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Subcommittee forwards amended honorary street‑name policy to full council, requires applicants to pay sign creation costs
Summary
Worcester Public Works Subcommittee voted to send an amended ordinance on honorary street names to the full council. The amendment adds district councilor involvement for unveilings and requires applicants to pay the actual cost to create designation signs, with the commissioner determining cost; committee discussed but did not set a flat fee.
The Worcester City Council Public Works Subcommittee voted to forward an amended ordinance governing honorary street names to the full council with changes that place sign‑creation costs on applicants and add process guidance for district councilor involvement.
City Solicitor Alexandria Calcutis told the committee the updated draft adds language requiring applicants to pay the cost to create designation signs and related costs; the draft also includes a subsection to ensure district councilors and the mayor’s office receive notice and are involved in unveiling events. “This amendment just requires that if there's any cost to the city to create the sign, to remove the sign, and related costs will be paid by the applicant,” Calcutis said.
Committee members debated whether the city should limit charges to the cost of the sign (material only) or also include installation and staff time. The Department of Public Works commissioner proposed that the department set an average material-and‑installation cost administratively to avoid unpredictable fees; he also offered to absorb installation work into daily operations if the committee preferred to limit applicant charges to materials.
Councilor Ocasio expressed concern that the proposed language was too open‑ended and could allow the city to charge far more than the historical filing fee (previously $50–$75). Other councilors suggested an administrative cost schedule and avoiding a fixed dollar figure in the ordinance to allow adjustments for inflation.
The committee approved the amended draft, with the chair instructing the law department to prepare the ordinance for the full council and noting the committee would also offer the full council the option to delete the program entirely. A roll‑call recorded “yes” votes from Councilor Merrill Carlson, Councilor Pasillo and Chair Councilor George Russell.
Next steps: the law department will prepare the ordinance language incorporating the agreed edits; the public works commissioner will develop a cost estimate for sign materials and installation practices to be shared with the committee and council.
