City Council 02/10/2026

• Date: February 10, 2026
• Governing Body: Worcester City Council
• Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
• Attendees: Councilor Morris Bergman, Councilor Robert Bilotta, Councilor Tony Economou, Councilor John Fresolo, Councilor Khrystian King, Councilor Satya Mitra, Councilor Luis Ojeda, Councilor Jose Rivera, Councilor Gary Rosen, Councilor Kathleen Toomey, and Mayor Joseph Petty.

The following individuals provided testimony during the public comment period:

• Fred Nathan (Worcester): Noted Black History Month and expressed concerns regarding uncleared public sidewalks and the DCO special tax district (Item 8.30A).
• Abby Mortillero (Worcester, District 4): Spoke in favor of rent control (Item 10A) and an Office of Housing Stability (Item 10C). She also advocated for a Citizen Review Board (Item 10F).
• Gary Hunter (District 5): Commended the city's statement on ICE. He criticized the efficiency of snow removal (Item 8.7A/B) and called for police accountability and a Civil Review Board.
• Mark Andrews (Worcester): Inquired about the city's plan for clearing fire hydrants and suggested using markers to assist plow drivers (Item 8.7B).
• Natalie Gibson (Worcester): Complained about plowing on hills and the impact of flex posts on Mill Street, which she claimed hindered snow removal (Item 8.7B).
• Fred Taylor (NAACP Worcester Branch): Presented a petition requesting the Council recognize Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the contributions of Black artists, activists, and inventors for Black History Month.

• Item 7I: The Council set a hearing date for February 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. regarding a condo location on Kingsbury Street.
• Item 8.2A: The Council approved the appointment of Patrick Lowe to the Board of Health.

The Council held an extensive discussion with the Commissioner of Public Works regarding the city's response to recent major snowstorms.

Key Discussion Points:

• Manpower: The Commissioner reported that nearly 300 private contractors were utilized, though this is historically lower than previous years due to driver shortages. The city is utilizing a CDL training academy to increase internal capacity.
• Enforcement: During the February 6 storm, the police issued over 1,000 tickets, but only 260 cars were towed, leaving 760 vehicles obstructing plowing operations.
• Infrastructure: The city manages 460 miles of public roadway and 80 miles of private roadway. The Commissioner noted that the city currently lacks 'wing plows' but has six large trucks on order for June delivery that will be retrofitted with them.
• Technical Improvements: The city is implementing a new brining system and training staff via the UMass Transportation Center to calibrate salt spreaders, which had not been done in years.

Official Actions:

• Councilor Economou's Motion: Requested a report on manpower needs, equipment requirements (including wing plows and storage sheds), and an evaluation of the parking ban's effectiveness.
• Councilor King's Motion: Requested a staffing analysis, a report on equipment usage data over the last five years, and an exploration of strategic exchanges with MassDOT.
• Councilor Toomey's Motion: Requested a cost-benefit analysis on replacing the current 'Snow Dragon' ice melter with a more efficient model.

The Council discussed the retention and turnover rates within the Worcester Police Department.

• Retirement Crisis: Councilor Toomey noted that approximately 60 officers will be eligible for retirement this year.
• Civil Service Status: The Council discussed the Home Rule petition sent to the legislature in March 2024, which remains in committee.
• Action: The Council voted to draft a letter to the state delegation urging immediate action on the petition to assist with recruitment and staffing levels.

• Item 8.3A: Recommended adoption of a salary ordinance for the Department of Health and Human Services 2026 budget.
  • Vote: Approved on a roll call vote of 11-0 (Bergman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty).
• Finance Items (8.35A-H, 8.36A-C, 8.37A-B): Adopted collectively on a roll call vote of 11-0.
• Handicap Parking Ordinance: Amended Chapter 13 to provide handicap parking in front of 58 Providence Street.
  • Vote: Approved on a roll call vote of 11-0.

Under a suspension of the rules, Councilor King highlighted several upcoming Black History Month events:

• February 11: 'Echoes of Hope, Anchored in Resilience' at Living Church of Worcester and Afro Beats Dance Class at the Worcester Public Library.
• February 28: NAACP celebration at the YWCA (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.) and 'Courage to Remember' at Holy Cross (5:30 p.m.).
• Motion: The Council requested that the City Manager promote the Worcester Black History Trail and the contributions of Professor Doughton and the Worcester Black History Project on city social media.