DPW Staffing and Civil Service Hiring
At a glance
- What: Robert A. Bilotta asked the City Manager for a report on open positions and overall staffing in the Department of Public Works.
- Where it stands: open. Report order adopted 10-0 on 2026-08-18 (Economou absent). As of 2026-10-13 DPW reports 28 vacancies (down from 54).
- Next: a status update with better data was offered.
Concerns
- Bilotta cited missed trash routes in recent weeks (a call-out and a backup driver unfamiliar with the route) and summer vacancies in the Keep Worcester Clean initiative.
- John P. Fresolo asked whether the city is aggressively filling vacancies, noting that people on the civil service list say they have not been called.
City response (Eric D. Batista)
- The city needs laborers, drivers and CDL holders ahead of winter.
- Civil service lists of 100 to 120 names must be worked through by prescribed steps, which can take four to six months before another list can be requested.
- An effort to exempt the city from civil service failed at the state level.
- Two HR staff are dedicated full time to DPW hiring.
- He offered a status update with better data.
Status and next steps
- Report order adopted 10-0 on 2026-08-18 (Economou absent).
- As of 2026-10-13 DPW reports 28 vacancies (down from 54).
Discussion time
About 4 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-18 - City Council | 4 |
Log
- 2026-10-13 - City Council — In the winter readiness report Westerling said DPW vacancies fell from 54 a year ago (16 in operations) to 28 (8 in operations), with seven new CDL operators hired, through work with Human Resources; overtime for storms stays voluntary and the City is working with the union on incentives. Khrystian E. King noted vacancies had run in the 50s for Westerling's tenure; Joseph M. Petty recalled over 90 at one time. See Winter Readiness and Snow Operations 2026-2027.
- 2026-08-25 - Public Works and Traffic and Parking Joint Committee — Stephen S. Rolle said the city has about five resident road inspectors, each overseeing roughly $4 million of work, and Tony Economou said the Council needs to know if manpower is short; Fred Nathan asked from the floor whether the city is paying more for private snow contractors than for enough DPW staff (his unverified claim).
- 2026-08-18 - City Council — Item 13u: Bilotta's staffing report order adopted 10-0 after Batista answered Fresolo on civil service delays.