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Worcester council orders reports after storm exposes DPW staffing, equipment gaps
Summary
Councilors pressed city management for a written plan after a late-February storm left many side streets, sidewalks and private roads uncleared; mayor and new public works commissioner promised follow-up reports on vacancies, equipment and pretreatment strategy.
Worcester City Councilors on Feb. 25 pressed the city manager and the Department of Public Works and Parks for detailed reports after residents and councilors described widespread problems with snow and ice removal following a storm earlier in the month. Councilors said the storm revealed shortfalls in staffing, vehicle maintenance and pretreatment operations and asked the manager and new DPW commissioner to return with specific fixes.
The request followed dozens of public comments describing driveways and sidewalks blocked by windrows of snow and ice, residents who could not reach medical appointments and clogged side streets that delayed emergency response. "We really need to do better," Councilor Sean Russell said during the meeting. "This storm was a challenge for us." Mayor Joseph Petty told the council the city must prioritize public safety in budgeting for DPW.
City Manager Edward Batista and the new DPW commissioner, Thomas Westerling, told the council crews had worked long hours and that the department is short-staffed. Batista said the department currently has "about 90 vacancies" and that mechanics — needed to keep plows and sanders in service — are particularly limited. Westerling said crews and private contractors “worked tirelessly in the worst of conditions,” and said the administration is taking steps to recruit staff and accelerate vehicle procurement.
Councilors asked for several specific reports: a staffing-analysis and recruitment/retention plan for DPW; an inventory and procurement timeline for snow-handling equipment (including sanders, plows and any new technology such as driveway "snow-boot" attachments); an explanation of how the city decides which streets and hills are pretreated with brine; and a summary of the 3-1-1 backlog and how calls were routed during the event. Councilors also requested a short-term plan to help seniors and residents with mobility or medical needs, and asked that the city restart a volunteer snow-assist program using seniors, ROTC units and other community groups.
The council sent the requests to the city manager for response. "We can do better and we will do better," Batista told the council, promising a written status report and timeline to return to the council.
Ending: The administration agreed to return with the requested written reports, including precise vacancy numbers, equipment inventories and a recruitment plan; councilors signaled they will review those reports during budget season and seek measures to reduce the chance of a repeat failure.
