Public Safety Committee Meeting May 12, 2021

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 Tuesday 5-12-21 at 6:30 PM

Per order of the Chair: Terry Murphy

*** Meeting will take place remotely and can be accessed via www.zoom.us

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82457686222?pwd=alV2VXV2U0Izb2xHaUxOZVRSWnhidz09

Meeting ID: 824 5768 6222 Meeting Passcode: 953246 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with same Meeting ID and Passcode.  ***

Agenda:

Item 1: 5-4-21 The GAS AND ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT requests permission to locate a line of wires, cables, poles and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across the following public way or ways:

• One(1)pole on Valley Heights near 36 & 39 Valley Heights, Holyoke MA Verizon will remove backyard poles after all parties electrical & communication services are relocated to the street. Removals will occur as soon as possible and may require permission from private land owners for temporary removal of existing structures, such as fences or other obstructions, in order to access the back yard poles

Item 2. 5-4-21 Verizon New England, Inc. and Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, request permission to locate poles, wires, cables and fixtures, including the necessary anchors, guys and other such sustaining and protecting fixtures to be owned and used in common by your petitioners, along and across the following public way or ways:

• Valley Heights Street: Place one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T.8-3/E.1-1N on the easterly side of Valley Heights street at a point approximately three hundred (300) feet northerly from the center line of Lincoln St.
• Valley Heights Street: Place one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T.8-4/E.1-2N on the easterly side of Valley Heights Street at a point approximately four hundred fifty (450) feet northerly from the center line of Lincoln St.
• Valley Heights Street: Place one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T.8-5/E.1-3N on the easterly side of Valley Heights Street at a point approximately six hundred ten (610) feet northerly from the center line of Lincoln St.
• Valley Heights Street: Place one (1) Jointly owned pole numbered T.8-6/E.1-4N on the easterly side of Valley Heights Street at a point seven hundred fifty five (755) feet northerly from the center line of Lincoln St.
• Valley Height Street: Place one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T.8-7/E.1-5N on the easterly side of Valley Heights Street at a point approximately nine hundred (900) feet northerly from the center line of Lincoln St.
• Valley Heights Street: Place one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T.8-8/e.1-6N in the middle of the cul-de-sac at the northerly end of Valley Heights Street at a point approximately nine hundred seventy (970) feet northerly from the center line of Lincoln St.
• Reason: Place six (6) jointly owned pole on Valley Heights Street to provide the distribution of intelligence and telecommunications and for the transmission of high and low voltage electric current.

Item 3: 1-5-21 MCGEE — Order that the public safety committee invite in Jim Lavelle and/or a representative of the HG&E with regard to the Valley Heights Street area.
*Tabled 1-27-21

Item 4: 10-20-20 HERNANDEZ — Property owners for 287 -291 Elm Street, Carrie and Arthur Naatz have reached out to possibly collaborate with City, HPD and other landlords such as Tony Visone that owns 294-298 Elm Street and the Buildings on Walnut Street adjacent to 300 Walnut, in the pursuit of installation of surveillance in an attempt to combat the overall criminal activity, drug, human trafficking in these areas.  I have full contact information for them both and would like to set up a meeting amongst all departments including our honorable mayor’s office to initiate a plan to carry out our goal.
*Tabled 12-9-20, 1-6-21

Item 5: 4-6-21 MURPHY — Ordered that the council work with the city solicitor, the police chief, and our state legislative delegation if needed, to put in place significant penalties for dirt bikers and others endangering the public with their tactics on public streets.  This is both a quality of life issue and a public safety issue that needs addressing.

Item 6: 6-16-20 MURPHY — Ordered that the public safety committee meet with the director of the board of health and representatives from Holyoke Health Center, including Darren Beek,  as well as Jose Bou as a representative from the school department, to discuss any ideas to improve the environment within the four lower neighborhoods where statistics indicate the highest levels and most severe cases of asthma.  Asthma has also negatively impacted school attendance. Ideas to be discussed could include planting many more trees in each neighborhood; getting real-time air tests throughout the city by seeking volunteers who would use asthma inhalers embedded with GPS trackers to identify the most polluted neighborhoods.
*Tabled 7-17-20, 2-10-21, 3-10-21

Item 7: 5-4-21 VACON — that the Acting Mayor and City Council President present a plan and target date for opening city hall and resuming City Council meetings at City Hall.

Item 8: 5-4-21 BARTLEY — The disabilities commission for the City of Holyoke consider creating signage that is age-appropriate for resident who require it. For example, a sign that reads, “SLOW, Autistic Child” is not appropriate for a person in her mid-thirties. Holyoke can and should be a leader in this regard. Refer to Public Safety Committee and copies to Disabilities Commission, DPW and acting Mayor.

Item 9: 5-4-21 VACON — Parking on Rt. 202 near the Appalachian trail signs is creating  a safety hazard. Invite conservation/state and other parties to meet to locate a safe parking area for hikers and consider removing trail signs from roads where parking is prohibited.

Item 10: 4-6-21 MCGEE, MURPHY, TALLMAN — Order that the city council approve A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO STATE INCENTIVES FOR BIOMASS PLANTS AND TO CONSTRUCTION OF ONE SUCH PLANT IN EAST SPRINGFIELD (see attached resolution).

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.