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Residents press Worcester council on charter review, bike lanes and school crosswalks; council approves sidewalk repairs and enforcement requests
Summary
Public commenters urged a charter review and safer walking routes for students; the council approved emergency sidewalk repairs at 75 Lowell Street, ordered increased enforcement for double parking and public drinking near Boylston Street, and debated adding court coordination to enforcement orders.
Residents used the public‑comment period to press the Worcester City Council on a mix of long‑standing concerns, and councilors approved several administrative orders aimed at immediate safety and enforcement changes.
Gary, identifying himself as a District 5 resident, urged the council to begin a charter review and said the city should move faster: “We need a charter review, we need it now,” he said. He also criticized recurring debates about bike lanes, saying projects such as Mill Street should be left in place rather than repeatedly revisited.
Idella Hazard told the council she believes systemic racism exists in Worcester and raised concerns about bike lanes that begin and stop abruptly, calling that pattern dangerous for riders. Nelly Medina, another District 5 resident who participated remotely, supported a motion to create a Standing Committee on Public Safety to review racism concerns and urged immediate sidewalk repairs and repainting of the crosswalk at Lakeside and Lovell Street near Columbus Park Preparatory School. “The street crossing at Lakeside and Lovell Street is where the students cross everyday to and from the school and they need crosswalks there,” she said, adding that prior council approvals remain unimplemented.
On the agenda, the council approved an order asking the city manager and the Commissioner of Public Works to complete immediate emergency repairs to the sidewalk on the odd side of Lowell Street in front of Columbus Park Preparatory (75 Lowell Street). Councilor Rivera told colleagues the city manager had already inspected the site and expressed support for expedited repairs.
Councilor Economou pressed for increased police enforcement of double parking at the intersection of Chino Avenue and Boylston Street, saying double‑parked vehicles force drivers into opposing lanes and create “a public safety issue.” The council also asked the mayor to request that police increase enforcement related to public consumption of alcohol near 8 Boylston Street. During debate a councilor offered an amendment to include coordination with the courts and diversion programs; some councilors worried that language was unclear and recorded three “no” votes on the amendment while supporting the underlying enforcement orders.
The meeting included roll calls on several items. Item 9A passed by roll call with the following recorded votes as read into the record: Councilor Bergman—Yes; Councilor Balata—Yes; Councilor Economou—Yes; Councilor Rizzolo—Yes; Councilor King—No; Councilor Heda—Yes; Councilor Rivera—Yes; Councilor Rosen—Yes; Councilor Toomey—Yes; Mayor Petty—Yes. The amendment to the enforcement motion drew at least three recorded no votes; councilors who opposed said they had not been clear on the amendment’s intended court‑related language.
Councilors also carried routine motions (including items in the 12 and 14 series) and asked for a full financial report on work at Beaverbrook Dog Park; they held one item for further review. The council adjourned after recognizing a staff member, Aften, whose meeting this was her last.
Next steps: the city manager was tasked with moving forward on the sidewalk repairs and coordination with police for targeted enforcement; the status of the proposed standing committee on public safety and outstanding crosswalk requests remained pending.
