Redevelopment Authority Appointment (Candice Mero-Carlson)

At a glance

What: the City Manager (Eric D. Batista) recommended Candice Mero-Carlson, a former city councilor who later worked in the Executive Office of Economic Development (per Morris A. Bergman's remarks), for appointment to the Worcester Redevelopment Authority.
Where it stands: confirmed 7-3 on 2026-08-18.
Next: nothing pending; reconsideration was denied.

Robert A. Bilotta held the item under privilege on 2026-07-21.
The captions render her name many ways ("Candace Calhoun", "Mayor Carlson"); the minutes give Candice Mero-Carlson.

Khrystian E. King opposed it, saying a complaint against her had not been resolved and that the matter had disrupted Council office operations (staff worked outside City Hall for a time).
Batista confirmed the investigation was unresolved, was being handled by outside counsel rather than the city's DEI office, and had run for roughly a year or more.
Remote public speaker David Webb also urged the Council not to keep "the Carlson developer family" on the Authority.

Bergman defended her qualifications and said an unproven allegation should not be treated as established.

Confirmed 7-3.
King's motion to recommit to the City Manager failed 3-7 (yes: Bilotta, King, Luis A. Ojeda).
Bergman's later motion to reconsider was denied 0-10, and a second reconsideration request at the end of the meeting was also denied.

About 9 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-08-18 - City Council	9

2026-08-18 - City Council — Item 23c: after debate with the City Manager, recommit motion failed 3-7; appointment confirmed 7-3 (nays Bilotta, King, Ojeda); reconsideration denied.
2026-07-21 - City Council — Held under privilege by Bilotta.