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City Council Preview: Jet Ski Ban, Mount Carmel Memorial

By TWIW Staff | August 10, 2021
Last Updated: August 10, 2021

WORCESTER – The Worcester City Council meets on Tuesday, August 10, at 5 PM at City Hall.

Here are three items that may be of interest to Worcester residents on the agenda:

Banning Jet Skis on Indian Lake

The Council will vote on the recommendation to adopt an ordinance banning the use of personal watercraft, such as jet skis, on Indian lake. The ban would expire on September 30, 2022.

Once passed, the Division of Law Enforcement in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environment Law Enforcement must approve the ordinance. The City has already submitted the ordinance for informal review and received a positive response. Formal review cannot take place until the ordinance passes the City Council.

Proposed Budget for American Rescue Plan Funds

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 [ARPA] allocated $110 million in funding to Worcester. The Department of Treasury has transferred approximately $55 million to the City of Worcester to date.

City Manager Ed Augustus has pledged that $10 million of that funding for “projects and initiatives to be identified based solely on community-determined priorities.” An online survey and public listening sessions in August and September will determine its allocation.

Augustus’ proposed budget distributes the funds as shown below:

August 10, 2021

Mount Carmel Church Memorial Planned at New Housing Development

City Manager Augustus will request a Tax Increment Exemption [TIE] for locations at 22, 24 and 28 Mulberry Street, the former site Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Gene J. Defeudis Italian American Cultural Center and Joe DiMaggio Little League. The TIE would provide an average annual exemption of 37% over 15 years to developers WP East Acquisitions, LLC, an affiliate of Wood Partners.

The project brings $106 million in private investment to create 371 market-rate apartments.

In a letter from Augustus to the City Council detailing the request, Augustus says the developer plans to include a community room available to the neighborhood which incorporates the telling of the story of Mount Carmel. Also included in the development plans is an exterior memorial to Mount Carmel.

The developer also offered a $150,000 contribution toward improvements in East Park and for relocation of the Joe DiMaggio Little League.

Join the City Council Meeting

Virtual attendance to the meeting is available by calling 415-655-0001 and using access code: 172 278 1509)

To join by online video click here.

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