City Council 03/31/2026

• Date: March 31, 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
  • Councilor Jenny Pacillo (Present for minutes approval roll call)

Visit of the Mayor of Worcester, UK

• Mayor Petty welcomed Mayor Matthew Lamb and Mayoress Zoe Cookson of Worcester, England.
• A Key to the City was presented to Mayor Lamb to celebrate the sister-city relationship formally established in 1948.
• Mayor Lamb noted the historical parallels between the two cities, stating: "Worcester in England and Worcester in Massachusetts have been formally twinned since 1948, but the connection between our communities stretches much further than that... Two cities, two histories, one shared name and a friendship that has crossed an ocean and endured across centuries."

Transgender Day of Visibility

• Mayor Petty proclaimed March 31, 2026, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
• A Key to the City was reissued to Dr. Jules Trouba.
• Proclamation Quote: "The City of Worcester always support transgender and non-binary people in the sanctuary city... to celebrate the life's resilience, courage, and contributions of transgender people while raising awareness of discrimination."
• Dr. Trouba discussed her work with the Nipmuc community and her initiative, Anastasia.org, to provide consulting and mobile services for the transgender community.

Summaries of testimony provided by residents:

• Fred Nathan (Worcester): Expressed concerns regarding trench restoration (Item 9A), school crosswalk safety (Item 9E), and the impact of college property acquisitions on tax revenue (Item 10F).
• Gary Hunter (District 5): Discussed Item 10J, alleging discrimination in how the city responds to mental health emergencies versus medical emergencies. He advocated for a Civilian Review Board.
• Griffin Vermin (Boxborough/Worcester Worker): Commented on Item 17C, representing the Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team (WAFT). Reported on issues with Housing Court due process and the need for an Office of Housing Stability.
• Grace Ross (Worcester): Addressed Item 17C, stating that the Housing Court has suspended due process for defendants in eviction cases, leading to homelessness for disabled residents.
• Randy Feldman (Human Rights Commission): Discussed Item 10J, advocating for social workers to accompany police on mental health calls and diversifying police recruitment.
• Natalie Gibson: Addressed Item 10A, requesting that the 311 report include why service requests are closed without being addressed.

Item 7Q: Traffic Signal Removal

• Action: Councilor Fresolo requested the removal of traffic signals at the intersection of Grafton Street, Waverly Street, and Penn Ave due to the closure of Shaw's Supermarket and Walgreens.
• Outcome: Referred to the Committee on Traffic and Parking on a roll call vote (11-0).

Items 7I and 7J: Belmont Street Safety

• Action: Councilor Bilotta requested a traffic signal at Belmont Street and Stanton Street and improved pedestrian visibility near Belmont Street Community School.
• Outcome: Referred to the Committee on Traffic and Parking.

Item 10A: 311 Service Request Report

• Action: Councilor Mitra requested a report on the processes used by Worcester 311, including why 95% of requests (10,642 out of 11,122) remain open.
• Outcome: Adopted on a roll call vote (11-0).

Item 10F: PILOT Agreements with Colleges and Universities

• Action: Councilor Rosen requested a report on Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements. He noted that local private colleges have endowments totaling nearly $4 billion.
• Discussion:
  • Councilor Rosen noted WPI pays approximately $800,000 annually, earmarked for the library and Institute Park.
  • City Manager noted College of the Holy Cross contributes $80,000 for the Libby mobile bus but lacks a formal PILOT agreement because they continue to pay property taxes on residential acquisitions.
• Outcome: Adopted as amended on a roll call vote (11-0).

Item 10I: Undeveloped and Vacant Lot Fees

• Action: Councilor Bilotta requested a draft ordinance to impose escalating fees on lots vacant for more than five years to address neighborhood eyesores.
• Outcome: Adopted on a roll call vote (11-0).

Item 10U: Municipal Holiday Proposal

• Action: Councilor Mitra requested a feasibility study for making February 29th a municipal holiday to celebrate the city's 1848 incorporation.
• Outcome: Adopted as amended on a roll call vote (11-0).

Item 10V: Fire Hydrant Repairs

• Action: Councilor Mitra requested the immediate repair of approximately 10 non-functional fire hydrants identified in the city.
• Outcome: Adopted on a roll call vote (11-0).

The following financial and administrative items were addressed:

• WPI PILOT Payment: Approximately $800,000 annually, split between the Public Library and Institute Park.
• Holy Cross Contribution: $80,000 for the Libby mobile bus and $10,000–$40,000 to REC Worcester.
• Endowments: Councilor Rosen cited a combined endowment of nearly $4,000,000,000 for the city's eight private colleges.
• Item 10DD: Councilor Toomey requested an economic impact report for the NCAA Men's Division I Hockey Tournament held at the DCU Center (March 26–28, 2026).