WORCESTER — Police Chief Gary J. Gemme asked the city manager for at least 15 new police recruits last month, but it looks like he could end up with at least 20.

At a Public Safety Committee meeting yesterday, City Councilors William J. Eddy, Michael J. Germain and Philip P. Palmieri heard the chief’s projections of upcoming retirements and his recounting of past statistics and concluded that 15 new officers might not be enough to replace the 15 expected vacancies through 2015. In this fiscal year, for instance, there were five unexpected retirements already, Chief Gemme said.

WORCESTER — State revenues are rising, reforms are saving money on health insurance and public-private partnerships are restoring services such as the Worcester bookmobile, but both the city and state budgets still face massive structural challenges, officials said this morning.

WORCESTER — State Treasurer Steven Grossman, who is also chairman of the board of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, had this to say after touring Nelson Place School yesterday: “That school is going to be built,” he said of a new Nelson Place, something the city has been seeking for four years.

WORCESTER — Four municipal employees will be honored next month with the Thomas S. Green Public Service Award.

The awards, sponsored by The Research Bureau, will be presented at 5 p.m. March 15 at Assumption College. The free event is open to the public.

The agreement between the Research Bureau and Assumption College to collaborate on projects of mutual interest promises to benefit both institutions, as well as the greater Worcester community. The partnership enhances the bureau’s intellectual and physical resources while expanding opportunities for community involvement by the Catholic liberal arts college with a wide range of professional studies and research programs.

WORCESTER — It’s a rare year when all of the city’s major contracts get settled around the same time, and this year’s batch gave analysts the chance to compare teacher and public safety contracts side by side.

Now that Worcester’s elections are over, citizens can engage in a serious discussion about one of the issues raised by both School Committee and City Council candidates: the adequacy of funding for the Worcester Public Schools. Let’s start with some important facts.

WORCESTER — The Worcester Regional Research Bureau and Assumption College will work together on research projects, the bureau and the college announced yesterday.

WORCESTER — It’s no secret to Massachusetts health officials that the Obama administration based its recent federal health care reform on what has happened in the Bay State.

WORCESTER — Anyone looking for a seat on the School Committee will have to be adept at stretching a dollar or finding new ones as the district tries to serve a challenging student population during tight financial times.