City Council 04/14/2026

• Meeting Date: April 14, 2026
• Governing Body: Worcester City Council
• Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
• Attendees:
  • Mayor Joseph M. Petty
  • Councilor Morris Bergman
  • Councilor Robert Bilotta
  • Councilor Tony Economou
  • Councilor John Fresolo
  • Councilor Khrystian King
  • Councilor Satya Mitra
  • Councilor Luis Ojeda
  • Councilor Jose Rivera
  • Councilor Gary Rosen
  • Councilor Kathleen Toomey
  • City Manager Eric D. Batista
  • City Solicitor
  • City Clerk

The Council issued several high-level recognitions and proclamations:

• Poet Laureate Recognition: Oliver de la Paz was presented with the Key to the City for his service as Poet Laureate (2023-2025).
• Youth Poet Laureate Recognition: Serenity Jackson was presented with the Key to the City for her service as Youth Poet Laureate (2024-2025).
• Arab American Heritage Month: Mayor Petty proclaimed April as Arab American Heritage Month.
• Architecture Week: The week of April 12-18, 2026, was proclaimed Architecture Week in the City of Worcester.

Key testimony from the public included:

• Maureen Schwab (Green Island Resident Group): Supported petitions 7E, 7F, and 7K regarding speed bumps on Canton Street and Ashmont Ave, and park rules at Crompton Park to address loud music and alcohol use.
• Alyssa Harmon (CHL/SEIU): Expressed alarm over the dismantling of Community Health Link by UMass Memorial, stating, "We cannot let UMass dismantle an agency that has been serving the most disadvantaged of our communities since 1977 without a clear path."
• Mike Kane (Worcester Regional Chamber): Supported the pause of the Specialized Stretch Code (Item 8.4B), citing that "added complexity, increased costs, and tighter lending standards are making fewer housing projects financially feasible."
• John Weaver (Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives): Supported the Stretch Code pause, noting that current HVAC technology for biotech labs cannot yet meet all-electric requirements.
• Jonathan Morales (Worcester Affordable Housing Coalition): Opposed Item 8.4A (TIF/TIE), arguing that public subsidies should not support developments where "rents start at nearly $2,000 for a studio."

Under a suspension of the rules, the Council considered a resolution regarding the transition of mental health services from CHL.

• Resolution Language: "The City Council of Worcester is hereby in support of the UMass Memorial Health Care immediately convenes stakeholders, the municipal and state government, and the community and SEIU union representation to disclose their transition plan from Community Health Link... to provide an uninterrupted manner."
• Action: The item was referred to the Public Health and Human Services Committee for a public hearing.
• Vote: Approved via voice vote.

Councilor Fresolo introduced a request for a 90-day trial parking and pickup plan at Roosevelt School to address safety issues on Grafton Street.

• Plan Details:
  1. Installation of 'No Parking' and 'No Stopping' signs on Grafton Street from Roosevelt School to Dalton Street.
  2. Implementation of a dedicated pickup zone for 5th and 6th graders.
  3. Rerouting of the school parking lot for Pre-K through 4th-grade pickup.
• Action: The City Manager was requested to provide monthly reports on the plan's efficacy.
• Vote: Approved via voice vote.

The Council debated a recommendation from the Chief Development Officer to pause the enforcement of the Specialized Stretch Code for 20 months.

• Discussion Points:
  • Proponents: Argued that the code adds 2-4% in upfront costs and requires materials (like specific windows) that must be sourced from Europe, delaying over 2,500 housing units.
  • Opponents: Councilor King and the Green Worcester Advisory Committee (which voted unanimously against the pause) argued that the pause undermines the Green Worcester Plan and lacks sufficient data on environmental impacts.
• Legal Clarification: The City Solicitor clarified that a "pause" is an administrative delay in enforcement, whereas an "opt-out" would require a formal Council vote to revert to the base Stretch Code.
• Action: Councilor King held the item under privilege to allow for a report from the Chief Sustainability Officer.

The Commissioner of Public Works provided a report on the city's pothole challenges.

• Financial Data: The city plans to invest $19 million in road maintenance this year, up from a historical average of $13 million.
• Operational Changes: The DPW is pivoting from a 311-driven response to a "sanitation route" approach to ensure all potholes on a single street are filled simultaneously.
• New Technology: The city is investigating a "mobile batching unit" to create hot-mix asphalt locally during winter months, potentially saving two hours of travel time to Boston per day.

The Council reviewed police response data and recognized specific actions:

• Response Times: The average citywide response time for 2024-2025 was 9.65 minutes. Districts 2 and 4 had the highest call volumes but the shortest response times.
• Resolution 11A: The Council adopted a resolution recognizing the WPD for averting "street takeovers" and apprehending a juvenile with two firearms.
• Official Action: Mayor Petty moved to request the Municipal Operations Committee to draft state legislation to make participating in "street takeovers" a felony.
• Vote on Felony Legislation Motion:
  • Yes: Bergman, Economou, Fresolo, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty.
  • No: King.
  • Absent: Bilotta.

Councilor Fresolo addressed the 2010 MOA with CSX regarding truck traffic on Grafton Hill.

• Key Findings: The report clarified that CSX has no contractual obligation to create 50 jobs and that the city cannot legally prohibit trucks from using Grafton Street (Route 122) as it is a state highway.
• Action: Referred to the Public Works Committee to investigate local ordinances for truck routing and potential hours-of-operation limits.

• Loan Order 18A: The Council approved a loan order for sewer line construction.
  • Roll Call Vote: 10-0 (Councilor Bilotta absent).
• Adjournment: A motion to suspend Rule 54 (the midnight rule) failed (6 Yes, 5 No; 8 votes required). The meeting adjourned at 12:00 AM. Remaining items were deferred to the next meeting.