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I’m on with Mike Messina filling in on Jordan Levy show–give us a call at 508-755-0058!

Worcester Jailhouse Blues

It’s no news that the Worcester County House of Corrections is overcrowded and in need of some serious changes.

What is news is a recent report from the United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division that lays out in glaring detail just how bad things are (or were, until recently) for inmates at the jail.

On April 29, the division released their report to officials following a year and a half investigation of the jail. That report was released to the public Friday.

While repeatedly commending Sheriff Guy Glodis and his administration for their cooperation and addressing concerns raised by the DOJ, The 40-page document details a number of major problems, concluding that “certain conditions at the jail violate the constitutional rights” of inmates.

Meeting Over

We’re outta here.

We’ll be back later tonight/early morning with a first-ever: A full story from this Thursday’s paper, available now.  You don’t want to miss this one.

Adult Zoning Ordinance

100% officially, no doubt….ordained.  This is the final action.

8:41

Motion to File

Very symbolic move here.

The Research Bureau report that has been panned by councilors in the past week was scheduled to be sent to Finance Committee just now; immediately, three councilors shouted out “FILE” when it came up.

It’s the circular file vote, the equivalent of ignoring an incoming call or blocking an IM: It means the report won’t be discussed at all, and is buried.

8:30

Rail Summit reaction

Clancy says that after Friday’s DCU summit, he’s pretty sure there’s “no urgency” from MBTA or CSX to get anything done. And Palmieri finally raises the issue that no college students were able to attend.

“Eminent domain should be the first order of business…we should challenge CSX immediately.”

And Councilor Rick Rushton raises the issue of that eminent domain still means huge expenses from the city. It’s simply not feasible, he says.

8:!4

Local lottery tickets

Here it is..the Joff Smith order of the night.

Local lottery tickets, says Smith, would give us more control over funding, rather than relying on the state.  (It would also, of course, mean taking on the costs of manufacturing, managing, and advertising).

He also wants the City Manager to work with the delegation to change the funding formula to more accurately reflect what Worcester put into the system.  It shouldn’t be our job to subsidize the other cities and towns.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!!!!!

Smith wants a report on the lottery revenues that came from Worcester the past five years.

(And a zinnnnger from the Mayor: “If we had been listening, we would have heard,” she shot to councilors who asked Smith to repeat.”)

Palmieri says the item is so ridiculous and implausible, he won’t even vote to refer it to committee.  He stands alone there; the other councilors vote with Smith.

8:00

Clancy, the Gatekeeper

Another great Clancy remark.

The committees are all supposed to be bringing their respective goals in for discussion.  It was decided weeks ago; no one complained.

Now, after Gary Rosen brought up his committee’s, Councilor Clancy is saying another path should be taken.  He’s asked for his Municipal Operations committee to be in charge of setting all the goals for the City Manager’s departments.

Lukes responds that it’s not how it works; Clancy counters, the meeting disinegrates into a discussion on when goals should be set, discussed, who should be in charge…it sounds like an 8th grade class talking their teacher out of homework.

Operation Yellow Box

Councilor Barbara Haller is upset that the first yellow box was installed with little notice to the councilors.  She would have preferred the citywide roll out they were promised, or at least some preknowledge.

“The intention of the manager…was transparency,” says Haller, talking about a report on tonight’s agenda that called for a phased-in Yellow Box program.

While saying she was pleased with the City Manager’s efforts and the reports, “I was very disturbed to receive a call from Channel 3 on Monday to find out that the city was moving forward with Operation Yellow Box.” The council should have been told about the roll out first, she says, asking the City Manager to explain.

“The way it was done is much different than what was presented…I apologize.”

James Gardiner, Acting Director of Public Health: “I will take full responsibility for the implementation and roll out of Operation Yellow Box, what has and has not [happened].”

The hold-up in March, when the program was supposed to rollout originally, was that the vendor backed out. Some of the vendors came in at 5x the anticipated cost, but Gardiner says a vendor has been found.

“By the end of this month, the remaining three boxes will be installed…and within two weeks, this Operation Yellow Box will be in full implementation.”

Haller: “By having one location announced, we move backwards,” in regards to stigmatizing certain areas of the city, she says.

And Clancy says the only reason the council voted for the boxes was because they were told there would be universal wide roll out.

7:25

Economic Development report

For whatever reason, these councilors don’t like to talk as much as they once did.

The Economic Development report has passed through, essentially undiscussed, for the second straight month.

7:12