2026-08-17 - Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee
Summary
The committee (Satya B. Mitra, chair; Gary Rosen; Morris A. Bergman) met from 5:04 to 6:54 PM, and John P. Fresolo joined at 5:55. After approving its May 20 minutes, it took up the Council's request for a hearing on reviewing the modified Plan E City Charter together with the City Clerk's informational communication on how the Charter can be changed. City Solicitor Alexandra H. Kalkounis and City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli explained the routes (a Charter Review Commission, which needs signatures of 15% of voters, versus changes by special act). Sixteen residents spoke, fifteen in favor of a charter review (including Tom Marino) and one opposed. Rosen's resolution supporting a review and Bergman's amendment were not put; Rosen instead moved to hold the matter, and Bergman pressed for a non-binding referendum on the next local ballot. Mitra's orders asked the Clerk and Solicitor for reports on the Council's role in ordinance changes, on charter changes possible without a commission, on the resident testimony and on placing a non-binding ballot question. The hearing items were held 3-0, the advertisement communication was filed 3-0, and a 2024 City Manager communication on a commission process was filed 3-0.
Summary written from the official minutes; no transcript yet.
Issues discussed: Worcester Charter Review
Official Minutes
Committee minutes posted on PrimeGov (summary of actions, not verbatim). Page footers removed.
CITY OF WORCESTER
MUNICIPAL AND LEGISLATIVE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Monday, August 17, 2026
Esther Howland (South) Chamber
Convened: 5:04 P.M.
Adjourned: 6:54 P.M.
MAYOR
Joseph M. Petty
COMMITTEE MEMBERS CLERK OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Chairperson Satya B Mitra Nikolin Vangjeli
Vice Chairperson Gary Rosen
Councilor Morris A Bergman
www.worcesterma.gov
City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts
Present Were: Chairperson Councilor Satya B. Mitra
Councilor Gary Rosen
Councilor Morris A. Bergman
Also: Councilor John P. Fresolo, who arrived at 5:55 p.m.
City Solicitor Alexandra H. Kalkounis
City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli
Deputy City Clerk Clare M. Robbins, clerk
1. Virtual Attendee Call-In Information
a. Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public
engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote
participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the
meeting, you may attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the
below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated. If you join a Zoom
meeting by dialing in with a phone number, you can raise your hand by dialing *9.
Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Link :
https://worcesterma.zoomgov.com/j/1614999501
Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Phone Number: +1 646 828
7666
Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee Zoom Access Code: 161 499 9501
2. Approval of the Minutes
a. Order - That the City Council Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative
Operations hereby approves the minutes of the Municipal and Legislative Operations
Committee meeting of May 20, 2026.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order
adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
3. Miscellaneous Item
a. Order of Councilor Gary Rosen, Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Robert A.
Bilotta, Councilor Tony Economou, Councilor John P. Fresolo, Councilor Khrystian E.
King, Councilor Satya B. Mitra, Councilor Luis A. Ojeda, Councilor Jose A. Rivera,
Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey and Mayor Joseph M. Petty - Request Standing
Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations hold a public hearing to determine
the feasibility and advisability of the City Council initiating and/or supporting efforts to
review the current modified Plan E City Charter, which was implemented in 1987 and
amended in 2022.
# 9k CC February 3, 2026
In Committee May 20, 2026 - Held
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays (See Item #4a)
4. Communications of the City Clerk
a. Transmitting an informational communication relative to various options available for
making changes to the City Charter.
# 14b CC July 21, 2026
Chairperson Councilor Mitra read the item and moved to take the item up collectively with Item
#3a.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized the City Solicitor, who provided an overview of the
processes in place to amend the City Charter, which included what a municipal charter is, a
history of Worcester’s charters, the process used to adopt a home rule charter, the process to
establish and the role of a Charter Review Commission, the process used to adopt a charter
amendment by special legislation, methods related to charter amendments, and modern charter
provisions.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized the City Clerk, who provided an overview of the process
to establish a Charter Review Commission, which also included the process relative to file and run
as a Charter Review Commission candidate and the process relative to charter amendments by
special act.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra then recognized the following Speakers:
1. Fred Nathan, Worcester resident, spoke in opposition to a charter review
2. Gary Hunter, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
3. Sue Mailman, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
4. Randy Feldman, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
5. Tom Marino, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
6. Steve Hart, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
7. Keith Linhares, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
8. Dante Comparetto, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
9. Francesco Bivona, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
10. Joshua Croke, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
11. Greg Waters, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
12. Jack Murray, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
13. Feanna Jattan-Singh, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
14. Dominick Calsolaro, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
15. Sarah Moore, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
16. Martha Assefa, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of a charter review
Chairperson Councilor Mitra discussed the required 15% certified voter signatures to establish a
Charter Review Commission, charter amendment options that do not require voter signatures
such as through special acts, proposed ordinance amendments to amend various roles and
responsibilities of boards and commissions, and the roles of standing committees relative to
ordinance amendments with the City Solicitor, City Clerk, and Speaker #4.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: “Request City
Clerk work with City Solicitor to provide City Council with a report detailing City Council’s role
related to ordinance changes.”
Chairperson Councilor Mitra then brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: “Request City
Clerk work with City Solicitor to provide City Council with a report detailing possible charter
changes that could be done without the creation of a Charter Review Commission in addition to
charter changes that require approval of such a commission.”
Chairperson Councilor Mitra discussed the feasibility of providing a report detailing resident
testimony brought forth during Public Participation with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: “Request City
Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing resident testimony brought forth at the
Monday, August 17, 2026 Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations meeting.”
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Rosen, who discussed the feasibility of
acquiring 20,000 signatures, highlighted the importance of distinguishing the difference between
charter review and charter change, a history of past charter reviews, increased public
participation due to additional meeting advertisement methods, and the importance of reviewing
the charter every ten (10) years.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed challenges in the city
that would not be addressed by changing the form of government, a history of past Municipal and
Legislative Operations Committee meetings discussing charter review, the feasibility of placing a
non-binding referendum on the next local election ballot to gauge the opinion of the city’s voters
relative to charter review, highlighted the importance of amending parts of the city’s charter as
needed prior to finalizing a full charter review, spoke in opposition to the notion of reducing the
City Manager’s salary for the purpose of making the positions of Mayor and City Councilor
full-time positions, and the importance of resident civic engagement and the duty to vote in
elections.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra discussed best methods to process a charter review in lieu of
collecting 15% of voter signatures to establish a Charter Review Commission.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra then discussed the intended purpose of the meeting as to provide
education related to the review process and methods for making changes to the city’s charter with
Speaker #2.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Rosen, who discussed the importance of the
City Council going on record to support a charter review.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Bergman, who highlighted the need for a
non-binding referendum for the next local election.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Rosen, who moved for the following
Chairman’s Resolution: “That the Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations
does hereby recommend and support the efforts to review the current modified Plan E City
Charter.” – Not Put.
Councilor Rosen then discussed the process relative for residents to start collecting signatures for a
Charter Review Commission and a history of the signatures obtained in the 1980’s when the
process was first initiated with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Bergman, who discussed the need for
additional resident engagement to understand the needs of the majority residents in the city.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Rosen, who discussed feasible next steps to
review the city’s charter, that the city’s charter has not had a comprehensive review in forty (40)
years, reviewing resident testimony and providing City Council with a report detailing feasible
charter amendment options based on said testimony with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Bergman, who moved to amend Councilor
Rosen’s motion to read as: “That the Standing Committee on Municipal and Legislative
Operations does here by recommend that the full City Council support all efforts of all residents
in reviewing any charter change.” – Not Put.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra recognized Councilor Rosen, who moved to hold the motion until
the Communications of the City Clerk relative to charter review processes and resident testimony
are brought forth to the City Council with the City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor Mitra brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: “Request City
Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing the process required to place a non-binding
question on the ballot of the upcoming local election.”
Chairperson Councilor Mitra moved for a roll call vote to recommend the items be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
Chairman's Orders
Request City Clerk work with City Solicitor to provide City Council with a report
detailing City Council’s role related to ordinance changes.
Request City Clerk work with City Solicitor to provide City Council with a report
detailing possible charter changes that could be done without the creation of a Charter
Review Commission in addition to charter changes that require approval of such a
commission.
Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing resident testimony
brought forth at the Monday, August 17, 2026 Standing Committee on Municipal and
Legislative Operations meeting.
Request City Clerk provide City Council with a report detailing the process required to
place a non-binding question on the ballot of the upcoming local election.
b. Transmitting an informational communication relative to advertisements for the Standing
Committee on Municipal and Legislative Operations meeting on Monday, August 17,
2026 related to a discussion of the City Charter.
# 14c CC July 21, 2026
Chairperson Councilor Mitra read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item
be placed on file.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
5. Communication of the City Manager
a. Transmitting informational communication relative to a process to establish a charter
review commission.
# 18b CC November 12, 2024
In Committee January 28, 2025 - Held
In Committee May 20, 2026 - Held
Chairperson Councilor Mitra read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item
be placed on file.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
Transcript
Transcript pending: YouTube captions can't be retrieved yet (see the Worcester playbook).