Councilors give their annual grades for Worcester City Manager Batista

Councilors give their annual grades for Worcester City Manager Batista as the city evaluates progress and unmet expectations across multiple priorities. During a nearly three-hour session on Tuesday, June 30, all 11 councilors discussed City Manager Eric D. Batista’s performance, with many praising his dedication, knowledge of city operations, and growth in public speaking. Councilors also highlighted staff contributions and cited improvements in areas such as sidewalks, streets, infrastructure, and parks, while others called for faster responses to requests for council reports. Several speakers pressed on homelessness efforts and demanded a more assertive approach to payment in lieu of taxes agreements. Vice Chairman Khrystian E. King criticized limited progress on creating a police civilian review board and said shortcomings in the Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs and the Commission on African American & Black Affairs have produced little or no output. Economou pointed to Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s 2024 purchase of two Gateway Park hotels for $46 million as harmful to the tax base, while District 5 raised traffic enforcement concerns. The discussion also included praise of police, fire, and parks departments, even as some constituents raised questions about dredging at local parks.