2026-07-21 - Public Works Committee

Summary

Based on auto-generated captions plus the official minutes; names and figures may be misheard. Committee: Tony Economou (chair), Satya B. Mitra and John P. Fresolo; every roll call was 3-0.

Time on topic (from transcript timestamps; approximate, includes side talk):

Topic	Minutes	Share
Wildwood Avenue Public Way Petition	32	39%
Orient Street Sidewalk Petitions	25	29%
Street and Sidewalk Rehabilitation Process	15	18%
Other business	3	4%
No Dumping and No Littering Signs (North Street and Chatanika Avenue)	3	4%
360 May Street Sidewalk	3	3%
Sagamore Road Resurfacing	2	3%

Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Met 4:02 to 5:26 p.m. With the committee: Commissioner John K. Westerling, Assistant Commissioner of Engineering Jay Mello, clerk AJ Pottle and Councilor Robert A. Bilotta.

Wildwood Avenue Public Way Petition

2:16-34:30

Petition to make Wildwood Ave. (Apricot St. to 301 Wildwood Ave.) a public way, back from June 30.
The clerk reported 107 non-binding ballots sent, 37 returned: 10 in favor, 27 opposed.
Six residents spoke against, including the petitioner, who said he filed it to get help with upkeep, not to cost neighbors money. Residents cited cost to owners, speeding, school bus weight on a private road, flooding at a culvert, and raised manholes and water gates.
Mello summarized the legal limits: temporary repairs on private ways are capped at $6 per linear foot (under $30,000 for about 4,500 feet) and cannot include resurfacing or drainage; conversion is estimated at $430 per linear foot.
Westerling said drainage on a private way is not the city's job unless city work caused damage; Economou's chairman's order asks for an inspection of the culvert near 102 Wildwood Ave. and a report on the flooding and the raised water gates and manhole covers.
Recommended denial, 3-0.

Orient Street Sidewalk Petitions

34:31-59:08

Two petitions (upper Orient St. and Sultan St. to Plantation St.) taken together; 77 ballots out, 4 in favor, 13 opposed.
Abutters, including one by phone with photographs of existing walking paths, opposed the cost and the loss of on-street parking and width.
Robert A. Bilotta suggested a shorter sidewalk from Plantation St. to March St. to reach Holmes Field and offered to hold a neighborhood meeting.
DPW found no record of a past city sidewalk; estimate $777,000, about $71 per linear foot. Betterments for a 50 to 100 foot frontage would be about $3,541 to $7,083, payable over 10 years at 5% (about $37 a month on $3,500).
Recommended denial, 3-0, so the neighborhood can come back with a plan.

360 May Street Sidewalk

59:09-1:02:01

About 220 feet of new sidewalk with wheelchair ramps, $21,400, filling gaps near schools. DPW recommended approval with the abutter betterment waived and a look at Safe Routes to School funding.
Recommended for approval, 3-0.

Street and Sidewalk Rehabilitation Process

1:02:02-1:07:14, 1:09:45-1:19:38

Heard Street sidewalk (Etel Haxhiaj's request): leave to withdraw, already built in 2022.
Added to the Sidewalk Repair List: 15 Coombs Rd., 5 Coombs Rd. and the odd side of Lovell St. (180 feet, about $24,500 to $25,500, near a prep school; possible Safe Routes to School funding).
Laconia Rd. (29 to 31): leave to withdraw; gaps under an eighth of an inch, and the missing ramp will be replaced when Nottingham Rd. is resurfaced.
Street Resurfacing List: Mellor Ave., Doris St., East Central St. and North Pkwy. added. A Doris St. resident said the road is patchwork and ices over after the Eversource gas work. Mello explained district councilors pick from the list every two years ($1.2 million per round, last in December 2025) and that utility co-op funds can pay for repaving.
North Pkwy. work will be folded into a project with MassDOT around the bridges and nearby development.
Leave to withdraw on First St. (already scheduled, held for water and gas work, to start this fall or spring 2027), Sagamore Rd. and Laconia Rd. resurfacing.

Sagamore Road Resurfacing

1:07:15-1:09:44

Sagamore Rd. near 53 Sagamore Rd. was not on this year's resurfacing schedule; Westerling credited Mello's team with getting Eversource to do its utility upgrades now so DPW can pave at least the base course before winter, or a leveling course if Eversource runs late.
Leave to withdraw, 3-0.

No Dumping and No Littering Signs (North Street and Chatanika Avenue)

1:20:34-1:23:35

No Littering signs along North St. at the Rural Cemetery property line (Satya B. Mitra) and No Dumping signs with fine amounts at the end of Chatanika Ave. at Cascade Park (Jose A. Rivera, for a resident).
DPW suggested referral to the Veterans, Memorials, Parks and Recreation committee as the sites may be Parks property; the chair noted no-littering signs have traditionally come to Public Works. Both recommended for approval, 3-0.

Other business

0:00-2:15, 1:19:39-1:20:33

Minutes of June 30 approved.
Lift-kit ban for city trucks placed on file: Westerling said the Central Garage director confirmed the city has no trucks with lift kits and orders none.

Official Minutes

Journal of the committee as posted on PrimeGov (summary of actions, not verbatim). Page headers and footers removed.

                                      CITY OF WORCESTER
                                            PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

                                          Tuesday, July 21, 2026
                                     Esther Howland (South) Chamber
                                           Convened: 4:02 P.M.
                                           Adjourned: 5:26 P.M.

          MAYOR
     Joseph M. Petty

 COMMITTEE MEMBERS                                                                 CLERK OF THE CITY COUNCIL
 Chairperson Tony Economou                                                                Nikolin Vangjeli
Vice Chairperson Satya B Mitra
   Councilor John P Fresolo

                                                   www.worcesterma.gov

                           City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

  Present Were:                  Chairperson Councilor Tony Economou
                                 Councilor Satya B. Mitra
                                 Councilor John P. Fresolo
  Also:                          Councilor Robert A. Bilotta
                                 Commissioner of Public Works John K. Westerling
                                 Assistant Commissioner of Engineering Jay Mello
                                 Deputy City Clerk Stephen A.J. Pottle, clerk

     1. Virtual Attendee Call-In Information

         a.     Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public
                engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote
                participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the
                meeting, you may attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the
                below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated. If you join a Zoom
                meeting by dialing in with a phone number, you can raise your hand by dialing *9.

                Public Works Committee Zoom Link: https://worcesterma.zoomgov.com/j/1615992759
                Public Works Committee Zoom Phone Number: +1 646 828 7666
                Public Works Committee Zoom Access Code: 161 599 2759

     2. Approval of the Minutes

         a.     Order - That the City Council Standing Committee on Public Works hereby approves the
                minutes of the Public Works Committee meeting on June 30, 2026.
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item.
                Order adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

     3. Streets to Make Public - Priority 3

         a.     Report of the Planning Board Upon the Petition of Timothy Bateman request Wildwood
                Ave. from Apricot St. to 301 Wildwood Ave. be made public.
                # 12d CC May 6, 2025
                In Committee June 30, 2026 - Held
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized the Deputy City Clerk, who spoke
                concerning the one hundred seven (107) public notices with non-binding ballots sent out to
                abutters of the area, including information related to receiving ten (10) ballots voting in favor of
                the item and twenty seven (27) ballots voting in opposition to the item.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized the following Speakers:
                1. Karen Solomon, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to the item
                2. Phil Gagnon, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to the item
                3. Edward Pietrewicz, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to the item
                4. Timothy Bateman, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to the item
                5. Fred Warner, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to the item
                6. Mike Donovan, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to the item

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering, who
                provided an overview relative to the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) communications with
                the Law Department relative to private roads which included limitations resulting in private way
                temporary repairs as an infeasible option for Wildwood Ave. and estimated costs associated with
                converting the road to a public way at four hundred thirty dollars ($430) per linear foot.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou discussed the city’s responsibility to address resident safety
                concerns on private ways such as raised manholes and flooding with the Assistant Commissioner
                of Engineering and Commissioner of Public Works.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: “Request City
                Manager request Commissioner of Public Works, and other departments as needed, inspect the
                culvert located in the vicinity of 102 Wildwood Ave. and provide City Council with a report
                detailing the cause of current flooding conditions in the area. Further, request said report include
                remedial steps that can be taken to address raised water gates and/or manhole covers sticking out
                of the ground at the location.”

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be denied.

                Recommend Deny on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

                Chairman's Orders
                Request City Manager request Commissioner of Public Works, and other departments as
                needed, inspect the culvert located in the vicinity of 102 Wildwood Ave. and provide
                City Council with a report detailing the cause of current flooding conditions in the area.
                Further, request said report include remedial steps that can be taken to address raised
                water gates and/or manhole covers sticking out of the ground at the location.

     4. Construct Sidewalk Petitions

         a.     Craig Thomas request construction of new sidewalks on upper portion of Orient St.
                # 8d CC July 15, 2025
                In Committee June 30, 2026 - Held
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved to take the item up collectively with
                item #4b.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized the Deputy City Clerk, who spoke concerning the
                seventy-seven (77) public notices with non-binding ballots sent out to abutters of the area,
                including information related to receiving four (4) ballots voting in favor of the item and thirteen
                (13) ballots voting in opposition to the item.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized the following Speakers:
                1. Paul Samara, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #4a and #4b
                2. Carol Morocco, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #4a and #4b
                3. Jack Morocco, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to items #4a and #4b

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized Councilor Bilotta, who discussed the feasibility of
                amending the petition to request installation of sidewalks on Orient St. from Plantation St. to
                March St.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou discussed historical context relative to potential existing city
                sidewalks on Orient St. and the estimated overall cost of seven hundred seventy-seven thousand
                dollars ($777,000) associated with constructing sidewalks on Orient St. for an estimated cost of
                seventy-one one dollars ($71) per linear foot with the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized Councilor Mitra, who discussed finance options
                available to cost-bearing abutters and the process relative for said abutters to make payments with
                the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the items be denied.

                Recommend Deny on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         b.     Craig Thomas request construction of a new sidewalk on Orient St. from Sultan St. to
                Plantation St.
                # 8l CC August 22, 2023
                In Committee June 30, 2026 - Held
                Recommend Deny on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #4a)

         c.     Michael Kollios request installation of new sidewalk in front of 360 May St.
                # 8c CC March 28, 2023
                In Committee May 10, 2023 - Held
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized the Assistant Commissioner of
                Engineering, who provided an overview relative to the estimated total cost of twenty-one thousand
                four hundred dollars ($21,400) associated with sidewalk construction and the Department of
                Public Works’ (DPW) recommendation to approve about two hundred twenty (220) feet of
                sidewalk construction with wheelchair ramps utilizing potential Routes to School program
                funding and waive abutter betterment.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to accept DPW’s recommendation
                and to approve the item.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         d.     Councilor Etel Haxhiaj request installation of a new sidewalk on Heard St. that that abuts
                215 Heard St., 231 Heard St., 233 Heard St., 235 Heard St. and 48 Royal Rd. Further,
                request the fees associated with installing said sidewalk be waived, as the sidewalk is
                needed to provide a safe walking route to Heard Street Discovery Academy, 200 Heard
                St.
                # 8c CC November 15, 2022
                In Committee January 11, 2023 - Held
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized the Assistant Commissioner of
                Engineering, who provided an overview relative to the Department of Public Works’ (DPW)
                recommendation to grant Leave to Withdraw, as the sidewalk construction was completed in 2022.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be granted
                Leave to Withdraw.

                Recommend Leave to Withdraw on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

     5. Sidewalk Repair Petitions

         a.     Councilor Jose A. Rivera request sidewalk resurfacing in front of 15 Coombs Rd.
                # 20f CC June 2, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved for a roll call vote to add 15 Coombs
                Rd. to the Sidewalk Repair List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         b.     Councilor Jose A. Rivera request sidewalk resurfacing in front of 5 Coombs Rd.
                # 20g CC June 2, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved for a roll call vote to add 5 Coombs
                Rd. to the Sidewalk Repair List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         c.     Councilor Jose A. Rivera request sidewalk resurfacing on the odd side of Lovell St. from
                Columbus St. to Garland St.
                # 8a CC June 23, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized the Assistant Commissioner of
                Engineering, who provided the estimated total cost associated of twenty-four thousand five
                hundred dollars ($24,500), potential opportunities for Routes to School program funding, and an
                overview relative to the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) recommendation to add the odd side
                of Lovell St. from Columbus St. to Garland St. to the Sidewalk Repair List.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to add Lovell St. from Columbus St.
                to Garland St. to the Sidewalk Repair List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         d.     Daniel James Bradley request sidewalk repair in front of 29 Laconia Rd. to 31 Laconia
                Rd.
                # 20y CC June 2, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved to take the item up collectively with
                item #6g.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering, who
                provided an overview relative to the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) recommendation to
                grant Leave to Withdraw, as significant root heaving was not detected and as Nottingham Rd. is
                scheduled for resurfacing the missing wheelchair panel located at the intersection of Laconia Rd.
                and Nottingham Rd. will be replaced at that time.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be granted
                Leave to Withdraw.

                Recommend Leave to Withdraw on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

     6. Street Resurfacing Petitions

         a.     Demitrios Voyiatzis request street resurfacing on Sagamore Rd. in the vicinity of 53
                Sagamore Rd.
                # 7a CC March 31, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and discussed planned repairs facilitated by
                Eversource with the Commissioner of Public Works

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be granted
                Leave to Withdraw.

                Recommend Leave to Withdraw on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         b.     Joe Williams request street surfacing on Mellor Ave.
                # 7g CC March 24, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend
                Mellor Ave. be placed on the Street Resurfacing List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         c.     Christine Giza request First St. be resurfaced.
                # 7c CC January 27, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and discussed scheduled resurfacing in the
                street’s entirety with a current hold for water and gas utility work with the Assistant
                Commissioner of Engineering.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be granted
                Leave to Withdraw.

                Recommend Leave to Withdraw on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         d.     Jocelyn Casassa request Doris St. be resurfaced.
                # 7d CC January 27, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized the following Speaker:
                1. Jocelyn Casassa, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of the item

                Chairperson Councilor Economou discussed the process related to submitting and selecting streets
                for resurfacing, including streets affected by utility work, and timelines associated for District
                Councilors to select streets from the Street Resurfacing List with the Assistant Commissioner of
                Engineering and Deputy City Clerk.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend Doris St. be added to
                the Street Resurfacing List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         e.     Councilor Robert A. Bilotta request East Central St. be resurfaced.
                # 8b CC January 20, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and moved for a roll call vote to add East Central
                St. to the Street Resurfacing List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         f.     Councilor Robert A. Bilotta request North Parkway be resurfaced.
                # 8c CC January 20, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and discussed the Department of Public Works’
                (DPW) efforts with MassDOT to plan scheduled resurfacing in conjunction with needed bridge
                maintenance and developments with the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to add North Pkwy. to the Street
                Resurfacing List.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         g.     Daniel James Bradley request street resurfacing in front of 31 Laconia Rd.
                # 20x CC June 2, 2026
                Recommend Leave to Withdraw on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #5d)

     7. Miscellaneous Items

         a.     Petition of Brian Dutremble request the city institute a ban on lift kits for city-owned
                trucks.
                # 20i CC June 2, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and discussed research conducted resulting with
                no found city-owned truck being purchased or modified with lift kits with the Commissioner of
                Public Works.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be placed on
                file.

                Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         b.     Petition of Councilor Satya B. Mitra request installation of “No Littering” signage on
                North St. along the property line of Rural Cemetery and Crematory, located at 180 Grove
                St.
                # 7k CC May 19, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized Councilor Mitra, who discussed
                concerns about increased illegal dumping in the area.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou recognized the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering, who
                provided an overview relative to the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) recommendation to
                refer the item to Veteran’s Memorials, Parks and Recreation Committee, as the location may be
                outside DPW’s purview and instead within the purview of the Department of Parks, Recreation
                and Cemetery (DPRC).

                Chairperson Councilor Economou discussed “No Littering” signage historically being heard by
                Public Works Committee with the Deputy City Clerk.

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to approve the item.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

         c.     Petition of Councilor Jose A. Rivera on behalf of Gloria St. Marie request installation of
                “No Dumping” signage that includes information regarding fine amounts at the end of
                Chatanika Ave. where it borders Cascade Park.
                # 7h CC May 5, 2026
                Chairperson Councilor Economou read the item and recognized the Assistant Commissioner of
                Engineering, who provided an overview relative to the Department of Public Works’ (DPW)
                recommendation to refer the item to Veteran’s Memorials, Parks and Recreation Committee, as
                the location may be outside DPW’s purview and instead within the purview of the Department of
                Parks, Recreation and Cemetery (DPRC).

                Chairperson Councilor Economou moved for a roll call vote to approve the item.

                Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Sources

Video

Transcript

Auto-generated YouTube captions; names and terms are likely misheard.

Transcript

0:05Welcome everybody. Welcome to tonight's

0:08um

0:10public works subcommittee meeting.

0:12Uh to my right is

0:14District 3 City Councillor John Fresolo.

0:15To my

0:17to my left is at-large Councillor Suchi

0:19Mitra.

0:21To his left is our Commissioner of

0:23Public Works John Westerling. And to my

0:25far right is Assistant Commissioner Jay

0:28Mello.

0:29And

0:31um clerking today for us is City Clerk

0:35AJ Pottle.

0:37Um

0:40AJ

0:41Mr. Clerk, if you would just go through

0:43the

0:44um item one, please, for us.

0:47>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Absolutely. So,

0:49pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of

0:512021, in order to ensure active public

0:53engagement, City of Worcester currently

0:55allows for both in-person and remote

0:57participation in its meetings. To

0:58partake in the meeting, you can either

1:00come to the meeting location, or you can

1:01join via Zoom. Uh Zoom has a link that's

1:05listed on the agenda and on the

1:06municipal calendar of the city's

1:08website. And there's also a phone number

1:10for folks to use. The phone number

1:11tonight is 1-646-828-7666.

1:15And the access code is 1-615-99

1:192-759.

1:21We do ask that if you are participating

1:24remotely and want to speak, you raise

1:26your hand during the specific item that

1:28you want to speak. And we do ask that

1:31you do that by either dialing *9

1:34or by using the raise hand function,

1:36depending on if you're on the

1:37application or if you're on the phone.

1:39Uh we do also note that if I do unmute

1:41you while using the phone, you would

1:43dial *6 to unmute yourself to be able to

1:45speak. Um thank you, Mr. Chairman.

1:48>> Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And if you would,

1:50just please interrupt me if there is

1:52somebody there that um needs to be

1:54heard.

1:55>> Will do. Thank you.

1:56>> Um item number two, approval of the

1:58minutes. Uh

2:02Mr. Clerk, if you call the roll on that.

2:04>> Counselors Frizzolo.

2:06>> Yes.

2:07>> Mitra.

2:08>> Yes.

2:08>> And chairperson Counselor Economos.

2:10>> Yes.

2:12>> Item number three, streets to make

2:13public priority three. Report of the

2:15planning board upon the petition of

2:16Timothy Bateman request Wildwood Ave

2:18from Apricot Street to 301 Wildwood Ave

2:21be made public.

2:23Um, this came forward in our last

2:25meeting last month and is being brought

2:26forward again today.

2:28Um,

2:30Mr. Clerk, if you would

2:32just give us the numbers of um,

2:36those that may have been in favor and or

2:39opposed.

2:40>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, um, as you

2:42stated at the June 30th Public Works

2:44Committee meeting, we did send out

2:45ballots associated with this particular

2:47street. Of those 107 ballots, we did

2:50receive 37 of them back. Uh, of those 37

2:54ballots, we had 10 folks in favor of

2:57this conversion and 27 folks opposed. We

2:59would just note again that these ballots

3:01are sent out for, um, you know,

3:03informational [clears throat] purposes.

3:04They're non-binding just to provide some

3:05level of, um,

3:07you know, I guess, uh, waiting to guide

3:09the general conversation of the

3:11committee. Um, but it that those were

3:13the numbers, 10 in favor and 27 opposed.

3:15>> Okay, great. Is there, uh, are there

3:18anybody

3:19any residents here who wish to speak

3:21against the issue?

3:23And what I would ask to, please, um, I

3:26know some of you might have been here at

3:27the last meeting.

3:29Um,

3:30if if there's multi- multiple people who

3:33wish to speak on it, if you could just

3:36not repeat. Um, just in the essence of

3:38time. So, if you have something new to

3:40add to the conversation, please feel

3:41free.

3:42Um, feel free to step forward and just

3:45state, um, what's new that you'd like to

3:47add to what's already been heard.

3:50>> I do have a new

3:50>> Just your name and city of please.

3:52>> Karen Solomon, Worcester, Massachusetts.

3:54I'm here to oppose the petition to make

3:56our private road public and to ask you

3:59to address some of the issues affecting

4:01our neighborhood.

4:02For many years, the homeowners on the

4:03private portion of this road have

4:05assumed the responsibility and expense

4:06of maintaining it. We contribute our own

4:08money every year for repairs because we

4:10understand that is the obligation that

4:12comes with living on a private road.

4:14Unfortunately, the residents on the

4:15public end of the road have been among

4:17its loudest critics. We've repeatedly

4:19been told that our repairs are not

4:20sufficient, yet the burden continues to

4:22fall on the private homeowners.

4:24Once the repairs are completed,

4:25complaints continue about our lack of

4:28concern for their vehicles and their

4:30maintenance. Again, our obligation of

4:32the private homeowner is for the road to

4:33be passable.

4:35It is a vehicle's owner's responsibility

4:37to drive safely and appropriately.

4:40We have been told the cost associated

4:41with making the road public could amount

4:43to tens of a thousands of dollars per

4:44homeowner. That is not reasonable or

4:46fair. As I stated in the last meeting,

4:48the number of public homes accessing our

4:50private street now outnumber the private

4:53homes. This was created by the city and

4:55its developers, not by the private

4:56homeowners. I ask you to consider that

4:59our private road is currently being used

5:01to provide public services.

5:03A fully loaded school bus weighs

5:05approximately 25,000 lb. Under

5:08established engineering principles, road

5:10damage increases exponentially with the

5:12vehicle weight.

5:13Because of how the weight is distributed

5:15across its axles, one pass of a school

5:18bus causes the equivalent road wear of

5:20roughly 1,000 to 4,000 passenger cars a

5:23day.

5:24Our private road was never designed or

5:26constructed to municipal standards or

5:28intended to support this type of heavy

5:30traffic.

5:31We make the repairs every year only to

5:33watch them deteriorate as the weight of

5:34these vehicles cause the road surface

5:36and its foundation to flex and crack.

5:39Once those cracks form, water penetrates

5:42beneath the surface, accelerating

5:43deterioration, and creating potholes

5:45that quickly reopen.

5:47We should not be expected to subsidize

5:48the cost of providing a public service

5:51through damage to privately maintained

5:52infrastructure.

5:54>> [clears throat]

5:54>> I respectfully ask you to consider five

5:56requests. Number one, deny the petition

5:58to make our road public. Number two,

6:01install public road signs at all

6:03intersections leading to the road so

6:05that it is clearly identified as private

6:07property. Number three, work with the

6:09homeowners to develop a permanent

6:11solution for the flooding culvert that

6:13abuts city-owned property. This area

6:15floods every year and contributes

6:16significantly to the deterioration of

6:18the road.

6:20Number four, utilize chapter 302 of the

6:23acts of 1984 as amended by chapter 166

6:27of the acts of 1996,

6:29which authorizes municipalities to

6:31perform temporary repairs on private

6:32ways at your expense, including pothole

6:35repair to keep roads passable without

6:37imposing betterment assessments.

6:40Number five, stop routing school buses

6:42down our private road and have the buses

6:44load and unload at the corner of Apricot

6:47like many of the others we see each

6:48morning.

6:50Private owners who have faithfully

6:51maintained this road and invested their

6:53lives in paying their mortgages should

6:54not be financially penalized with a

6:56significant loss because the city has

6:58changed the use of our road.

7:00Respectfully, the answer is not to

7:01transfer the cost of years of deferred

7:03maintenance and public use onto the very

7:05people who have been paying to preserve

7:07it all along. We are not asking for

7:09special treatment, we are asking for

7:10fairness, for respect of private

7:12property rights, and for practical

7:14solutions that address these issues.

7:16Thank you.

7:17>> Thank you.

7:19Is there anybody else who's Anybody else

7:20here who wishes to add to that?

7:22Just your name and city of residence,

7:24please.

7:27>> Hi, my name's Philip Gagnon. I live on

7:29Wildwood Ave.

7:31>> [clears throat]

7:31>> I have called and complained about

7:33contractors trenches that have failed

7:35and sunk below grade. These are very

7:38dangerous to pass over and they haven't

7:41been repaired.

7:43There are numerous high water boxes on

7:45Wildwood Ave. I have called and

7:47complained about them also with manhole

7:50covers being raised.

7:52>> [clears throat and cough]

7:53>> In the winter, the snow plows hit them

7:55and destroy the patches around them,

7:57which we repair. As a former DPW

8:00employee, [clears throat]

8:01I know it's the city's responsibility to

8:03fix those problems, and it is unfair to

8:06expect residents

8:08on private portion of Wildwood to pay

8:10for the repairs in those problems. Thank

8:12you.

8:13>> Thank you.

8:16Anyone else here wish to add something

8:18to the conversation?

8:30No one's keeping Eddie down.

8:32>> Okay.

8:33Bear with me, please.

8:35>> Just your name and city of residence.

8:36>> Edward Petrowitz, resident of Wildwood

8:38Ave for a number of years. Citizen of

8:41Worcester since

8:43'89, and I'll be 98 this year. Or

8:46something like that. Whatever.

8:48Uh actually, you've been previous

8:51meeting where we were able to apprise

8:53you of all the complaints and all the

8:55things we don't, but I'm going to

8:57elaborate a little more if you would

8:58please to listen to me. Okay, good

9:01evening. My name is Edward Petrowitz. I

9:03am speaking tonight as the former

9:05president of the Wus- the Wildwood Ave

9:07Improvement Society, representing the

9:10homeowners of our community.

9:12In the petitions to trans- session

9:15Wildwood Avenue from a private road to a

9:17public road, one

9:20approved, one would prove we are the

9:22homeowners stand adamantly opposed to

9:25any modification beyond the essential

9:27paving of the ongoing maintenance.

9:31Preser- And the reason for this is

9:33preserving our quality of life. I won't

9:35read every article unless you want, but

9:37that's you know what I'm talking about.

9:39I'll hand you this paperwork. Preventing

9:41to find out your hardship. Let's face

9:43it. We're up against it and it's getting

9:44worse every day. Period. Families can't

9:47exist.

9:49Addressing the root cause.

9:51Actually, the root cause of the problem

9:53of Wildwood Ave is the city's acceptance

9:56of a public a public development of a

9:59Wildwood Ave consisting of something

10:00like 39 to 37 duplexes.

10:04The start I mean that's

10:06And then they double that. Then all the

10:07cars and buses and the trucks

10:10that go along with it.

10:11The reasons we urge the council to limit

10:14any action of Wildwood Ave security is

10:16through the paving and maintenance

10:18protecting both our neighborhood's peace

10:20and our families' values and wallets.

10:22Plus the petitioner

10:25does not live on Wildwood Ave

10:27in one of the instance. If maybe it all

10:31All right. And here's here's a kicker. I

10:32love this one.

10:34When this was sent out, I don't know if

10:36it was intentional or otherwise, just

10:37wanted to draw it our attention to it.

10:40It was underlined in yellow. Please be

10:42aware your burdens may occur

10:45car costs in the event that this passes.

10:48Well, let's be practical. Haha.

10:51Well, a lot of people read this, threw

10:53it out, didn't pay attention cuz I've

10:54talked to some of them. It ended up in a

10:56basket. Two people I approached, one at

10:5872, didn't get me the paperwork. Says he

11:01voted yes, he wants to vote no. A

11:03gentleman the at the start of Wildwood

11:05Ave, I think number two, the same thing.

11:08People just haven't got the time or

11:10don't think it's that critical.

11:12Okay.

11:14I'll keep going if you don't mind.

11:17>> All right.

11:17>> Okay. Wildwood Ave is a private paved

11:20road maintained by the property owners.

11:23It begins at Apricot Street and

11:25continues to number 276

11:28to open land.

11:30Years ago the the of Worcester approved

11:33a subdivision named Wildwood Village,

11:36not Wildwood Ave. Consisting of only 39

11:39duplexes, 78

11:41residences. In turn,

11:43each one of them's got at least two cars

11:45and two vehicles, plus all the delivery

11:47vehicles that go by. I could sit in my

11:49parlor. Years ago I could sit and never

11:51see anybody go by. Every 3 or 4 minutes,

11:54zing, zoom, zoom. And these people

11:56speed. And on top of that, here's one

11:59for you if you don't know. The city of

12:00Worcester, I mean, we passed in the

12:02State House where you can get a ticket

12:05that is counts as like a city police

12:08officer on a public street does that go

12:10it counts. But whatever, that's just an

12:13addendum.

12:14Uh okay, that's it. I took this one out

12:17of out of context, that's what why.

12:19Uh I stand in opposition to the

12:21conversion of Wildwood Ave. from a

12:23private street to a public street.

12:26Planning traffic flow, municipal costs,

12:28subdivision standards, and fiscal

12:30financial impact. Property owners'

12:32concerns. What I'll do is I'll just hand

12:35it to you and then jump down to the

12:36bottom. Note, the petitioner does not

12:38live on Wildwood Ave. And then one of

12:41the first ones, he had to live there or

12:42the petition didn't even count. I get a

12:44kick out of that.

12:45Consider sending out if you have to do

12:47this again, which I hope you vote no,

12:49that

12:50it's more informative cuz people just

12:52throw this away. I've talked to them,

12:54they don't even know what it means to

12:55them. So, in whatever it be,

12:58I'll skip that.

13:03Sending out there, here's Oh, that's

13:05okay. I can I can sum up there. We're

13:07you asking you to be fair

13:09to the residents solely on Wildwood Ave.

13:11Long time it's been a long time road of

13:15residents, a quiet neighborhood with no

13:17problems whatsoever. Now with this added

13:20thing

13:21from open land that used to be a

13:23Wildwood refuge was taken by a city a

13:27developer and took advantage of this our

13:30open road to build this

13:32the village up there which in turn I'm

13:34being redundant to city of Worcester

13:36accepted as a development which if you

13:39read the laws at that time you could not

13:42conclude a private road to a public

13:45street. That's a no no. That's a no no

13:47right there but for whatever reason it

13:48was done. I can go on forever

13:51but I and others they're not here a lot

13:54of them I I am I am opposed to this to

13:57the fairness of it.

13:58If it by any chance has to make it

14:00public

14:01I for one just would like to see the

14:04road left alone for the width. Don't

14:05have to form to the public dimensions

14:08that they're necessary for for public

14:09street. But the public street the street

14:12while would have if it's done it can be

14:14maintained as any public street. Fill

14:16the potholes and keep it paved.

14:19And maybe put the police back up there

14:20stop these speeders that

14:23they've been whatever. All right. I can

14:25go on for day and a half and be

14:26redundant and maybe hit a few things

14:28that are more pertinent. I will separate

14:30these and I'll hand them in to you. Like

14:32I said last time we were able to testify

14:34a lot of things. Some of these are

14:36redundant. Some are new issues and uh

14:40there's a lot of things I'm not going to

14:41say. Thank you.

14:43>> Thank you for

14:44>> my own

14:45because I know better. [laughter]

14:47Although I you know I get carried away.

14:50>> It's all right.

14:52Anybody else um against the proposed?

14:59>> So [snorts] I'm the troublemaker. I'm

15:01Timothy Bateman Worcester.

15:04>> Hang on sir.

15:05Are are you here in favor?

15:07>> I am not.

15:10>> Go right ahead.

15:11>> So

15:13>> Name and city of residence please.

15:14>> Timothy Bateman Worcester Massachusetts.

15:17I live on Scarsdale Street.

15:21I I I agree with Karen. I agree with Ed.

15:25They did a phenomenal amount of

15:26research.

15:28Um

15:29I put the petition in

15:32not because I'm worried about my car.

15:34Not because I'm worried I I speeders is

15:37a problem if it fixes if the road it is

15:39a huge problem. One of them has moved

15:41out of the neighborhood by the way.

15:42Um

15:47I didn't put the petition in to cost

15:49anybody any money.

15:52I was

15:53hoping to get a solution.

15:57Have a conversation with people.

15:59To

16:00help

16:01maintain the road, offset the burden

16:03that we all contribute to. We didn't

16:06this year.

16:08Um

16:10It it

16:14The model that we use right now for

16:17maintaining the private section of the

16:19road

16:20it's not

16:21it's not sustainable. Not everybody can

16:24contribute.

16:25Not everybody can take time out to

16:27repair.

16:29You

16:30Ed did fantastic

16:34the petition was put in for help.

16:37It wasn't a all or nothing.

16:41I'm not expecting the city to foot the

16:43bill for everything. It's a lot of

16:44money.

16:46What I I don't I don't know what the

16:48private road residents pay in taxes. I

16:51know what I pay in taxes and it's the

16:53same it's the same in

16:55What

16:57So, but probably because you have more

16:59land than I do. That's why I'm saying. I

17:01know what I have for land, I know what I

17:02have for square footage.

17:05And it's essentially the same thing for

17:07the the the Wildwood Scarsdale Circle.

17:10It's a lot of money. It's and it

17:12continues to rise. It continues to rise

17:14for all of us.

17:15We can't handle anymore.

17:17We really can't. So, I was just help I

17:19was I was hoping for

17:22Apparently, I did it the wrong way.

17:24Um and I and I sincerely apologize for

17:27all the heartache that I put everybody

17:28through.

17:29Uh

17:31We just need help. That's That's what I

17:33was looking for. We need help. Um

17:35>> Very good.

17:36>> And if this was the wrong way to do it,

17:38let me know how to do it and I'll go the

17:40other route.

17:41>> Uh thank you.

17:42>> Thank you.

17:42>> Anybody here

17:44uh opposed that wishes to add anything

17:46to the conversation?

17:49Okay.

17:50>> My name is Fred Warner. I live on

17:51Wildwood Ave.

17:52Um

17:55I appreciate Tim for showing up and

17:57saying that.

17:58Does this mute the whole subject now?

18:00The petitioner is not

18:03>> We'll get to the We'll get

18:05>> The petitioner is opposed. This should

18:06end it.

18:07>> We'll get to it in a second.

18:08>> Okay. And the other thing is um he said

18:10that he had 107 approximately 107

18:13letters went out. Uh I think he said

18:15that 37 responded. 27 yay.

18:1810 no. Um unfortunately, the

18:21the problem in our area, we've had a lot

18:22of people move in

18:24that are, you know, from other

18:25countries. They They don't speak the

18:27language. They have no idea what's going

18:29on. So, with my two neighbors across the

18:31street, they own duplexes. I told them I

18:33said, "You know, this is going to cost

18:34you $9,000." They had no idea. They

18:36thought it was free. Because they saw

18:38They saw the the note that said, "You

18:40may incur." Well, that's That's very

18:42deceiving. You It's not may. It's

18:44definitely a will. You will incur.

18:46That's all. Thank you.

18:47>> Thank you.

18:49Anybody here um in favor?

18:53Are you coming here first Are you One

18:55moment, please. Are you coming back for

18:56a second round?

18:57>> Just say For your edification

19:00>> We'll allow it.

19:00>> I and a few of I used to collect for the

19:02street.

19:04I used to take and when I was able to do

19:06physically get material and fill

19:09potholes on the street, hired

19:11contractors to pave the street, a lot of

19:13money, and improved it. Now, as a former

19:16firefighter, I can tell you there's

19:18worse streets that are public in the

19:20city of Worcester that I don't even want

19:22to walk on and drive on. And I do know

19:25that that's one of the least problems

19:27cuz I drive a I drove a fire truck. And

19:30now, this is one that doesn't really

19:32pertain to this,

19:34the speed bumps. If I was still on the

19:36fire department driving a truck, I would

19:38refuse to because as far as I'm

19:40concerned, the speed trumps in the speed

19:42bumps interfere with a proper approach

19:45in time

19:46to a a disaster or something that would

19:49need immediate attention, and also

19:50impede the the ambulances for doing

19:53their job as they're doing it.

19:55Put a sign up there, catch the pictures,

19:58and fine them.

19:59And I'm sorry, but this is this is

20:01eating me up.

20:03I spent my life with this city. I

20:04respect it. I love it. And I don't want

20:07to be

20:08by it.

20:09>> Yep. Thank you.

20:10>> You know what I'm saying?

20:11>> Mr. Clark, if you could just grab the

20:12paperwork.

20:14>> Cuz I don't want to swear

20:15swear cuz if you swear, that's the

20:17crutch of an intellectual And

20:19it sounds like

20:20>> [laughter]

20:21>> I know you I know where it's coming

20:23from, Eddie. It's coming from the heart.

20:24Thank you.

20:27Um so, there's nobody here in favor.

20:30All right. So, while we're on the

20:32subject, let's see if we can get some

20:34questions answered uh before we take a

20:36vote.

20:36>> Mr. Chairman, prior to doing so, we do

20:38have one person that is raising their

20:39hand remotely that would like to speak

20:41>> Absolutely.

20:42>> and run it to them.

20:43Just sent your request for Mr. Donovan

20:46related to Wildwood Ave.

20:50>> Go ahead.

20:52>> Can everybody hear me?

20:53>> We can hear you.

20:55>> Okay. My name is Mike Donovan. I live at

20:57158 Wildwood Ave.

20:59Completely opposed to the road being uh

21:02changed over as being the only option

21:04being a public road. Um

21:07one of the things that I researched, one

21:09of the benefits of owning a

21:12home on a private road is there's four

21:14that are listed. Number one is supposed

21:16to be less traffic. Well, we don't enjoy

21:18that.

21:19Quieter neighborhood, we certainly do

21:21not enjoy that anymore. We have trucks

21:23crashing suspensions and all through the

21:26night loud music going up and make your

21:28windows vibrate. You know, plus the odor

21:31of just whatever marijuana coming out.

21:33So, there's none of this enjoyment going

21:34on. And one of them is also supposed to

21:36be lower property taxes. I laugh at

21:38this. I'm a real estate agent like you

21:40are, Mr. Connamore. I look at MLS

21:42listing. I'm paying the same if not more

21:45as people that have a public road. So,

21:47there's no gain. And one of the other

21:49one is control over streets. We don't

21:51have any control. It's just basically we

21:53purchased this house kind of we're stuck

21:55with what we have. And this other

21:57wonderful thing we have on our street is

21:59the security at night that's like

22:01unmatched because [snorts] we have

22:03somebody one time approved for a either

22:07corrective house or whatever at the end

22:08of a

22:09you know, Wildwood Ave that's actually

22:11on Main Street as, you know, as a

22:13substance abuse house. Well, those

22:15people walk up our street in the middle

22:16of the night and they check your car

22:18doors. It's great. And then if they need

22:20to, you know, they'll they'll remove

22:22what they can as part of, you know, a a

22:24payment process of due service provided.

22:27So, these are just some of the things

22:28that we're dealing with that an improved

22:30road is not going to give us any more

22:33enhancement of what we already have.

22:35Unfortunately, it's just going to cost

22:37us a whole lot more to enjoy even less.

22:39I mean, it's it's really a no-brainer.

22:41There are other options that can be

22:43exercised. Mr. Petzold, I know him. Um,

22:45what has happened over the last 15 years

22:48is I've been a resident and I've also

22:50been a tenant. So, I've seen a 15-year

22:52cycle. Every year you would contribute

22:54money and you would see, you know, some

22:56repair work. Unfortunately, over the

22:58last four or five years we've really

22:59seen very little. This year I used my

23:02own equipment. I've got road grindings.

23:04I was filling holes in desperation

23:06because we no longer entertain people at

23:09our house cuz I'm tired of fixing flat

23:10tires and hearing about how bad the road

23:13is. So, that being the subject topic of

23:15discussion when people come visit our

23:17house. There is other options on the

23:19table. Um

23:21one of the things that haven't been done

23:22is an expansion of what the Mr. Petzold

23:24and others have done where, you know, a

23:26better committee where we have real

23:28planning and really work with the city.

23:30Um I am in construction. I know the cost

23:32of things. I would be looking for the

23:34city personally to give us about 16 ton

23:37of patch material which is really about

23:39a $4,000 cost to them. Drop that

23:42locations and we can take care of that

23:44part. But, for us to assume we're going

23:46to taking on more of a burden for really

23:48the benefit of the city because what

23:50will happen is

23:52increased assessment on the property.

23:54So, now we'll pay more tax plus pay the

23:56assessment. What benefit is that to the

23:58current residents? So, I'm completely

24:00opposed. There's more options on the

24:02table that I'm sure they'll be set for a

24:04better time that can be discussed. Um

24:06we're not enjoying any of the things

24:08that we're supposed to. I agree there

24:10should never I would pray that the city

24:13would use Wildwood Ave as an example of

24:15not putting a public road at the end of

24:17a private road or even connecting to it.

24:20If there was an event, Wildwood Ave is a

24:22very wooded area. By chance, you've seen

24:25wildfires in other places. By chance, if

24:27there's ever a fire, we're very forested

24:29up in here. We have one road to get out

24:32of here. That's unfair. There's going to

24:34be a loss that, you know, can't even be

24:36described. So, I just think this has

24:38been ongoing now for the 30 plus years

24:41with that new development that's been

24:43put up in here and it just seems we keep

24:45kicking the can forward. I've been here

24:4715 years. So, I've seen it. Let's kind

24:49of keep pushing the can forward down the

24:51road till some miracle happens. We have

24:53cars like the Jetsons. We won't need a

24:55road no more. I don't see that in the

24:58coming future very soon, but we would

25:00like the city to work to do to

25:02contribute, at least match us for what

25:04we're contributing in material, and

25:06we'll take care of the rest. I think

25:08that's a fair shot, takes the burden off

25:10the city. I agree. I drive

25:12[clears throat] the city streets every

25:13day. Some of the public roads are worse

25:15than roads we have. So, to add more

25:17burden to the city, which it can't even

25:19maintain what it has, it's not the right

25:22direction. In 10 years, the road will be

25:24just the same. I do not want to endure a

25:262-year construction process or more,

25:29rezoning, or you know, taking land and

25:31going through that process. No one does.

25:33We want our road to be quiet enjoyment

25:35that it was supposed to be. City can put

25:37a road at the other end up there where

25:39they approved a public road, and you

25:42know, lessen some of the traffic, but to

25:44burden the homeowners with this, no way.

25:46Completely opposed. Thank you for your

25:48time.

25:49>> Thank you. All right. Um

25:52So, let's let's just start off with what

25:55is available to the residents on private

25:57roads.

25:58I don't know if Commissioner or

26:00Assistant Commissioner [clears throat]

26:01Mello.

26:03>> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. So,

26:06uh

26:06I'm going to attempt to paraphrase a

26:08number of communications that our

26:10division has had with the legal

26:12department over the last few years

26:14concerning this issue because private

26:15roads are obviously something that comes

26:17up fairly often.

26:18So, um

26:20if I get something incorrect on this,

26:22please forgive me. Um both the committee

26:24and Alex.

26:26Um but I will proceed here. So, um

26:30we've kind of discussed a little bit, uh

26:33and uh I will give you the highlights of

26:37uh chapter 302 of the Acts of 1984. Um

26:40Just before I go into this, uh

26:43you know, the laws concerning

26:45private roads and the rights of the

26:47municipality are governed by the state,

26:49right? So, Worcester can't go ahead and

26:51decide to do its own thing that is

26:53outside of state law.

26:55Um so, that's very important to

26:56recognize before we begin this

26:58discussion.

26:59So,

27:01um let's be down to here.

27:02>> If I can, Mr. Chairman, are you

27:04referring to the city solicitor's uh

27:08memo of June 2nd to the city manager?

27:10>> Uh I'll be pulling some items for that,

27:12uh Mr. Commissioner, as well as I have

27:15um a number of other emails

27:17>> Thank you.

27:17>> that we've also uh used uh over the past

27:20few years.

27:21So,

27:22uh if I may, uh as part of this uh memo

27:25that the commissioner just referenced,

27:26it uh gets into the wording for chapter

27:29302 of the Acts of 1984,

27:32um and the uh it gets I'm going to skip

27:34to the bottom.

27:36Um

27:37so, uh we don't have to read the whole

27:39thing. It says, "But in no event shall

27:40temporary repairs include extensive

27:42reconstruction, construction,

27:43resurfacing, or the installation of

27:45drainage facilities.

27:47Temporary repairs may also include the

27:48filling of potholes in such private ways

27:50as may paved road as may have a paved

27:53road surface. A betterment charge shall

27:55not be assessed. The municipality has no

27:57liability in tort for the performance of

27:59such repairs. In no event shall the cost

28:01of repairs exceed the sum of $6 per

28:03linear foot as determined by the

28:06commissioner."

28:07Um so, with Wildwood Ave being

28:09approximately or the private section

28:11being approximately 4,500 ft long, um

28:14that kind of limits

28:16the amount of repair work we could do

28:17there to under $30,000. Um under 30

28:21grand to be spent on almost a mile's

28:23worth of road um is like uh not very

28:26much at all. It's like a grain of sand

28:28in a bathtub kind of thing.

28:30>> Okay.

28:30>> Um

28:32>> Let me ask you this, do the residents

28:33have an idea what it's going to cost to

28:35convert it to public? Do they have a uh

28:37square

28:38a linear number?

28:40>> We can discuss

28:42um

28:43you know

28:45particular residents if you want. I have

28:46an overall cost which I can take and

28:48then I'll divide that real quick here.

28:57This is the the approximate cost of

28:59conversion is $430 per linear foot.

29:05>> All right.

29:09Yeah, I'm just just getting you the

29:11information so you have it in your head.

29:13That's all, all right?

29:14So I I I understand. I hear I heard you.

29:17I just want to make sure you have all

29:18the information, okay? That's all.

29:20>> Yeah.

29:21>> Um

29:22>> So

29:23>> regards to

29:24in regards to some of the concerns that

29:26they brought forward with with um

29:29water gates being high out of the

29:31ground, manholes being high out of the

29:34ground

29:36that culvert that keeps flooding

29:40what's our responsibility to address

29:42those items?

29:44>> So the water anything water and sewer

29:47related would fall to the department um

29:50as long as it's not related to regular

29:51maintenance of the road, right? So

29:53that's kind of where that becomes a bit

29:54of a a touchy item.

29:55>> So is that something we're able to lower

29:58to ground level?

29:59>> I can talk to the assistant commissioner

30:01for water and sewer to take a look at

30:03that and then we can get back to you on

30:04that. I just don't want to speak for his

30:05his division.

30:06>> Yeah.

30:07>> Um and we also like I said want to you

30:08know kind of check to

30:10see if we can determine what caused that

30:11condition.

30:13>> And that culvert as well that's that's

30:15creating

30:16>> I would have to look at that a little

30:17bit more. Um typically drainage is not

30:21the issue of the municipality when it

30:22comes to a private street.

30:24>> Do you guys have an address of that

30:25culvert?

30:28>> Right after the culvert 2 on the left.

30:29>> Yeah, after 102 on the left.

30:31>> Yeah, generally drainage issues do not

30:34fall to the municipality in a private

30:35way. So I'll have to confirm that.

30:42Yeah.

30:52>> Guys,

30:54just

30:54come to the mic if you have if you have

30:56something to add.

30:59Thank you. Through the chair.

31:01>> Yes, sir.

31:01>> I will offer that we can investigate and

31:03evaluate that drainage structure if it's

31:05something that has uh

31:08been damaged or blocked due to city

31:11operations, water main, or anything

31:13else, then we can certainly uh

31:16take the necessary steps. However, if

31:18it's just a drain pipe on a private

31:21road, that would not be considered city

31:23property, and we wouldn't take any steps

31:25to to make any repairs there.

31:27>> Okay. So, how about we make a chairman's

31:29order

31:30to ask

31:32the Department of Public Works and

31:34associated departments, if if need be,

31:38to inspect that culvert to the left of

31:41102 Wildwood Ave.

31:43um to see if

31:45what might what might be the cause of

31:46that. It was from if it was from a prior

31:48water main break,

31:50and we have some responsibility that we

31:52look at doing what we can to address

31:54that,

31:55and what we can do to address the high

31:57water gates that may be sticking out of

32:00the ground, and or any

32:03um manhole covers that are

32:05sitting up out of the ground that make

32:07it more difficult for people to traverse

32:10the street.

32:19Okay. Good. Good. Okay. Um

32:22good with you guys?

32:24Okay. Good. So, um in regards to uh the

32:28item before us to to upon the petition

32:31of Timothy Bateman request Wildwood Ave.

32:33from Apricot to Wildwood be made public,

32:36uh the motion would be to deny

32:39uh, the item.

32:41Uh, Mr. Clerk, roll call.

32:43>> Councilor Frizalone.

32:46>> To deny.

32:47>> Yes.

32:48>> Mecha.

32:49>> Yes.

32:49>> And Chairperson Councilor Economos.

32:51>> Yes.

32:54All right. Thank you.

32:56Thank you guys for coming in.

32:57>> Thank you.

33:00>> Item four.

33:04>> Excuse me, your honor. You'll have to

33:05forgive me because of my age, I forget

33:07things. I would like and I can't hear

33:09got to hear me they mean nothing. Is

33:11there a possible for me to get some of

33:13the testimony that was made over the

33:15air, so to speak, so I can read it and

33:18see if, you know, things I hear. I also

33:20would like to comment being the city at

33:23the ordinance at the time in the

33:24petition was when I put up that public

33:26at development, it was against the rules

33:28that they have. I was under the

33:30understanding, oh, it's there. I think

33:32the city should be responsible for the

33:35maintaining of our road that we put in

33:37and help build it and make it with the

33:40sweat in the brow and money from people.

33:43And I thank you very much for your

33:45listening to and your attention and

33:48thank you again for doing the job you

33:50do. It's not easy.

33:51>> No, thank you.

33:52>> And you got to deal with somebody like

33:54me.

33:54>> No, that's all right.

33:55>> [laughter]

33:55>> Mr. Clerk, how how

33:57how could Mr. Petrucci get a copy of the

34:02the uh, minutes?

34:04>> In order to view the minutes, um, you

34:06can always view them straight on the

34:07city's website uh, through the Granicus

34:10portal. The other option would be if,

34:12um, he'd like to get a email of it I we

34:15can email it directly if he emails the

34:17clerk at worcesterma.gov email or even

34:19comes down to the clerk's office and we

34:21can print it out as well.

34:22>> All right. May maybe we can print it out

34:24and we can deliver it. So, that's not a

34:27problem with me either.

34:29Thank you, Mr. Clerk.

34:30>> Thank you.

34:31>> Item 4A, Craig Thomas requests

34:33construction of new sidewalks on the

34:35upper portion of Orient Street.

34:38Um

34:39and

34:41item B, 4 B, Craig Thomas requests

34:43construction of a new sidewalk on Orient

34:46Street from Sultan Street to Plantation

34:48Street.

34:49Anybody here to speak

34:52uh in opposition?

34:57Just your name and city of residence,

34:58please.

35:01>> Paul Sumares, Worcester. Mr. Chairman,

35:04councilors, municipal staff, thank you

35:06for hearing me.

35:08I have a couple of properties on Orient

35:11Street.

35:12Uh one, actually both are right at the

35:14beginning of this at uh

35:16in the Sultan Street area.

35:18Uh 72 and 76.

35:21Uh

35:21I have um that's all grass in front of

35:25in front of my property line.

35:27One, the 72 lot is uh a stone wall

35:32that my father and I built. And then the

35:35one in front of 76

35:37is a fieldstone

35:39cement wall built by

35:42a woman back in the '40s, I believe, and

35:44it's still standing.

35:47Be [clears throat] that as it may,

35:49um

35:51that's a long stretch

35:53for sidewalks up there.

35:56Uh there's a fair amount of people that

35:57do walk the street, including myself,

36:01uh going up to the park at at Holmes

36:02Field. Um

36:04and where there are sidewalks on the

36:06lower portion,

36:08uh most people tend to still walk in the

36:10street.

36:11They're not necessarily utilizing the

36:13sidewalk all that much.

36:17Where you can walk from Sultan up to the

36:20park and for that matter down on

36:22Plantation Street, uh it's primarily

36:24grass, and that's where people tend to

36:26walk if they're not walking in the

36:28street.

36:29So,

36:31construction of a sidewalk

36:33along that way, I'm sure would be very

36:34costly.

36:35Uh for me personally, uh looking at my

36:38two properties, um don't know what the

36:42the percentage would be for a cost of a

36:44homeowner,

36:45uh but I would anticipate that to be

36:47rather high.

36:49I'm not in favor of that.

36:51Decades ago,

36:54the street in front of my home

36:56uh used to have curbs. Whether they were

36:59granite or not, I don't recollect. I'm

37:01sure I have pictures of it.

37:03Uh those have been removed. So, now it's

37:05all roll over

37:08slight edge.

37:09Um

37:10and that's not

37:12very appealing.

37:14Uh

37:15so, yeah, in in the uh bottom line, end

37:18of the day, I'm not in favor of it. I

37:20don't really see a great need for it.

37:23Uh would it be beneficial to have

37:25aesthetically and you know, perhaps a

37:27little bit safer? Uh perhaps. Uh but

37:31taking a look at the entire cost for

37:33that, I'm I just I don't I'm not a fan

37:36of that. And especially for my two

37:38properties, I I you know, I'm yeah.

37:41I'll I'll sell those two properties

37:42before I pay for it.

37:44>> Thank you.

37:46Um Mr. Clark, is there any

37:48um

37:51was there Was there anything sent out to

37:53the neighbors asking for their thoughts

37:54and opinions on it?

37:56>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, uh we do

37:58have a couple folks that um we received

38:01ballots from. There were 77 ballots and

38:04notices that went out between the two

38:06meetings. Of those ballots, we received

38:09four back that were in favor of these

38:12sidewalks, and we received nine, 10, 11,

38:1512, 13 back that were opposed to this

38:18particular instance.

38:20>> Okay.

38:21Is there anybody online wishing to speak

38:23on this item?

38:24>> Uh Mr. Chairman, we do have a person um

38:26right now it looks like the first person

38:28I can identify is Carol M.

38:30Just sent a request for Carol M to mute

38:33themselves.

38:34>> Thank you.

38:36>> Hello, my name's Carol Morocco. I live

38:38in Worcester on a section of Orient

38:40Street pertaining to this petition.

38:43I'm not in favor of the petition.

38:46Um at the meeting last month when the

38:48petitioner spoke uh a main concern he

38:51has that pedestrians are unable to walk

38:53safely to Holmes Field

38:55at the corner of Plantation and March

38:57Street.

38:59He implied that there is no safe way to

39:01do that from Salton Street to the park

39:04and that people are forced to walk in

39:07the street and I feel that that is

39:09disingenuous.

39:11Um as the previous person said to get to

39:14Holmes Field um from Salton Street

39:17from where the sidewalk ends at Salton

39:20Street, you would have to cross the

39:21street first because the sidewalk ends

39:24on the odd side odd numbered house side.

39:27But if you cross the street to the even

39:29number house side

39:31>> [clears throat]

39:31>> there is a safe place to walk that does

39:34um

39:36it it's off of the street. It's

39:38definitely separated

39:41from the street

39:43and it has walls often that mark the

39:48end of the um

39:50of the land owners the home owners land.

39:54And it goes from Salton Street this it's

39:57some of it is grass and as the previous

39:59speaker said some of it is grass some of

40:02it is asphalt but it is a safe place to

40:05walk. You don't always have to walk on

40:07the street if you you don't it's not a

40:10choice you do have a choice. It's not

40:11necessary to walk on the street.

40:14Um

40:16Like Orient Street most of the side

40:19streets off of Plantation from the

40:21intersection of Franklin Street to March

40:23do not have modern sidewalks,

40:27including March Street, which the

40:28petitioner failed to mention as well.

40:32And yet this has been a safe

40:34neighborhood to walk in.

40:36And I would have to wonder if March

40:38Street

40:40would have to be included in the

40:41petition if it if it were to pass since

40:44it's the access street to the Homes

40:47Field and it has no

40:49traditional sidewalks like

40:51this part of Orient Street does not have

40:53traditional sidewalks.

40:56Um

40:57if a majority of responders are not in

41:00favor of this petition and believe it's

41:02unnecessary, but somehow this petition

41:05does pass,

41:07then I feel it should be the city

41:09deciding

41:10to go forward and the city should pay

41:12for it. And I would hope that the cost

41:15would not be put on homeowners in that

41:17instance and that renters and the

41:20three-deckers and two-family homes would

41:23not be involved in this either. Thank

41:26you.

41:27>> Thank you.

41:29All right. Um

41:30commissioners, is there a cost

41:32associated with this sidewalk?

41:35>> Yes, Mr. Chairman. Bear with me one

41:37second. Would you like a cost for a

41:39particular home or you looking for the

41:40overall price?

41:41>> an overall cost and then if you have a

41:43rough idea of what it would cost per

41:45linear foot, that would be helpful just

41:47so people understand what it would what

41:48it would cost.

41:49>> Excellent. Just bear with me one moment.

41:53>> Excuse me, through the chair.

41:56>> Yes.

42:00Uh

42:01>> Oh, all right. Thank you, Mr. Thank you,

42:02Mr. Chairman.

42:03>> Yes, go ahead, counselor.

42:04>> wanted to speak on this item. Um

42:07I you know, understand residents'

42:09concerns about

42:10um

42:12and you know, costs associated with this

42:14and and maybe if this folks are more

42:15amenable, maybe it might be better to

42:17have a sidewalk from the intersection of

42:19Plantation and Orient up to

42:22uh

42:23Planta- uh excuse me, Orient and March

42:25Street. That might provide better access

42:27to the park. Um you know, my main

42:29reasoning for for ask you know, for

42:30moving and asking for this to be on the

42:32agenda cuz I saw that there were several

42:34petition petitions from someone over the

42:35years asking for a sidewalk on Orient.

42:38Um you know, the it is I I believe a

42:41pretty busy street and I know there's

42:43speeding was a concern. So, we had speed

42:45humps there. I feel like sidewalks would

42:47um

42:48you know, just make it safer and more

42:50walkable for folks. Um

42:52you know, parents with children and

42:54strollers,

42:55uh folks like myself that use use

42:57wheelchairs. I just thought it would be

42:59something um

43:00you know, it's a it's a very long

43:01section of street to not have a

43:03sidewalk. So, that was my um

43:06you know, idea for moving this forward,

43:07but happy to you know, kind of flush

43:09this out with residents and see if there

43:11might be some type of you know, um

43:13middle middle ground here. So, thank

43:14you.

43:15>> Sure. Thank you, counselor. Appreciate

43:17the

43:18the insight.

43:19Anybody else? Mr. Clerk online?

43:22>> Mr. Chairman, there is one person with a

43:23phone with their hand raised. The phone

43:26number ends in 2428.

43:29I just sent a request to unmute and

43:30again, you dial star six to unmute

43:32yourself.

43:35>> Hello. Can you hear me?

43:36>> Yes, you're on.

43:38>> I my name's Jack Marocco from Worcester.

43:41I submitted some images previously. I

43:44told they could be placed on screen

43:46during my calling presentation.

43:49Is that going to be uh

43:51admissible and happening for us?

43:54>> Do we have those, Mr. Clerk?

43:55>> Yes, Mr. Chairman. I can pull them up.

44:01>> All right. Let me

44:02Let me uh start in and uh do you want me

44:05to wait?

44:05>> No, go right ahead. Yeah.

44:08>> Okay. Uh if you can go back up to the

44:10top, please.

44:12First one is a old '50s image.

44:16In the In the meantime, let me stop my

44:18presentation. Uh once again, my name is

44:21Jack Maracco. I've lived on Orange

44:23Street my entire life. I was born in

44:251956.

44:27I'm opposed to the Orange Street

44:29sidewalk petition. Family members have

44:32owned this home for over a century. They

44:34built the uh a home a a few houses away

44:37in the '50s. I continue to walk the

44:39streets of the old Grafton Hill

44:41neighborhood, many without sidewalks. My

44:44only fears are the occasional loose

44:46dogs.

44:47My good neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas,

44:49purchased the home next to me at 110

44:52Orange Street in 2020.

44:54Over recent years, Mr. Thomas has

44:56petitioned the city

44:58uh Zoning Board of Appeals for several

45:00variances

45:01to completely renovate and modernize his

45:03home, relocated his garage, also.

45:06Uh at ZBA meetings, I spoke in favor of

45:09his petitions, and in general, I believe

45:11we get along well as neighbors.

45:14In the case of the sidewalk petition, I

45:16feel Mr. Thomas's lack of history and

45:18the over exaggeration of the situation

45:21uh skewing his desire for additional

45:23sidewalks.

45:24In our brief discussions, I don't

45:26believe he was aware of the breadth that

45:28the city is going to take on this

45:29project, nor the possible ramifications

45:32to all these abutters.

45:34Additionally,

45:36this will likely negatively impact this

45:39older, diverse neighborhood, which fees

45:41many homeowners simply can't afford. As

45:44a result, some home home homeowners may

45:46lose their home, while renters may be

45:49forced to move due to the rate increases

45:53to cover the sidewalk fees.

45:55Although sidewalks have some benefits,

45:57they also come with their own share of

45:59hazards.

46:00The chances of someone being hit by a

46:02cow while walking on Orange Street are

46:04less likely than an elderly person who

46:06can slip and fall on a sidewalk or have

46:08a heart attack while shoveling the snow

46:10from the sidewalk.

46:11Most people can easily exercise caution

46:14while walking on the streets, but you

46:16never know when a heart attack will

46:17strike.

46:19Looking at the images, if you can get to

46:22the old image from the '40s, the black

46:25and white image, please.

46:29Okay, this is from the '40s. The

46:30petitioner's home is above the people

46:34that are getting married. You can

46:36clearly see

46:38the walking area that was delineated

46:41in the '40s. You can see the trees that

46:44are not new, so they these are older

46:47planted trees. Sidewalk area is

46:51there. Whether or not you want to call

46:53it a sidewalk or not,

46:55you know, it doesn't meet current terms,

46:57but it's still a place off the street

47:00where we were able to safely walk.

47:03Um

47:06Uh in my youth, I often visited my

47:09grandmother and aunt who built a house

47:12just a little down the road at 116

47:14Orange Street. I played with lots of

47:16friends on the street. 117,

47:19120, 122 Orange. When we traveled to our

47:22neighbors or when we went up to Holmes

47:24Field, we always used those existing

47:26sidewalks. Over the subsequent years,

47:29multiple transformations of our street,

47:31the existence the existing sidewalks

47:34unfortunately became an afterthought for

47:36the city. They raised them up when curbs

47:39were added and often converted them to

47:41grass sidewalks.

47:44If you can look at the overhead view, if

47:46you can get to the overhead view from

47:49Google, please.

47:51Okay. Uh on this one,

47:53I've delineated where the sidewalks are.

47:56On the side where the brother um where

47:59the petitioner

48:01requested it. His house is in the center

48:04of this circle. You see where Holmes

48:07Field is.

48:08Now, if we come down to the first street

48:11view image,

48:13here we are on the corner of March

48:17Street. Holmes Field is up in the upper

48:19left-hand corner. This is the the

48:21intersection of March and Orient. You

48:23can clearly see where we

48:26where we walked in the past.

48:29It's off the road. It's safe. And

48:33um petitioners um

48:35had also mentioned the uh ability to

48:38have stroller. Uh an all-terrain

48:41stroller can easily navigate these

48:43sidewalk areas.

48:45And as we go down the street

48:48to the next image, please.

48:56As we're going down the street, the the

48:58house that is in the red just after the

49:00blurred sections that that was done by

49:02Google, that's where the homeowner uh

49:04the petitioner lives. You can see the

49:06clear area to walk. It's not a small

49:09path. It's a wide area. Please continue

49:12on to the next image.

49:17This is the petitioner's home. It's

49:20completely renovated. Doesn't look like

49:22that in red. Um that that that home had

49:26did that beautiful job on the

49:28renovations. But that's the petitioner's

49:30home uh at 110 Orient. I live next door

49:34at 108 in the yellow home. You can see

49:38the grass. We have

49:40asphalt instead. And this is just going

49:43down the street. And continue, you can

49:45see clear

49:46walking paths. Continue on on those

49:49images, please. You can see the clear

49:51walking paths going all the way down to

49:54Salton Street where the person has

49:56requested.

49:58Please continue on those images, please.

50:03Again,

50:04clear walking paths on the left-hand

50:07side. That's all asphalt

50:09there.

50:11And

50:13um

50:14So, you know, in my opinion, I I clearly

50:17demonstrated the safe walking paths that

50:19still exist.

50:21But, it's also evident that the city

50:23abandoned the hot sidewalks we once had.

50:25Their neglect should not be the

50:27homeowner's burden to repair and make

50:29modern. The neighborhood will

50:32dramatically be changed if this petition

50:34moves forward with the granite curbs and

50:37cement sidewalks on both sides of the

50:39street from Division to Plantation. This

50:42is what was related to me from the DPW.

50:46So, we have granite curbs, cement

50:48sidewalks on both sides of the street

50:50from Plantation all the way down to um

50:56the the request at Salton. The street's

50:58going to become substantially narrower

51:00to traffic. Many of the vehicles that

51:03are currently parked off-street or

51:05partially off-street with the use of the

51:08Bermuda curbs are now going to be

51:10totally on-street. And since Orange

51:12Street was mentioned as a vital

51:15emergency response route to and from

51:17UMass Medical, response times are now

51:20going to be slower and much worse come

51:22wintertime.

51:23>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

51:24>> Given all this history,

51:26I'm sorry?

51:27>> No, thank you.

51:28No, that's that's all right.

51:29>> let me let me try and wrap up, please.

51:31Given all the history, facts, and

51:33ramifications, I urge Mr. Thomas to

51:36withdraw his petition. And again, if

51:39that doesn't transpire, please consider

51:41the the the point that was just

51:43mentioned. If the city he forward with

51:45sidewalks against the majority of

51:47abutters, it becomes the city's idea and

51:51option, and the city should pay for

51:52their own request.

51:54>> Very good.

51:55>> Mr. Chair, I've submitted uh many

51:57alternatives for the committee to

51:59consider. We've heard some uh uh

52:02talk about figures. We haven't um

52:05received uh the the final linear foot um

52:10um costs. Is that possible? We We can

52:14get more information on that. You know,

52:17I want to know is that going to include

52:20all the blasting and jackhammering for

52:22the ledge that that some of it is just

52:25clearly evident sticking out of the

52:26ground as I walk by. It's up to my

52:28waist.

52:29>> Yep, we're going to get to that and

52:31we're going to get to that in one

52:32moment.

52:33>> All righty. Uh I thank you very much for

52:36all all your time and consideration. I

52:40hope if uh some there's some rebuttal

52:43and uh I have some information of

52:46importance, I hope you'll let me raise

52:48my hand again.

52:49Thank you for all you do. Uh I wish you

52:51all well. Take care.

52:54>> Anyone else, Mr. Clerk?

52:56>> Not at this time, Mr. Chairman.

52:58>> Very good. Thank you.

52:59Commissioner,

53:01um

53:03just as

53:04number one,

53:06what number one, if you knew if there

53:07were sidewalks there at any time, that

53:09that would that would deem this to be

53:11already city property or city

53:13sidewalks in place. And number two, if

53:16not,

53:17what would be the cost associated with

53:20creating the sidewalk? Um and if you

53:22have it broken down to a linear cost, um

53:25just so people could do their own quick

53:27math on what it might cost

53:29uh to install the sidewalk.

53:31>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, to the best

53:34of our knowledge, there has not been

53:36sidewalk in that area.

53:38Um we've checked records and aerial

53:41views, which is, you know, kind of the

53:43extent of historic things that we have

53:45readily available access to.

53:47And unfortunately, there's nothing

53:49confirmatory there.

53:50Um as to the cost of the project, the

53:52total estimated cost of the project is

53:54$777,000.

53:58And that comes out to a linear cost foot

54:00of around $71 a linear foot.

54:03>> $71 per linear foot.

54:06>> Yes, sir.

54:06>> So we said correct.

54:07>> And we're prepared to discuss any

54:09uh specific property if that's what you

54:11would like.

54:11>> for full

54:12full implementation of a sidewalk.

54:14>> Right.

54:14>> Correct.

54:15>> So whatever it cost, that's what it

54:16would be.

54:18Okay.

54:19Um any questions from my colleagues?

54:23>> Yes, Mr. Gitsels. Can you tell us like

54:25on the average

54:27uh what would be the cost and how many

54:29years uh

54:31they can choose to pay it by just for

54:34information purposes.

54:36>> Uh yes, Mr. Counselor. So

54:39uh

54:40it looks like the average home on this

54:42road has a

54:45frontage between uh 50 ft, which the

54:48assessment would be $3,541

54:51for, uh up to about uh 100 being some of

54:55the larger

54:57frontage that I'm seeing on these maps

54:58here. At 100, uh you know, effectively

55:00double that, so it's $7,083.

55:05As for the payment period, that's 10

55:07years and the finance rate is 5%. Um so

55:11if you would like me to very quickly, I

55:12can actually even tell you what that

55:14would be for a monthly payment.

55:15>> So 10 years is the maximum that one can

55:18>> Yes. And if you uh if you bear with me

55:20one moment, I can actually figure that

55:21out.

55:21>> Sure. 10 years at 5%, sure.

55:52>> The monthly payment on a loan for $3,500

55:56for 10 years at 5% would be $37.13.

56:03>> Okay.

56:08One more question

56:10to the chair to you, Mr. Sheldon. This

56:13monthly payment they are being billed

56:17with the tax bill.

56:20>> I

56:20>> How do they do they pay separately every

56:23month or

56:24>> I'm not sure on the exact mechanism,

56:26Mr. Counselor, that they get paid

56:28through. It is via the Treasurer's

56:30office. If I could provide a little bit

56:32more information on that in an upcoming

56:34meeting now because I'm not exactly sure

56:35of the, you know, exact pathway.

56:37>> Okay.

56:38>> If I'm not mistaken, when the tax bill

56:39comes, it shows the tax and any

56:41betterment, whether it's water, sewer,

56:44or another betterment as part of the tax

56:46bill.

56:47>> It's not that they get that monthly

56:48invoice to pay.

56:50>> Okay. So, we have a number.

56:53We have an idea of what what it's going

56:55to cost.

56:57Quite frankly, um

57:00I'm of the inclination to deny the

57:02petitions

57:04um

57:05as just listening to Counselor Bellotta

57:08who

57:09probably has a better thought of maybe

57:11having a conversation with the neighbors

57:13first

57:14um to see what the meeting of the minds

57:16will bring forward. And then if they

57:18come up with something that works for

57:20everybody

57:21of course, they're more than welcome to

57:23bring something back to the table and we

57:24can

57:25we can listen to it

57:27with a better understanding of what the

57:29entire neighborhood is looking for cuz

57:30this a pretty

57:32um lengthy sidewalk uh to install. I

57:36would assume this would go on a sidewalk

57:37list and be the councilor's up to the

57:40council's purview to select

57:42based on on funding.

57:45>> For [snorts] the construction of the

57:47sidewalk, counselor?

57:48>> Yes.

57:49>> So

57:52>> Was that just for repair work?

57:57>> There is

57:58a list in which we could put new

58:00sidewalks on for construction. However,

58:03um those are subject to funding and

58:05generally speaking, uh is not an annual

58:08sidewalk for sidewalk a side a contract,

58:10excuse me, for sidewalk construction.

58:12That is a annual contract for sidewalk

58:14repair.

58:15So,

58:17uh that would either have to come from a

58:18new funding source or perhaps rolled

58:20into roadway resurfacing.

58:21>> Okay.

58:22>> So, and at $777,000,

58:25it's quite a large number.

58:26>> Yep.

58:28Okay. So, I think what I'm

58:31you know, unless you guys have a

58:32different thought, uh

58:35the motion would be to deny the petition

58:38and allow councilor Balata

58:41to possibly do a neighborhood meeting to

58:43get a better understanding of

58:46what what they can come up with amongst

58:49themselves and bring that back forward

58:50to committee if that's the case.

58:53So, uh

58:56items 4A, 4B,

58:59the motion would be to deny the

59:00petitions.

59:01Roll call.

59:02>> Councilor Fazzolo.

59:04>> Yes.

59:05>> Mitcher.

59:05>> Yes.

59:06>> And chairperson counselor Economou.

59:08>> Yes.

59:09Item 4C, Mike Coleos requests

59:12installation of a new sidewalk in front

59:14of 360 May

59:16May Street.

59:19Um

59:21Commissioners, commissioner.

59:294C.

59:30>> Oh, I'm sorry. So, I they said Main

59:31Street. I I heard the wrong way. I was I

59:33was searching for the wrong item there.

59:34Yes, so Mr. Chairman, this item was

59:36actually heard prior. So, there are a

59:39number of

59:41sections that would have been involved

59:42with this. I actually have a map up on

59:45my computer that I unfortunately did not

59:47print for you gentlemen, but I am ready

59:49to discuss it. So, in essence, there are

59:52four small sections in this area of Main

59:55Street that are lacking a sidewalk. I'm

59:56sorry, three. One is at May by Chandler.

1:00:00The other one is a little further up

1:00:01Main Street, and the other is at the

1:00:03corner of Main and Ashbury.

1:00:05There is generally sidewalk from

1:00:07Pleasant Street to Chandler Street in

1:00:10May on this area.

1:00:12Adding

1:00:13these sidewalks would complete the

1:00:15sidewalk network in the neighborhood and

1:00:16do a lot for connectivity for the

1:00:18schools.

1:00:20This

1:00:21is a relatively low-cost project.

1:00:24So,

1:00:28our crew has estimated the cost at

1:00:30approximately $21,400.

1:00:33As only about 220 new feet of sidewalk

1:00:36is needed.

1:00:37That would also include the construction

1:00:39of wheelchair ramps.

1:00:41But, that's kind of where that lies. So,

1:00:42our recommendation would be to add this

1:00:44to the sidewalk construction list in the

1:00:47way of the betterment cost.

1:00:49The betterment assessment. As you

1:00:52We kind of have a few items that are on

1:00:54this evening that are routes of schools.

1:00:57So, one thing that bears discussion is

1:00:59perhaps working with the school

1:01:00department over the course of this year

1:01:03to develop a program to kind of go after

1:01:05some of these.

1:01:06So, that seems to be a good way to

1:01:08address in my opinion

1:01:10areas like this that are

1:01:12you know, show vital importance to the

1:01:14the community at large, but don't

1:01:15necessarily have a segregated funding

1:01:17source. So,

1:01:18>> So, this could fall into that school

1:01:19program that you're talking about.

1:01:21>> Yeah, but the Safe Routes to School Task

1:01:22Force actually meets again in a week.

1:01:24I'm uh I sit on that task force, so I

1:01:27can bring this particular item up here

1:01:28and see what kind of funding is

1:01:29available through that program, or if

1:01:32there isn't any, what kind of a

1:01:33collaborative efforts DPW could engage

1:01:35with the school department and to see

1:01:37that we can get these things done.

1:01:38>> Okay.

1:01:39Anybody

1:01:41um online or here in the audience wish

1:01:43to speak for or against this item?

1:01:47>> No one is online, Mr. Chairman.

1:01:49>> Okay, item C, my co-sponsor requests

1:01:51installation of a new sidewalk in front

1:01:52of 360 Main Street. Motion would be to

1:01:54add to the sidewalk construction list.

1:01:57Roll call.

1:01:58>> Councilor Fazzola.

1:01:59>> Yes.

1:01:59>> Mecha.

1:02:00>> Yes.

1:02:01>> And Chairperson Councilor Economos.

1:02:02>> Yes. Item 4D, Councilor Ittelshak Shah

1:02:05requests installation of a new sidewalk

1:02:07on Hurd Street

1:02:09uh that abuts 215 Hurd Street, 231 Hurd,

1:02:12233 Hurd, 235 Hurd Street, and 48 Royal

1:02:15Road.

1:02:16Further requests the fees associated

1:02:18with installing said sidewalk be waived

1:02:20because the sidewalk is needed to

1:02:21provide safe walking route

1:02:23to Hurd Street Discovery Academy at 200

1:02:25Hurd Street.

1:02:27Um Commissioner.

1:02:30>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, our

1:02:31recommendation here is leave to

1:02:32withdraw. The sidewalk was constructed

1:02:34back in 2022. Uh so, this is all set.

1:02:37This contract has been closed out and

1:02:39it's been paid for.

1:02:40>> Excellent. Uh motion would be to

1:02:42recommend leave to withdraw. Roll call.

1:02:45>> Councilor Fazzola.

1:02:46>> Yes.

1:02:46>> Mecha.

1:02:47>> Yes.

1:02:47>> And Chairperson Councilor Economos.

1:02:49>> Yes.

1:02:52Item 5, sidewalk repair petition.

1:02:55Uh item A, 5A, Councilor Jose Rivera

1:02:58requests sidewalk resurfacing in front

1:03:00of 15 Combs Road.

1:03:03Anybody here wish to speak

1:03:06for or against, or online?

1:03:11Hearing none,

1:03:13motion would be to add to the repair

1:03:15list, sidewalk repair list. Roll call.

1:03:18>> Councilor Fazzola.

1:03:19>> Yes.

1:03:20>> Mitra.

1:03:21>> Yes.

1:03:22>> And Chairperson Economos.

1:03:24>> Yes.

1:03:25Item 5B, Councilor Jose A. Rivera

1:03:27requests sidewalk resurfacing in front

1:03:29of 5 Combs

1:03:31Road.

1:03:32Um

1:03:35Same one, is it is it not?

1:03:38>> Uh 15 Combs Road is 5.

1:03:40>> Combs is 5. Yep. Anybody here to speak

1:03:43in favor or against?

1:03:45Anybody online?

1:03:47>> No, sir.

1:03:49>> Motion would be to recommend adding to

1:03:51the sidewalk repair list. Roll call.

1:03:53>> Councilor Fazzola.

1:03:54>> Yes.

1:03:55>> Mitra.

1:03:56>> Yes.

1:03:56>> And Chairperson Economos.

1:03:59>> Yes. Sorry.

1:04:015C, Councilor Jose A. Rivera requests

1:04:03sidewalk resurfacing on the odds on the

1:04:06odd side of Lovell Street from Columbus

1:04:09Street to Garland Street.

1:04:14>> Commissioner.

1:04:17I'm sorry about that. Uh uh

1:04:18>> No, that's all right.

1:04:19>> So,

1:04:20uh Lovell Street here.

1:04:22We recommend adding this to the sidewalk

1:04:24repair list.

1:04:25Uh

1:04:26we're this uh particular section is 180

1:04:28ft of concrete sidewalk in front of

1:04:30Columbus Prep School. Uh

1:04:32this is along the line of the same

1:04:33sidewalk item

1:04:35that we previously discussed with the

1:04:36school on May Street.

1:04:37>> Okay.

1:04:38>> So, the approximate cost uh to perform

1:04:40this work is about $25,500.

1:04:43Um we need to do some work on the

1:04:45wheelchair ramps out there as well.

1:04:48Um this work uh could perhaps be done

1:04:51under a Safe Routes to School, so I'm uh

1:04:53again would uh seek to discuss this

1:04:55during the next meeting of that task

1:04:56force. Um and again, if that project

1:04:58wouldn't fall under that program, um you

1:05:01know, I I there's probably shared

1:05:03interest amongst DPW and the school

1:05:04department to see what we can do to go

1:05:05out and kind of tackle some of these

1:05:08sidewalk and adjacency to school

1:05:09projects, so.

1:05:11>> All right. So, uh motion would to add to

1:05:14the sidewalk repair list. Roll call.

1:05:16>> Councillors Vassallo.

1:05:18>> Yes.

1:05:19>> Mitra.

1:05:19>> Yes.

1:05:20>> And chairperson Councillor Economos.

1:05:21>> Yes.

1:05:23Item 5D, Daniel James Bradley requests

1:05:26sidewalk repair in front of 29 Laconia

1:05:28Road to 31 Laconia Road.

1:05:31Um

1:05:34Commissioner.

1:05:36>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, our

1:05:37recommendation on this item is leave to

1:05:39withdraw. So, there are concrete

1:05:41sidewalks in this neighborhood um with

1:05:43large trees growing adjacent to them.

1:05:45Uh typically when this happens, the

1:05:47trees will impact the sidewalk panels.

1:05:49Um so, our crew went out there and they

1:05:51measured the gaps that have been created

1:05:53between the sidewalk panels and they

1:05:54found them to be less than an eighth of

1:05:56an inch.

1:05:57Um so, the sidewalk panels are generally

1:06:01flush um

1:06:02and

1:06:03in areas um I'll use a historic example,

1:06:06the former sidewalks on Union Ave North

1:06:08had become a bit of like a like

1:06:10skateboard ramps almost from because of

1:06:11the roots were pushing them up so much.

1:06:13We're not really experiencing that

1:06:14effect here. Um

1:06:16so,

1:06:17we haven't really entered the land of

1:06:18like real significant root heaving.

1:06:21There is a detectable wheelchair panel

1:06:23uh that's missing at Laconia and

1:06:25Nottingham. However, Nottingham Road is

1:06:27under an active resurfacing contract and

1:06:29then that wheelchair ramp will actually

1:06:31be replaced as part of that contract,

1:06:32so.

1:06:33I had conversations with Mr. Bradley on

1:06:36on just this and told him the same that

1:06:39Nottingham is to be resurfaced and at

1:06:41that time that sidewalk uh would be

1:06:43addressed in that in that location,

1:06:45which is what he was looking to to get

1:06:47completed uh anyways. So, uh the motion

1:06:51here would be

1:06:52uh

1:06:53to recommend leave to withdraw. Before I

1:06:55get there, anybody

1:06:57in favor or opposed?

1:06:59Present or online?

1:07:04>> No one is online, Mr. Chairman.

1:07:05>> Motion will recommend to leave to

1:07:07withdraw. Roll call.

1:07:09>> Councillors Fazzolo?

1:07:10>> Yes.

1:07:11>> Mecha?

1:07:11>> Yes.

1:07:12>> And Chairperson Councillor Economos?

1:07:13>> Yes.

1:07:15Item six, street resurfacing petitions.

1:07:18Item 6A, Demetrius Voyatzis request

1:07:20street resurfacing on Sagamore Road in

1:07:22the vicinity of 53 Sagamore Road.

1:07:25Good old Sagamore Road, the gift that

1:07:27keeps on giving, you know?

1:07:29Um

1:07:31I know we're working on it.

1:07:33Um

1:07:35If I'm not mistaken, I think there was

1:07:37some utility company there yesterday

1:07:39doing work up there. So,

1:07:41I know the plan is to hopefully get that

1:07:43rectified by the end of this this year.

1:07:47Um because I know it will not survive

1:07:49another year. It didn't survive last

1:07:51year. So,

1:07:53uh the motion here

1:07:55um

1:07:56anybody in here in in favor or opposed?

1:08:00Online?

1:08:03>> No one's raising their hand, Mr. Chair.

1:08:05>> Motion here would be recommend leave to

1:08:07withdraw.

1:08:08Roll call.

1:08:09>> Councillors Fazzolo?

1:08:10>> Yes.

1:08:11>> Mecha?

1:08:11>> Yes.

1:08:12>> And Chairperson Councillor Economos?

1:08:13>> Yes.

1:08:14>> Does the chairman

1:08:15>> Yes.

1:08:15>> Mr. Chairman.

1:08:16>> If I [clears throat] could just point

1:08:17out that uh Sagamore Road was not

1:08:19scheduled to be resurfaced this year. Uh

1:08:22and I just want to give credit to Jay

1:08:24and his team because

1:08:26uh Eversource hadn't had it on their

1:08:29schedule to do their necessary upgrades

1:08:31to their utility. So, uh

1:08:34Jay Mello and his team, they met with

1:08:36Eversource and they compelled Eversource

1:08:39to do those necessary repairs now so

1:08:42that we can do our best to get that

1:08:44resurfaced at least to the base course

1:08:46before winter.

1:08:48Uh if we can't if Eversource does not

1:08:50complete their work in a timely fashion,

1:08:52then we'll at least get

1:08:53uh uh a leveling course on top of what's

1:08:56there. So, credit to Mr. Chairman.

1:08:58>> I appreciate Look, I appreciate all

1:09:01both of you for

1:09:03dealing with this since

1:09:06last year, right? Everybody's been on

1:09:08you on it and I appreciate you taking

1:09:10the initiative to to make it work

1:09:12because truly that street will not last

1:09:15another winter. It didn't last last

1:09:18winter.

1:09:19And um

1:09:21whether Eversource does what it needs to

1:09:23do

1:09:24now

1:09:25or not um

1:09:27I think just having a better road

1:09:29surface until that work is completed is

1:09:32a win for the time being. So, I do

1:09:35appreciate greatly the work and efforts

1:09:37that both of you have put into to get

1:09:39this done.

1:09:41So, thank you very much.

1:09:45Item 6B, Joe Williams request street

1:09:48resurfacing on Mellow Ave.

1:09:51Um

1:09:52anybody here in favor or opposed?

1:09:55Anybody online? Mr. Mr. Clerk?

1:09:59>> Not at this time, Mr.

1:10:01>> Motion would be to add to the

1:10:02resurfacing list. Roll call.

1:10:05>> Councilors Fizola?

1:10:06>> Yes.

1:10:06>> Mitra?

1:10:07>> Yes.

1:10:08>> And chairperson Councilor Economos?

1:10:09>> Yes.

1:10:11Um item

1:10:136C, Christina Gaza request First Street

1:10:16to be resurfaced.

1:10:19Um is anybody here to speak in favor

1:10:23or against?

1:10:26Anybody online?

1:10:28>> No.

1:10:30I know there are um just reading some

1:10:32back up here that there is

1:10:35uh the street is scheduled to be

1:10:36resurfaced

1:10:38in its entirety.

1:10:40Um

1:10:41withholds on it for water and gas um

1:10:44that have held held this up.

1:10:47Um in the hopes that that would get

1:10:49started later this fall or the spring of

1:10:52'27, correct?

1:10:55>> That is correct, Mr. Chairman.

1:10:56>> So, the motion here would be to leave to

1:10:58withdraw as it's already

1:11:00um

1:11:02in the queue for resurfacing.

1:11:05Roll call.

1:11:07>> Councilor Fizola.

1:11:08>> Yes.

1:11:08>> Mitra.

1:11:09>> Yes.

1:11:10>> And Chairperson Councilor Economou.

1:11:11>> Yes.

1:11:12Item 60, Jocelyn

1:11:15Casazza requests Dorr Street be

1:11:17resurfaced.

1:11:19Uh let's see.

1:11:23>> Mr. Chairman, someone is raising their

1:11:25hand in this instance. Okay.

1:11:27>> Sure.

1:11:27>> Just sent the request to unmute to

1:11:29Jocelyn.

1:11:34>> Hi, I'm Jocelyn Casazza, a resident of

1:11:37Worcester on Dorr Street.

1:11:40Thank you for considering my petition.

1:11:44Um I I believe we are actually District

1:11:471 in Mr. Economou's district.

1:11:49>> Um You are correct.

1:11:52>> Nice to meet you. Thank you for the work

1:11:54you do.

1:11:55>> You're welcome.

1:11:56>> We um recently have had um road work

1:11:59done with the Eversource gas line

1:12:01project. Um and I have to say they did

1:12:04an excellent job. The teams were

1:12:05friendly and great. Um and they did a

1:12:08great job on the road. But, combined

1:12:09with that and regular wear and tear, um

1:12:12the road has just become pretty

1:12:14difficult to pass.

1:12:16Uh I've been here about 2 years now.

1:12:18Um and the road has deteriorated a good

1:12:21amount since I have lived here.

1:12:23Um the main problem was evident during

1:12:27all of the snow earlier this year um

1:12:30because the road can't be properly

1:12:31plowed anymore at this point because of

1:12:34the

1:12:35the mill work, the patchwork of repairs,

1:12:37um and the uneven surface. There are

1:12:39large swaths of it right in the middle

1:12:42of the road, which incidentally is not

1:12:43far from where I live, um that are just

1:12:47stay a solid sheet of ice no matter uh

1:12:50how many times the plows come by. There

1:12:52were several three-in-one tickets put in

1:12:54by many of the neighbors last year to

1:12:56get it re-plowed or re-salted because of

1:12:58that sheet of ice.

1:13:00Um,

1:13:01and the the town did appropriately

1:13:02respond quickly and well and sent people

1:13:05out here. Um, they even at one point

1:13:07sent trucks down to remove large amounts

1:13:09of the snow from the sides of the road

1:13:12when it was

1:13:13down to barely a a one one-lane road at

1:13:16that point because of the piles of snow.

1:13:19Um, but I'll big problem, a big part of

1:13:21that problem, uh, is just the fact that

1:13:23the road can't be cleared properly

1:13:25anymore at this point because of how

1:13:27patchwork,

1:13:29um, and uneven the surface is.

1:13:31Um, with a history of working in

1:13:34facilities management in Boston myself

1:13:36and just a little bit of common sense,

1:13:37it's pretty clear that the road just

1:13:38needs to be repaved in its entirety. Um,

1:13:42and, uh, in addition to just the sort

1:13:45of, like, wear and tear on the road and

1:13:47the vehicles, this is an old family

1:13:49street. Uh, the a lot of the residents

1:13:52have lived here for a really long time.

1:13:54Um,

1:13:55and as they've watched their kids grow

1:13:57up and move away, they've watched the

1:13:59street sort of age and the homes age.

1:14:01Um, and now about half of the people who

1:14:03have moved in in the last five years are

1:14:05families like mine with small kids. Um,

1:14:07and people are happy to see kids outside

1:14:10riding bikes, playing basketball, and

1:14:11want to see that continue. Um,

1:14:14there's about 25 homes on our road and

1:14:16about seven of them have elementary

1:14:17school-age kids in them. [snorts] Um,

1:14:19and we just want the road to be, you

1:14:21know, safer for our kids for

1:14:23walks, biking, playing together, and

1:14:26bringing a little life back to that

1:14:27street. And we really think, uh, um,

1:14:29repaving would go a long way towards

1:14:30that.

1:14:31>> Great. Thank you.

1:14:33Anybody, uh, anybody else, Mr. Chairman?

1:14:38An- Anybody else here on Dara Street for

1:14:41or against? No.

1:14:43>> No one else is online, Mr. Chairman.

1:14:45>> Thank you.

1:14:46Um,

1:14:47maybe you just explain the process

1:14:50just so she um the resident understands

1:14:52the process.

1:14:55>> Uh just real quick, Mr. Chairman,

1:14:56relative to how a street is selected?

1:14:59>> Yes.

1:15:00Please.

1:15:00>> Excellent. Uh so, how we handle uh

1:15:03resurfacing streets in this uh

1:15:04particular street here, uh I should

1:15:06caveat this is Eversource on down this,

1:15:08there are some other options available

1:15:10here. Uh but we'll discuss those uh

1:15:12shortly.

1:15:13So, uh the way a street is added to the

1:15:16resurfacing list is a resident or a

1:15:18councilor would go ahead and petition.

1:15:20That petition is then heard by this

1:15:22committee and either uh accepted or

1:15:25rejected. If the uh petition is

1:15:27approved, it is added to the resurfacing

1:15:29list.

1:15:30Uh during

1:15:31uh once it is on that list, uh every 2

1:15:33years the district councilors get to

1:15:35select

1:15:36uh from that list for their streets. The

1:15:38current

1:15:40uh dollar amount is $1.2 million

1:15:42every 2 years.

1:15:44Um and then that money would be used uh

1:15:46to resurface this road. Uh Doris Ave is

1:15:49a semi-unique case as Eversource has

1:15:52done a fair amount of work down there.

1:15:55So, we would uh the DPW has a program

1:15:58where if large utilities are going into

1:16:01a road um that we don't necessarily have

1:16:04scheduled for paving, we can either have

1:16:06them do a half road um

1:16:09restoration as is required, or

1:16:12they can uh contribute the money to DPW

1:16:15uh into what's called the co-op fund,

1:16:17and then we can use these funds to

1:16:19repave that road.

1:16:21Uh Doris Street is not on any particular

1:16:24resurfacing list at this point in time.

1:16:26Um so, that would have to be selected,

1:16:29but that is something that can be

1:16:30explored there to offset the cost.

1:16:32>> All right. Now, I just want to make sure

1:16:34when was the last time streets were

1:16:35selected for resurfacing from the

1:16:38councilor

1:16:39district council? Was it uh uh,

1:16:42>> Mr. Chairman, it was December of 2025.

1:16:44>> Okay, so just this past year.

1:16:47So, I just wanted the petitioner to

1:16:48understand that,

1:16:50you know, the selections come up every

1:16:52couple of years. They were just done

1:16:54last fall.

1:16:56So, we're looking at

1:16:58roughly two more years before they get

1:17:00reselected.

1:17:02Um,

1:17:04but if they're not on the list, they're

1:17:05never going to get selected. So, the

1:17:07the motion here would be to add to the

1:17:09resurfacing list.

1:17:11Roll call.

1:17:12>> Councilor Cizzolo.

1:17:13>> Yes.

1:17:14>> Mitra.

1:17:15>> Yes.

1:17:15>> And chairperson Councilor Economou.

1:17:17>> Yes.

1:17:18Item 6E, Councilor Robert A. Belada

1:17:21requests East Central Street be

1:17:22resurfaced.

1:17:26I don't think there's,

1:17:28anybody here in favor or opposed?

1:17:31Anybody online?

1:17:33>> No, Mr. Chairman.

1:17:35>> Motion would be to add this to the

1:17:37resurfacing list. Roll call.

1:17:39>> Councilor Cizzolo.

1:17:41>> I drive it a lot, Mr. Chairman. It needs

1:17:43to be on the resurfacing list.

1:17:45Yes.

1:17:47>> You took the words out of my mouth.

1:17:48>> Okay. Mitra.

1:17:50>> Yes.

1:17:51>> And chairperson Councilor Economou.

1:17:52>> Yes.

1:17:53Uh, item 6F, Councilor Robert A. Belada

1:17:56requests North Parkway be resurfaced.

1:18:00Anybody here in favor or opposed?

1:18:06Anybody online?

1:18:07>> No, Mr. Chairman.

1:18:08>> I know there's some, um,

1:18:11if you could elaborate a little bit on

1:18:12this, uh, Commissioner, as to how this

1:18:14relates to

1:18:16how this comes into play with the state,

1:18:18possibly?

1:18:20>> Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, uh,

1:18:24you're East referring to East Central

1:18:26and North Parkway.

1:18:27>> North Parkway.

1:18:28>> Yep. So, there is a bit of work that's

1:18:30going on over there relative to, uh,

1:18:32both the bridges and, uh, some

1:18:34development that's occurring over there.

1:18:36So,

1:18:37DPW has a number of items to address uh

1:18:40in that particular location. So, we're

1:18:41looking to kind of

1:18:43wrap those all into one exclusive

1:18:44project. But, we have to coordinate with

1:18:45our partners over at MassDOT on that.

1:18:47So, uh more to come.

1:18:50>> involved up to speed on on what's going

1:18:53on there.

1:18:54All right. Uh item here we recommend

1:18:55adding to the resurfacing list. Roll

1:18:57call.

1:18:58>> Counselor Fazzola.

1:18:59>> Yes.

1:19:00>> Mitra.

1:19:01>> Yes.

1:19:01>> And chairperson Counselor Economou.

1:19:03>> Yes.

1:19:04Item uh G, uh Daniel James Bradley

1:19:07requests street resurfacing in front of

1:19:0931 Laconia Road.

1:19:11Um

1:19:14I think we just spoke about this. Uh

1:19:17And roughly as as it related to

1:19:19Nottingham as well.

1:19:21So, the the item here would be recommend

1:19:23leave to withdraw.

1:19:26Before I get there, anybody here in

1:19:28favor or opposed or anyone online?

1:19:31>> No, Mr. Chairman.

1:19:33>> Roll call.

1:19:34>> Counselor Fazzola.

1:19:36>> Yes.

1:19:36>> Mitra.

1:19:37>> Yes.

1:19:38>> And chairperson Counselor Economou.

1:19:39>> Yes. Item seven, miscellaneous items.

1:19:437A, petition of Brian DeChambeau

1:19:45requests the city institute a ban on

1:19:47lift kits for city-owned trucks.

1:19:53Anybody here to speak in favor or

1:19:56opposition?

1:19:58Online?

1:20:00>> No one is online at this time, Mr.

1:20:01Chair.

1:20:02>> Mr. Chairman.

1:20:03>> If Yeah, go right ahead, Commissioner.

1:20:04>> Uh I spoke with uh John Rugg, who's our

1:20:07director of Central Garage today. The

1:20:09city doesn't have any trucks with lift

1:20:11kits. We don't order trucks with lift

1:20:13kits. So, I would need more information

1:20:15on this before making a any

1:20:17recommendation.

1:20:18>> Okay.

1:20:20Um

1:20:22The item would uh motion to file.

1:20:26>> Counselor Fazzola.

1:20:29>> Yes. Mitra.

1:20:31>> Yes.

1:20:31>> And chairperson Councillor Economou?

1:20:33>> Yes.

1:20:34>> Item 7B, petition of Councillor Sacha B.

1:20:37Mitra request installation of no

1:20:39littering signage on North Street

1:20:42along the property line of Rural

1:20:43Cemetery and Crematory located at 180

1:20:47Grove Street.

1:20:50Do you wish to add anything to that,

1:20:52Councillor?

1:20:53>> Yes, it is great, uh, Mr. Chair, that,

1:20:55uh, I think the

1:20:56the resident there had, uh, requested me

1:20:58to put the sign because they see there's

1:21:00only illegal dumping going on there.

1:21:02>> Sure.

1:21:03>> You can just take care of it. I

1:21:04appreciate that.

1:21:06>> Anybody here in favor or opposed or

1:21:08online?

1:21:10>> No one is online, Mr. Chair.

1:21:13>> Most Do you guys have a problem with

1:21:15this, uh, Commissioner?

1:21:17>> Uh, Mr. Chairman, the only thing we'd

1:21:20recommend, uh, is that this item

1:21:22potentially be referred to the Standing

1:21:24Committee on, uh, Veterans, Memorials,

1:21:25Parks, and Recreation as this, uh, may

1:21:28fall on the Parks Department property,

1:21:30which would put it outside of our

1:21:31purview.

1:21:33>> So,

1:21:34and and Mr. Clerk, please correct me if

1:21:36I'm wrong,

1:21:38if I'm if I'm

1:21:39accurate, I believe Rural Cemetery

1:21:43is private.

1:21:45Is that accurate, Mr. Clerk? Do you

1:21:47know?

1:21:48>> Mr. Chairman, I'm not 100% off the top

1:21:50of my head. Um, I do know that Hope

1:21:52Cemetery would is considered and I I

1:21:55I've never heard it mentioned with Hope

1:21:57Cemetery.

1:21:58>> Right. I I believe Rural Cemetery and

1:22:00Crematory is is a private entity.

1:22:03>> Yes, I I don't believe, Mr. Chairman, I

1:22:05don't believe it's owned by or operated

1:22:07by the city. It was

1:22:08>> Yeah.

1:22:08>> I I think it is private, as far as I

1:22:11know. And this has nothing to do with

1:22:13the Rural Cemetery because it's just a

1:22:14reference that road is there. It's more

1:22:17>> Just as a marker.

1:22:18>> Yes.

1:22:21>> So, do you Would this be the appropriate

1:22:23committee for this to come before? Or

1:22:25would it go to, um, even

1:22:27>> Mr. Chairman.

1:22:28>> traffic and parking?

1:22:29>> No littering signs have traditionally

1:22:31always come to public works committee.

1:22:32>> Okay.

1:22:34Motion would be to approve.

1:22:36>> Councilor Frisbee.

1:22:38>> Yes.

1:22:38>> Mitra.

1:22:39>> Yes.

1:22:40>> And chairperson counselor Economos.

1:22:41>> Yes.

1:22:42Item 7C petition of counselor Jose A.

1:22:45Rivera on behalf of Gloria St. Marie

1:22:47request installation of don't

1:22:49of no dumping signage that includes

1:22:51information regarding fine amounts at

1:22:54the end of Chattanooga Ave where borders

1:22:57Cascade Park.

1:22:59Is anybody here in favor or opposed? Is

1:23:03anybody online?

1:23:05>> No one is online, Mr. Chair.

1:23:07>> Commissioners anything on this you wish

1:23:08to add?

1:23:11>> Uh through the chair, not quite a

1:23:13checks. I'd have the same comment that

1:23:15this would potentially be best heard in

1:23:17front of

1:23:18you know morals and parks. However, if

1:23:21it's the uh

1:23:22the board's will to have this taken care

1:23:24of by DPW. I can sure we can find some

1:23:25way to put some signs up.

1:23:27>> Very good. Motion would be to approve.

1:23:30Roll call.

1:23:30>> Councilor Frisbee.

1:23:32>> Yes.

1:23:32>> Mitra.

1:23:33>> Yes.

1:23:33>> And chairperson counselor Economos.

1:23:35>> Yes. Motion to adjourn.