Take My Council, Please: Cheers & Jeers...

(WMassP&I)

Monday was a day of minor victories, but also grim financial news and schizophrenic behavior at the Springfield City Council.  With three members absent, councilors debated a host of resolutions, put off several measures to committee and even took some further steps on ordinances.  Prior to the meeting, bleak numbers from financial officials cast a pall over a rare Committee of the Whole meeting of the City Council.  While digging into those numbers must wait for another time, the short version is cuts in services, increases in fees, flat wages for workers and other depressing news, absent a turnaround on state aid and property tax revenue.  

At-large Councilor Kateri Walsh, Ward 4 Councilor E. Henry Twiggs and Ward 7 Councilor Tim Allen were absent due to personal reasons.

The agenda itself was a mix of routine announcements, paper pushing and substantive policy.  Reports from utilities were accepted from the council as were financial transfers within and to the fire department.  The Fire Department's Overtime budget has come in way over budget, partly a consequence of chronic underfunding of the department over the last decade.  However, the council also approved transfer of the city's fire-training facility to the commonwealth for $2 million.  The transfer will enable Massachusetts officials to train firefighters in neighboring communities nearby rather than sending them to another facility in Stow.  The city will continue to use the Grochmal Street facility, which will be rebuilt, at no cost aside from electricity and phone service.  City officials said the proceeds from the sale will go into the city's general revenue account.

Area Fire Chiefs Showed up to Support the Transfer of
the training center to the state (WMassP&I)

Two other property transfers in the city's South End were also approved by the Council.

The city also received financial reports for this year that indicate the city will retain about $2 million in free cash at the end of the fiscal year.  The council also approved, by a 10-0 vote an authorization for a bond necessary to cap Bondi's Island.  The bond is required under state law for the owner of any landfill and as the city's primary dump faces closure by the end of this decade, the city must maintain a bond under Department of Environmental Protection rules in order to assure the facility is properly closed.  

Another bond was authorized to pay for design work for Elias Brookings School, one of the school building damaged in last year's tornado.  Ward 2 Councilor Mike Fenton questioned the use of bonds, rather than free cash or stabilization reserves, but finance officials seemed to admit the objective was to preserve stabilization.  However, officials noted that the bond may not need to be used and payment for the design work could come from another source, avoiding interest payments.  Fenton cautioned against the use of this approach in the future, but backed the measure.

Two ordinances were also before the council (with a third brought up to get its second step passage).  The two ordinances on the agenda bulked up the large crowd, which was mostly present in support of one of the resolutions before the council.  The first ordinance, sponsored by at-large Councilors Jimmy Ferrera and Tim Rooke, sought to extend to thirty days from ten, the amount of time merchandise at a pawn shop must be held before it can be resold.  Several pawn shop owners turned out in opposition to the new rule, calling it an unfair burden on business.  Ultimately, on a motion from at-large Councilor Thomas Ashe, the measure was sent to committee before any step was taken.

Take My Council, Please: Financial Cobwebs...

(WMassP&I)

Under normal circumstances, Monday's meeting of the Springfield City Council would have been a quick one.  There were few controversial items and councilors seemed in agreement about the diciest issues before them.  Rather, since the council had not met since January, a huge amount of dust piled up that needed sweeping.  There were questions about why some expenses magically appeared, but for the most they, and of course a cascade of grants, passed with little complaint.  If there was any passionate moments, it came as the Council passed a home rule petition to change MCAS testing dates in Springfield.

The city financial team told the council that the city's budget is in flux and will require some repair throughout the rest of the year.  Among the measures were additional funds transferred from the last budget's surplus to fund turnover in the city's vehicle fleet, the fire department, the assessors department, veterans affairs, and the election commission.  While the capital budget transfers faced some questions from Ward 2 Councilor Mike Fenton, the others were accepted with minimal complaint.  

Councilor Fenton
(Facebook)

The fire department deficit came from an overestimation of retirements and exhaustion of the overtime budget after the October snowstorm.  Leann Pasquini, the city's budget director, said she did expect some amount of that to be recouped from FEMA, however.  The Fire Department's staffing has been a concern for some time, however it has continued to perform, by any measure, very well including a recent year with no fire-related deaths.  Staffing is down to 220 sworn firefighters from 390 in the 1990's.

Other funding transfers included an upfront payment to step-up assessments for next year's tax rate setting and an increase in demands for veteran's benefits.  Veterans Services Commission Thomas Beltan explained that since the city turns away no veterans that request assistance, the added transfer was simply a function of increased need.  The city will received 75% reimbursement from the state in the next fiscal year.  Finally, Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola requested additional funding from the council to pay for the March 6th Presidential Primary.  She said it was an oversight on her part that led to that primary's exclusion from her budget in June.

The council also accepted grants for the Library and Fire Departments.  Helen Caulton-Harris secured another haul for Health and Human Services of over $75,000.  Community Development accepted a grant from the state to design a parking garage for the Court Square Hotel.  The council sent to committee grants from Comcast received as part of a settlement with the city.

The Outer Belt Comes Off, Lashes Council President...

 **The following is a follow-up to our Tuesday (1/10) bulletin about the Outer Belt Civic Association's letter condemning Councilor Ferrera's Council Committee Appointments.**

Councilor Ferrera (Urban Compass)

The pressure on Springfield City Council President Jimmy Ferrera continues to mount, but Ferrera shows no sign of buckling after igniting one of the city's highest profile personal political spats in several years.  Earlier this week, the Outer Belt Civic Association sent a letter to city officials and the news media condemning Ferrera's decision to dole out to two of the city's ward councilors meager committee assignments.  The OBCA is a neighborhood council for the city's southeastern corner.  Ward 2 Councilor Mike Fenton received no standing committee assignments, a situation without precedent in the council's recent history and Ward 7 Councilor Tim Allen, who represents the Outer Belt, received one committee.  Other councilors received as many as five assignments.

The letter from the OBCA, signed by its president, vice-president, treasurer and three board members calls the appointments or lack thereof "childish" and a "slap in the face" to the people who voted Fenton and Allen into office.  The OBCA writes that it needs councilors that will listen to them, not ones that "slight us because we may not always agree."  The letter goes on to criticize the rather blatant political process by which Ferrera appointed councils, which, despite dictionary definitions, he claims was not "political."

In a phone interview, OBCA Vice-President Mary Dionne confirmed that her organization wrote the letter and described what brought the letter into being.  Dionne said she had already decided to do something herself, but fate would have it that an OBCA Board Meeting was scheduled for the Saturday after Ferrera made the appointments public on January 5.  At that meeting, the Board of Directors decided to write the letter after two hours of discussion.

Councilor Allen (Facebook)

Dionne emphasized, as the OBCA Board members did in the letter, that the most appalling aspect is the lack of communication.  "Our relationship with City Councilors has always been very good," she said.  There are always disagreements, but she continued, we move on from them with respect among all parties.  In this case, however, she and the others felt, Ferrera had gone too far and given no notice of what he planned to do.

Dionne explained that since ward representation had gone into effect, they tended to work through Allen first and worked their way out to other councilors from there.  The OBCA's concern with Allen having so few committee appointments comes from the important role committees play in council processes.  Since committees review measures and ordinances in addition to gather testimony and write legislation, it seemed that Dionne felt like their ward rep and Ward 2's rep were given second class status by being largely excluded from that process.  She and the OBCA were not happy with a scenario, as they saw it, where their representative was "not part of the real city council."

The OBCA demanded in their letter that the situation to be rectified and an apology given.  Dionne also said they would like to meet with Ferrera to discuss the matter.

New Government, Old Faces...

The Mayor's Procession Line (WMassP&I)

In a tasteful, but crowded ceremony at City Hall, Springfield swore in its City Council and its Mayor Domenic Sarno for another term.  Sarno will be serving the city's first four year term following enactment of a ballot question in 2009 that extended the mayor's term.  The School Committee is on a different election calendar and therefore members of that body neither faced the voters last November nor needed to be sworn in.

Typically, the city's inaugurations are held in Symphony Hall, however the city still put on a show which included typical guests like Cong. Richard Neal and speakers on behalf of the Massachusetts Senate and House.  State Senator James Welch and Representative Angelo Puppolo spoke on behalf of their respective bodies.

Also in attendance were Sheriff Michael Ashe and District Attorney Mark Mastroianni.

The invocation was provided by Our Lady of Mount Carmel's pastor, Robert White while City Clerk Wayman Lee administered the oath of office to the council.

Cong. Neal in December, 2011 (WMassP&I)

Congressman Richard Neal offered words of support on behalf of the United States House of Representatives.  He waxed somewhat nostalgic about his own service as mayor of the city and as a councilor remarking that he had taken office in that same chamber some thirty-four years ago.  Neal also emphasized the continuity between the council and the public service careers that began as members of that body.

Welch, in his first speech before Springfield's organizational meeting as one of the city's state senators, offered an anecdote about how his mother told him to say "hi" to mayor Sarno as evidence of the mayor's personable demeanor and its benefit to the city.  He also insisted the area have no more storms.  The legendary weather events that plagued the Springfield area played a prominent role throughout the ceremony.

Puppolo, by contrast, offered more direct praise to Sarno, a former colleague of his.  When Puppolo resigned from the council in 2007, Sarno was still a councilor.  Puppolo conveyed his sense that Sarno had the respect and confidence of both governor Deval Patrick and House Speaker Robert DeLeo following the June tornado and October blizzard.

Sarno w/ Judge Mary Hurley (WMassP&I)

Former Mayor and current Chicopee District Court judge Mary Hurley administered the oath of office to Mayor Domenic Sarno along with City Clerk Lee.

In his remarks before the audience, Sarno struck a notably humble tone, noting that the decision by residents to enact a four year term for the mayor was made for a reason.  Specifically, he said that residents were likely looking for more vision and a capacity to limit the short-term impact of politics upon the mayor's office.  

The Year in Springfield, 2011...

(WMassP&I)

With another year under Springfield’s belt comes another edition of the Year in Springfield.  In its 375th year of existence the City of Homes suffered through one of the most erratic year of weather on record which brought a range of immense destruction and gross inconvenience.  Politically, it was also a tumultuous time from Springfield City Hall to Beacon Hill to the steps of Harvard University.

The year 2011 opened in Springfield with an eye, as in other places, to Washington, where a cadre of increasingly nihilistic “citizens” took their place in Congress and in state capitals across the nation.  While the boat rocked in Massachusetts with a shrunken, but still massive Democratic edge in the State House, Governor Deval Patrick took the oath of office once more. 

However, America was rocked only eight days into January when Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, by quite literally a madman.  Early accusations pointed to tea party extremism, but ultimately mental disease and not right-wing anarchy drove the young man to shoot Giffords and twelve others while murdering six.  Gifford suffered a traumatic shot to the head, be saved by the quick thinking of her intern of five days.

Cong. Gifford w/ her Mother weeks

after the shooting (PK Weis via Facebook)

President Barack Obama, given his first significant opportunity to play the healer-in-chief gave a stirring speech at a memorial service attended by Arizona’s Senators, its governor with Obama has frequently clashed, Giffords’ husband, Mark Kelly and Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who oversees the Ninth Circuit within which the slain judge, John Roll, served.

The event took on somewhat of a local relevance when Congressman Richard Neal held a press conference after the shooting noting that he had known Giffords and had raised money for her ahead of what had been a difficult reelection in 2010.  However, he also urged that parties take down a notch the vitriol and anger that had become pervasive in politics whether Loughner was driven by politics or not.

Also in January Amaad Rivera took office as the Ward 6 Councilor following the resignation of Keith Wright.  He took office because the city’s succession law is only written with only at-large councilors in mind and fills vacancies with runners-up.  Technically, Rivera was a runner-up even though he lost the 2009 election.  The chorus of dissent included this blog and came to a head on a vote for eminent domain as part of Forest Park Middle School renovations.  Rivera invoked Rule 20, the council’s parliamentary motion to delay the project to the shock of other councilors.  While we would settle our differences with Rivera, many remained incensed over the use of Rule 20, ironically including some who would encounter similar anger over its usage.

Councilor Amaad Rivera (WMassP&I)

However, the focus on Rivera would lessen as he became one of a super-majority of councilors that opposed a wood-burning biomass plant.  The special permit had been granted in 2008 by the last council on a 7-2 vote.  All ward councilors and two at-large councilors, including Jose Tosado who voted for the permit in 2008.  The Callahan Family, owners of Palmer Renewable Energy and like-named paving company poured money into experts who dismissed, often condescendingly, the health concerns raised by opponents.  Against the din of protests and threats of legal action the council revoked PRE’s permit on a 10-2 vote.

Moving on Up...

Councilor Rivera (WMassP&I)

The numbers out of the Election Commission indicate plenty of interest in the citywide races slated for this November.  At last count thirteen interested candidates have qualified to compete for the city's five at-large seats and three candidates have qualified for mayor.  As a result there will be a primary in September for both of those offices.  However, the relatively high interest in the city's elected offices at-large were only matched by a near-indifference on the ward level.  The only contested ward race will be in Ward 8 where Orlando Ramos will seek a rematch with current Ward 8 rep John Lysak.  Even ward 6, one of the city's most politically active wards is facing a one man race with Ken Shea seemingly destined to take that seat in January.  

The current occupant of that seat, Amaad Rivera, however, kicked off his campaign for election to one of the city's at-large seats.  At a somewhat humble, but intimate gathering of core supporters, Rivera formally launched his candidacy.  The event was held in the Hall of Local 108 of the Carpenters Union and attended by twenty-five to thirty people, many of them crucial backers of his  2009 run for the Ward 6 seat.

Several long-time supporters of Rivera spoke.  First up was Katie Stebbins a member of the Springfield planning board and wife to former city councilor Bruce Stebbins.  Stebbins, who described both herself and her husband as big supporters of Rivera, recalled several late-night conversations in her kitchen with Rivera regarding issues affecting the city.  Although her husband is a Republican and not necessarily in perfect political sync with Rivera's progressive values, she, her husabnd and Rivera are united in fighting for a stronger Springfield and good government.

Michaelann Bewsee (WMassP&I)

Michaelann Bewsee, the head of Arise for Social Justice, a Springfield advocacy group scolded Amaad for not running Ward 6 because there would be no race there after all (she made a point of noting no disrespect for Shea).  The faux criticism aside, Bewsee extolled Rivera's virtues calling him a "champion for progressive causes" on the City Council.

Arlene Rodriguez, a dean at Springfield Technical Community College called Rivera one of the most "honest, charismatic speakers" that she knows.  She also praised his "passion for people."  Dominic Basile who has known Rivera for years called him an "intensely loyal friend."

Rivera, trying not to play the politician with assurances of a short speech, spoke next.  He led off thanking his family which he described as a group of people where, "It was okay to express what you felt."  He also described how throughout his life in Springfield he felt there existed this (false) notion that there was something wrong with Springfield.  Instead he argued, "We can make a better, stronger Springfield.