Whiting Reservoir Study Committee

The Whiting Reservoir Study Committee was created by adopting of the Holyoke City Council on March 19, 2019.

The committee shall consist of (9) voting members. Scope and Purpose:
(a) The Whiting Reservoir Study committee shall study the needs, possibilities and resources of the city regarding the most economical and advantageous uses of the Whiting Reservoir and its surrounding area. The committee shall consult with existing municipal boards, including the conservation commission, the planning board, the parks and recreation commission, and any other entity it deems advantageous to their study.
(b) As part of its study, the committee shall hold one or more public informational hearings on the needs, possibilities and resources of the city regarding the Whiting Reservoir area, notice of which shall be posted publicly and published for each of two weeks preceding the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the city.
(c) Study and recommendations should include, but are not limited to:
a. Recreational activities such as biking, hiking, fishing, equestrian, cross country skiing and other similar venues;
b. Revenue producing ventures such as zip lining, water bottling, selective development, camping, food service and other opportunities;c.Acquisition of adjacent properties;d.Partnering opportunities with abutters and educational institutions.
Membership: The membership of said committee shall be composed of the following:
a. One member of the Water Commission, as designated by such commission;
b. One member shall be the Conservation Director or a member of the Conservation Commission, as designated by such commission;
c. One member shall be the Director of Planning and Economic Development or a member of the Planning Board, as designated by the Board;
d. Three (3) at-large members, as appointed by the City Council;
e. One (1) at-large member, as appointed by the Mayor;
f. One member shall be the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works
g. One member shall be the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation
Additional: At-large members of the committee shall be residents of the city and shall neither be employees of the city nor serve on any other board or commission. At-large members, as appointed by the City Council shall be appointed by a majority vote of the City Council. City Council appointed at-large members shall be appointed to the following initial terms:
One (1) for a one-year term, one (1) for a two-year term, and one (1) for a three-year term. All subsequent terms shall be for three years. No at-large member of the committee shall serve more than six consecutive years. Any at-large member of the committee may be removed by majority vote of the City Council. Term length: Determined by designating authority, not to exceed three (3) years.