SPRINGFIELD—Determined to revive the city’s moribund residency ordinance, a Council committee announced it would ask for a vote Monday to override Mayor Domenic Sarno’s veto of an ordinance designed to limit the use of waivers to city employee residency requirements. Other actions will appear on
SPRINGFIELD—Speaking before a crowded hall at the Cedars on Island Pond Road after delaying the start to his campaign several months, city resident and activist, Ernesto Cruz kicked off his bid Thursday for one of the City Council’s five at-large seats. In a speech capped
UPDATED 7/24/13 10:44PM: Additional comments from City Solicitor Ed Pikula added. SPRINGFIELD—To the surprise of many and for legally shaky reasons, Mayor Domenic Sarno vetoed the City Council’s attempt to reform the city’s residency ordinance. The veto was Sarno’s first according to the City Clerk’s
UPDATED 7/18/13 12:29PM: To reflect a quote from Councilor Fenton. SPRINGFIELD—Returning to the chamber for one of two summer meetings on Monday, the Springfield City Council finally moved several issues long-festering on its docket bringing closure after months of indecision. Despite a substantial passage of
SPRINGFIELD — Politics and its progeny populism were at play in Monday’s meeting which partially reignited an old debate while the other was just theater. An issue long ready to be put to bed was put off as last minute and uninformed objections led to
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—Although long, the City Council’s agenda was not particularly controversial or compelling. A few items offered councilors the typical, out-of-context grandstanding, but even that was fairly spare given limited opportunities. At-large Councilor Kateri Walsh was absent from Monday’s meeting. The Council’s agenda was largely transfers
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; and to add new details
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