City Council preview: May 3
This week’s City Council meeting is Tuesday at 6:30pm. The agenda is here.
Topics: Union negotiations, the police drone, $23 million more for new Doherty High.
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/91727574825
Executive Session: At some point the Council will recess to an executive (private) session to discuss union contract negotiations, including with the police union.
Boards and Commissions: The Council will vote whether to appoint Michael Angelini to chair the quasi-governmental Worcester Redevelopment Authority.
Police Drones, Part One: The discussion about the Worcester Police Department buying a drone continues. Councilor Nguyen asked the Manager to put a hold on the drone until the WPD had a full-blown policy to share; this week, the chief has submitted such a policy. (Noting that it will be changed over time as needed.)
Police Drones, Part Two: This week, in response to the question of how the Council can influence the drone policy, the city’s lawyer has a memo noting that “in reviewing any proposed . . . policy, the city council may . . . request changes to the policy,” presumably by asking the Manager to change it, but they can’t vote to change the policy directly. Nicole goes into more detail here on the administration’s recent interest in letting the Councilors “know just how little power they have.” (“Councilor Nguyen is not only correct in requesting a policy in the moral sense, but is performing their fiduciary responsibility by trying to make sure we’re not sued because we don’t have policies in place! While traditions are a great thing, the city of Worcester’s tradition of getting sued and losing, repeatedly, year in and year out, may be a tradition we can lose!”)
$23,000,000.00: Because of increases in material costs, the Manager is asking the Council to approve another $23 million to build a new Doherty High School. This is on top of $300 million already budgeted.
Transition Plan: Eric Batista, who will be the acting City Manager when the current Manager steps down, has sent the Council his transition plan. Only one line jumped out at me: “The efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion will be top priority during my Acting City Manager role.”
Zoning: The Planning Board has approved a request from UMass to rezone part of 378 Plantation Street from residential to medical. This will be sent to committee for further discussion.