City Council 02/10/2026

• Date: February 10, 2026
• Governing Body: Worcester City Council
• Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting
• Attendees:
  • Mayor Joseph 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
• Official Actions: Minutes of the January 27th meeting were approved.

• Fred Nathan (Worcester): Raised concerns regarding sidewalk maintenance in public areas owned by the city and questioned the borrowing of funds for the DCO special tax district.
• Abby Mortillero (Worcester, District 4): Expressed support for the Office of Housing Stability (Item 10C) and advocated for a Citizen Review Board (Item 10F) to ensure police accountability.
• Gary Hunter (Worcester, District 5): Commended the Mayor and City Manager for their stance against ICE. He criticized the city's snow removal efficiency and called for a Civil Review Board following the DOJ report.
• Mark Andrews (Worcester): Inquired about the city's plan for clearing fire hydrants during storms, noting that hydrants on Ledgewood Lane were repeatedly buried by plows.
• Natalie Gibson (Worcester): Criticized the delay in plowing hills and the decision not to remove flex posts on Mill Street, which forced residents to shovel bike lanes and parking lanes.
• Fred Taylor (NAACP Worcester Branch): Commemorated the 100th anniversary of Black History Week and the 50th anniversary of Black History Month. Quote: "Together we can uplift and celebrate these diverse narratives that make our community vibrant."

1. Item 7A: Petition referred to the Public Works Committee.
2. Items 7B - 7H: Petitions referred to the Traffic and Parking Committee.
3. Item 7i: Set a hearing date for February 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. regarding a condo location on Kingsbury Street.

• Item 8.2A: Appointment of Patrick Lowe to the Board of Health was placed on file.
• Item 8.3A: Recommended adoption of a salary ordinance for the Department of Health and Human Services 2026 budget.
  • Action: Motion to advertise the proposed ordinance.
  • Vote: Approved 11-0 on a roll call vote (Bergman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty - all voting Yes).

The Council held an extensive discussion with DPW Commissioner Westerling regarding the late January storm (the 10th largest in city history).

• Operational Statistics:
  • Snowfall: 22 inches.
  • Manpower: 300 private contractors were utilized, though this is historically lower than previous years due to driver shortages.
  • Enforcement: During the February 6th storm, police issued over 1,000 tickets and towed 260 cars; 760 vehicles remained in violation, slowing plowing operations.
  • Infrastructure: The city maintains 460 miles of public roadway and 80 miles of private roadway.
• Key Discussion Points:
  • Brine System: The Commissioner noted the new system is effective when pavement temperatures are above 15 degrees. Quote: "The purpose of brine is to prevent snow from sticking to the pavement."
  • Equipment: The city currently lacks "wing plows" which allow one truck to do the work of multiple contractors. Six new large trucks with wing plows are expected in June.
  • Calibration: Salt spreaders had not been calibrated in years; training with UMass Transportation Center is underway to ensure the standard 250 lbs of salt per lane mile is met.
• Motions and Actions:
  • Councilor Economou: Moved to review manpower needs, cross-training, equipment (wing and belly plows), and the effectiveness of the parking ban.
  • Councilor Toomey: Requested a cost-benefit analysis on replacing the "Snow Dragon" ice melter and suggested including snow ordinances in city tax bills.
  • Councilor King: Requested a staffing analysis, a report on equipment usage/purchases over the last five years, and the feasibility of hiring an outside consultant for snow operations.
  • Councilor Mitra: Emphasized the need for standardized cleaning widths and addressing the "City of Seven Hills" challenges.
• Outcome: All items and motions were referred to the Public Works Committee.

• Discussion: Councilor Toomey highlighted the critical status of a Home Rule Petition regarding civil service that has been pending in the legislature since March 2024.
• Key Figures: Approximately 60 officers will be eligible for retirement this year. The current recruit class has only 27 recruits and one lateral transfer.
• Action: Motion to draft a letter from the Council to the state delegation urging immediate action on the petition. Referred to the Public Safety Committee.

• Action: Adoption of various finance items (8.35A-H, 8.36A-C, 8.37A-B).
• Vote: Approved 11-0 on a roll call vote (Bergman, Bilotta, Economou, Fresolo, King, Mitra, Ojeda, Rivera, Rosen, Toomey, Petty - all voting Yes).
• ARPA Funding: An update on American Rescue Plan Act funding was placed on file.
• Newton Square: A public meeting regarding the redesign of Newton Square and Highland Street was announced for February 11, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Doherty High School.

• Action: Councilor King moved to suspend the rules to promote upcoming Black History Month events.
• Events Highlighted:
  • February 11: "Echoes of Hope" at Living Church of Worcester and Afro Beats Dance Class at the Worcester Public Library.
  • Promotion of the Worcester Black History Trail and the contributions of Professor Dalton.
• Outcome: Motion approved; meeting adjourned.