Charter and Rules Committee Meeting June 3, 2024

*Posted May 30, 2024, 2:35 PM

City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Charter and Rules

Monday, June 3, 2024
6:30 PM

Meeting to take place at
Holyoke City Hall, 536 Dwight St
and can be accessed remotely on Zoom Meetings
Per order of the Chair: Meg Magrath-Smith
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86409887191?pwd=TWVLL285WlVTOU9panFLcTYxajV2dz09
Meeting ID: 864 0988 7191 Meeting Passcode: 382788 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Live Spanish interpretation will be available on local access channel 15 using the television’s SAP option, through the live stream on the city website, as well as on the Zoom feed by clicking the interpretation option and choosing Spanish.

Agenda

Item 1: 1-18-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI, JOURDAIN — Ordered that the City Council adopt a rule to establish a two-year legislative term.  Any orders pending in committee or not acted on by the end of the legislative term must be re-filed at the start of the subsequent legislative term.
*Tabled 2-23-22, 4-12-22, 6-14-22, 2-27-23, 5-13-24

Item 2: 6-7-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI — Ordered that the City Council amend its rules to create a Vice President position in the City Council.
*Tabled 6-14-22, 10-24-22, 3-25-24, 5-6-24, 5-13-24

Item 3: 5-21-24 Givner – In an effort to improve efficiency, order that the last sentence of voting rule K, from our City Council Rules, be changed to reflect “Motion that the Legal Form be Ordained, by a majority of the full Council voting in a recorded roll-call vote.”

Item 4: 5-21-24 Devine- Ordered that the City Council consider a rule addition to to RULE 6C (DECORUM/SPEAKING), adding the following words as a second paragraph:
“No Councilor shall speak more than 4 minutes during debate. The President/and or the City Council Administrative Assistant shall keep track of the minutes. A (1) one minute reminder shall be given at the 3 minute mark during debate.”

Item 5: 5-21-24 Devine- ORDERED: That a digital time clock be provided to the President of the City Council, in the City Council budget for the purposes of keeping time for Public Speak and City Council rule addition to Rule #6C.

Item 6: 4-4-23 RIVERA_I, GIVNER, MALDONADO VELEZ, MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI, RIVERA_J — Ordered, that Section 34 of the Holyoke City Charter be amended to establish a Police Commission by virtue of a Special Act in Accordance with the provisions of Articles of Amendment, Article II, Section 8 of the Massachusetts Constitution.
*Tabled 4-19-23, 7-17-23, 12-11-23

Item 7: 8-1-23 From City Solicitor letter re: Provisions of charter impacted by implementation of a Police Commission
*Tabled 12-11-23

LAID ON THE TABLE
(Discussion is not expected)

Item 8: 12-5-23 VACON — Ordered, That we amend our charter and ordinances to change from an elected Mayor to a City Manager/Chief Administrative Financial Officer, appointed by the City Council.
*Tabled 5-13-24

Item 9: 1-17-23 MCGEE — Ordered that City Council Rule 9H be amended and re-worded in order to make the process of changing or updating an ordinance a smoother process.
*Tabled 2-27-23, 12-11-23

Item 10: 4-4-23 From Atty Jane Mantolesky, Supplement to legal opinion on voting requirements
*Tabled 4-10-23

Item 11: 8-1-23 From Lisa Ball, City Solicitor, Legal Opinion from KP Law, Mark R. Reich Esq. regarding Community Preservation Act Surcharge Reduction.

Item 12: 8-1-23 From City Solicitors Ballot Question language.

Item 13: 10-3-23 GIVNER, TALLMAN — With community support, order that all ordinances and charter rules reflecting city council and city council subcommittee meeting notices be updated to reflect acceptance of email as sufficient method of notice, and city website posting as sufficient method of public notice.
*Tabled 12-11-23, 2-5-24

Item 14: 10-3-23 GIVNER — With community support, order that the following section of our Codes of Ordinances and charter be updated to reflect use of email as sufficient for special meeting notice:
Sec. 12. – Special meetings of city council.
The mayor may at any time call a special meeting of the city council by public posting through the city website along with written notifications thereof, together with a statement of the subjects to be considered thereat, to be deposited in the post office, postpaid and addressed to the persons to be notified, at least forty-eight hours before the time appointed for such meeting, or to be left at the usual place of residence of each member of the council, by email at least forty-eight hours before the time appointed for such meeting.  (Acts 1965, c. 187; Acts 1992, c. 189)
*Tabled 12-11-23, 2-5-24

Item 15: 2-6-24 JOURDAIN, BARTLEY — Ordered, That Charter Sections 19 and 34 be amended and elsewhere as appropriate to allow for all appointments to the Fire Commission and DPW Commission to be appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation by the City Council.

Item 16: 2-6-24 DEVINE, I. RIVERA — Ordered, Under City Council rules, please add the following: New Rule: Every 2 years after being sworn in, the City Council President shall set the seating arrangements of the City Council. Consideration shall be taken for any legitimate handicap preference.

Item 17: 4-2-24 Magrath-Smith- Ordered, that a Home Rule Petition be filed with amendments to the City Charter as required for consistency with state law, pertaining to our city’s restructuring of municipal finance.
*Tabled 5-6-24

Item 18: 4-2-24 BARTLEY, JOURDAIN, VACON — The City of Holyoke amends any charter, ordinance and any other regulations relative to its Tax Collector and combines the office with its City Treasurer so long as a charter change to appoint rather than elect Holyoke’s City Treasurer is approved by the legislature and Holyoke voters.
*Tabled 5-6-24

Item 19: 8-1-23 From Atty Kathleen Degnan, Asst City Solicitor, home rule petition for appointed treasurer.
*Tabled 5-6-24

Administrative Assistant: Jeffery Anderson-Burgos
The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Also one or two items may require the committee to enter into executive session at this meeting. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.