Finance Committee Meeting April 10, 2025
Posted April 4, 2025, 12:01 p.m.
City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Finance
Thursday, April 10, 2025
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: Patti Devine
Remote access via zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83088418852?pwd=W1GQIr0iQkLebKOPBgeKPwjmNLzvqg.1
Meeting ID: 830 8841 8852 Meeting Passcode: 291509 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: Minutes of March 10, 2025 meeting
Item 2: 4-1-25 Devine, Sullivan – Ordered that the Board of Public Works be invited into a Finance meeting to discuss roof repair projects Sec. 37.of Title VII states The board of public works shall have cognizance, direction and control: … (b) of the construction, alteration, repair and care of public buildings; … The Board is aware of some challenges and issues associated with this project. These include interior damage due to roof leaks and the presence of mold. Before the contract closes out, and with acknowledgment of our responsibility, we propose a discussion with the Finance Committee and all City representatives to the project to assure that work meets all expectations.
LAID ON THE TABLE
Item 3: 3-19-24 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI – Ordered that the City Council invite the Mayor, Police Department and relevant financial department heads to a future meeting of the Finance Committee to provide an update on the status of the off-duty police account and former vendor Off-Duty Blue.
*Tabled 4-3-24, 5-15-24, 8-12-24, 9-11-24
Item 4: 10-15-24 DEVINE – Ordered, that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2025, ONE HUNDRED EIGHT THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED NINETY FIVE AND 56/100 Dollars ($108,695.56) as follows:
FROM: 8815-10400 CANNABIS STABILIZATION $108,695.56
UPDATE TO FY2025
TOTAL: $108,695.56
TO: 19412-57630 SOLICITOR – CLAIMS & DAMAGES $108,695.56
TOTAL: $108,695.56
*Tabled 10-22-24, 11-25,24, 12-9-24
Item 5: 11-7-24 – Murphy-Romboletti- In an effort to provide clarity for all councilors and the public, ordered that the law department provide guidance or a memo that outlines the number of votes required for different items related to finance, ordinances, real estate and other relevant voting topics.
*Tabled 1-14-25
Item 6: 11-7-24 – Murphy-Romboletti- Ordered that the law department provide a legal opinion on the number of votes required to make transfers from a special stabilization fund.
*Tabled 1-14-25
ADMINISTRATIVELY LAID ON THE TABLE
Item 7: 9-4-24 From Stephen Superba – Email regarding Police Department Cash Seizures
Item 8: 10-15-24 OCASIO, GREANEY – Order that the City replace the Traffic Light that was on Vernon St and Main St. And know longer there due to car accident. Safety issue kids walking to and from Dean Tech cars speeding.
Item 9: 10-15-24 JOURDAIN, OCASIO – Mayor and DPW please replace the traffic light at the corner of Main Street and Vernon Street as soon as possible. The City Council has requested it be replaced multiple times after it was hit in a traffic accident on July 1, 2022. It should not be removed because of alleged expense to replace. Mayor and Law dept please also provide us with what collection efforts including lawsuits that may have been filed against the operator who damaged the light controls to reimburse the city for the damage before any applicable statute of limitations expires. Please also advise if the city has any potential insurance coverage for this claim. Finance should meet to discuss with all parties involved.
Item 10: 11-7-24 – Magrath-Smith, Jourdain – Ordered that the City Solicitor, Auditor, and Treasurer develop and present a clear policy regarding the use of the remaining collected cannabis fees, outlining a process for billing hours to the cannabis fund for work done by city employees connected to cannabis-related activities, such as:
1. Inspections of cannabis businesses
2. Processing of licensing and excise payments for cannabis businesses
3. Cannabis-related educational programming in schools
4. Safe driving and DUI prevention campaigns related to cannabis use also develop and present guidance on the use of cannabis fees for capital improvements or equipment (including related labor costs to support those projects and purchases) that is consistent with offsetting the impact of cannabis-related activities.
Item 11: 11-7-24 – Magrath-Smith, Jourdain – Ordered that the City Solicitor develop and present a clear policy regarding acceptable fees that can be levied against future cannabis businesses related to concrete, specific impacts of cannabis businesses where they exist.
Item 12: 11-7-24 – Magrath-Smith, Jourdain – Ordered that the HR Director come into Finance to present which HR functions are being completed by which Departments, Commissions, or Boards with a goal of seeking out areas where we can become more consistent or streamline processes and positions in the future with the goal of enhancing a more centralized HR function in our city.
Item 13: 11-7-24 From Mayor Joshua Garcia- 2023 Signed MOU HPD RollKall
Item 14: 11-7-24 From Mayor Joshua Garcia- 2021 Signed MOU HPD RollKall
Item 15: 11-7-24 HPD – OffDutyBlue Services Agreement
Item 16: 12-3-24 BARTLEY -Ordered, the mayor be requested to act on the bond study from last year and put together a plan to demo the old police station.
Item 17: 12-17-24 From City Councilor Kevin Jourdain, article regarding Holyoke Historic bank
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. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.