Charter & Rules Committee Meeting March 15, 2021
6:30 pm Remote by Zoom
,
City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Notice of Committee Meeting
There will be a regular meeting of the committee on
Charter and Rules
Meeting to take place remotely on Zoom Meetings on Monday 3-15-21 at 6:30PM
Per order of the Chair: Linda Vacon
*** Meeting will take place remotely and can be accessed via www.zoom.us Meeting ID: 857 3444 0057 Meeting Passcode: 676535 or by call in at 1 (929)205-6099 with same Meeting ID and Passcode. ***
Agenda:
Item 1: 3-2-21 SULLIVAN — The City of Holyoke, through its Honorable City Council and Honorable Mayor hereby petition the Massachusetts General Court to enact legislation to amend the requirement for special election upon mayoral vacancy in the year 2021 in the City of Holyoke, and that said legislation be entitled:
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE OFFICE OF MAYOR IN THE CITY OF HOLYOKE
And that said act read as follows:
SECTION 1. Not withstanding any general or special law to the contrary, if a vacancy in the office of mayor of Holyoke occurs at any time in the year two thousand and twenty-one, the vacancy shall not be filled by a special municipal election and shall instead be filled according to the provision of Section 28 of Chapter 189 of the Acts of 1992, which states that “Whenever there shall be a vacancy in the office of mayor the president of the city council shall act as mayor, and possess all the rights and powers of mayor during such vacancy, except that when so acting as mayor he shall not have the power of appointment or removal unless thereto in any instance authorized by vote of the city council.”
SECTION 2: This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Item 2: 3-2-21 SULLIVAN — Resolution for Home Rule Petition see attached.
Item 3: 3-2-21 VACON — According to section 6 of the city charter the City Council calls for a special election upon the vacancy by Mayor Morse from his position of Mayor.
Language taken from the charter:…
if the person elected mayor shall refuse to accept the office, or shall die before qualifying, or if a vacancy in said office shall occur more than six months previous to the expiration of the municipal year, the city council shall forthwith call meetings for a new election, and the same proceedings shall be had in all respects as hereinbefore provided for the election of a mayor,….
Item 4: 3-2-21 MCGIVERIN — The City of Holyoke, through its Honorable City Council and Honorable Mayor hereby petition the Massachusetts General Court to enact legislation to amend the requirement for special election upon mayoral vacancy in the year 2021 in the City of Holyoke, and that said legislation be entitled:
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE OFFICE OF MAYOR IN THE CITY OF HOLYOKE
And that said act read as follows:
SECTION 1. Not withstanding any general or special law to the contrary, if a vacancy in the office of mayor of Holyoke occurs at any time in the year two thousand and twenty-one, the vacancy shall not be filled by a special municipal election and shall instead be filled according to the provision of Section 28 of Chapter 189 of the Acts of 1992, which states that “Whenever there shall be a vacancy in the office of mayor the president of the city council shall act as mayor, and possess all the rights and powers of mayor during such vacancy, except that when so acting as mayor he shall not have the power of appointment or removal unless thereto in any instance authorized by vote of the city council.”
SECTION 2: This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Item 5a: 10-6-20 Petition calling for the resignation of Mayor Alex Morse as well as calling on the City Council to pass a resolution calling for the resignation of Mayor Alex Morse.
Item 5b: 11-17-20 Letter from City Solicitor, Crystal Barnes, regarding the procedure and requirements of a citizens petition.
Item 6: 2-6-18 SULLIVAN — Ordered, that the DPW commissioners & sewer commissioners meet with the council to discuss merger of elimination of sewer commissioner and the sewer deficit.
Item 7: 4-17-18 Letter from former City Solicitor, Paul Payer: legal opinion on City Council influence on the awarding of contracts.
Item 8: 10-6-20 Letter from Acting City Solicitor, Crystal Barnes: legal opinion on charter change procedures.
Item 9a: 12-1-20 VACON, BARTLEY – Ordered, that a City Council rule be added; that City Council committees assigned in the prior term remain in effect for re-elected Councilors until the President-elect assigns new committees.
Item 9b: 12-15-20 Letter from Acting City Solicitor, Crystal Barnes: legal opinion on subcommittee assignments.
Item 10: 2-2-21 Communication from UMass Amherst, Saul Weing Arnstein & Lehr: final investigative report on the Alex Morse matter.
Administrative Assistant: Jeffery Anderson-Burgos
The listing of matters are those reasonable 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.