Finance Committee Meeting December 4, 2023

vídeo en español

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

Monday, December 4, 2023
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: Joseph McGiverin
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81342021539?pwd=eUhDVysraVdBRENmd2J3bmtyaUppQT09
Meeting ID: 813 4202 1539 Meeting Passcode: 248380 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: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 s.53A, the City Council hereby accepts the donation of a new vehicle for the Council on Aging, valued at approximately $45,000, from The Friends of the Holyoke Council on Aging, and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of said donation and further authorizes the use of said proceeds in accordance with the wishes of the donor.

Item 2: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “FY2024 MUNICIPAL ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM, $39,880, NO MATCH” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant.

Item 3: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2024, FIFTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 Dollars ($50,000) as follows:
FROM:
12101-51117 E911 DISPATCHERS $50,000
TOTAL: $50,000
TO:
12102-54221 SUPPLIES – AMMUNITION $50,000
TOTAL: $50,000

Item 4: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “2023 COMMUNITY PLANNING GRANT, $200,000, NO MATCH” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant.

Item 5: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “PARTNERS FOR A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY DBA PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OF WESTERN MA (PHC/PHIWM), $10,000, NO MATCH” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant.

Item 6: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2024, ONE HUNDRED SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED NINETY FIVE AND 27/100 Dollars ($164,695.27) as follows:
FROM:
8811-10400 CAPITAL STABILIZATION $164,695.27
TOTAL: $164,695.27
TO:
16503-58000 PARKS-CAPITAL OUTLAY EQUIPMENT $164,695.27
TOTAL: $164,695.27

Item 7: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2024, SIXTY THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND 00/100 Dollars ($60,500) as follows:
FROM:
8811-10400 CAPITAL STABILIZATION $60,500
TOTAL: $60,500
TO:
14803-58004 PARKING CAPITAL OUTLAY-VEHICLES $60,500
TOTAL: $60,500

Item 8: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — to use $3,180,000 (3 million one hundred eighty thousand and 00/100 dollars) of the ARPA revenue loss as a funding source to the FY2024 budget.

Item 9: 11-21-23 MCGIVERIN — Ordered, that there be and is hereby raised and appropriated in the fiscal year 2024, ONE MILLION AND 00/100 Dollars ($1,000,000) as follows:
FROM:
XXX-XXX        2024 TAX LEVY                     $1,000,000
TOTAL:           $1,000,000
TO:
12992-57806   SPECIAL ARTICLE-EZEKIEL’S PLAN                      $1,000,000
TOTAL:           $1,000,000

Item 10: 10-3-23 (referred back 10-17-23) VACON, JOURDAIN, PUELLO — Order:  that the ballot question approved by the City Council be placed on the ballot on November 4, 2024 as referenced in the 9/26/23 decision by Judge Mulqueen.
Ballot Question
Shall the City of Holyoke amend the current Community Preservation Act real estate surcharge, as established in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and which amendment of such surcharge is permissible pursuant to Section 16 of Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and approved by its legislative body, from 1.5% to 1.0%, a summary of which appears below?
(with revised dates)
8
Community Preservation Act Ballot Question and Draft Summary
Ballot Question
Shall the City of Holyoke amend the current Community Preservation Act real estate surcharge, as established in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of Chapter 44B of
the Massachusetts General Laws, and which amendment of such surcharge is permissible pursuant to Section 16 of Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and approved by its legislative body, from 1.5% to 1.0%, a summary of which appears below?
Summary of Question
On October 3, 2023, the City Council voted, without taking a position, to place a question on the ballot which will allow voters to reduce the current Community Preservation Act real estate surcharge from 1.5% to 1.0%.. The question will be approved, and the real estate surcharge shall be so reduced, if a majority of the voters voting on the ballot question
vote “yes”. The question will not be approved, and the real estate surcharge shall remain the same, if a majority of the voters voting on the ballot question vote “no”
On November 8, 2016, the voters of the City of Holyoke voted to accept Sections 3 to 7 of Chapter 44B, known as the Community Preservation Act (hereinafter referred to as the “Act’*). By accepting the Act, a funding source was established to enable the City of Holyoke to: (1) acquire, create and preserve open space, which includes land for parks, playgrounds and athletic fields; (2) acquire, preserve and rehabilitate historic resources such as historic community buildings and artifacts; and (3) acquire, create, and preserve
and support community housing to help local families meet their housing needs. By accepting the Act, a surcharge of 1.5% was assessed on real estate on an annual basis beginning in Fiscal Year 2018. Exempted from the surcharge are: (1) property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who would qualify for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing in the City of Holyoke, as defined in Section 2 of the Act; (2) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property; and (3) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of class three, commercial property, and class four, industrial property as defined in section 2A of said chapter 59. A taxpayer receiving a regular property tax abatement or exemption will also receive a pro rata reduction in the surcharge. Any taxpayer seeking a low income or senior exemption shall apply for said exemption annually to the City of Holyoke.

Item 11: 10-3-23 VACON — Ordered, that Veolia provides the estimated cost for street sweeping for the next fiscal year for the purpose of decreasing the sewer rate required for the sewer enterprise fund. This is a citywide service that is properly paid from the general fund. A written response is acceptable.

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.