Ordinance
Lisi, Chair
Alexander, Vice-Chair
Vacon
Vega
Ferreira
Finance
McGee, Chair
Vacon, Vice-Chair
Tallman
Soto
Leahy
Public Safety
Soto, Chair
Murphy, Vice-Chair
Ferreira
Lebron-Martinez
Bartley
Public Service
Tallman, Chair
Leahy, Vice-Chair
McGiverin
Murphy
Bartley
Redevelopment
Vega, Chair
McGiverin, Vice-Chair
Alexander
Lebron-Martinez
Bresnahan
Joint Committee of City Council and School Committee
Lebron-Martinez, Chair
Vega
Ferreira
Personnel
Jourdain, Chair
Vacon
Soto
Cable Television
Jourdain, Chair
Re-Elect Holyoke's Fiscal Watchdog!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Holyoke City Council President Kevin Jourdain appoints new committee leaders
Council President Kevin A. Jourdain, the first new president of the city’s legislative body since 1986, said Wednesday he has appointed new chairmen for four of the five main council committees.
Committees are where debates take place about how to spend taxpayer dollars, and it’s where public hearings are held if a restaurant wants to install a drive-up window.
Recommendations are made in the committees about whether to allow spending, establish laws, grant requests for zone changes and special permits and hire department heads and other employees.
Committee decisions are recommendations subject to vote by the full City Council.
Jourdain was elected by the 15-member council to be the new president on Jan. 3.
Jourdain scored an 8-7 win over Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin, who had been president 26 straight years.
Chairmanships were based on a combination of experience, qualifications and whether councilors supported him for council president, he said.
The only returning chairman is Ward 6 Councilor Todd A. McGee, who will continue heading the Finance Committee. McGee voted for McGiverin for president and is the only councilor who did so to get a chairmanship from Jourdain.
“He did a very good job overseeing Finance,” Jourdain said. “Although he didn’t vote for me as president, he did that more out of a loyalty to Joe rather than anything against me.”
Councilors are paid $10,000 a year each and there’s no additional pay for being a chairman. Each councilor belongs to two or three committees.
Rebecca Lisi“She’s a very organized person, so I think she’s going to be great there,” Jourdain said.
The Ordinance Committee is arguably the busiest, considering proposed bylaws and holding hearings that last multiple hours.
Lisi said she has contacted department heads to get information on issues to update members of her committee.
“I’m really honored to have been given the position,” Lisi said.
New Ward 2 Councilor Anthony Soto is the new Public Safety Committee chairman. Former Councilor at Large Patricia C. Devine, the previous chairwoman, was defeated in the Nov. 8 election.
Jourdain said he chose Soto because of his public safety experience as a former member of the Fire Commission and to give a voice to Ward 2 and Hispanics on such issues.
Councilor at Large Peter R. Tallman is new chairman of the Public Service Committee, taking over from Councilor at Large James M. Leahy.
“Pete’s as honorable a person as you’re going to meet,” Jourdain said.
The committee will be busy reviewing prospective appointees of new Mayor Alex B. Morse, who took office Jan. 3, Jourdain said.
Leahy said his ejection as chairman was unsurprising, given his support for McGiverin. But he said the council loses without having McGiverin’s experience as a chairman.
“I do think that overlooking Joe for a chairmanship probably wasn’t the right thing to do,” Leahy said.
Jourdain said that as with the council presidency, it was time for a change.
“I just felt it’s time to give new people an opportunity,” Jourdain said.
McGiverin is vice chairman of the Redevelopment Committee, which could be busy dealing with casino gambling issues.
“That’s the president’s prerogative,” McGiverin said. “I’m looking forward to serving on the Redevelopment Committee because I think there’s going to be a lot going on.”
Councilor at Large Aaron M. Vega is new chairman of the Redevelopment Committee, Jourdain’s former chairmanship.
Council President Kevin A. Jourdain's Speech to the City Council upon his election!
City Council President Speech
January 3, 2012
I would like to thank my colleagues for the tremendous honor and privilege to serve as President. On January 6, 1986, Joe McGiverin was first elected as President of the City Council and since that time he has served the city with honor and distinction. I truly thank him for his past leadership. He holds the record for longest service as President and it is a record that I fully expect will never be broken. Certainly not by me, for I have pledged not to serve longer than 6 years as President, if you wish to have me even that long.
The Legislative Branch of Holyoke City Government has taken many forms and names over the last 139 years. During that time, what has been constant is that the people of Holyoke have turned to us to be a positive force for good, to rise above the city’s challenges and be their voice. In us, average citizens drawn from the community, is placed enormous authority. With the overwhelming vote to defeat the proposed Charter Change and its desired change in the balance of power, the people of Holyoke have spoken clearly that they turn to the City Council to be the vanguard against an overbearing government. That our government will not spend more than it brings in and will act in a financially responsible manner. That City Hall and all of the employees who are privileged to serve will act with transparency and integrity. That government is the servant and the citizens its master and never the other way around. It is our scared duty and oath to uphold these principles and the Ordinances of our city and the Constitution of our great nation.
The people of Holyoke have placed great faith in a 22 year man named Alex Morse to lead our city as Mayor. I am reminded that I as a young man of 22 was first elected a member of this body. I am no longer 22 but I still share the same passion, energy and idealism that first drew me to be a servant of the people. Each of us is called to aid our new Mayor to be a success, for the Mayor to succeed means that Holyoke succeeds. The youngest Councilor ever elected serving alongside the youngest Mayor ever elected: it certainly will be interesting.
Over the new term, we are privileged to have a body composed of so many bright and distinguished members. Each of our talents will be put to the test. Many new people will be called to positions of leadership. As we craft law and policy for the city, let us do so with wisdom and reflection. Let us do so, however, with bold leadership. The solutions to our city’s problems require us to think outside of the box and not be afraid to take bold positions. Where we know something is wrong, we must fix it. Previous generations of Holyokers faced challenges similar to or greater than ours and they succeeded. They were the makers of a proud history. It is now our turn to be makers of law and makers of history. Let it be said by our children and grandchildren, that we served faithfully and left the city much better than we received it.
I wish everyone the best of success and look forward to serving with each of you.
May Almighty God keep Holyoke within His Divine Providence and may He Bless the work of our new Mayor and City Council.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Kevin Jourdain elected President of the Holyoke City Council!
Kevin Jourdain elected Holyoke City Council president following Mayor Alex Morse swearing-in
Published: Tuesday, January 03, 2012, 8:55 PM Updated: Tuesday, January 03, 2012, 10:14 PM
HOLYOKE – Mayor Alex B. Morse was sworn into office Tuesday as the youngest mayor in city history at age 22, and the changes soon began, all around City Hall.
The 15-member City Council elected its first new president in nearly three decades, choosing Councilor at Large Kevin A. Jourdain over Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin.
McGiverin had been president for 26 straight years.
Jourdain – who pledged to be a bold council president – edged McGiverin, 8-7, on the second ballot of voting in City Council Chambers.
The theme continued Tuesday night with the School Committee electing Devin M. Sheehan, one of the board’s youngest, to be committee vice chairman. The mayor is chairman of the School Committee, and practice has been that the vice chairman runs meetings.
Morse appointed Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ross as the new city solicitor, replacing Lisa A. Ball. The solicitor’s yearly salary is $75,823.
Morse also fired Jeanette Berrios as city personnel director because he said she was unqualified for the job, and made city staff attorney Adam Pudelko the new personnel director. The personnel director’s yearly salary is $60,600.
The city solicitor and personnel director appointments are subject to City Council confirmation.
Ball was city solicitor and Berrios was acting personnel director under former Mayor Elaine A. Pluta, whom Morse defeated in the Nov. 8 election.
Berrios couldn’t be reached for comment.
Morse said his office staff at City Hall will consist of Chief of Staff Dori Dean, who was his campaign manager, Executive Assistant Tessa Murphy-Romboletti and aide Nilka M. Ortiz, the lone holdover from Pluta’s staff.
Morse said Dean, Murphy-Romboletti and Ortiz each will be paid $40,764 a year.
Other changes in city jobs and on boards and commissions will be coming, Morse said.
Morse, in inaugural remarks, pledged commitment to improving education, economic development and public safety, along with a dedication to trying to unify the different factions of the city.
“Let us remember that we all want what’s best for our hometown. And that in no other city in this nation are the people more considerate, generous and compassionate,” Morse said.
The day marked a departure from “the old ways of doing politics in this city,” said Morse, who said the city’s strongest asset was its people.
“Today, we rededicate ourselves to the betterment of this community. We will not achieve every goal we desire in just one election or even one mayoral term. But I have no doubt that we will meet these challenges – boldly, fearlessly, and with the proud, fighting spirit that defines our people,” Morse said.
He wants to “rebrand” the city that, because of its former paper mills, was known as the Paper City, and have it be called the Digital City, he said, because of the $165 million high-performance computing center being built downtown. The center will be an academic research facility with partners that include Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Massachusetts.
Despite the spirit of newness and the 18-hour days of vigor that Morse brings, the problems in the path of the change he envisioned are deep. Holyoke’s poverty rate is more than 28 percent. The city population is about 40,000. More than 10 percent of the population is unemployed.
Only 26 percent of students in grades pre-kindergarten to Grade 3 are able to read at their grade levels. A major reason for that is English is the second language for the largely Hispanic enrollment.
Morse told the packed high school auditorium he was mindful of his limitations in dealing with such challenges, but also confident.
“Lest we forget, we are Holyoke. As long as we remember that, there is no way we can fail,” he said.
Morse announced his candidacy for mayor when he was 21 and midway through his senior year at Brown University, in Providence, R.I. He graduated in May with a degree in urban studies.
The ceremony at Holyoke High School included swearing in of the City Council and School Committee.
Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray was master of ceremonies for the inaugural event.
Among officials who attended were U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst, Brian P. Lees, clerk of Hampden Superior Court, state Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield, and state Rep. Michael F. Kane, D-Holyoke.
Jourdain’s elevation to president capped weeks of lobbying of councilors by himself and McGiverin, whom Jourdain had tried previously to unseat.
Jourdain said it was beyond the acceptable time for a change. McGiverin said he understood and enjoyed the public role of City Council president and wished to continue.
“As we craft law and policy for the city, let us do so with wisdom and reflection,” Jourdain said. “Let us do so, however, with bold leadership. The solutions to our city’s problems require us to think outside of the box and not be afraid to take bold positions.”
Jourdain and McGiverin split the votes of the six new councilors. Jourdain got votes from Gladys Lebron-Martinez, who replaces Donald R. Welch as Ward 1 councilor; Anthony Soto, who takes over as Ward 2 councilor from Diosdado Lopez; and Gordon P. Alexander, who takes over as Ward 7 councilor from John P. O’Neill.
McGiverin received votes from new Ward 3 Councilor David K. Bartley, who replaces Anthony M. Keane; new Ward 4 Councilor Jason P. Ferreira, who replaces Timothy W. Purington; and new Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan.
Also backing Jourdain, besides himself, were Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon and councilors at large Rebecca Lisi, Peter R. Tallman and Aaron M. Vega.
McGiverin received votes from Ward 6 Councilor Todd A. McGee and councilors at large James M. Leahy, Brenna E. Murphy and himself.
The first vote for council president resulted in a lack of majority for any candidate. Jourdain got seven votes, McGiverin six and Vega two.
At the podium, McGiverin stood with Jourdain, said he will retire the gavel he has used as president so Jourdain can wield his own gavel and pledged support to Jourdain.
Jourdain praised McGiverin’s service but made clear his tenure will be different.
“He holds the record for longest service as president and it is a record I fully expect will never be broken. Certainly not by me, for I have pledged not to serve longer than six years as president, if you wish to have me even that long,” Jourdain said.
McGiverin said later, “I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t disappointed. But the president has to have a majority of the City Council behind him. I don’t think in my heart it was personal. It was a decision for something different.”
Visibility is a main feature of being council president. The president runs City Council meetings that are held the first and third Tuesday of the month.
That includes determining which councilors can speak based on the order in which they raised their hands, ensuring decorum if debate gets testy and making sure council rules are followed.
One of Jourdain’s first duties will be to choose the chairmen of the council committees. Certain chairmanships are sought after because of their own visibility and at least perceived importance, such as Finance, Public Safety and Ordinance.
Jourdain said he will announce committee chairmen in a few weeks.
City councilors are paid $10,000 a year each.
The School Committee consists of 10 members, including the mayor as chairman. Joshua A. Garcia is the new Ward 1 School Committee member, filling the seat held by Lebron-Martinez.
Yvonne S. Garcia kept the Ward 2 school board seat with a write-in campaign, but didn’t attend the inauguration. She couldn’t be reached later.
Other returning School Committee members are Dennis W. Birks Jr., Ward 3, Cesar A. Lopez, Ward 4, Devin M. Sheehan, Ward 5, William R. Collamore, Ward 6 and Margaret M. Boulais, Ward 7, and at-large member Howard B. Greaney Jr.
The School Committee has two at-large members with staggered, four-year terms. At-large member Michael J. Moriarty wasn’t up for reelection in November and has two years left in his term.
School Committee members get $5,000 a year.
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