Committee Agenda for Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee 08/17/2023

CITY OF WORCESTER

Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Meeting

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber

Convened: 6:02 P.M.

Adjourned: 7:59 P.M.

Mayor Joseph M. Petty	www.worcesterma.gov	Clerk of the City Council Nikolin Vangjeli
Committee Members
Chairperson Khrystian E King
Vice Chairperson George J Russell
Councilor Sean M Rose

City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

	Present Were:	Chairperson Councilor Khrystian E. King Councilor George J. Russell

	Also:	Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson Interim Director of Human Rights and Accessibility and Lead Investigator Victor Perez Chief Development Officer Peter Dunn Director of Human Resources William Bagley City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli, clerk

Virtual Attendee Call-In Information



1a.	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. Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/99524470181 Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Phone Number: (929) 205 6099 Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Access Code: 995 2447 0181	Attachments

Approval of the Minutes



2a.	Order - That the City Council Standing Committee of Municipal and Legislative Operations hereby approves the minutes of the Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee meeting of July 20, 2023.	View Agenda

	Councilor King read the item and moved to adopt the item. Order adopted

Communications of the City Manager



3a.	Recommend adoption of an amendment to the Organizational Ordinance relative to the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women. # 9.14A CM July 18, 2023	Attachments

	Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the Interim Director of Human Rights & Accessibility, who provided an overview of the item, including information relative to the current composition of the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women, as well as the role of said Committee. Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved. Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent).


3b.	Request review and approval of the attached amendments to the City’s organizational ordinances, including reorganizing the Cultural Development Division, the Arts Council and License Commission. # 12a CC June 27, 2023	Attachments

	Chairperson Councilor King read the item and recognized the City Clerk, who discussed the process for amending Part II of the city’s Revised Ordinances. Chairperson Councilor King recognized the Chief Development Officer, who discussed the overall structure of the Executive Office of Economic Development, as well as the purpose of removing the License Commission from said department. Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the benefit for centralizing services in the city. Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved. Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent).

Miscellaneous Items



4a.	Order of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson and Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Clerk work with the Director of Human Resources to update the job description of the Chief of Council position, in an effort to properly reflect additional job responsibilities corresponding to the position’s recent salary regrade. Said revised job description should include employee management and other City Councilor-related recommendations for the position. # 11h CC July 18, 2023	Attachments

	Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved to take the item up collectively with items #4b and #5a. Chairperson Councilor King recognized the following speaker: 1. Yenni Desroches, Worcester resident, who spoke in favor of the item. Chairperson Councilor King recognized the City Clerk, who provided an overview of the items being considered by the Standing Committee, the history of staffing within the City Council Office and City Council support staff used in other communities. Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Clerk work with the City Solicitor to provide City Council with a report relative to language required to provide City Council with its own legal support, as well as salary parameters and a job description for said position(s). Chairperson Councilor King discussed the job description and supervision role of the Chief of Staff to the City Council. Chairperson Councilor King then recognized the City Clerk, who discussed the Clerk’s managerial responsibility as it relates to the Chief of Staff of the City Council. Chairperson Councilor King discussed surveying City Councilors regarding staffing options with the City Clerk. Chairperson Councilor King recognized Councilor Russell, who discussed the items and additional options for staffing and surveying the Council. Chairperson Councilor King then discussed the Elections Division of the City Clerk’s Office and City Council Staff Support within the Clerk’s Office with the City Clerk. Chairperson Councilor King then recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed the items. Chairperson Councilor King discussed the hiring authority of the City Council with the City Clerk. Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairmen’s Order on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent): Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with draft language relative to a Special Act granting the City Council hiring authority over City Council support staff to send to the State Legislature. Chairperson Councilor King then discussed the salary range of the Chief of Staff to the City Council with the City Clerk and the Director of Human Resources, along with other positions within the City. Chairperson Councilor King also discussed multilingual job applicants with the Director of Human Resources and the City Clerk. Chairperson Councilor King brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent): Request City Clerk provide the City Council with a staffing survey for the purposes of each City Council providing the City Clerk and Director of Human Resources for further analysis to assist with the creation of additional staff job descriptions. Further, request City Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing potential additional City Council staffing job descriptions to be finalized by the City Council. Chairperson Councilor King also discussed the varying options for staffing with Councilor Russell and the Director of Human Resources. Chairperson Councilor King then recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed job descriptions and potential titles for positions. Councilor King motioned for a roll call vote to recommend items #4a and #5a be filed. Recommend File on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent)

	Chairman's Orders
	Request City Clerk work with the City Solicitor to provide City Council with a report relative to language required to provide City Council with its own legal support, as well as salary parameters and a job description for said position(s).
	Request City Manager request City Solicitor provide City Council with draft language relative to a Special Act granting the City Council hiring authority over City Council support staff to send to the State Legislature.
	Request City Clerk provide the City Council with a staffing survey for the purposes of each City Council providing the City Clerk and Director of Human Resources for further analysis to assist with the creation of additional staff job descriptions. Further, request City Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing potential additional City Council staffing job descriptions to be finalized by the City Council.


4b.	Order of Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson and Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request City Clerk work with the Director of Human Resources to provide City Council with a report regarding additional City Council Office staffing options, including job descriptions and salary options for new positions. # 11g CC July 18, 2023	Attachments

	Chairperson Councilor King moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held. Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent)

Communications of the City Clerk



5a.	Transmitting an informational communication relative to the Chief of Council position, the City Clerk's Office position that supports the Chief of Council position and a comparison of City Council support staffs of similar sized cities in the Commonwealth. # 18k CC March 21, 2023 In Committee April 10, 2023 - Held	Attachments

	Recommend File on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent) (See item #4a)


5b.	Transmitting a communication relative to the appointment of the Assistant City Clerk, Election Division. # 13b CC March 28, 2023	Attachments

	Chairperson Councilor King read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed. Recommend File on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Rose absent)