Public Safety Committee Meeting June 8, 2020
6:30 pm Remote by Zoom
,
City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Notice of Committee Meeting
There will be a regular meeting of the committee on
Public Safety
Meeting to take place remotely on Zoom Meetings on Monday June 8th at 6:30PM
Per order of the Chair: Terence Murphy
Agenda:
Item 1. Councilor Hernandez: Ordered that residents from Pine Street near Appleton Street have expressed concern of the increase in drug trafficking and transients in their
neighborhood, parking and idling in front of their properties. Have also asked that the
Neighborhood Watch signs be posted in an attempt to display that the community
meets and is vigilant.
Item 2. Councilor Hernandez: Ordered that the police department locate their community
policing truck on the corner of Sargeant and Walnut as there is an incredible influx of
heroin trafficking originating from 308 Walnut and members installed across the street
from 300 Walnut Street, Coughlin Apts. Shots fired and now fireworks on a daily basis.
Item 3. Councilor McGee: Sullivan: Ordered that the legal department, police chief, fire chief,
board of health and state officials be invited into public safety committee to discuss and
implement a plan or procedure to deal with negligent landlords in the city.
Item 4. Councilor Murphy: Ordered that the mayor, the law department, and the police
department provide an update to the public safety committee regarding the nuisance
complaint for the buildings on Appleton & Elm St and 556 S Bridge St. Can we expect a greater police presence with the landlord’s cooperation in the near future?
Item 5. Councilor McGee: Leahy: Tallman: Ordered that Capt Moriarty provide an updated list of safety options or procedures put in place to deal with security/safety at city hall, sub committee meetings and full council meetings.
Item 6. Councilor Leahy: Ordered that proper procedures should be set forth at city hall in regards to an emergency or threat of violence. There needs to be a clear plan of action.
Item 7. Councilor Leahy: Ordered that an emergency button be installed in city council
chambers.
Item 8. Councilor Leahy: Ordered that surveillance cameras be installed in the corridors of City Hall & the Annex.
Item 9. Councilor Leahy: Ordered that the emergency buttons in the city clerk’s office and the mayor’s office be immediately tested and fixed if necessary.
Item 10. Councilor Bartley: Ordered that DPW and city engineer advise city council about installation of more efficient catch basins especially on steep hills such as W Glen St.
Item 11. Councilor Murphy: Ordered that the city engineer consider the possibility of
constructing a speed bump on South Bridge Street adjacent to Valley Arena Park. There
have been incidents of drivers speeding while children were crossing the street from the
park.
Item 12. Councilor Murphy: Ordered that the mayor provide the funding needed for the upgrade of the electrical systems at Wistariahurst. The current system prevents the Museum from doing some business, but also poses a threat to personnel safety and increases the threat of loss by fire.
Item 13. Councilor Anderson-Burgos: Ordered that the city council form a volunteer commission to study and recommend solutions to comprehensively address panhandling in the city of Holyoke. Members of the commission should have a range of backgrounds and expertise related to various concerns and contributors to panhandling. These should
include but not be limited to public safety, public health, employment, and education.
Administrative Assistant: Ryan M. Allen
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.