etc only allows us to have a three-year contract If it goes beyond the three-year contract, it requires council approval.

I recall this with one of the dual language schools in the past, I believe. But it doesn't answer my question as to how much money are we talking about. Is that money coming out of the school committee budget? Is it coming out of our budget? What is it coming out of? and Turcia.

Thank you very much.

Okay roll call.

Bergman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Hayden. Councilor Hayden, I recuse himself. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes.

Mayor Petty? Yes. 16-8, 16-S, motions, advertised, proposed, ordinances, roll call.

Brugman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mitra? Yes. Councilor Ojeda? Yes. Councilor Rivera? Yes. Councilor Rosen? Yes. Councilor Toomey? Yes.

Mayor Petty. Yes. 16 T to 16 Z and 17 A to 17 E. Motion is accepted to adopt. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. 17F to 17Y, motions to accept. All those in favor, opposed, so ordered. to be deigned on a roll call, amending surveillance for occupational group EM, roll call.

Councilor Bergman?

Yes.

Councilor Bilotta? Yes. Councilor Economou? Resolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty.

Yes, 19B, held on the privilege, request of the manager, request of the Commissioner of Public Works and Chief Information Officer to review and provide a report to the City Council concerning A.R. Zaris, the world's first automotive... are the most automation vehicle that detects and seals road service cracks to prevent potholes from forming. Such autonomous technology can be less expensive option in comparison to conventional methods of sealing road service cracks. and Pothos, Councilor Mitra.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Yes, I would like to make an amendment to the order adding to that saying further request City Manager, ensure the implementation of such a program would not adversely affect the number of union workers employed by the city.

King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to reiterate autonomous vehicles are job killers. Autonomous vehicles are people killers. They are not able to consistently identify Pedestrians. They're not able to consistently identify stop signs. They are not able to Navigate as relates to school buses, their stop arms and their stop signs. This is Me voting for this would require a tremendous amount of irresponsibility at this point in time, Mr. Chairman. In addition to that, there's liability challenges. Who's liable if there is an issue? There's a public trustee issue. People don't trust vehicles without humans in them at this point in time in our community, Mr. Chairman. And, you know,

All of those reasons and more, we should not be moving towards the slippery slope of autonomous vehicles, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

So, Dr. Mitra?

Thank you Mr. Chair. I just would like to say that my order here says that request Commissioner of Public Works and the Chief Information Officer review and provide a report to the City Council. I'm not saying that this is something that we should adapt. I'm saying that how would that be to find out? It's the same thing that Councilor King has been saying that they may have all these difficulties or problems, but let's find out. That's the order that we want to know what it does. It's been a very successful program in the UK. It is now in the United States, in North America. and I think my request here is just to explore, just like the civil program, the company that I talked about. So it's not that I'm saying that it should be taken, but I think

It should be explored and seen if it could be worked out and if all those difficulties are there as Mr. Councilor King is mentioning, then of course, yeah, we would not do it. However, I just wanted to make sure I do the amendment so that it doesn't take the jobs from the city of the city of Worcester.

Thank you.

Thank you. Council King.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for recognizing me a second time. This particular order calls for lex expansion options in comparison to conventional methods of sealing road surface cracks and potholes, Mr. Chairman. that's called people power. This is extremely dangerous, Mr. Chairman, and we should not be a part of it. I appreciate and I supported the councilor's most other items, that were before us. I certainly support using new technology. But as it relates to autonomous vehicles, that's going to take jobs away from people that drive. is going to take jobs away from our municipal employees. And this council should not stand for it, Mr. Chairman.