Take My Council, Please: City of Immigrants, County Repository?…
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 [...]
Take My Council, Please: Casino Vote Jimmied & Other Vanities…
UPDATED 5/8/2013 10:45PM : To reflect a correction. An earlier version of this post attributed to John Lysak an effort to move the Boston Road bonding to committee, which was incorrect and attributed to a misunderstanding; for clarity and grammar; [...]
Take My Council, Please: Amended Complaints…
SPRINGFIELD—Reversing itself fully from a meeting just two weeks ago, the City Council killed an amendment to its historic foreclosure ordinance and with it a settlement to a lawsuit launched shortly after its passage. The rejection on Monday was arguably [...]
Campaign Dollars/Common Cents Predictions…
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 [...]
Take My Council, Please: The Conception of Priorities…
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 [...]
Reason, Political Fear May Have Assigned Committes…
UPDATED 1/19/13: For grammar and clarity. SPRINGFIELD—Defying the low expectations of many City Council watchers, Council President and at-large Councilor Jimmy Ferrera appointed the Council’s committees, but without the inequitable and punitive air that characterized last year’s appointments. Chairs of [...]
Who, Not What, Should Now Go to Committee?…
UPDATED 1/11/13 4:56PM: For Clarity SPRINGFIELD—The Springfield City Council formally installed at-large Councilor Jimmy Ferrera for another year-long term as the body’s president before a chamber filled with department heads, supporters and family. The new term begins a year after [...]
Take My Council, Please: With Firm Resolve…
UDPATED 10/18/12 2:22pm During a relatively quiet meeting at the Springfield City Council, two things were clear. The Council remains skeptical of the mayor’s budgeting tactics and everybody loves the Student Prince. Beyond that, much of the evening was focused [...]
Take My Council, Please: Sound & Fury Signifying What?…
For weeks now, tension has been building among city councilors over the mayor’s budget. Even before Mayor Domenic Sarno presented his budget two weeks ago, many councilors were almost livid over the process. Consequently, when the budget faced its annual [...]
Take My Council, Please: Cheers & Jeers…
Monday was a day of minor victories, but also grim financial news and schizophrenic behavior at the Springfield City Council. With three members absent, councilors debated a host of resolutions, put off several measures to committee and even took some [...]
