UPDATED 9:41PM: For grammar and minor edits. This is the third post in a series analyzing the results of the 2013 election. SPRINGFIELD—In retrospect, at-large Councilor Jimmy Ferrera may owe his political career to chance. When former State Senator and later clerk of courts Brian
UPDATED 12/5/13 10:57AM: To reflect a CORRECTION. Upon reviewing the tape of Monday’s council meeting, neither the Fire nor the Police Commission ordinances received first step. They were both referred to committee. SPRINGFIELD—This Monday at its penultimate regular meeting of the term (there is a
It is that time of the year once again. Election Day is only two days away. Please take a moment to visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth‘s website to learn where your polling place is, but also your ward to know what races you will
UPDATED 11/20/13 10:23AM: For grammar & additional facts. The Springfield City Council can’t help, but bring up a number of things before this upcoming election. Some like the raise for the mayor have been floundering for years. Another, new regulations for pawn shops, has been
UPDATED 10/10/13 3:32PM: Comments from the Council’s Public Safety Committee Chair Thomas Ashe added; clarification between last month’s defeated pawnbroker ordinance and the one referred to committee; and confirmation as to when the old holding period was shortened to the current 10 days. SPRINGFIELD—With elections
SPRINGFIELD—During a marathon session Monday night that was largely driven by the sheer weight of the agenda and not the outsized volume of councilors’ egos, the Council digested a massive list of financial orders and considered several ordinances. The meeting opened with a Audit Committee
UPDATED 6/6/13 1:42 PM: For additional comments from DYS & the Atwater Park Civic Association. SPRINGFIELD—Once more the City Council faced another light agenda Monday as it made some final steps for ordinances affecting fees in the city and transferred funds within departments, a typical
SPRINGFIELD—The preliminary election is still four months away and nomination papers have another two months to be completed, but campaign kickoffs are already underway. For some it is a repeat act, but hopefully with differing results. Justin Hurst, an attorney and the scion of one
For the first time since Springfield abolished its old system of government and ushered in a strong mayor-council government, and possibly ever, the city will hold a municipal election without the mayor on the ballot. Boston is the only other city in Massachusetts with more
UPDATED 3/8/13 12:56PM: Photograph of current Springfield Senior Center added. SPRINGFIELD—During a particularly policy-heavy evening, taking form in both ordinance and other measure, the City Council confronted a host of issue from finance to foreclosures to bonding. However, while some of the more substantive debate