Take a Ride on Mountain Park Flyer!

Take a Ride on Mountain Park Flyer! Brings back alot of great memories to the good old days at Mountain Park.

Check out the video under my "Videos worth watching" Section! (2nd one down)

Enjoy the Ride!

Jourdain works to stop DPW's 1st Ever Retroactive Sewer Fee Hike!

Bills contain retroactive hike
Monday, December 22, 2008
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com
HOLYOKE - City sewer users might be surprised to find their latest bill includes a retroactive rate increase, something that upset one city councilor.

"The public should only have to pay on the old rate," said Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain Wednesday, referring to latest sewer use bill. "We didn't pass that rate (increase) until two weeks ago."

But, Public Works Superintendent William D. Fuqua said the department needed to raise rates as soon as possible to avoid a possible budget shortfall.

"We're concerned we are running a deficit," Fuqua said Thursday. "Further delaying (the rate increase) would have increased that risk."

On Dec. 2, the council voted 8-6 in favor of raising the sewer rates by 74 cents, or 15.8 percent, from $4.66 per 1,000 gallons to $5.40 per 1,000 gallons. The latest sewer bill mailed to residents is for use between Aug. 7 and Nov. 6, Jourdain said.

Fuqua said his department does not normally retroactively raise rates. "It's not been the practice," he said, "but there's nothing that says it can't be for retroactive use."

The retroactive increase was needed, in part, Fuqua added, because the council "took so long to set the rate." Fuqua first requested a rate increase in August. On Sept. 2, the council voted 7-6 in favor of an identical increase. But, because the motion requires a two-thirds majority vote, the increase was not approved.

Fuqua said his office had not received any complaints about the latest sewer use bill as of Thursday.

Control over who sets the city's sewer use rate has been an issue for several months. Normally, the Board of Public Works recommends a rate increase, which is then voted on by the City Council.

All that changed on Dec. 2, when the council voted 13 - 1 in favor of an ordinance which gives the council the power to adjust sewer rates instead of solely accepting or rejecting the Board of Public Works' recommendation.

"If we don't have the power to dispute the rate, what is the point of approving it," asked Councilor Rebecca Lisi at the Dec. 2 meeting.

"This way, we will have more control over the department and it will lead to more accountability and more transparency," Jourdain said at the Dec. 2 meeting.

The rate increase was needed mainly to help pay off $6 million of debt for the sewage treatment plant, and $3 million for a combined sewer overflow abatement project on Mosher Street, Fuqua has said.
©2008 The Republican

Update: Councilor Jourdain has reviewed the ordinance language with the City Clerk who agreed that the ordinance change specifically says the new rate does not take effect until adopted. It was the full intention of the City Council that this rate did not take effect until date of adoption as written in ordinance. The leadership of the DPW is attempting to twist the long held interpretation of the ordinance to your detriment.
Councilor Jourdain also has referred the matter to the Law Department for their review and legal opinion. No department of the city has ever issued retroactive rate increases and this matter is being followed very closely on your behalf as ratepayers. Now that the Council controls rate setting authority - additional remedy measures are available to the Council if this outrageous decision is allowed to stand. Updates to follow here at Holyoke First!

81% of Bloggers feel Leadership of Schools deserve failing grade!

In a recent Holyoke First Blog Poll, 81% of poll takers stated that they were not happy with the current leadership of the Holyoke Public Schools and feel it is time for a change.

19% felt they were doing a good job.

Thank you for all the participated in poll.

Jourdain announces support for Lowes: Will cast YES vote on January 6!

Dear Constituent,

On January 6, 2009, an important vote is going to take place before the City Council that has generated a great deal of interest from throughout the city. I am speaking of course of the zone change proposal for Konover Developers to build a new Lowe's on Whiting Farms Road. The land is currently owned by the Holyoke Gas & Electric Department after it acquired the property from Holyoke Water Power and NorthEast Utilities when the G&E purchased the Dam. This beautiful 18.7 acre parcel is a gem and located in the very valuable Ingleside section of our city. The property is currently zoned for industrial uses and the developer is requesting that the City Council vote to change the zone to commerical to allow Lowe's to be built.

I attended numerous public hearings and have spoken to every neighbor that wished to speak to me. I have also listened to all Holyokers throughout the city regarding the impact of this project on the city. I am overwhelmed by the thoughtful and articulate comments made to by people of good will on both sides of the issue. Many of the people who called me, I have known for many years. I deeply value everyone's opinions on this issue but the time is near for the vote and you deserve to know where I stand on this issue.

After studying the issue carefully and weighing the pros and cons, I have decided to cast my vote of YES in favor of the zone change and allow Lowe's to come to Holyoke.

In the midst of the most fragile economy our nation has faced in 50 years that is in recession, Holyoke's workers deserve the 150+ jobs that will come from this project. The city will reap $350,000+ in new tax revenue per year. The Holyoke Gas & Electric Department will also receive $3 million which the Manager has assured me will be used for economic development of the downtown and for electric and gas rate stabilization. When Holyoke voters voted to acquire the Dam in 1995 and in the final pact that acquired this property - the sale of these lands were contemplated and deemed necessary to pay the bonds for the Dam. The Dam purchase has been a huge success for the city and so will Lowe's be.

Economic and planning officials for the city have also assured me that the will hold the developer's feet to the fire to make the necessary traffic improvements to ensure the orderly flow of traffic along Whiting Farms Road. These improvement requirements may range as high as an additional $1 million from the developer. There is currently 13,000 cars a day that travel the road according to experts. The city needs to think out of the box and think big on the long term solutions to ensure the reasonable flow of traffic through our highly desirable commerical sector at Ingleside.

I am also reminded by the fact that it will take 3 years after our approval for the opening of a Lowe's. This gives us time to get it right and put in motion a plan that will Grow Holyoke and also improve traffic and protect our neighborhoods.

It continues to be my pleasure to serve you on the City Council. Thank you for your trust and the opportunity.

Inside the Rail: Jourdain wins major victory for Ratepayers!

Holyoke - At the December 2, 2008 Council meeting, there was good news and bad news for those residents who are concerned about the runaway costs of the Sewer Department and their greedy requests for more and more rate increases.

In an 8-6 vote, the Council voted to increase the current sewer rate from 4.66/1000 gallons to $5.40/1000 gallons. The Roll Call was:

Voting for the 15% increase: Brunelle, Devine, Keane, Leahy, McGee, McGiverin, O'Neill and Welch

Voting against the increase: Jourdain, Lisi, Lopez, Pluta, Tallman and Whelihan. Councilor Purington was away at an out of town meeting but had voted against the increase in committee.

The rising rates are emphasizing the depth of the mistake that was the privatization plan. Under public control, there would have been far greater stability in rates as well as transparency in the costs. Unfortunately, the public is forced to pay for the mistake of the mayor and his Council supporters on this issue even though 57% of voters rejected this approach.

Now, to the good news! The plans of the purported experts that were hired by the mayor to advocate for privatization have not come to fruition. Projections of modest increases in the sewer rates that were originally billed have now morphed into a proposed chart of unconscionable future increases that the Sewer Department wishes to thrust upon the people with rates ending in the area of 7.50-8.00/1000 gallons.

To derail this outrageous schedule that would simply crush most lower and middle income residents, Councilor Jourdain filed an amendment to Chapter 90-90 of the Holyoke Code of Ordinances that would take the rate setting authority away from the DPW and place it with the City Council. This common sense measure makes your elected City Councilors directly responsible for setting the rates and directly accountable to the voters.

Councilor Jourdain was proud to announce that his ordinance change passed 13-1 and was signed by Mayor Sullivan into law. Only Joe McGiverin voted against allowing greater accountability of the sewer rates by the City Council.

"I could not be more proud of the quick action of my colleagues on this common sense reform measure that will require Councilors to take greater control over the rising costs of the operations of the sewer plant," Councilor Jourdain stated. Jourdain remarked, "The adoption of this law is a huge victory for ratepayers who now will have greater say through their elected representatives to make sure the sewer plant does not overspend and does not overcharge."

Inside the Rail: Council passes Resolution to School Dept: High Priced Administrators need to lead by example!

Councilor Jourdain was proud to announce that the City Council voted 14-1 on a voice vote (Councilor Devine voted no) to pass a resolution he offered to send a strong message to School Department Administrators earning over $75,000 per year: you need to lead by example.

Jourdain noted that there has been many calls for sacrifice and hiring freezes by the senior leadership of the schools at 57 Suffolk Street. Yet, despite closing multiple schools, declining enrollment and the new competition of a charter school, the Top Brass at School Headquarters earning over $75,000; specifically, the Business Administrator and the Superintendent have continued to take hefty payraises.

Everyone deserves a fair wage and a good pay but enough is enough with the six figure salaries for people who are calling on their subordinates to make sacrifices. The school committee needs to stop with the payraises for those over six figures who should have no problem managing on what they are receiving currently. Leadership demands greater sensitivity to the financial condition of the schools.

Jourdain also renewed his support for his colleagues on the Finance Committee who have been trying for months to get a written line item budget for the school department.

Inside the Rail: Tax Classification: Jourdain defends Homeowners and wins victory for tax fairness!

At Tuesday's meeting, City Councilor Kevin Jourdain made an impassioned speech on behalf of the city's seniors and working families and fought back a bold move to place an enormous new tax increase on homeowners.

Councilor Jourdain seconded the motion of Ward 2 City Councilor Diosdado Lopez for a residential rate of $14.25 per thousand of property value. The motion passed 8-7.

Besides Lopez and Jourdain, Councilors Pluta, Lisi, Whelihan, McGee, Tallman and Brunelle fought valiantly to protect the people. Several Councilors lead by Ward 3 Councilor Tony Keane, Ward 7 Councilor Jay O'Neill and Councilor At Large Patti Devine pushed to lower the taxes of the Holyoke Mall and the remaining commerical sector and shift that burden on the homeowners.

Councilor Jourdain in advocating the lower rate for homeowners emphasized that residential values, unlike the commerical, are still above market value and based on 2007 sales even though we all know what has happened to the housing market in 2008 and what will happen in 2009.

Jourdain also pointed out that in the midst of the worst economic downturn in 50 years with unemployment rampant, homeowners simply could not afford the approximately $200 a year increase the other side had planned for them.

Councilor Jourdain stated, "I wish taxes could stay fixed this year but the Mayor's decision to raise the tax levy by $2 million for the 9th year in a row has increased the size of the pie that needs to be sliced up for both homeowners and businesses to pay." The tax rates adopted by the Council under the Lopez/Jourdain proposal for 2009 are $14.24 Residential and $35.15 Commerical/Industrial/Personal Property. The new 2009 Home and Commerical Values are now available at the Assessor's Office for people who would like to calculate their 2009 bill. The Assessor's Office phone number is 322-5550 for more information.

Holyoke Real Estate & Virtual Tour Added!

Interested in Buying a home in Holyoke or taking a Virtual Tour of the City? Here is a site to take a look at:

http://www.holyokemarealestate.com/

Thank You Veterans!

This morning, I had the pleasure of attending the Holyoke Veteran's Day Ceremonies at the War Memorial. It was a beautiful event. This year is extra special because it commerates the 90th anniversary since the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I, which unfortunately was not the war to end all wars.

The United Veterans of Holyoke paid tribute to 3 wonderful Holyokers this year:

Ralph Lefebvre as Veteran of the year

Ron Dietrich as Public Safety Official of the Year

Attorney Maurice Ferriter as Citizen of the Year.

Each of these fine gentlemen have made a tremendous contribution to our city, state and nation and they were all very deserving of their awards. These 3 great veterans each continue in the long lineage of fine veterans that have come from Holyoke. Holyoke holds the remarkable distinction as a smaller city of being home to 3 Congressional Medal of Honor Receipents.

Sen. Knapik, Rep. Kane, Mayor Sullivan and City Council President Joe McGiverin all extended their best wishes and presented the award receipients with additional commerations on behalf of the city and state.

The Mountain View Baptist Church Choir delivered yet another beautiful and uplifting performace in honor of both God and Country.

All in attendance also gave special recognition to a fellow Holyoker who just returned after serving 2 years in Iraq.

I have been pushing for several years now for the restoration of the Civil War monument in Veterans Park. This signature monument commerates Holyoke's War Dead from this tragic internal war to keep our nation together. Recently, the City Council passed a resolution I introduced requesting that the monument be restored from the park restoration funds Holyoke will be receiving as part of the Intra-Model project across the street. Mayor Sullivan announced today at the ceremony today that the monument is going to be restored to its former glory and the monies will be put in place to make that happen. If you see Mayor Sullivan, please be sure to thank him for supporting our veterans and preserving our monuments to their memory!

I was very proud to share in this patriotic event and extend my best wishes to all of our veterans, both past and present. If you enjoy your freedom, take a minute to thank a Vet! If you missed the event, strongly consider putting it in your calendar next year - you will be glad you did.

Mayor seeks to select new School Superintendent on his way out the door!

Mayor Sullivan looks to tie hands of new Mayor to bring real change to schools

Mayor Sullivan announced this week that he is forming a committee to select a new School Superintendent by January 2010 when he leaves office. Traditionally, school officials who retire leave at the end of the school year; therefore, if the new Superintendent is starts prior to Mr. Carballo's departure, our cash strapped school dept. will be forced to pay two salaries during the interim.

I am also disappointed that Mayor Sullivan is seeking to make this major appointment on his way out the door and tie the hands of the new mayor from determing the head of the schools. It is the new mayor who will have to work side by side with this new person to turn the schools around.

Let us not forget that it was Mayor Sullivan that brought Mr. Carballo to lead the schools and the new Mayor should have the opportunity to bring real change to the school's leadership. After his recent pay raise, Mr. Carballo is now receiving the highest pay ever paid a Superintendent at $151,000 per year while the schools are suffering their greatest financial crisis in a generation.

The new mayor should not have to be tied to the Sullivan-Carballo approach to education. So why would we, as a city, want a lame-duck mayor picking the Superintendent and then having him or her trained by Mr. Carballo? That is not a new approach: that is same old, same old.

The Republican had a recent article on this issue, here it is below if you have not seen it already:

Holyoke school chief to retire in 2010

By JEANETTE DeFORGE jdeforge@repub.com HOLYOKE - Superintendent Eduardo B. Carballo has announced he will be retiring in 2010, mostly to give the School Committee plenty of time to fine his replacement. Carballo has told committee members on several occasions he plans to retire in about 18 months. This week he repeated his plans to officials from the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education who were visiting the city. At that time he will be 62 and will be ready to give up his job, which pays about $151,000 a year.

Carballo took over as Holyoke superintendent in 2002, he said. Carballo said he announced his retirement so far in advance to give city officials plenty of time to find a replacement to head up the challenging school district, which is underperforming and one of the poorest in the state.

"The mayor has already put together a working committee, I told him I will be there and help in any way I can," Carballo said. A committee of School Committee members, teachers and the City Council president has already started meeting to talk about ways to find a new superintendent, said Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, who serves as School Committee chairman.

He said it is important to begin the process now because he would like to have a new superintendent selected by January 2010 so the new candidate can work with Carballo before taking over. "I appointed an ad-hoc committee to create a succession plan," he said.

The committee, which includes teachers, parents and politicians, was asked to develop ideas on how Holyoke can best find a superintendent. It may write a search plan proposal, but it was not a requirement, Sullivan said.

"I can say there was a lot of public input in the last process, I hope any committee is open to input from all facets of the community," he said. The School Committee will make the final decision on who is hired as the next superintendent, but it can also name search committees that can include teachers, parents and other residents, Sullivan said.

Officials from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said they are also interested in participating, Sullivan said. "I think that is fair because they are so heavily invested in the city of Holyoke," he said. Since the schools were declared underperforming the state has spent about $4.5 million on efforts to improve student scores.

Lowe's Poll Results Final

In an overwhelming response to the question of whether a Lowe's should be located on Whiting Farms Road, the results are finally in:

Over 600 Blog Visitors cast a vote and by a thin margin, voters stated that they did not want a Lowes located on Whiting Farms Road.

Here's how you voted:

53% Voted NO
47% Voted YES

Thank you all for participating in this important poll.

Holyoke Education Turnaround Plan Criticized

The Republican
By JEANETTE DeFORGE jdeforge@repub.com HOLYOKE - The State Board of Education Monday evening questioned if an investment of $4.5 million and hiring a private firm has really helped the city's underperforming schools improve. Superintendent Eduardo B. Carballo met with the state board and representatives from a America's Choice Inc., the company, to discuss efforts made to improve schools since Holyoke became the first city district to be named underperforming in the state in 2004.

The review is part of a larger discussion the state board and the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is having about assessing districts, holding them accountable and offering assistance as the number of failing schools across the state is growing, said Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester.

"We thought it would be useful to look at Holyoke in particular," since the state has been working with the district for four years and invested $4.5 million in the effort, Chester said.

Holyoke was one of two school systems to be declared underperforming in November 2004 because of its low Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems scores. Following the decision, officials for city schools and the state Department of Education developed a plan to improve performance.

A main part of the plan was to hire America's Choice on the state's recommendation. The company mainly introduced a specialized reading and writing program to the district, had a representative work full-time in the city for at least a year, trained teachers and purchased materials, Carballo said.

Smaller amounts of the money also went to provide specialized training for administrators one year and created a program for transient students, which was cut back this year because of budget cuts.

But during the presentation from the company, a Board of Education member pointed to a chart showing the English scores and questioned if hiring a private company worked.

"The ELA (English) chart is flat for '02 to '08," said Jeff Howard, a board member and president of The Efficacy Institute, of Waltham. "What should we expect to see on this chart for '09 and 2010 given the investment and the lives of the students?"

Representatives from America's Choice acknowledged that scores have remained flat and said they would have changed some things, such as concentrating more on students learning English sooner.

In his presentation, Carballo talked about constant budget cuts, which this year forced the city to close three schools and lay off dozens of teachers.

He also said the number of students who do not speak English continues to increase and transient students range from 35 percent to 45 percent in most schools. But he said many changes, including bringing in America's Choice, has been positive.

Redistricting so most students attend a school in their neighborhood and converting schools to kindergarten to grade eight has also helped. "Some things that happened in the district (were) a little bit disjointed and crazy," he said.

Video Up Link Feature Added!

Friends, it is my pleasure to add a great new feature to Holyoke First and that is a new video uplink that will permanently be located on my blog. I will feature important and educational video works worthy of your time and thought.

Thank you again for taking the time to visit my website which is my commitment to you to keep you fully informed of my work as your elected representative, as well as, the inner workings of your city government!

Councilor Jourdain files 2 orders related to Sewer Rate Issues

These 2 Orders Filed for October 7, 2008 Meeting.

ORDER 1:
Ordered, That the following changes in Sec 90-90 be adopted:

Sec. 90-90. Sewer use charge.
(a) Generally. The City Council (board of public works) shall establish a sewer use charge by ordinance; any change in such charge shall come after a public hearing held by the City Council (board of public works), to provide the funds necessary to provide and maintain sewage treatment and sewage works, pay the debt service thereon, and maintain a reasonable reserve as determined by the City Council (board of public works), but which will not exceed 25 percent of the annual budget. The sewer use charge shall be assessed against the owner of every property connected to the municipal sewage works. The charge shall be billed to property owners on a quarterly basis at the rate determined by the City Council (board of public works), multiplied by the number of gallons of metered water charged to the property owner. The board of public works shall collect all monies due the city as a result of the sewer use charge established by this section.

(b) Rate; payment. The rate shall be $4.66 per 1,000 gallons of water metered with a minimum quarterly rate of $5.00. Said rate shall be in effect until such time as the City Council shall approve a change in rate. (board of public works requests a change in rate and such change in rate receives city council approval.) All charges or bills shall be due and payable 30 days after issue and charges or bills remaining unpaid after such due date shall be charged interest thereon at a rate of 14 percent per year as provided in M.G.L.A. c. 40, § 21E.


ORDER 2:
Ordered, That the Law Department render a legal opinion if DPW has the authority to charge certain select commercial or industrial ratepayers a rate different than all other sewer ratepayers when the ordinance Sec 90-90 clearly establishes one rate for all ratepayers and further states, “The sewer use charge shall be assessed against the owner of every property connected to the municipal sewage works.”

Councilor Jourdain files 3 orders related to the Holyoke Retirement System

On September 2, 2008, Councilor Jourdain filed 3 orders related to the Holyoke Retirement System. Included is the current Status of these orders. Updates to follow.

JOURDAIN Ordered, that a Representative of the Governor’s office and/or PERAC be invited before the Finance Committee for an informational session to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the city joining our retirement system with the state.---> Received and referred to the Finance Committee.

JOURDAIN Ordered, that the Holyoke Housing Authority and Retirement Board please provide copies to the City Council as soon as possible of all memorandum, email, minutes, legal opinions, letters, correspondence, votes, or other documents related to the elimination of John Counter’s position at the Housing Authority, his apparent “termination” and his request for an enhanced pension as a result of the elimination of his position. Please also provide the name of his former title. If any documents are being held back as not “public documents”, please indicate which documents and on what basis the document(s) is being withheld. This request is made under Section 48 of the City Charter. That this order be sent to HHA & Retirement Board with a copy to the Public Service Committee.---> Received and referred to the Finance Committee.

JOURDAIN Ordered, that pursuant to Section 48 of the Charter that Dan Owens of the Retirement Board or his designee please provide a financial analysis for the City Council illustrating what John Counter’s pension would have been based upon: (1) a normal superannuation retirement payable now based on his age, years of service and his pay rate versus (2) the pension he will be receiving now under Ch 32, § 10 (2) (a) as a result of his position being abolished by the Housing Authority. Please give an annual breakdown as well as a lifetime payout analysis assuming benefit ends at age 85 under both scenarios. That this order be sent to the Retirement Board with a copy to the Public Service Committee.---> Received and referred to the Finance Committee.

Jourdain announces Victory for Retirees!

City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain was proud to announce that the Holyoke Retirement Board voted 4-1 on Thursday to give the 61 Holyoke retirees their annual adjustments as authorized by the City Council this year by a vote of 14-1. After 3 Retirement Board meetings spanning over 3 months, the Retirement Board took final action.

These retirees, like many Holyokers, are struggling to make ends meet and have dedicated their lives to the people of Holyoke. In their golden years, they deserve to have an annual increase to put fuel in their tanks and food on their tables. These 61 retirees each worked over 25 years for the City of Holyoke and most have counted on these funds to keep themselves going. Luckily, the retirees fought hard for their pension! Councilor Devine, Former Mayor Dunn and I were proud to lend a strong voice to make sure that the process was followed and gave these retirees a fighting chance against a tough opponent in the Mayor's office.

Holyoke first adopted the 50% retirement law in 1969 and it has been an integral part of the financial retirment security of employees who are able to provide a minimum of 25 years of service. The City Council and past Mayors have always ensured this important benefit was protected. Despite alot of pressure from the current Executive Director to walk away from this 40 year committment, the Board did the right thing.

Councilor Jourdain also commended the Retirement Board for getting an independent legal opinion on the question of the Mayor attempting to sign the law and then saying his signature did not mean anything. Attorney Thomas F. Gibson, who was hired by the Board, told the Board before the final vote that Sullivan could not qualify his signature. Therefore, his signature constituted approval. Remarkably, the Holyoke Law Department, which took over 60 days to produce an opinion, once again played politics by conjuring up a legal opinion that agreed with the Mayor. The Law Department works for the Mayor and has a long history of legal opinions that favor the Mayor. On Thursday, the Retirement Board confirmed the proposition that the Mayor could not sign the law and walk away from his own signature.

Congratulations Retirees!

Congratulations to Immaculate Conception Parish!!

It was my great pleasure to represent the City of Holyoke yesterday at the Dedication Mass of the new Immaculate Conception Parish in the Flats. This Parish has been through alot of transition and turmoil over the last 6 years, but the good news is: it all paid off in the end. What a beautiful new church and the inspiring words of both Bishop McDonnell and Father Jim electrified all in attendance. The church was packed (and even flowing out the doors)! With so much enthusiasm in that room, it bodes well for the growth and progress of the Flats section of our city.

The Mass was held in the historic three languages of the Parish: French, Spanish and English. It displayed the great unity and history of our city. As a Catholic myself, I had never seen a church dedication ceremony and it was a very interesting and beautiful ritual. Holyoke is very lucky to have so many beautiful houses of worship of many faiths and if you visit Immaculate Conception you will absolutely enjoy the ornate stain glass mosaic of the Parish's history and the city's history with Jesus Christ at the center. It is located behind the altar.

After the Mass, a delicious meal was served by the Fernandez family restaurant at an outdoor reception. Everyone enjoyed the wonderful weather while sharing time together and talking about their Faith in the Church and their Faith in the future of Holyoke. I am glad I had the opportunity along with Councilors Welch and Pluta to participate in this special event.

My hats off to the Bishop, the Parish Building Committee and to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish which generously donated $1 million to make the new Church possible.

Blog Voters side with Police Officers over Mayor Sullivan!

In recent Holyoke First Blog poll, 61% of voters stated Mayor Sullivan was wrong to suspend the three Holyoke Police Officers for 15 days. 39% said he was right.

Jourdain announces Cable TV Meeting on 8/19 in City Council Chambers!

For Immediate Release

Contact:
City Councilor At Large Kevin A. Jourdain
(413) 538-5519

Holyoke – City Council Cable Television Committee Chairman Kevin Jourdain announced today that the Cable Television Committee will meet on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 6:30PM in the City Council Chambers. The agenda of the meeting will be:
1) Discussion of Comcast Lineups changes and the effects on consumers
2) The Restoration of EWTN at lowest possible cost price and a discussion of the Digital Classic Package for $20 per month
3) The 1997 agreement relative to the Holyoke Public Access Channel and the future of this channel.
4) Request to Comcast to give more notice of future changes

This meeting is open to the public and they have an opportunity to have their concerns voiced and questions answered. Stephen Fitzgibbons and Daniel Glanville from ComCast have been invited, as well as, Mayor Sullivan or his representative.

# # #

Councilor Jourdain makes statement on Mayor Sullivan's announcement

Holyoke- City Councilor At Large Kevin Jourdain in a brief announcement today stated that he was surprised to hear of Mayor Sullivan's option not to seek election next year. Jourdain also stated that being Mayor is a difficult job and one that can be thankless at times. Councilor Jourdain, who has served with 3 Mayors, thanked Mayor Sullivan for his service to the city and looks forward to working with him for the remainder of his term.

While extensive work faces the city in 2008, 2009 is going to be a critical election to the future of the city. "I want to thank the many people who have already called me to encourage me to run for Mayor. It would indeed be an honor to serve. I will give strong consideration to this exciting opportunity to use my experience to make sure that Holyoke continues to prosper and that our government serves the interests of its citizens."

AP: Comcast Customer Service Ratings at All-Time Low

Comcast Customer Service Ratings at All-Time Low

Associated Press

May 20, 2008

Customer satisfaction ratings for Comcast Corp. fell this year to an all-time low and rank at the bottom of cable and satellite TV providers, according to a survey released on May 20. Comcast lagged behind smaller operators such as Cablevision Systems Corp. and RCN Corp., which as a group topped the customer satisfaction ratings for the first time ever.

Comcast rated 54 out of a perfect 100 for customer satisfaction. Rapid growth for the Philadelphia-based company, which have been buying up smaller cable systems, may have added to its customer service problems, the report said.

NEW LINK ADDED: COMCAST WATCH

www.comcastwatch.com now in new links!

Comcast breaks promises with Holyoke subscribers!

Holyoke - Effective July 16, 2008, ComCast has decimated the basic service package that offers local subscribers a low cost alternative to the otherwise extremely high prices they offer for the digital packages. Holyoke is disproportionately lower income versus other communities in Western Massachusetts and is especially sensitive to this change. Allegedly, they are doing this so people can buy more High Definition channels which is great but what about those who cannot afford a $50+ package. ComCast claims to be committed to the community but then does stuff like this that is strictly designed at increasing their bottom line regardless of how many people are harmed!


"God's Word is Eternal, but apparently ComCast's word is only good for 11 Years."

No less disturbing in all of this is ComCast's blatant breach of an agreement they had with the City in 1997 with respect to the broadcasting of EWTN. This widely popular Catholic Channel was promised to the people of Holyoke as far back as the 1980's with Contential Cablevision and MediaOne. Until 1997, it was broadcast 24 hours day. ComCast then made the decision that it was only going to be run it part-time by sharing the same Channel 21 with the Inspiration Network, which is a fine channel in its own right.

Quickly, ComCast put up the same straw man arguments as they are now saying nothing can be done we are just giving you what people want. So to convince them of their misguided ways and to demonstrate that Holyokers and people throughout Western Massachusetts wanted EWTN a massive organizational effort was undertaken. During that process, over 6000 signatures were collected in support of EWTN; including, over 3000 in Holyoke. Large volumes of letters and phone calls were generated, as well as, media attention.

During the process of the 1997 ComCast contract negotiations with the city, then Mayor Danny Szostkiewicz showed real leadership and reached an accord with ComCast that in lieu of a public access channel that ComCast would broadcast EWTN on Channel 23 during the switch over hours when EWTN was not playing on Channel 21. Holyoke gave up its public access channel for this specific purpose. ComCast knows this. Most communities have 3 channels for what is called PEG Access purposes. PEG Access stands for Public Access, Educational Access and Government Access. The Education channel is on Channel 12 and our Government Channel is Channel 15. In the midst of ComCast's haste to remove EWTN, they have also taken without justification our would be Public Access Channel on Channel 23. Public Access channels are required by federal law to be broadcast as part of the basic service package.
In sum, ComCast has broken their promise to broadcast EWTN and has stolen from us our public access channel effectively leaving Holyoke left holding the bag. Under no circumstances, can this be tolerated.

Thousands of our fellow Holyokers and people throughout Western MA are now being deprived of this precious religious programming. Inspiration channel has also been removed and as a result all religious programming has been removed from the more affordable basic tier. This is alarming and is disturbing especially from a company that purports to listen to its customers and is allegedly family friendly.


I encourage all Holyoke residents to call ComCast's Government Affairs Representative Stephen Fitzgibbons at (413) 730-4513 and demand EWTN be restored to the basic tier back on our public access Channel 23!

I also encourage Holyokers to call Mayor Sullivan at (413) 322-5510 and ask that he lend his support to getting ComCast to restore our public access channel so it can be used for EWTN!

If you would like more information on this issue and the on-going fight to preserve EWTN and protect our cable subscribers on fixed income, please call me at (413) 538-5519 or email me or call Paula Brunault at (413) 534-1596. Paula has been the leader on this issue for many years and we are lucky to have her fighting for us again!

City Council makes many cuts from Budget!

On Tuesday, June 17, 2008, the City Council convened in regular session to vote on the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget. Historically, there have not been a lot of proposed cuts other than from those of us who have been pushing for more fiscal control for many years now. However, I am very happy to report that this year was very different and I was pleasantly surprised by many of the good cuts offered by many of my colleagues.

The following cuts were approved:

• $1,000 from Mayor's In-State Travel Account
• $30,000 from Law Department's Special Counsel Acount
• $76,000 from Software License / Usage Fees Account to put the line item back to what was requested by Dept Head
• $15,000 from Software Hardware/Software Maintenance Account to put the line item back to what was requested by Dept Head
• $40,000 to eliminate the Community Mediation Program in Police Dept.
• $1,000 from Education & Training budget of Emergency Management which has been combined under Fire Dept that already has $9,000 in their account.
• $50,000 to eliminate the Mayor's proposed "Early Warning Service" Phone call system.
• $37,039 to eliminate 1 of 2 vacant Carpenter positions at DPW
• $10,000 from City Hall Annex Repair & Maintenance Acct until it is decided if Mayor's proposal to tear down building is approved by City Council
• $55,000 from Highland Fire Station Repair & Maintenance Account because the account was overfunded by 1000% from last year's expenses
• $8,000 from Other Supplies Account of DPW
• $3,000 from Out-of-State Travel Account
• $75,000 from Law Dept's Claims and Damages Account
• $790,000 from Management Service Contract to United Water

$1,191,039 CUT FROM BUDGET!

The following cuts were denied:

$6,201 from Sealer of Weights and Measures payroll account
$100,000 from Snow Removal Account
$1,000,000 additional cut from Management Service Contract to United Water (8-7 vote - see additional post on this topic)

I voted for all of the cuts except for the snow removal cut and the Sealer cut.

Hats off to the City Council for a job well done on the budget this year!!

Once all of the Final Budget Numbers are finalized - I will get the new budget placed on city website for your review.

Amazing Job done by Holyoke Fire Dept and Mutual Aid!

I want to offer my personal thanks to the Holyoke Fire Department and the Fire Departments within the region for their mutual aid in the amazing job they did last night in battling the terrible Parsons Paper Fire.

Last night, my son and I went to the fire headquarters and along with hundreds of our fellow citizens and witnessed great heroism and commitment! A great deal of additional property damage and potential loss of life were spared because of their efforts. They once again showed why they are one of the best departments around and made us all very proud!

Great job Guys!

Division of Banks approves Holyoke's new Pawnbroker Ordinance!

Holyoke- City Councilor Kevin Jourdain announced today that the Division of Banks after a recent public hearing has approved the new ordinances related to Pawnbrokers sponsored by Councilor Jourdain. The new ordinance among other provisions also includes a provision capping interest rates that can be charged to customers to 36% per year. Prior to the ordinance, pawnbrokers were allowed to charge as much as they wanted and many in the industry have been known to charge as much as 60-80% interest.

"I am happy that Holyoke was able to put in place reasonable new limits to make sure that customers, many of whom are lower income, from being exploited and I thank the Division of Banks for approving the Common Sense reforms I put forward."

For more information on this new law, please feel free to contact me anytime.

City Council Bonds 2.5 million for Air Conditioning amid school closings and layoffs!

Holyoke - At our last meeting on June 3, the City Council voted 12-3 to pass $9.4 million in additional bonding to pay for cost overruns to the proposed Holyoke High improvements. In 2004, the City Council approved with my support over $13 million in improvements for the high school. These proposed improvements were eligible for 90% reimbursement from the state.

Since that time in October 2005, the architect for the project, Alderman & MacNeish, went bankrupt and walked off with $773,000 of Holyoke's money. According to testimony to the Finance Committee,which I am a member, they reportedly destroyed all of the paid for work product and drawings. We were told by school officials that the city's law department is pursing legal action.

Since the initial estimates for the proposed improvements to the school in 2002, there has been nearly $6 million in inflationary costs. What was remarkable to me was the fact that if the School Department knew in October 2005 that Alderman & MacNeish went bankrupt why did they not regroup and keep the project moving forward with a new architect. It appears that there was a 2 year delay and this has resulted in sizable percentage of the inflationary costs. Luckily, to the School dept's credit they were able to secure $2.6 million of additional state assistance to help cover some of the $6 million in inflation.

Meanwhile, the Holyoke Gas&Electric Dept has announced that it is closing down its steam operations in the city and to the high school. This required an additional $1 million to install a new gas boiler system. The School Dept also requested an additional $500,000 for a fire alarm system upgrade and $100,000 for a new security system. While these are smaller ticket items, one does wonder why (with the exception of the boiler) they were not put in the original package to the state so the city could have been reimbursed. All of these new costs will receive 0% reimbursement because they are new add-ons.

Although not happy we are not getting any state reimbursement, I was supportive of these additions to the original bond authorization. What I could not justify to the taxpayers was the late addition of Air Conditioning at a cost of $2.5 million to the project. First of all, as an alumni of HHS Class of 1989 myself, I survived just fine as a student without air conditioning. For the forty years the school has been open, students have lived without air conditioning. Would it be nice? Sure. But I think what students would prefer is that more of their teachers, professional staff and custodians keep their jobs then to have air conditioning at a cost of $250,000+ for 20 years on the city's credit card. On June 15, over 107 school employees will be getting pink slips.

While the School Dept. is closing 3 schools and the City has $1 million deficit to start the fiscal year, now is not the time for a luxury that will be used for the Summer months when most students will not even be there. Moreover, I asked the Principal why some of the Summer programs could not be transferred to Dean which is one of the few buildings with central air, he stated "I suppose they could."

These are lean times and we, as a city, need to be make some sacrifices instead of just bonding our future generations to the hilt. The Mayor is already proposing his 9th $2 million Tax Increase in a Row. Moreover, if Air Conditioning was a priority then it should be placed in our capital plan and a request should have been made to the state for 80% reimbursement instead of us flipping the whole bill which we cannot afford. We already have over $20 million in requested bonding under consideration for other projects. Never once was AC at the high school mentioned before.

It is for this reason that I requested a bond package without the $2.5 million for AC, but the City Council voted for the $9.4 million anyway which will now increase the $1 million deficit in the Mayor's proposed budget by at least another $1 million to cover the bond payment.

Councilors Jourdain, Keane and Lisi voted against the $9.4 million bond request as presented.

Kevin Jourdain interviewed by MassLive at 40 under 40!

http://videos.masslive.com/2008/05/kevin_jourdain_talks_to_massli.html

City Council to vote on Yet Another Massive Sewer Hike!!!

Holyoke - City Councilor Kevin Jourdain announced today that when the new sewer rate increase of 5.40/ 1000 gals (up 16% from the current 4.66/1000 gals and up 177% from just 2 yrs ago) comes before the City Council on June 3, he will state his clear and unequivocal opposition to this unnecessary and gauging increase.

Councilor Jourdain among others on the Council predicted prior to the November elections that "They will be in for more right after the election!" Regrettably, his prediction was true. Anticipating that many Councilors would be hiding under their desks on this rate increase to get by the election, Councilor Jourdain pushed for the Council to go on record in opposition of the predicted increase to 5.38/1000 gals, yet those who voted for the first exorbitant increase tabled the measure and would not let their constituents know where they stood.

However, because of your calls and outrage over this issue and the mandate the public sent City Hall when 57% of the voters stated they did not want the Aquarion boondoggle, support among City Councilors for Aquarion and its bogus rate predictions is finally beginning to show serious stress cracks. There is even a proposal now before the Council co-sponsored by Aquarion supporters to study getting us out of the contract.

How much longer can the supporters of this disaterous mistake continue to say with a straight face that this is the low cost alternative for Holyoke's sewer needs? How much longer can the Mayor and certain Councilors honestly keep heaping more and more rate increases on the backs of ratepayers before the ratepayers say enough is enough?

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Councilors who opposed the privatization of our sewer plant saw through the "pie in the sky" predictions and have opposed from Day One the overcharging of ratepayers beyond what was truly needed to make the $24 million in necessary improvements mandated by the EPA to the sewer plant. To pay a bond on $24 million at the 2% state rate costs approximately $1.5 million per year. Considering that according to DPW reports for every dollar increase in the rate, the city raises approximately $2 million in revenue, one wonders where all of this extra money is going? We know Aquarion is doing quite well off of us but why is this allowed?

Under public control, you had direct accountability and stable rates for decades. At 1.95/1000 gals your rate was among the lowest in the area. Under public control, with federal assistance and low interest loans your sewer rate to support the plant should never have to been more than $3.00 to $3.20 maximum per 1000 gals to make the improvements. That would have been a one-time increase. With Aquarion, every time you turn around you are getting hit with another increase and demand for more money that you cannot afford.

No one likes to pay more but when it is not justified makes it an even more bitter pill to swallow. The current rate of 4.66 is simply outrageous and to now increase it again to 5.40 is over the top. This will be a very close vote and the ratepayers and voters should let their Councilors know enough is enough.

This issue will be heating up again and please always feel free to contact Kevin regarding your thoughts on the issue. Stay tuned to Holyoke First for all of your sewer rate and other City Hall news and updates!

Finance Committee Update on City Audit Report!

The Finance Committee has now met twice regarding my order to flesh out the problems highlighted in the recent Department of Revenue Audit Report, as well as, a full discussion of the proposed recommendations.

The Committee has meet with the City Auditor, Assessors, Tax Collector, Personnel Director and Treasurer.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, 2008 and will focus on the City Treasurer and the numerous problems in his office. There will be many areas of questions regarding his followup for past promises he has made to the City Council. In addition to the Audit report, I will certainly be inquiring of the Treasurer as to his mulitple promises to resolve the medicare accounts and the proper crediting of employee's statements.

At the conclusion of these hearings, I will be offering a large package of findings, as well as, procedural and structural changes that need to be made to city government and certain offices to make them more transparent and accountable to the taxpayers. I will keep the citizens fully updated thorughout this process.

On June 2, the Finance Committee will also be discussing the proposed $9.4 million bond request to make improvements to Holyoke High School. That night we will also be getting a report from the Retirement Board regarding the unfunded pension liability issue and the overall health of the city retirement fund. It should be an excellent meeting and I will followup with Bloggers on Holyoke First with a full report.

Holyoke workers fearful over checks!

Sunday, May 11, 2008
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE
sconstantine@repub.com

HOLYOKE - Some city employees have not seen evidence of their weekly contributions to Medicare in their annual social security statements for years, and whether the fault lies with the Social Security Administration or the city treasurer's department - or both - is unclear.

Former School Committeeman John C. Pietrzykowski complained recently that his wife's situation was brought to the attention of City Treasurer David B. Donoghue this year and last, but to no avail.

Pietrzykowski said that his wife, Theresa A., a teacher aide in the public school system for seven years, talked to Donoghue six weeks ago about her Medicare earnings not having been listed on her annual Social Security statements since 2000.

"He said 'I'll take care of it,' and never called back," Pietrzykowski said. "Seven years of this stuff going on. That's not feasible."

Donoghue said recently he had no recollection of speaking to Pietrzykowski about the matter. He said the money has been paid to the government, and the difficulty lies with the Social Security Administration. He said it was having problems with the computer disc sent from the city.
"We are working to correct that," Donoghue said.

Asked for the name of the person at the Social Security Administration with whom he is working, Donoghue said he did not know because he used a toll-free number to talk to personnel in Baltimore.

The money has been paid and the information set down in the city records, he said. Donoghue said he was willing to write a letter to the Pietrzykowskis providing the missing information.
Told about the situation, Stephen Richardson, the regional public affairs specialist in Social Security's Boston office, said the city has been working with a Social Security liaison person to resolve the problem and ensure it does not recur. He declined to speculate on how soon the issue would be resolved or say how or where the problem originated.

"It's difficult to say at which end the problem existed; that is what we are culling out," he said.
Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said a number of city employees have reported the same problem, and there may be a similar situation with the majority of Holyoke's approximately 2,500 employees.

Sullivan said Donoghue has pledged to resolve the situation for the last two years and that the money has been paid.

While the mayor said he appreciates the concern and trepidation city employees may feel, he said there is little he can do.

He noted that the treasurer is an autonomous elected official, independent of the City Council and the mayor's office.

Councilor Jourdain receives Award from BusinessWest!

Holyoke - City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain was delighted to receive a wonderful honor from BusinessWest Magazine by being selected to their 40 under 40 Class of 2008. The 40 under 40 award recognizes the top 40 young professionals in Western Massachusetts for their achievements and contributions to their region.

Councilor Jourdain added, "I was delighted to have been selected and I am honored beyond my accomplishments. I am also very proud to be among the same class of outstanding achievers and professionals chosen for 2008. This is a very meaningful award to me and I am truly honored for this recognition!"

In addition to the award, there will also be a recognition dinner on May 22 at Chez Josef in Agawam.

The entire 40 under 40 Class of 2008 can be seen on BusinessWest's website: www.businesswest.com.

Budget Poll Results!

Holyoke First Bloggers Poll Results on City Budget

44% said Holyoke spends too much and taxes too much

40% said Holyoke spends about right and taxes about right

16% said Holyoke spends too little and our taxes are too low.

Thanks everyone for participating!

Councilor Jourdain keeps promise and announces City Budget now On-Line!

Holyoke - City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain was very happy to announce that he kept his campaign pledge to get the City Budget placed online. Councilor Jourdain commended the Holyoke G&E for their assistance with this project and the city budget is now available on the city website located at www.holyoke.org.

Councilor Jourdain added, "it is my belief that the public has the right to an open government, one that shows them where every dollar is spent and for what purpose." Councilor Jourdain knows the sacrifices our residents and business owners make to pay their taxes and deserve the right to know how those dollars are spent.

The direct link is: http://www.holyoke.org/COHbudget7_2007_6_2008.pdf

If any taxpayer ever has a question as to how their tax money is being spent, please never hesitate to contact me at 538-5519 or via email at Kevin.Jourdain@verizon.net.

City Council Sustains Veto and votes Counseling center zone change down!

Counseling center bid vetoed
Thursday, April 17, 2008
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - A plan to rezone a piece of land to allow for construction of a counseling facility failed to make it past the City Council and mayor.

"I think it's an inappropriate place to have a facility," Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said yesterday.

Sullivan vetoed a zone change request by the council for a parcel at 15 Holy Family Road. Behavioral Health Network Inc. wanted to change the zoning for the property from Residential 1A to Business Limited.

On Tuesday, the council voted 9-6 to override Sullivan's veto. However, the override vote failed since it required a two-third's majority vote or 10 votes total.

Councilors Patricia C. Devine, Rebecca Lisi, Diosdado Lopez, Joseph M. McGiverin, Elaine A. Pluta, Todd Purington, Peter R. Tallman, Donald R. Welch and John P. Brunelle cast the nine votes in favor of overriding the mayor's veto. The six councilors who voted not to override the veto were Kevin A. Jourdain, Anthony M. Keane, James M. Leahy, Todd A. McGee, John J. O'Neill and John E. Whelihan.

Both sides agreed they wish more had been done to notify residents who live near the property about the zone change. In recent weeks, several councilors said they have heard from many residents who are strongly opposed.

"No one complained about it ... because no one knew about it," McGee said.

"It's too bad people are learning about it after the veto," Brunelle said.

And even among councilors who voted not to override the veto skepticism about the project was expressed. Leahy said the project sounded like a small business and questioned whether it should be operating in a residential neighborhood.

But other councilors were more strongly opposed to the project, particularly since the zone change would allow for the construction of a counseling facility. McGee noted that the proposed facility would be built near a school and housing for senior citizens.

"We're inviting them up to an area where we have the most vulnerable people," McGee said.

Jourdain agreed. "I really think you couldn't pick a worse spot to put this," he said.

But Purington defended the proposed facility, noting that Behavioral Health Network has been operating in the city for a long time. "They have been a trusted partner for many years," he said.
Purington added that the people who would be treated there "are not monsters."

Brunelle agreed. "This is not a new organization," he said. "I do believe it is something the city does need."

Behavioral Health Network Inc. has been represented by Holyoke lawyer John J. Driscoll during the zone change process. Driscoll could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Councilor Jourdain announces effort to sustain Mayor Sullivan's veto on Holy Family Road Zone Change!

Holyoke - City Councilor Kevin Jourdain announced today that he thanked Mayor Sullivan for vetoing the proposed zone change slated for 15 Holy Family Road in order to place a mental health facility there operated by the Behavioral Health Network.

One month ago, the City Council voted 10-5 in favor of the proposal despite the unanimous recommendation of the Planning Board to deny the proposal. Mayor Sullivan vetoed the measure and the Council tabled the veto override until April 15, 2008 for further study.

Among the many reasons I oppose the zone change, they are:

1) The increased traffic demands on this secondary road that will be created by the placement of this facility would be detrimental to area.

2) It is incompatible to the neighborhood and the neighboring elementary school.

3) There are insufficent safeguards in place and presented in the proposal to ensure the safety of children and others using the nearby park.

4) Holyoke has far exceeded its capacity and ability to take on yet another non-profit, non-taxing paying social service agency and it is best suited elsewhere. Holyoke is far beyond the saturation point to healthily manage yet another facility of its type in the city.

5) There are many other far superior uses presently available to the owner of the parcel under its current zoning that would be compatible to the neighborhood and more beneficial to the neighborhood. Thereby, making it unnecessary to change the zone.

6) The opposition of the Mayor and unanimous Planning Board should be given considerable deference whenever considering a zone change.

Councilors Jourdain, Whelihan, McGee, O'Neill and Leahy were the 5 Councilors who voted NO on this zone change. I encourage citizens to voice their thoughts to the other 10 Councilors in the hope that 6 of the 15 Councilors will vote to sustain the Mayor's veto.

For more information, please do not hesitiate to call or email me.

Councilor Jourdain files Orders for April 15th Meeting!

22. JOURDAIN -- That no parking be established 40 feet from corner of Carter St in front of 36 Anderson Avenue.

23. JOURDAIN -- That intersection at Brown and Laurel Streets be resurfaced.

24. JOURDAIN -- That the School Committee evaluate the new school uniform policy in Springfield and give due consideration to adopting a comprehensive school uniform policy.

25. JOURDAIN -- That PEG Access please forward the accompanying accountant’s report referred to on the statement of expenses and revenues. That they also please describe in more detail the purpose of the expense of $1380 to MAP.

26. JOURDAIN -- That PEG Access and/or Council President give an update on the new television and audio equipment for the City Council chambers. [co-filed with Pluta & McGee]

Holyoke Sun Now On-Line!

The Holyoke Sun is now available on-line!

Congratulations to them and I have added a link for my blog readers.

Councilor Jourdain to represent Massachusetts at GOP National Convention in Minnesota!

Greenfield - Holyoke City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain was elected 1 of 3 First Congressional District Delegates to the Republican National Convention to be held in Minneapolis, MN from Sept. 1-4, 2008. Councilor Jourdain attended the very heavily attended caucus and made a stirring election speech on behalf of Arizona Senator John McCain and in fondness to Gov. Mitt Romney, who Jourdain supported in the primary. It is considered a high honor to be selected a delegate by the District's caucus goers and this is Jourdain's third election as delegate in 8 years.

Councilor Jourdain has endorsed Sen. John McCain for President in November.

The First Congressional District Caucus was held this past Saturday in Greenfield. The National Convention is a unique opportunity to meet national leaders and represent the State of Massachusetts before this highly watched national forum. Councilor Jourdain will work with local media outlets to give all Holyokers an inside perspective of the Convention and the news as it develops.

A wonderful St. Patrick's Parade in Holyoke!

It was wonderful to have been part of yet another fantastic Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade. The weather was great and everyone was in a such a good mood. I enjoyed marching and saying hello to everyone. Thank you to everyone for their well wishes.

It was also very exciting for my three little ones to see their Daddy marching. I gave them each a big high five. They are just getting old enough to understand what Daddy is doing and they had so much fun getting balloons and enjoying all of the sights. Thanks to my mom and wife for allowing me to march!

I hope you enjoyed the parade and music as much as I did.

Isn't Holyoke, great? Let's do it all again next year!

God Bless Holyoke!

Councilor Jourdain announces April 9th Cable Television Hearing!

City Councilor Kevin Jourdain, who chairs the City Council's Cable Television committee, announced that there will be a meeting with the government affairs representative of ComCast on Wednesday, April 9 at 6:30PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.

The Cable Television Committee meets 2-3 times per year to discuss issues of importance between city cable users and ComCast. The committee serves as a liasion between Holyoke cable subscribers and the company so that Holyoke receives the best quality product possible and helps bring forward concerns ratepayers have expressed. At every contract re-negotiation (next one in 2013) the cable television committee weighs in on important contract items that are of concern to the public.

The committee also provides public oversight through the City Council of Holyoke PEG Access, Inc. which is a corporate entity that oversees all of the franchise fee monies collected by ComCast from ratepayers for local community initatives and hardware upgrades. Holyoke PEG Access has three officers made up of the Mayor, City Council President and City Solicitor. They do not meet publicly. The Cable TV Committee Chairman regularly requests a statement of monies expended and monies collected so ratepayers can see how their monies are used. The committee will be reviewing their last report.

All meetings of the Cable TV Committee are public and the public is encouraged to participate and make their voices heard about issues of concern to them. So, if you have a question or concern about your cable television service, please come to the meeting on April 9th and speak to the representative from ComCast. If you are unable to make the meeting, you can contact Councilor Jourdain via email at kevin.jourdain@verizon.net or call him at home at 538-5519 and he will relay your question or concern.

Poll Results In! Holyoke Bloggers oppose Trash Transfer Station!

The Results are in on most recent Holyoke First Poll.

Do you support placing a Trash Transfer Station on Main Street?

59% No, Holyoke does not need that.

41% Yes, this is good for the city.

Thank you for so many people taking the time to vote!

Councilor Jourdain files orders for March 18th Meeting!

1. PLUTA/JOURDAIN -- That the Assessors come into the City Council Finance Committee and let us know how the proposed legislation for taxing telecommunication lines as personal property might affect the City of Holyoke.

2. PLUTA/JOURDAIN -- That the City Solicitor advise the City Council in executive session on the status of pending litigation with the City.

3. PLUTA/JOURDAIN -- That someone from Americorps or Solutions, Inc. come into the City Council Redevelopment Committee withan assessment of the future of this program.

4. JOURDAIN -- That the HG&E please evaluate and install where needed guardrails at all locations along canals where a motor vehicle has a significant possibility of making accidental entry.

5. JOURDAIN -- That the City Council President please select a person to replace Councilor Norris on the Cable Television Committee.

6. JOURDAIN -- That the Law Department render a legal opinion if police officers under criminal charges are required to be placed on leave without pay while the charges are pending?

The City Council Session will be meeting on Tuesday, March 18 beginning at 7:30PM in the City Council Chambers. Watch the meeting live on Channel 15!

If there is ever an order or issue that you feel the City Council needs to act on, please never hesitate to contact me via email or at 538-5519.

Big Morning in Holyoke!

I had the pleasure to participate in two very important events this past Friday:

First, I started my day at a homelessness summit at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College which revolved around the issue of "The Pioneer Valley's Plan to end Homelessness." There were a number of outstanding speakers and panels that addressed the homelssness problem in Pioneer Valley. Mayor Domenic Sarno of Springfield, Mayor Michael Sullivan of Holyoke and Mayor Mary Claire Higgins of Northampton deserve alot of credit for their leadership on this issue. City Councilors Rebecca Lisi and Tim Purington also attended the event with me.

Participants were all provided copies of the the plan and it appears to be a comprehensive approach to end homelessness, especially as it relates to families, in our area. The summit was very well attended and provided all types of people and constituencies to get together to end this problem.

As the former Director of Loreto House, a homeless shelter for men in Holyoke, this issue is very near to my heart and I told the mayor he can count on me to be helpful in any way possible to rid this tragedy from our community.

Secondly, from that event I wisked up to the Log Cabin for a special luncheon with the Speaker of the Mass. House Rep. Sal DiMasi. The event was hosted by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce who I thank very much for having invited me. We enjoyed a nice lunch and listened to this powerful Beacon Hill player tell us about his vision for the state. I certainly like the Speaker's approach to state finances which are very similar to mine on the city level. Keep taxes down as much as possible, find efficiencies, new approaches and make government live on its budget. This is never easy at the city or state level. He has a very difficult job and I was glad to hear that under his leadership the state has built up a reserve of $2.1 billion and there are no proposals to increase taxes. I am proud to say that City has over $9.1 million in our Stabilization Fund.

He discussed casinos and his skepticism for them. He added that the Legislature will be having more hearings and members will be taking some votes relatively soon. He discussed numerous bond bills on education, higher education and transportation that will be coming. He also stated that the legislature recently passed a large Life Sciences Bill which will call for the formation of a Life Sciences Center in our area. He stated that the Governor's recent proposal for free state tuition is also doomed because there is no way the state can afford it.

He is a very personable person who was very generous with his time and even fielded questions from the audience. I asked him about the future of the Governor's so called proposals to reduce property taxes. He stated that the proposed local option taxes such as allowing cities to have a meals tax or increased hotel occupancy taxes were unlikely to pass. As for the rest of the Governors proposal, its future appears cloudy at this time.

It was a great opportunity to say hello to alot of our local legislators; including Rep. Rosemarie Sandlin of Agawam and Rep. John Scibak of South Hadley who sat at my table along with my good friend Councilor Elaine Pluta and several employees of Goss & McLain Insurance.

Poll Results In! Holyokers Back Checks and Balances!

By a clear 70% margin, Blog voters supported keeping checks and balances over giving additional power to the mayor.

Should the City Council consolidate more power and all financial appointments in the Mayor?
70% NO, I like checks and balances
30% YES, He needs more power

Thank you for everyone who participated!

Councilor Jourdain on Real to Reel: Strongly supports Baby Safe Haven Law!

Last Night on Real to Reel produced by the Catholic Communications Office of the Diocese of Springfield, Councilor Jourdain commented on the importance of Baby Safe Haven Laws and the value we as a community place on the sanctity of human life here in the City of Holyoke.

Last August, the Legislature and Governor made the Baby Safe Haven Law of 2004 permanent. In short, it allows any parent to bring their child 7 days or younger to a hospital, police station or manned fire station and surrender their baby no questions asked if they feel they cannot support the child for whatever reason. Of course, I believe we would all agree, that it is sad that this has to occur in our wonderful country but the value of human life must remain our supreme consideration. This law is non judgemental of the parents but focuses on protecting the infant from the tragedy of death by abandonment.

I was particularly proud of Chief Scott's comments in the show as well. He shares my committment to the protection of our children. I want it well known that if anyone who would consider for even one moment the abandonement of their child, please do not... bring them to us and we will make sure that the appropriate authorities find that child a loving home. There is never a reason to abandon a child.

Last August, I not only commended the Legislature and our Governor for making this law permanent but I also asked that Baby Safe Haven signs be placed on all fire stations and police stations of our City. There is also one at Holyoke Hospital.

I was very pleased by the excellent report done by Julie Beaulieu, a native Holyoker, on the issue and thank Real to Reel for their continuing committment to cover issues that matter to our communities. Real to Reel offers very uplifting programs about the many good things happening here in Western Massachusetts.

For more information about the Baby Safe Haven Law (officially known as Mass. Gen. Law ch. 119 Sec. 39 1/2) goto www.babysafehaven.com

City Council Meeting for 2/19/08

The City Council took up a number of very important items last night and I wanted to give you a full report of what happened.

1) The City Council appointed Charles Fred Glidden to a 3 yr appointment to represent the City Council on the Board of Directors of the Holyoke Geriatric Authority. Fred has a wealth of knowledge about the Authority and previously served on that board for 9 years. Fred will join our 2 other appointments of Angela Boyle and Ted Taupier to make sure that the Geriatric Authority provides quality care and remains financially solvent. I also tip my hat to the other very qualified candidates who ran because it was not an easy decision. In the end, here is how your Councilors voted:

Charles F Glidden received the 9 votes of Councilors Brunelle, Devine, Jourdain, Keane, Lopez, McGiverin, Tallman, Welch & Whelihan

Raymond Murphy received the 5 votes of Councilors Leahy, Lisi, McGee, Pluta and Purington

Kimberly Ferris received 1 vote from Councilor O'Neill

2) The City Council approved the Jones Ferry River Access Center and I was proud to have voted for this excellent project. For the cost of $400,000 we will be receiving a state of the art facility valued at $1.3 million. This facility and location will be an asset to our children and grandchildren for many years to come. The vote was 13-2 with Councilors Brunelle and Whelihan voting no.

3) The City Council voted down the $122,384 in payraises to numerous department heads in city hall and other non-elected, non-union positions totalling 51 positions in all. The raises were completely arbitrary and without any backup whatsoever in terms of justifying enhancements ranging from 3, 4, 6, 8, 13.5%. Unfortunately, some of the positions did deserve an enhancement but the mayor elected to package them all in one unit in the expectation we would have to approve them all or nothing. As I stated clearly at the meeting, I am supportive of Cost of Living Adjustments for our employees usually in the range of 2-2.5-3% like we do for our union positions but no way can the city afford massive payraises without serious justification. Many of these positions are paid at the very top of the scale of what they should be paid already for the work performed. The Council was not provided with performance appraisal justifications either. Historically, the City Council has a reputation for just voting for everything and anything when it comes to payraises; hopefully, yesterday's vote signals a new course of financial accountablity on behalf of the taxpayers of the city who expect us to treat our employees fairly while at the same time making sure we live on our budget.

The Council voted as follows (10 votes are required for adoption):

In favor of the $122,384 for 1 yr package: Devine, Keane, Leahy, McGee, O'Neill, Pluta, Purington, Tallman and Welch

Opposing the package: Jourdain, Lisi, Lopez, McGiverin, Whelihan

Councilor Brunelle did not vote.

4) The remaining items from the agenda which is linked from my site were either approved with little discussion or referred to committee.

5) In terms of new orders, there was one filed (Item 36) filed by Councilor O'Neill which will be closely watched: That the Law dept prepare a legal opinion for the City Council discussing the legal procedures available should the City elect to terminate its contract with Aquarion. If possible, the opinion should include an estimate of costs and liabilities to be incurred by the city as a result of this process. Without objection Councilors Devine, Lisi, Pluta and Jourdain joined as co-sponsors.

6) My order to post the city budget on the city website was adopted and hopefully you will see where all of your money is being spent very shortly.

Don't forget you can always see the proceeding live on ComCast Channel 15 on the first and third Tuesday of each month starting at 7:30PM.

If you have any questions about the meeting or would like to discuss an issue of importance to you, please do not hesitate to call me at 538-5519.

It is my pleasure to serve you.

Valley Advocate: Trash Talk!

Thursday, February 21, 2008 Trash Talk Does a proposed transfer station unfairly target one Holyoke neighborhood? By Maureen Turner

Standing at the empty lot at 686 Main St. in Holyoke, it's easy enough to imagine a trash transfer station at the site. The land, ringed by a chain-link fence, sits in the city's designated waste management district. On one side of the two-plus acre parcel is Holyoke's wastewater treatment facility; on another side, just across Berkshire Street, is the city's yard-waste drop-off site, where a pile of discarded Christmas trees awaits recycling. The immediate neighborhood is largely industrial in nature, dominated by oil companies, paper companies, printers.

But travel just beyond that ring of buildings and the nature of the neighborhood changes again, to include modest single-family homes, rental properties and the pride of the neighborhood, Springdale Park. Morgan Elementary School is half a mile from the site; Holyoke High and Dean Technical High are both within a mile and a half. It's a fragile neighborhood, one that struggles with high poverty rates, public health problems, language barriers (many residents speak Spanish as their primary language), ailing schools. The last thing it needs, many in the area say, is to add trash into the mix.

But that's what could happen, if a proposal to build a 22,575-square-foot trash transfer station at 686 Main St. succeeds. The project, proposed by United Waste Management, Inc., based in Bolton, Mass., would be a drop-off site for solid municipal waste, collected from neighboring communities, and for construction and demolition, or C&D, waste. The waste would be consolidated and then transported to landfills.

Angry residents are organizing against the project, citing worries about pollution, increased traffic and noise. Proponents of the project counter that the station would bring jobs and tax revenue to a city that could use more of both, and say fears about the project are off the mark.
And while neighbors have the backing of city councilors and a dedicated coalition of activists, they face an uphill battle: Right now, they have little legal standing in their fight to stop the project.

City Councilor Diosdado Lopez has represented Ward 2, which includes the proposed transfer station site, for 17 years. Like other opponents, he says the project snuck up on the neighborhood, with little public notification or opportunity for input.
"This whole project has been like a secret," Lopez says. "Even though I represent the area where the project is being proposed, I never got any information until I found out through the Planning Board. That usually never happens."

But once he got wind of the idea, Lopez lost no time trying to kill it. He and others opposed to the project see numerous potential problems: Pollution, generated by as many as 225 trucks a day, carrying up to 750 tons of trash to the transfer station, in a city where asthma rates are already higher than average. Noise created by the trucks and by train cars, running on tracks adjacent to the site, that would carry some of the trash from the transfer station. The wear and tear on the streets caused by the increased traffic, which they also worry could cause jams that would make it hard for emergency vehicles to get through. Declining property values for homeowners who suddenly find themselves neighbors to a trash drop-off site. Concerns about the materials at the site, including the potential for toxins like asbestos and mercury in the construction and demolition waste.

"It doesn't make sense to put something like this project in the neighborhood," Lopez says. "We don't deserve it, due to all the problems we have in the area."
Last fall, Lopez struck what looked to be a debilitating, if not fatal, blow against the transfer station project: In October, the City Council unanimously approved his proposal for a 12-month moratorium on any new waste processing or trash transfer facilities in the city.

Ginetta Candelario, a Smith College sociology professor who lives in Holyoke's Highlands neighborhood, was one of the residents who came to the council meeting that night, waving signs and wearing medical masks to symbolize their concerns about the health effects of the transfer station. "We left feeling very satisfied that we had managed to at least put the brakes on this project," Candelario recalls.

The victory was short-lived, however; within a week, the city's Law Department declared that the moratorium was not legally valid. In an Oct. 22 letter to Mayor Michael Sullivan, who had requested her opinion on the legality of the moratorium, City Solicitor Karen Betournay wrote that "the order as adopted was not in proper legal form." The moratorium, she wrote, amounted to an amendment of the city's zoning ordinance, but the Council had failed to follow the legal process, including public notice and a hearing, necessary to amend an ordinance. In addition, Betournay cited a Mass. General Law that prohibits municipalities from banning a waste disposal facility on a site already zoned for that use.

The city solicitor did note that the Council could vote to require a transfer station to obtain a special permit imposing conditions on the project. "[I]t is my opinion that a Court would not uphold the [moratorium] order, should United Waste challenge it in Court," Betournay wrote. "Rather than allowing this project to be forced upon the City through the Court system, the City should work with United Waste Management to address residents' concerns during the permitting process."

In light of Betournay's opinion, Sullivan did not sign the moratorium order, effectively vetoing it. Opponents, however, have not given up the fight: Lopez still hopes to legally impose a moratorium; barring that, he hopes to pass an order that would require United Waste Management—or any company looking to open a transfer station or recycling facility in the city—to apply for a special permit. Right now, UWM doesn't need a special permit, since the land is already zoned for waste management.

"If indeed it's going to go in, let it go in with some conditions," Lopez says. That might mean limiting the hours of operation (according to UWM documents about the project, the station would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for six major holidays a year) or reducing the maximum amount of trash allowed at the site. The permit could also require that the center, which is now pitched as a regional facility, only accept trash from within the city, Lopez suggests. "Holyoke shouldn't be a dump for any other cities or towns," he says.

Holyoke would not, in fact, serve as a dump for other communities; the project proposed for 686 Main St. would be a transfer station, where waste would be dropped off, consolidated, and then sent out to landfills. But symbolically, opponents—who've formed a group called Holyoke Organized to Protect the Environment, or HOPE—see the project as dumping on an already beleaguered community. "We have not had a real conversation about any of this, and consequently it feels like they're trying to push something through," says Candelario.
A moratorium would create an opportunity for that conversation, she says. "What we basically want is a pause. We want to really assess the costs and benefits of a transfer station, and is this the best location. We don't think it is," she says.

"You're talking about hundreds of tons [of trash] coming in every day," Candelario says. "That's a huge amount of waste coming into the city and, sadly, coming into the ward that has the highest poverty rate, the highest asthma, high diabetes. You're talking about the most vulnerable population in Holyoke ... made even more vulnerable." William Aponte is an environmental organizer with Nuestras Raices ("Our Roots"), a community organization focused on environmental issues and economic development in Holyoke. He's also co-director of an "environmental justice" grant Nuestras Raices received, with Mount Holyoke College, from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to assess the risks posed by toxins in the city and develop community partnerships to address the problem.

"We have many environmental problems here—diesel trucks and buses driving through the community, brownfields and abandoned buildings, the river is contaminated, the outdoor air pollution—you name it," says Aponte. Adding a transfer station, Aponte says, runs counter to the work his organization is trying to do. "Why can't we focus on the problems we have here and try to find solutions to that, and bring healthy businesses to the community?" he asks. "Why bring a transfer station to a downtown community?"

Candelario agrees. She points to the city's ambitious Canal Walk project, which aims to revitalize the canal district with a pedestrian mall, an "arts corridor," retail and museums. "And three blocks south of there, you're going to have hundreds of dump trucks bringing trash in and out of the city?" she asks. "This is literally the gateway to Main Street." (The transfer station site sits three-quarters of a mile from the southernmost point of the Canal Walk project.) "Holyoke has enormous potential," Candelario says. "It's a beautiful city. It's got character, architecture and history. And this just seems like a giant step backwards."

Scott Lemay, CEO of United Waste Management, says there are a lot of misconceptions about the transfer station project. That's not unusual; waste management projects tend to trigger people's worst fears, says Lemay, who's been in the industry for more than 20 years.
"People think there's pollution, and you're dumping on them," he says. But, he points out, a transfer station is not a dump or a landfill; it's a place where waste material is temporarily stored while loads brought in by smaller vehicles are consolidated to be carried out by larger trucks or by train. The material is not burned or processed, and it doesn't remain there long enough to decompose, he says. "The reality is, you're dumping in a closed building," Lemay says. "Everything that goes into the building goes out of the building."

Lemay describes the project as having numerous benefits for the city of Holyoke. "For starters, it will create jobs, good-paying jobs," he says. Lemay estimates the facility would need about eight workers on site, such as heavy equipment and scale operators, in addition to office staff such as accounting personnel and the truck drivers and rail workers who would transport the material. "We definitely will give preference to Holyoke people," he adds.

Another benefit—one that's caught the attention of some in City Hall—is the tax revenue the project would bring to Holyoke. "You have an industrial piece of property there right now that is clearly distressed," Lemay said. Developing the property would bring in property taxes as well as excise taxes on the equipment; while the specifics of the building are still being sorted out, Lemay describes the station as a "multi-million dollar facility" that would yield "hundreds of thousands" in taxes. In addition, he says, United Waste Management is willing to negotiate a "royalty" payment to the city, which is not mandated by law but is standard in the industry for larger-scale projects.

"We're committed to making sure there are benefits to the city," he says. Lemay contends that many of the community concerns are not as bad as opponents suggest. The facility would generate an average of 150 vehicles trips a day, with a maximum capped at 225. The site's proximity to I-391, he says, means the trucks would not be on city streets for long. And plans to move material from the facility by rail would mean fewer trucks on the road and would make it easier to move the trash to larger regional landfills, to relieve stress on already overburdened landfills in the area.

Lemay says it's unclear yet how many communities would be served by the transfer station, although he says it would serve "the immediate communities. ... People would not long-haul waste from far-away communities." Lemay says he understands residents' fears about the transfer station, especially given the history of the site, which has, at times, hosted an incinerator and a composting site. A transfer station, he says, would not create the same odor and pollution issues. "People need to realize that this isn't some toxic waste dump," he says. "We're talking about their trash, the surrounding communities' trash. It's no different than what you look at in your waste barrel or in a dumpster out in the city."

The concerns of residents who oppose the transfer station extend beyond environmental and traffic issues to include politics and public process. Some suggest that the project is being pushed through because it's in a heavily poor, mostly Latino neighborhood. "I believe it's like a racial project," says Nuestras Raices' Aponte, who notes that many affected residents speak Spanish as their primary language, which makes it harder for them to be engaged in the public process or to weed through technical documents that are available in English only.

And while the City Council unanimously passed the moratorium last fall, project opponents say that doesn't necessarily mean they've got city government on their side. "The mayor is basically selling this idea that he's neutral, which I don't believe," says Diosdado Lopez, who contends Sullivan is quietly backing the project.

Not so, counters Sullivan. "I really haven't taken any position one way or another," the mayor says. "I try and be fair about the advantages to the city and the disadvantages." But, Sullivan adds, he also has to make sure the city doesn't overstep its legal rights. He didn't sign the moratorium, he says, because the Law Department made it clear it was not legally sound. He says he also has to keep in mind that, as things now stand, UWM has a legal right to build the transfer station, since the land is already zoned for that use.

"We also are very cognizant and very aware of people's land rights, and the process. This is privately held land. Taking a position one way or another would be imprudent, because that's how litigation starts," Sullivan says. "If United Waste thinks that it's unfair to them one way or another, or the residents do, it may lay the ground for a suit down the road."

While Sullivan says he's not taking a position on the project, he appears to consider its building a likely possibility and is already considering ways to mitigate potential problems. "Certainly, there are concerns," the mayor says, pointing, for instance, to increased traffic in the area. But, he says, the project might be an opportunity to get UWM to help improve traffic flow in the neighborhood, especially at I-391. "The city engineer and I don't feel [the traffic concerns are] insurmountable, and we feel there probably would be a benefit for the greater good if we could make improvements in that area," says Sullivan. Plus, he adds, a local transfer station would mean fewer trucks heading through the city to the West Springfield facility where Holyoke now sends its trash—provided the city contracts with UWM to handle its trash.

After discussions with Lemay and with the city's DPW head, Sullivan feels many neighborhood fears about the project are unfounded. "From an environmental aspect, there's a lot of misinformation out there," he says. UWM would have control systems to handle dust and odor, he says, and the trash sorting would all take place within the building. "That's far better than what we had there before, which was an odorous nightmare," says Sullivan, referring to the former composting facility.

Sullivan objects to suggestions that Ward 2 is being treated unfairly, and that the project would never happen in a more affluent neighborhood. The fact is, he says, the project is targeting this community because it's already zoned for waste management. "Every neighborhood has to put up with some aspect of quality of life," says Sullivan. People in the Ingleside area are bothered by mall traffic; residents of West Holyoke complain about snowmobilers; in the Highlands, they're unhappy about the coal-burning plant and the Mount Tom quarry. Given a choice, "they'd probably take the transfer station," Sullivan says. "People don't like these things," he says of the transfer station. "They need them, but they don't like them."

One other thing Holyoke needs, the mayor adds, is revenue. While he doesn't yet know how much the transfer station would generate in taxes, he says, "I think it's safe to say it would be more than [the property] does now." The project could generate other income for the city, too, such as tipping fees.

"That money is going to go to our schools, our police, our fire. Like every community, we're starving to find new sources of revenue," Sullivan says. He even raises the specter of something that has caused much turmoil in Holyoke's biggest neighbor to the south: "I'm not saying it will, but this project may be the difference between Holyoke continuing to have free trash pick-up and having a fee like Springfield does."

Freshman City Councilor Rebecca Lisi wasn't in office when the moratorium was passed last fall. But she supports Lopez's new moratorium effort, to allow the city and residents time to evaluate the project and to make sure there's a fair process in place for evaluating such proposals in the future. If the moratorium fails, Lisi supports requiring transfer stations to get a special permit from the City Council. "In the end, the special permit is a fallback. As a last resort, the special permitting process is there to make sure it's not interfering with the lives of the residents," she says. "It's reasonable to impose conditions about things like hours, noise control and traffic control."

Transfer stations can have positive benefits, such as encouraging recycling, says Lisi. But, she asks, "Is this the place to put it? ... No one puts a transfer station on Main Street USA."
She adds: "I definitely sympathize with [Lemay] on a few points—there's a lot of misunderstanding about what a transfer station is. But it's his responsibility to communicate with residents and make clear his proposal."

That, Lemay says, is what he was doing at a public hearing last month on the special permit and moratorium proposals. (That heavily attended hearing was continued to Feb 26, at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall.) At the hearing, Lemay spoke out against a special permit, which he says is redundant, given the numerous requirements already imposed at multiple levels: The state Department of Environmental Protection has an extensive review process for such projects, and UWM would also need the OK of several city bodies, including the Board of Health and the Building and Fire Departments. "There already is a very well-detailed, scrutinized process," Lemay says.

UWM, he adds, is willing to work with the city to address public concerns. "We want this project to create benefits for the community," Lemay says. "To the extent that an issue comes up that we feel needs to be compromised, we're open to discussion. ... "We intend to have a very, very open process. We're proud of the things that we do. We want the people to have the information," adds Lemay, whose company details its proposal on a website: www.uwmholyoke.com.

Lemay believes city residents are starting to feel more comfortable with the project. "We're starting to open people's eyes," he says. "I think people that weren't that receptive in the past are starting to talk about the issues more, as opposed to just being against it."

But not everyone is ready to get on board with the project—starting with Diosdado Lopez. In addition to the special permit and moratorium proposals, he's also looking into other ways the city might stop the project, such as refusing UWM an easement to the property. He's also working with HOPE to consider other recourses, including raising money for a legal fight. "I'm hoping we don't let this guy go in without a fight to the end, even if we have to go to court," Lopez says. The group is also considering splashier tactics, such as picketing outside Lemay's home in eastern Mass., the councilor adds.

"This is a big project for the neighborhood, and I haven't found any support in the neighborhood," Lopez says. "With this project, we're going back 20 years."
—mturner@valleyadvocate.com