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Morris A. Bergman

Context

At-Large councilor. Source: City Council journals (official minutes); spellings from the minutes.

Issues

Log

  • 2026-10-13 - City Council — Pressed Westerling on contractor snow rates and an objective record and consequences for subcontractors who must redo missed streets (winter report); supported sending Rivera's 5:30 PM start to committee but called the claim that this stifles public comment 'a false narrative', citing the charter's 'reasonable amount of time', suggesting group spokespersons, complaining about 'America's Got Talent' performances and noting Tuesday committees would conflict with a 5:30 start; voted yes on both referrals.
  • 2026-10-06 - City Council — Called District 2 business groups before the restrooms vote and got his 'consider a process' version (17c) adopted; sponsored the two-academy-class order (12x) and the June/Brownell/Hadwen stop-sign report; complained about repeated public comment on held items; asked the Solicitor about city liability for listed trees; supported the Amazon report.
  • 2026-09-29 - City Council — Joined remotely, reaching the chamber at 7:32 PM (absent for the petition votes). Asked the Fire Chief about hydrant pressure and snow-buried hydrants; urged expanding the police force toward the Chief's goal and said he will file motions; voted for the noise-fine order and against filing the one-day event hearing item; opposed King's amended bathrooms order and moved a softer 'consider a process' version, which King declined; the exchange became heated over whether it was the same order.
  • 2026-09-22 - City Council — Proposed making camping ordinance violations civil rather than criminal (not put) and opposed recommitting it; asked the Commissioner whether encampments are mobile, how many accept shelter and how beds would be prioritized for Worcester residents; cited encampment fire risks and Brockton's fines; filed his Harrington Way speed hump petition and order after learning humps are planned; on Rules 61-63 asked the City Manager to report first (all three amended that way) and voted yes on each.
  • 2026-09-16 - Economic Development Committee — Chaired. Recommended GreenTech Park TIF, Lakeside/Garland UCH-TIF, 455 Grove St., Belmont/Plantation and Centro zone items (all 3-0). Asked about taxes after 18 years and sale during the TIF, and filed a Chairman's Order for a glossary of Economic Development terms (TIF, HDIP, UCH-TIF); for Hermon St. residents he filed an order for a traffic review near 42 Hermon St. and more parking enforcement. Said he is fairly new to the subcommittee.
  • 2026-09-15 - Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee - Asked about OPEB and bond ratings, free cash, revenue red flags, and DOR income data.
  • 2026-09-15 - City Council — Offered to schedule Boucher's compliance report in Economic Development; asked for an anticipated-completion date column on street reports and questioned the lack of neighborhood input on Hadwin Lane; said (from trusted sources, unverified) over half of Worcester's unhoused come from surrounding towns while backing a regional approach; voted no on extending public comment indefinitely.
  • 2026-09-08 - Public Safety Committee — Arrived about 5:17 p.m. Argued for License Commission hearings with abutter notice for every one-day event license (burden on the applicant) and noted rising event numbers and sizes; raised the legal cap on noise fines (guessed about $300). On the Hospital Guard pushed for two-officer cars, precinct stations and a plan toward 500 officers in next year's budget.
  • 2026-09-08 - City Council — Spoke at length against a civilian review board ('a solution for some people looking for a problem'): excessive-force complaints are under 1 percent of incidents, fewer than 10 in three years (4, 5 and 3), the Department of Justice made 19 recommendations and none was a board, and an allegation remains unproven until verified. Supported Mitra's six-month reports order.
  • 2026-08-18 - City Council — Opposed recommitting the Mero-Carlson appointment and moved (unsuccessfully, 0-10) to reconsider after it was confirmed; voted against the immigration signage orders and King's postponement. Opposed King's postponement (no department had asked for it, and the next meeting was three weeks away); questioned the City Solicitor on the signage and called it a "paper tiger".
  • 2026-08-17 - Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee — Said a charter change would not solve the city's challenges, favored a non-binding referendum on the next local ballot and piecemeal charter fixes, opposed moving the city manager's salary to councilors, and offered an alternate resolution (not put).
  • 2026-07-21 - City Council — Amended the Holden sewer lawsuit order (solicitor privilege) and the 4 Brandt Ln. order; led the Isaiah Thomas statue update order, urging a plan before the end of the 250th-anniversary year; supported sending the youth vaping order to committee with reservations.