Where

Esther Howland (South) Chamber

Watch the recording (opens in new tab) of this meeting on YouTube.

What was decided

Many traffic and parking requests, including speed humps, stop signs, and handicap spaces, were referred to committee. A Tax Increment Financing amendment for 30-36 Washington Sq. was adopted, along with several finance transfers and authorizations. Public hearings were set for September 22, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. on National Grid conduit locations at Gates St. and Patch St.

Decisions recorded

• Approved the minutes of the August 18, 2026 City Council meeting, 11-0. p. 1page 1 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred Keith Boucher's petition for a public report on construction permit and compliance procedures to the City Manager, 11-0. p. 4page 4 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred petitions 7b through 7w, except 7f through 7h, to the Traffic and Parking Committee, 11-0. p. 5page 5 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred the rotary requests and the MassDOT Chandler St. and May St. project pause request to the Traffic and Parking Committee, 11-0.
• Set public hearings for September 22, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. on National Grid conduit locations at Gates St. (item 7x) and Patch St. (item 7y), 11-0. p. 7page 7 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Held Tom Marino's police reform proposal under privilege at the request of Councilor Bilotta. p. 7page 7 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted a resolution authorizing a Tax Increment Financing Agreement Amendment for 30-36 Washington Sq., 11-0. p. 8page 8 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred the Dog Waste Disposal Advisory to the Public Works Committee, 11-0. p. 8page 8 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Placed on file the item under 8.11A, the August 2026 street and sidewalk construction progress report, 11-0. p. 12page 12 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred the new speed hump program policies and procedures communication to the Traffic and Parking Committee, 11-0. p. 12page 12 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred Councilor Fresolo's order on street and sidewalk project selection to the Public Works Committee, 11-0. p. 12page 12 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor King's motion requesting a report on best practices for street and sidewalk rehabilitation timelines and contractor accountability, 11-0.
• Adopted Councilor Rivera's motion requesting a detailed process for selecting streets and sidewalks for rehabilitation, 11-0.
• Held the public camping ordinance proposal under privilege at the request of Councilor King. p. 13page 13 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred the Opioid Allocation communication to the Public Health and Human Services Committee, 11-0. p. 13page 13 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred the July 2026 Financial Update to the Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee, 11-0. p. 14page 14 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred the Upcoming DCU Special Tax District Borrowing communication to the Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee, 11-0. p. 14page 14 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted a resolution to file, accept, and expend a $7,500.00 grant from Massachusetts Vest-a-Dog, Inc. for a Worcester Police Department canine, 11-0. p. 15page 15 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Approved finance items 8.36A and 8.37A through 8.37D: a $12,000.00 transfer, authorizations of $24,720.00, $1,794.50, $149.95, and $246,016.27, 11-0. p. 15page 15 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred three City Manager communications on economic development, housing, and TIF/TIE reporting to the Economic Development Committee, 11-0. p. 16page 16 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Economou's order requesting a report on winter snow and ice removal preparations, 11-0. p. 17page 17 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Mitra's order requesting a report on converting private streets into public streets, 11-0. p. 17page 17 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Mitra's order requesting a report on keeping private streets passable for public safety vehicles, 11-0. p. 17page 17 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Mitra's order requesting a report on the cost to resurface major arteries, 11-0. p. 17page 17 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Rosen's order asking the City Manager to review homelessness response action plans from other cities, 11-0. p. 18page 18 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor King's motion requesting a report on how the dissolution of the Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance affected support for the unhoused population, 11-0.
• Adopted, as amended, Councilor Rivera's order on best practices for reporting and acting against spotted lanternflies, 11-0. p. 19page 19 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Placed Councilor Economou's order on violent incidents near the Worcester Common on file, 10-0, with Councilor Toomey recused. p. 19page 19 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Granted Councilor Toomey leave to withdraw her order on social service agencies, 10-1, with Councilor Bilotta voting no. p. 20page 20 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred Councilor King's motion on social service agencies working with homeless and addiction treatment programs to the Public Health and Human Services Committee, 10-0. p. 24page 24 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Economou's order requesting repairs to subpar street and sidewalk projects, 11-0. p. 20page 20 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Mitra's order requesting two WooBin trash receptacles on Southbridge St., 11-0. p. 20page 20 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Mitra's order on sanitation staff driveway turns and debris on city streets, 11-0. p. 21page 21 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Bilotta's resolution recognizing September as National Service Dog Month, 11-0. p. 21page 21 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Mitra's order requesting a report on Worcester Police Department SMART goals and accountability, 11-0. p. 23page 23 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor Ojeda's order requesting a report on the increase in arrests over five years, 11-0. p. 22page 22 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Referred Councilor King's order on joint meetings with the School Committee's Standing Committee on Operations and Governance to the Education Committee, 10-0. p. 23page 23 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Denied Councilor King's motion to hold an Executive Session on improper conduct of a Worcester Police Officer, 4-6, and denied reconsideration, 1-9. p. 25page 25 of the minutes (opens in new tab)
• Adopted Councilor King's motion requesting a report from the Mayor on Rules 48 and 49 on committee and temporary appointments, 10-0, with Councilor Toomey recused. p. 25page 25 of the minutes (opens in new tab)

The full text is in the city's PDF, linked below.

Minutes posted on the city website (PDF, 183 KB). Saved copy (opens in new tab), saved October 27, 2026.

Agenda

A copy of the agenda wasn't saved here. It is on the city website (opens in new tab).

Terms used here

executive session

A part of a public meeting closed to the public. State law allows it only for specific reasons, such as lawsuits, negotiations, or personnel matters.

tabled

Set aside by a vote, to take up later. A tabled item comes back when the board votes to take it off the table.

TIF

Tax increment financing: a district where some of the new property tax from development is set aside, for public projects or for the development itself.

All the terms in the glossary

Source

This meeting on the City of Worcester calendar (opens in new tab). First recorded by Worcester Publick on October 27, 2026.