City Council 11/25/2025

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.

and so on.

O say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming At the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars and many more.

All right, everyone, welcome to the Wichita South Concert, and we thank you for your service, your allegiance, and status upon the band.

We hailed at the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars and Meryl Streep.

Well, I think we're out of practice being on Zoom. So, okay. Okay. Okay, first item of business, we're gonna do a roll call. Councilor Bergman?

Here. Councilor Colorio? Councilor Colorio? Haxhiaj, King, Mero-Carlson, Ojeda, Pacillo, Russell, Toomey, Petty.

here. Okay, approve of the minutes, roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Colorio? Yes. Councilor Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson. Yes. Councilor Nguyen. Yes. Councilor Ojeda. Yes. Councilor Pacillo. Yes. Councilor Russell. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Yes. And Mayor Petty.

Yes. Okay, we're going to hold, Councilor King is asked to hold 11 A and B, which is the audit reports from the Worcester Police Department. and I'm gonna hold items eight A to eight G. So both of these needs a vote, so roll call.

So Mr. Mayor, are you also gonna introduce the new tables?

Oh yeah, we also have another version of the table. So I'm just gonna make a motion that we accept the third version of the fiscal year 2026 task classification package and revised version in order to make the necessary adjustments to finalize the fiscal year 2026 municipal budget. to hold all items for the reconvened task classifications hearing on December 9th, 2025. Okay, so we have another one. Everybody should have received that, so roll call.

And this is on 11A and B also, right?

Yes. Four. Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson. Yes. Councilor Nguyen. Yes. Councilor Ojeda. Yes. Councilor Pacillo.

Yes.

Councilor Russell. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Yes. And Mayor Petty.

Yes, okay, we are on, I'm sorry, 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 City Council on any eligible item on the agenda for the meeting both in person and remotely. Any person who wishes to speak on more than one agenda item shall combine their testimony on all items at one appearance at the microphone. The time for speaking shall not exceed two minutes or for any one speaker or 30 minutes for all speakers. Rule 40 petitions on 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.

Is this your name, city residents, and item number?

Yes, Fred Nathan Worcester. Items nine A, no, yeah, nine B, C, and D, the speed limit signs. you can have all the speed limit signs in the city you can have all the speed humps bumps whatever you want to call them in the city but if people um just Race from one stop sign or one red light or one speed hump to another. And if you don't think it happens, then you really have your head in the sand. People race from one sign to another. And if there's anyone here that thinks I am wrong, I don't drive, but I see it. I can see the stuff. But having said that, on to the next item.

As far as the tax classification, I have a feeling why a new table's coming out. because people, when they wrote all this stuff up, forgot about one big thing. WPI took all the property with the hotels off the tax rolls, and now you gotta figure out, oh my God, we made a mistake here. How are we gonna correct it? It'd be interesting to see if I'm far off on that assumption. and in general all the properties that have been taken off the rolls by other colleges. I'm sure WPI is not the only one in the last year since they did the tax classification where tax property's been taken off the rolls. It'd be interesting to see how accurate I am on that.

I'm gonna say I'm pretty accurate. That's just me.

Thank you. Anybody else? Seeing nobody else, seeing nobody on the line.

Anybody on the line? No, Mr. Mayor, I don't have anybody who raised their hand on the line.

Okay, so we'll close this part of the meeting. We'll go to hearings and orders. First motion of 7A to 7G, the motion is to open the hearing. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Brueggemann? Councilor Brueggemann?

Yes.

Councilor Calorio? Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor King?

Yes.

Councilor Mero-Carlson. Yes. Councilor Nguyen, Councilor Ojeda. Yes. Councilor Pacillo. Yes. Councilor Russell. Yes. Councilor Toomey. Yes.

And Mayor Petty. Yes, so these, anybody oppose the Tohono location at Grove Street? We have one at Lovell Street and Mill Street. Seeing nobody oppose, the motion is to close the hearing and to adopt on the roll call. Councilor Bergman?

Yes. Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj?

Yes.

Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson? Councilor Noonan, Councilor Ojeda. Yes. Councilor Pacillo. Yes. Councilor Russell. Yes. Councilor Toomey.

Yes.

And Mayor Petty.

Yes, and that was 7A to 7G. Okay, 11, we've held that. We are on petitions. 9A, refer to Public Works. Anybody here? No, so it's not the Public Works. 9B and 9J, we're gonna refer to Traffic and Parking. Okay, we take collectively on a roll call.

Roll call. Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj?

Yes.

Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson? Yes. Councilor Nguyen, Councilor Ojeda? Yes. Mr. Pacillo? Yes. Mr. Russell? Yes. Mr. Toomey? Yes. And Mayor Petty?

Yes, we are on the manager's calendar. We are on 10.1A, Transparent Information and Communication relevant to the appointment of Daniel Foster as an alternative member of the Historical Commission. Thank you, Daniel, for your service, and we are gonna place it on file, roll call. Councilor Bergman?

Yes. Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj?

Yes.

Councilor King? Yes. Mr. Mero-Carlson. Yes. Mr. Nguyen. Yes. Mr. Ojeda. Yes. Mr. Pacillo. Yes. Mr. Russell. Yes. Mr. Toomey. Yes. Mayor Petty.

Yes, 10.2 A. Okay, Council has announced she's gonna recuse herself from this part of the meeting. 10.2A, recommend the appointment of Stephen Toomey to the Planning Board. That is on a roll call. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor, Colorio.

Yes.

Councilor, Haxhiaj. Yes. Councilor, King. Councilor, King. Nguyen, I'm sorry, Councilor Mero-Carlson? Yes. Councilor Nguyen, Councilor Ojeda?

Yes. I'm a yes, King's a yes.

Yep, thank you. Councilor Pacillo?

Yes.

Councilor Russell?

Yes.

Councilor Toomey recused herself, Mayor Petty?

Yes. We are in 10.13 A, Transmitting Information and Communication to the Aaron Brody Wound Camera, Assistant Trial Program. We can send that to Public Safety. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman, yes, Councilor Colorio, yes, Haxhiaj, yes, Councilor King, yes, Councilor Mero-Carlson, yes, Councilor Nguyen, Councilor Ojeda, yes, Councilor Pacillo, yes, Councilor Russell, yes, Councilor Toomey, yes, and Mayor Petty.

Yes, we are on 10.26A. Transmitting information communication with the financial update for the period ending September 30th, 2025. Send it to MLO. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Colorio.

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj.

Yes.

Councilor King. Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson. Yes. Councilor Nguyen. Councilor Ojeda.

Yes.

Councilor Pacillo. Yes. Councilor Russell. Yes. Councilor Toomey.

Yes.

And Mayor Petty.

Yes, we have finance items 10.35A through C, 10.36A through C, 10.37A and B, the motion is adopted on the roll call.

Roll call. Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson? Yes. Councilor Nguyen? Councilor Ojeda? Yes. Councilor Pacillo? Yes. Councilor Russell? Yes. Councilor Toomey. Yes. And Mayor Petty.

Yes. Finance on the loan order. Recommend adoption on the roll call.

Roll call. Councilor Bergman. Yes. Councilor Colorio.

Yes.

Councilor Tajiye. King, Mero-Carlson, Nguyen, Ojeda, Pacillo, Russell, Toomey and Mayor Petty.

Yes, Communications City Manager, I recommend, this is, I'm sorry, 11C. Mr. Chairman.

Councilor Russell, I must announce that this is- Mr. Chairman, I'd like to hold this item again, please, and ask for my colleague's support to hold it a second time. and in the meantime, when it comes back, my goal would be to send it to Public Works Committee at the next meeting, but I'd also like some information from the administration about the ambulance service that moved out of there and There was an article recently in the Telegram about the UMass's redoing of their ambulance services. So I'm wondering and obviously concerned because when UMass went in there, they bragged about how the response for that section of the city would be handled out of that fire bond for of Medical Emergencies. So I'm looking for that information as well. But as far as the building itself, I'm hoping that this goes at the next meeting, goes to the Public Works Committee, the future Public Works Committee to deal with in the next term.

So that's regarding 100 Providence Street.

Mr. Chairman. Councilor King. Councilor Russell is done? Yes. Is he done? Yes. So I just had a couple of questions for the Chair. So I was a part of some folks that were protesting when that station was shut down and the concern in the community at the time was, as Councilor Russell mentioned, the response time. Just wondering if the manager can kind of share a little bit how we would be able to ensure you know, folks in that area are safe. Is there any ability to share kind of what the plan is for that particular parcel?

Mr. Manager?

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

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

Mr. Manager?

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to go on record in support of retaining that sort of ambulatory response service in that neighborhood. I know I as well have engaged with stakeholders here in the city to provide EMS services, you know, and have supported them with their state process, as I know the manager as well, and I really hope as Councilor Russell Long time advocate in this community, as mentioned, would be helpful moving forward. So I support Councilor Russell's motion, you know, and I'm hoping that we can have A life-saving, sustaining service and education. Thank you.

Okay, so collectively we'll take those motions collectively around holding, go ahead, Councilor Russell.

If the manager thinks that this is gonna take a while, maybe we should be tabling this item instead of holding it, just so that when he comes back he had mentioned the month, so if it's gonna be that long, instead of just Okay, so we have two motions.

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

Manager?

Yeah, through the Chief to the Council, once we were notified by UMass that they were vacating the lease of that property, we did our due diligence, public facilities, to understand the needs, the overall needs of that property. There's a significant mechanical needs, structural needs, and we did an assessment in terms of what it would require, what it would need, and whether this would be best to present it to the public for the purposes of either for potential EMS or for other services that the neighborhood would need. And so we came to the conclusion that it was best for us to present it and put it out as an RFP for people to select different bids and people to have an opportunity to acquire this property. I understand that there's a desire here to table it because I know there's further conversations that want to have and reports that the Council has requested. But I think that there's two things.

One, the study is something that could take longer, but the actual data in terms of what the Councilor Russell has requested, that's something that I think we can relatively get pretty quickly. But the comprehensive study, It's a comprehensive because it encompasses the entire city. So but the data that the councilor is requesting, we can provide that pretty quickly for him so that if we want to move quickly to move to public works and try to get some motion on this, we can do it much quicker. Do you want a table? That's fine too, I don't care.

Do you want something from Public Works?

No, I want a table.

I'm sorry.

Councilor King.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I support trying to have some fluidity here and getting it to committee with the councilors. requested reports. I think the broader analysis of our responsiveness to, you know, as a city for folks in the private sector, is important. I know that myself and others have advocated with UMass directly regarding this most recent that was brought before many of us as Councilors. But if we can get something in there, that will save a life the sooner the better or sustain a life the sooner the better. So I would support sending this to committee with the reports coming versus tabling it, having to have another meeting, et cetera. I'd like to kind of get it in queue if the council is open to that.

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

Okay, so the motion is to hold us under privilege. Roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor, Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor, Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor, King? Yes. Councilor, Mero-Carlson? Yes. Councilor, Nguyen, Councilor Ojeda?

Yes.

Councilor, Pacillo?

Yes.

Councilor, Russell? Yes. Councilor, Toomey? Yes. Yes, now the motions for the- Mr.

Chair, I have something under suspension. Oh, hang on a second. For the other motions that were made by Councilor Russell and for Councilor King, a roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Councilor Colorio? Yes. Councilor Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson? Yes. Councilor Nguyen? Yes. Councilor Ojeda?

Yes.

Councilor Pacillo? Yes. Councilor Russell? Yes. Councilor Toomey?

Yes.

Yes, Councilor Ojeda, do you have something? Oh, we have a motion to fund the suspension, roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Colorio?

Yes.

Councilor Haxhiaj? Yes. Councilor King? Yes. Councilor Mero-Carlson. Yes. Councilor Nguyen. Yes. Councilor Ojeda. Yes. Councilor Pacillo. Yes. Councilor Russell.

Yes.

Councilor Toomey. Yes. Yes, Councilor Haxhiaj.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just mainly wanted to say thank you to Clerk Evangelio for an amazing job this past I was there all day Saturday or Sunday and just witnessed an amazing coordinated Professional, extremely well-organized recount, which involved a lot of work. So kudos to you, Clerk Rangeli, kudos to Clark, Claire Robbins, Deputy Clerk, AJ Pottle, the Election Commission, and all the volunteers. I'd never experienced a recount before. I heard from the attorneys. who had been doing this work across the state that they felt this was one of the best high caliber operations that they'd seen. So congratulations and well done.

Congratulations, Mr. Clerk. You guys made us proud, and the whole team, all the people that came out that worked for us, and even the people that were counting for the observers. Everybody handled themselves professionally, and it was good to everybody. got along in the room, so it shows a lot, so thank you. With that, I wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving, and we'll see you in a couple weeks. We will not be meeting next week. We will be, in a week from Tuesday, we'll be holding the tax classification. a week from Tuesday, two weeks from tonight, a week from next Tuesday. So motion is adjourned, roll call.

Councilor Bergman? Yes. Councilor Colorio? Yes Councilor Haxhiaj, Yes Councilor King, Yes Councilor Mero-Carlson, Yes Councilor Nguyen, Councilor Ojeda, Yes Councilor Pacillo, Yes Councilor Russell, Yes Councilor Toomey, Yes and Mayor Petty, Yes