Worcester council adopts multiple infrastructure and equipment contracts; approves Axon tasers and several public works bids

The Worcester City Council on Tuesday adopted a package of routine budgeted resolutions authorizing bids or purchases for multiple public works and public-safety items.

Key votes: council approved Resolution 2025-12 to buy the Axon Taser 10 platform and Axon’s virtual-reality training platform for the police department; Resolution 2025-13 to solicit bids for curb ramps (an ADA-linked project tied to a planned 2026 resurfacing); Resolution 2025-14 to solicit bids for the city’s 2025 street resurfacing program; Resolution 2025-15 to solicit bids for phase 3 of the city’s bike loop (a 10-foot shared-use path on East Milltown Road and Melrose Drive); Resolution 2025-16 to solicit bids for bituminous asphalt materials; Resolution 2025-17 to buy a tree-chipper truck and chip box; and Resolution 2025-18 to solicit bids for annual mowing services on city-owned property. Council also agreed not to request a state hearing for a liquor-license transfer (Market Grill LLC, 234 S. Market St.).

Taser purchase: Resolution 2025-12 covers a contract with Axon for Taser 10 and Axon’s virtual-reality training platform. Assistant Chief Rotolo said each trigger pull on the new devices uploads metadata and event data to evidence.com (the city’s body- and in-car-camera storage system), which he described as an accountability and transparency feature. Rotolo told council the department expects to order equipment and start training in April, pending contract signatures and instructor scheduling.

Resurfacing and curb ramps: Resolution 2025-13 authorizes advertising for curb-ramp construction tied to ODOT funding for a planned 2026 resurfacing project that includes portions of Burbank Road, West Liberty Street and East Wayne Avenue; staff estimated the curb-ramp project will cost roughly $600,000. Resolution 2025-14 asks for bids on the 2025 resurfacing project (estimated $255,000) covering portions of Beachwood Avenue, West Ridge/Westwood/Birch and Melrose Drive.

Bike path (phase 3): Resolution 2025-15 authorizes bids for the final shared-use path segment on East Milltown Road and Melrose Drive. Staff said the estimated cost is $1,875,000 and noted the city removed 17 trees in preparation for the path construction; public and council members asked whether replanting is planned, and staff said there is no current plan to replant along the immediate 10-foot path due to future root/maintenance conflicts.

Other public-works items: Resolution 2025-16 authorizes advertising for bids on bituminous asphalt materials for city paving crews. Resolution 2025-17 authorizes purchase of a tree chipper truck and chip box, with parks staff noting they will use the chipped wood as mulch in less-groomed park areas; staff said the city plans to plant about 50 trees this year (a multi-year urban-forestry program). Resolution 2025-18 authorizes advertising to contract annual mowing for city properties (parks, stormwater basins and highway right-of-way) — staff said the city has used outside contractors for this work for several years.

Votes at a glance (selected items) - Resolution 2025-12 (Axon Taser 10 & VR training): motion to adopt by Mister Abernathy; second by Mister Myers. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Miss Knappick; Mister Malta; Mister Myers; Mister Jose; Miss Morton; Mister Abernathy. - Resolution 2025-13 (curb ramps / ADA): motion to adopt by Miss Warden; second by Miss Wharton. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Miss Wharton; Miss Knappick; Mister Abernathy; Mister Myers; Mister Malta; Mister Jose. - Resolution 2025-14 (2025 resurfacing): motion by Miss Wharton; second by Mister Abernathy. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Miss Wharton; Mister Jose; Mister Malta; Mister Myers; Mister Abernathy; Miss Knappick. - Resolution 2025-15 (bike path phase 3): motion to adopt by Miss Wharton; second by Mister Abernathy. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Miss Wharton; Mister Abernathy; Mister Moulton; Mister Jose; Mister Myers; Miss Knappick. - Resolution 2025-16 (asphalt materials): motion to adopt by Mister Rezai; second by Miss Knappick. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Mister Jose; Mister Abernathy; Mister Myers; Miss Knappick; Mister Malta; Miss Warden. - Resolution 2025-17 (tree chipper truck): motion to adopt by Mister Huizai; second by Mister Abernathy. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Mister Jose; Miss Knappick; Miss Wharton; Mister Malta; Mister Abernathy; Mister Myers. - Resolution 2025-18 (mowing services): motion to adopt by Mister Huizai; second by Mister Myers. Vote: recorded as unanimous among voting members present; outcome: approved. Recorded yes votes (as called): Mister Huizai; Miss Wharton; Mister Abernathy; Miss Knappick; Mister Malta; Mister Myers. - Liquor-license transfer (Market Grill LLC, 234 S. Market St.): motion to waive hearing by Miss Knappick; second by Mister Huzai. Vote: motion to not request a hearing approved.

Pre-annexation ordinance (Ordinance 2025-02) — first reading held: Council left the ordinance on first reading to allow public input and to permit property-owner outreach; an attorney for the developer, Matthew Long, said the contractor was ready to proceed but accepted council’s decision to leave the item on first reading.

What council said about procurement: several items were introduced as budgeted; staff and sponsors said the items are routine capital and maintenance purchases or bid solicitations and that purchasing on schedule helps the city capture favorable bid pricing.

Ending: Council handled the package of routine resolutions in a single meeting night and directed staff to proceed with advertising for bids or contract execution as authorized by each resolution.