Re-Elect Holyoke's Fiscal Watchdog!

Re-Elect Holyoke's Fiscal Watchdog!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

CBS 3 Does Followup Story on Holyoke Library Computer Controversy

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/51361147.html
By Matthew Campbell
Story Published: Jul 21, 2009 at 11:18 PM EDT
Story Updated: Jul 21, 2009 at 11:18 PM EDT
Weeks after a CBS 3 Springfield investigation uncovered an alleged child porn cover-up, the Holyoke library has made changes.
New computers, equipped with state of the art firewalls is the response from the Holyoke Library after their computers were infiltrated by child porn.
"It will prevent any changes and any downloading onto our computers," says library director, Maria Pagan.
Back in December, Holyoke resident Michael Houle, was indicted for accessing child porn on the library's computer.
It took three days before someone finally went to police.
It was librarian Carla Wessells. She spoke exclusively to CBS 3 Springfield earlier this month, alleging a cover-up took place.
"She kept saying over and over, the police are going to want to know a name. And she told me to just relax," Wessels said in that interview.
Tuesday at a board meeting, the library denied a cover up, but admitted there were gaps in their safety policies.
Now they're correcting them.
"Between the new computers and state of the art software, this is a step forward," Pagan says.
Patrons can see the changes as new signs are posted on the walls.
A new safety security manual was revised and approved by the Holyoke Police Department.
Appleton Street officials say the city's library matches or beats the safety at any other library in the state.
"Keeping it simple like that eliminates any questions about what needs to be done," says Holyoke Police Lt. Denise Duguay.
In August, all employees will undergo mandatory training on what to do if someone abuses the library computers again.
"I think it's a good start. There may be employees that weren't sure how to handle the situation so I think the training is always a good start," says resident Melissa Rogers.
Residents again feel safe to bring their kids to the Maple Street library, but aren't sure the director, the one accused of a cover up, should go unpunished.
"The first thing she should've done is bring it to somebody's attention and that should've been the police," says Brenda Cruz.
However, the library, admits no wrong.
In a telephone interview with Board president Ellen Moriarty, she says, nothing will be done to Maria because "she's served the board well."
No matter how residents are feeling, it appears that the controversy will end here.
The board is run independently from the city, so all decisions, including this one, can't be challenged.

Councilor Jourdain seeks input from citizens on 2009 Priority Road Repair List!

For Immediate Release

July 27, 2009

HOLYOKE – City Councilor At Large Kevin A. Jourdain announced today that he is seeking input from the citizens of Holyoke regarding which streets they believe should be placed on the DPW’s 2009 Priority List. The DPW annually develops a Priority List for road resurfacing and related work. The City anticipates spending approximately $700,000 this year which is funded through our Chapter 90 State Aid for Highways. Every year, Councilor Jourdain makes it a point to seek the input from his constituents in developing the city’s Priority List. “Over the years, I have been very successful in getting scores of streets in need of resurfacing and sidewalk replacement placed on the DPW’s Priority List,” said Jourdain. Councilor Jourdain is the most senior member of the Finance Committee and has secured tens of millions of dollars in new streets and sidewalks during his tenure on the City Council. “I continue to put my experience to work for the taxpayers by making sure their needs are met.”

If a constituent knows of a street or sidewalk that needs to be replaced, please contact him at (413) 538-5519 or email him at Kevin.Jourdain@verizon.net.

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Monday, July 6, 2009

Mayor Hamilton Dies and is Remembered!


There is sad news from Texas tonight: former Mayor Hamilton passed away this afternoon.
I served my first term on the City Council with Bill and he was a very hard working Mayor who was exceptionally smart and shrewd. He was very helpful to me personally when he pushed to get me elected as a rookie and for that I am eternally grateful. He did a fine job for the city and was not one to be swayed by what was popular even when it looked like it might cost him his seat.

Alot of people do not remember the Override days of 1991. From that low point in city finances, Bill emerged as a real leader for change and it is why the people of the city elected him. While we agreed most of the time, there were exceptions and he always made sure to tell me what he thought. I liked his style although I can say it did not work for all of my colleagues. He was fair and a straight shooter.

Not to be out done, he would be the first to remind everyone of his very talented and gifted wife, Rosemary, who was a Mt. Holyoke graduate. Very sharp lady and very charming.

One of Bill's favorite lines from Shakespeare that he particularly loved to quote towards those who seemed to have forgotten what he delivered from time to time was from King Lear, "Sharper than a serpent's tooth are these the children of ingratitude!" I loved that line and he said it with a certain flair that just made you laugh even if it was directed your way.

Holyoke was lucky to have Bill as our Mayor for 5 years (1991-1996). I know he enjoyed his son, Mark, very much and relocated to Texas from his home on Eastern Promenade to be with him. Mark is quite accomplished as well.

Bill will be remembered fondly and it was a pleasure to have known him. Requiescat in pace.

Former Holyoke Mayor William Hamilton dies in Texas following heart attacks

By MIKE PLAISANCE
mplaisance@repub.com

HOLYOKE - Former Mayor William A. Hamilton, whose tough-minded management was credited with turning around the city during a recession died Monday in Texas. He was 86.

His son Mark F. Hamilton said in a telephone interview that William Hamilton collapsed in his Austin apartment, suffered two cardiac arrests and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 12:11 p.m.

He won a special election for mayor in June 1991. After winning in 1993, Hamilton lost the mayoral seat in an upset in November 1995 to Daniel J. Szostkiewicz, a former city councilor who was nearly three-times younger than Hamilton.

"He died peacefully, with my wife and I at his side," Mark Hamilton said.

Hamilton was mayor here during hard financial times and generally his cost-cutting measures and tightness with the public buck were credited with helping the city through its financial crisis.

Hamilton grew up in the city's Churchill section, and served a term as an alderman in the 1960s.

Later as a businessman with Monsanto Co., Hamilton traveled the world before returning to Holyoke to retire.

He invented a railroad car for Monsanto operations that dumped loads through the bottom rather than having to lift the car up and rotate it.

Hamilton was an iconoclast here - and the Shakespeare-quoting Hamilton probably would have preferred the label "iconoclast" over merely "rebel."

He was a registered Republican mayor in a city run by Democrats.

He pushed to put a gambling casino-resort on Mount Tom, even though that position cost him support of voters in Ward 7 who opposed gaming in their ward.

Hamilton opposed having the city take over the hydroelectric dam here from a utility company, a step later favored in a non-binding referendum by the voters by about a four to one margin.

Among the economic development in his administration was the one-third increase in the size of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside and development of Holyoke Crossings, a retail block adjacent to the mall.

Disturbing New Development in Holyoke Public Library Child Porn Investigation!

From Channel 3 News comes this very disturbing report:
Allegations of Child Porn Cover Up at Holyoke Library
http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/49743542.html/

By Matthew Campbell
Story Published: Jul 2, 2009 at 11:07 PM EDT
Story Updated: Jul 2, 2009 at 11:13 PM EDT
An assistant librarian blew the whistle on a patron who is accused of downloading child porn. But she didn't stop there. She speaks out against the higher-ups who, she says, tried to sweep the incident under the rug.
It was a December day at the Holyoke Library. Patrons were using the computer, until raw pornographic images pop up.
But the centerfold on the screen was a toddler.
"They were very sexually explicit photographs of a little girl, probably 3 or 4 years old. You couldn't see his face, but you could clearly see hers. It was almost like she was looking right at you," Wessels says.
Shocked, and staring back at the girl on the screen, were the patron, the assistant library director, and her boss, director, Maria Pagan.
"She thought by restarting the computer, that would take care of it," Wessels says.
Assistant Library Director, Carla Wessels, alleges her boss tried to delete the images and keep the incident quiet, by not reporting it.
"She kept saying over and over, the police are going to want to know a name. And she told me to just relax," Wessels says.
But Wessels couldn't. The images haunted the 5 year librarian.
"When I went home, Friday night after work, I was still really affected. All day through work all I could see were those images," Wessels says.
And that's when she decided to blow the whistle. It was 3 days later on a Monday morning.
"First thing when I got in, in the morning, I went into her office, and said pretty much the same thing when I called her Friday night. And she gave me the same response that the police are going to want to know a name and she even brought up the Patriot Act saying that as a library, we need to keep patrons names and addresses confidential," Wessels says.
Fearing the incident would never be reported, Wessels called police. Holyoke's Cyber Crimes unit seized the computer.
Hours later, the images Maria deleted were resurrected. The photos were brought back to life and the man who allegedly surfed for them was identified.
29 year old Michael Houle, who lives a block away from the library and the elementary school across the street, was arraigned on multiple counts of child pornography possession.
"I'm just trying to do what's right and to have people in the higher lever of authority than me not want to be on my side or tell me I did the right thing, is sad," Wessels says.
So CBS 3 went to the people in power, visiting Maria Pagan at her home, and Chairwoman of the Board, Ellen Moriarty.
After repeated attempts, CBS 3 caught up with Pagan at the library.
"What about the allegations that you told the librarians not to do anything about it," we asked.
"That's what they're saying, I'm not going to say either way," Pagan says.
The Library Director still would not admit timing was an issue.
"The police was called, right," Pagan says. "The person was caught, so time doesn't matter," she states.
But Police Chief Anthony Scott says timing is everything.
"If they deleted files, it would've caused problems, but because of the actions of the assistant librarian, we were able to get the info and secure the computer," Scott says.
But when asked by CBS 3, Pagan is still unsure police involvement was the right thing to do.
"Did you follow the manual that day," we asked.
"Didn't even think of doing it," Pagan states.
"Why not," we respond.
"It was just a reaction," she says.
"Do you regret not calling police earlier," we ask.
"Probably, probably," Pagan says, shrugging us off.
After the incident, the library conducted it's own investigation. The results aren't public, because under city law, drafted in the 1900s, the library is treated as a private organization.
"The library is separate. It's run by a board of trustees," confirms Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan.
We ask Pagan more questions.
"Is child safety or the reputation of the library more important?"
"Child safety," she responds.
"Then why didn't you call police as soon as you saw those pictures," we ask.
"It was probably a reaction. That's just it," Pagan says.
But Wessels is afraid it won't be the last time, she'll be calling police.
"I think it could easily happen again," Wessels says.
Our investigation discovered no changes at the library. Sex offender posters are not put up. There are no new firewalls in the library computers, nor are there any new policies for dealing with illegal activities.