WORCESTER — Councilors on the Worcester City Council on Tuesday completed a formal performance review of the city manager, praising fiscal management and long-term planning while pushing the manager to improve communication, community outreach, staffing for public health and human services, and responsiveness on infrastructure and neighborhood issues.

The review — conducted using a new evaluation form developed by a council committee — drew extended remarks from councilors across districts and several members of the public. Councilor Bergman, chair of the committee that drafted the form, said he rated the manager highly overall but highlighted contract renewals and library safety as areas needing more attention. Mayor Joseph M. Petty and multiple councilors commended the city’s bond rating, reserves and budget preparation.

Why it matters: The session combined a formal personnel appraisal with public comment about policing and civil rights and with councilors’ policy expectations. Councilors’ concerns — about homelessness services, police-community trust, staffing in public works and more transparent project updates — signal priority areas for the manager as Worcester moves into the next budget year.

Council feedback and scores

Councilor Bergman said he gave the manager top or near-top marks across most rubric categories but flagged delays in renewing union contracts and worker-safety concerns at the public library; he said, in the evaluation, the manager received a total score of 159 of a possible higher mark. “The buck stops with him,” Bergman said as he explained his scoring and urged clearer responsibility for outcomes.

Mayor Petty also praised fiscal stewardship and cited specific budget metrics, saying the city split free cash between the city and schools and held reserves above the 10% target. Petty told the council the city’s reserve balance and bond-ratings work had built capacity, and he cited figures in public remarks including a reserve level the council discussed at about 10.7 percent and a recent use of unused levy capacity of roughly $25.7 million.

Other councilors reiterated strengths and flagged priorities. Councilor Hajjak praised the manager’s responsiveness and support for housing efforts — including inclusionary zoning and support for an upcoming day resource center for people experiencing homelessness — while calling for stronger tenant protections and for expanded use of code enforcement and the rental registry as policy tools.

Councilor Russell and others urged more on-the-ground engagement and written progress reports for capital and street projects, arguing the public and council deserve clearer, timely updates about projects such as sidewalk and road repairs. Councilor Carlson emphasized parking, streets and sidewalk problems in neighborhoods and asked for a regular “progress report” on public works work.

Public commenters and civil-rights concerns

Members of the public who spoke during the meeting criticized the city’s handling of policing and civil-rights issues and asked for public release of a Department of Justice review. Fred Nathan, a Worcester resident, said the DOJ report has “been hanging over the city” and urged the council to let people speak about the report publicly. Abi Mortilaro told the council it “feels like the city is being run as a dictatorship,” and David Webb, joining remotely, said he is suing the city and its police department and accused the administration of repeated constitutional violations in policing.

Public-safety and staffing concerns

Several councilors noted recent work on policing and training while also urging action to rebuild community trust. Councilor Faso, Councilor Toomey and Councilor King described investments in community policing, the gun-intelligence unit, and recruit classes; Councilor Faso called for more attention to retention as neighboring municipalities offer bonuses and other incentives. Toomey called for a civilian review board and said community distrust, especially among Black and Latino residents, persisted despite policy changes.

Housing, homelessness and social services

Councilors from multiple districts urged faster expansion of services for people experiencing homelessness and more long-term shelter capacity. Hajjak said the manager had advocated for temporary shelters and urged the manager to present a 12- to 18-month emergency plan to the council so gaps and resource needs are clear. Several councilors pressed for more staffing and funding for Health and Human Services and the quality-of-life outreach teams.

Infrastructure, parks and clean-city efforts

Councilors repeatedly raised neighborhood issues: potholes and resurfacing, sidewalks, parks maintenance and street cleanliness. Councilor Carlson and others urged quicker follow-through on DPW projects and better contractor accountability. Several councilors praised recent investments in parks and the Green Worcester and 0-waste planning efforts while saying neighborhood benefits must reach beyond downtown.

Quantities and clarifying figures discussed at the meeting included: a cited reserve target near 10% and a reported reserve level of roughly 10.7%; a reported unused tax levy capacity distribution of about $25.7 million in the most recent fiscal actions; a DPW hiring shortfall noted at one point as 91 open positions by a councilor’s account; and an expressed police staffing shortfall of 36 vacancies plus about 20 officers out on IOD or deployment, according to remarks from councilors who track staffing.

Manager response and next steps

The city manager, speaking at the meeting, thanked councilors and staff, described the administration as “under construction” and said the administration would pursue best practices, data-driven improvements, performance evaluations for staff, and continued community engagement. The manager said FY 2026 budget work will include further implementation steps and said the administration will seek to address the council’s communication and operational concerns.

Votes and formal action

The meeting closed with a procedural motion to adjourn that the council approved by voice vote; no other formal ordinances, appointments or budget votes were acted on during this session.

Ending

Councilors said they will make the manager’s evaluation public through the city clerk (several councilors urged the evaluation form be placed online) and several asked for follow-up items — a construction/progress report for infrastructure projects, a homelessness emergency plan, and more consistent public engagement — to return to the council in coming weeks.