A week ago, the city council for one of the largest communities in western Massachusetts failed to get past the first few items of its agenda amid infighting. But on Monday, the body regrouped - and managed to pass some time-sensitive matters in the process.
Getting bogged down in discussions, arguments and yelling at certain points, the Holyoke City Council ended up adjourning with a lot still on the table on Feb. 18.
The agenda packed over 60 items, but little got done outside of debates over procedure and a handful of items related to individual, city employee pay raises.
A recess and input from the city solicitor's office couldn't cut it and after 90 minutes, the council moved to adjourn amid intense discussions between leadership and at least one councilor at-large.
But, with several time-sensitive matters that needed votes, councilors found themselves in city hall again Monday for a special meeting.
The gathering featured a slimmer agenda – about a half dozen with nearly all featuring appropriations for Massachusetts School Building Authority-related projects.
Ranging from $75,000 to $150,000, the money would pay for schematic design studies at five different schools, exploring potential roof replacements.
Part of the venture is an MSBA grant program. Sean Sheedy, Maintenance Administrator for Holyoke Public Schools, says the MSBA will provide up to 80 percent reimbursements for what totals about $500,000.
However, there’s an early March deadline and after the items fell by the wayside last week, a request for an extension was met with questions from the MSBA.
“I asked them if I could possibly have an extension, but they followed up with a multitude of questions, stating that … ‘if we were to give you the extension - on the next meeting, can you guarantee us that your agenda items would be addressed?’ ‘Would you have your certified vote?’ ‘Would that vote be a passing vote?’ ‘Would you be able to get all of that into the MSBA portal in time..?’” he recounted.
Sheedy added if things didn’t work out, it would likely be another year before the city would get another shot.
Following a few questions from councilors, the body appeared primed to give the go-ahead. It was just a matter of voting. Murphy-Romboletti indicated a first reading for the item occurred a prior meeting and that the second final one was in order. Then came comment from Councilor At-Large Kevin Jourdain.
“We have not had a vote on the first reading,” he said, participating remotely. “I will state again, section 22 of the charter requires two votes - a vote to pass the first reading and a motion to then pass the second reading - again, this is non-controversial.”
For context, the earlier meeting slowly but surely went off rails over discussions on just what votes needed to happen to pass an item and when did those votes occur.
Jourdain and several councilors pointed to the city charter at the time, indicating two readings and votes were standard for passing certain council business.
They contended several items needed certain readings and votes at the time Tuesday, whereas Romboletti and others indicated readings and votes in some cases had already occurred.
For a few moments, it looked like Monday night could feature more of the same before it all came down to the council president.
“Here's how it's going to go tonight, everyone … if everyone is going to sleep a little better because we took the first reading and the second reading, tonight, we'll do that,” Murphy-Romboletti said. “But, going forward, at our next full council meeting - make peace with it now, Read the case law, Do what you need to do - I am the president, and I'm going to rule the way that I see fit at our next meeting ,and if that's not okay with you, you can take the action that you need to take. Tonight, we'll do the first reading and the second reading. I’ll give you the weekend or so to process all of the feelings that go with this.”
MSBA-related items were met with individual readings and unanimous agreement. Also approved was a funding transfer of $33,000 concerning professional engineering services.
Several councilors declined interview requests from WAMC after the meeting, but noted the temperature appeared to come down a notch compared the week before.
The council meets again on March 4.
