Public Safety Committee Meeting June 27, 2022 – Corrected location

City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Section 20 of Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Public Safety

Monday, June 27, 2022
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: Israel Rivera

Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88373898267?pwd=OHByekxybDlVaEZMc014NHVTdlVLQT09
Meeting ID: 883 7389 8267 Meeting Passcode: 291564 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Agenda

Item 1: 4-19-22 MCGEE, TALLMAN, PUELLO, ANDERSON-BURGOS — Order that the city council invite in Jim Lavelle of HG & E and his representatives to a city informational session in order to update residents on general matters related to the HG&E (I.e. pole locations, moving poles, cost analysis of wires above vs underground).
*Tabled 5-9-22

Item 2: 4-5-22 RIVERA_I — Order that honorable city council invite organizers of the Holyoke HUB to come in and present on what the Holyoke HUB is and how it will benefit the city of Holyoke.

Item 3: 6-7-22 VACON, ANDERSON-BURGOS — that any gates to our local parks be closed and secured at closing time to reduce unauthorized access and vandalism.  A constituent reported vandalism at Community Field.

Item 4: 6-7-22 RIVERA_I, RIVERA_J — Order that Public Health & DPW identify owners of property on the corner of Lyman and No. Summer St. as well as the property across the alley to it. Both Properties are overgrown with tall grass and are prone to illegal dumping.

Item 5: 4-5-22 MCGEE — Ordered, That the DPW/City Engineer come before the Public Safety to address tree removal on Princeton St. and offer up some solutions to the amount of trees that were removed. Maybe follow-up with DCR (Sarah Greenleaf).

Item 6: 4-19-22 BARTLEY, PUELLO — The City DPW, Engineer and Mayor look to remove one-half of the “double sidewalk” between Wolcott & Congress Ave for the purpose of re-installing a tree belt and/or adding angled parking.  This is supported by the abutters who brought this to my attention.  This would “green” the area and add additional parking crucial to this neighborhood.

Item 7: 4-19-22 BARTLEY — The DPW and Mayor locate public spaces where trash and recycling receptacles can be placed and maintained.  This should start off as a pilot program and it will require funding and management to ensure the debris/recycling bins are maintained but hopefully it will be a success and Holyoke can expand its scope.

Item 8: 6-7-22 JOURDAIN — Ordered, That the School Receiver Soto and Police Chief Pratt (and members of their teams as needed) please appear before the Public Safety Committee to discuss and review school safety and active shooter protocols and training in our public schools.

Item 9: 4-5-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ, RIVERA_I — Order that we work on expanding the Community Responder Model (see communication) that the Holyoke Police Department is already participating in with local organizations.

Item 10: 4-19-22 ANDERSON-BURGOS — Ordered that the police department provide the city council with a report of the intersections with the highest rates of accidents. A discussion of safety concerns would be helped by having a broader picture of problem areas instead of discussing individual issues.

Item 11: 3-15-22 MCGEE — that the legal department review the alley way near 5 Fairfield Ave to determine if it is city property and that the DPW repair the fence and alley from its vehicles going through.  See attached photo.
*Tabled 3-29-22

Item 12: 6-7-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ — Order that we fund the Public Safety line item with $200,000 and create a Department of Public Care and Safety that is separate from police, fire department, and others currently being tasked with the job of public safety. The role will work on setting up a department that will provide multiple types of civilian responders to community needs, including peer response to mental health and substance use crises, as an alternative to police response. They will work with community partners to create spaces like the winter warming shelters and connecting all community partners and the public to their services. Regionally work with other communities that have instituted a similar department. Will also work on expanding the usage of the 988 number rolling out July 16th.

Item 13: 6-7-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ — Order that we create a new role that would lead the Department of Public Care and Safety

Item 14: 5-17-22 VACON — that traffic flow on Kane and Vermont Street be evaluated to reduce congestion during pick up and drop off times at McMahon School and b) that buses be routed from Homestead Ave rather than Vermont Street and c) consider the number of buses needed as it appears fewer students are using the bus service.

Item 15: 5-17-22 BARTLEY — The City Engineer present a plan to the City council public safety committee to improve lower Whiting Farms Rd for the following conditions:  motorists regularly ignore the “no left turn” into the former K-Mart Plaza thus cutting across traffic and motorists do so by angling around the cement barrier which causes potential hazardous driving conditions.  Moreover, if motorists do abide by the “no left turn” they often make an illegal U-turn in front of the bay doors at HFD Station 5 that may further negatively impact public safety.  Please advise on a best course of action bearing in mind that K-Mart is no longer an ongoing concern today but will be once again.

Item 16: 5-3-22 ANDERSON-BURGOS — that a blinking stop sign be placed on Linden St at the intersection of Mac Kenzie Ave and Anderson Ave.

Item 17: 5-3-22 ANDERSON-BURGOS — that we consider adding a left turn signal to traffic lights for southeast bound traffic at the intersection of West Franklin St and Beech St. It is often difficult for vehicles making a left from West Franklin St on to Beech St. This will also address the safety of our residents on the crosswalks.

Item 18: 5-3-22 ANDERSON-BURGOS — that SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY signs be placed on at both ends of Locust St between West Franklin St and MacKenzie Ave.

Item 19: 4-5-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI, MCGEE — That the City Engineer look into whether installation of a traffic light at the intersection of 141 and Bemis Rd is necessary in order to mitigate traffic concerns and potential accidents

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.

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