Worcester finance committee reviews DPW budget, hears staffing and snow-removal concerns

Worcester City Council’s finance committee reviewed the Department of Public Works budget and staffing plan, hearing that the city has 84 DPW vacancies and that the snow-removal budget is level-funded at $5.5 million even after an April storm depleted contractor availability.

The DPW presentation, given to the finance committee, showed a recommended tax-levy appropriation of $16,500,000 for DPW administrative divisions. Streets and Sanitation is the largest single administrative division at $12,200,000. Other figures shown included Administration and Finance at $572,000, Engineering at $1,800,000, Fleet Management at about $2,000,000, streetlights at $1,600,000 and a $17,000,000 approximate DPW capital borrowing plan. Water and sewer enterprise capital borrowing was presented as about $21,000,000.

Why it matters: DPW delivers core services — streets, sanitation, snow clearing and utilities — and committee members pressed staff about how vacancies and contractor availability could affect service levels and year-end finances.

DPW staffing and hiring

Commissioner John Westerling told the committee, “There are currently 84 total vacancies.” He said a set of hires is…