SPRINGFIELD—Amid frigid temperatures, rare New Year’s Day inaugurations formally installed new councilors two of the region’s largest cities installed last week. Both Chicopee and Springfield swore in their city councils Monday. Council races were the highlights of both cities’ elections and the beginning of the
SPRINGFIELD—Since the introduction of ward representation, most exits from the City Council have come with a bit of ignominy. Except for Keith Wright’s resignation for family reasons, other Council departures came either after defeat for reelection or failure to win a different Springfield office. However,
SPRINGFIELD—The skimpiness of the evening’s agenda was no impediment for a lengthy and at times Byzantine City Council meeting. Though subjects like tax rates, snow removal and parking bans are familiar matters, councilors managed to expend considerable time and summon from the well of procedural
All the fixings were in place. The table was set. Surely, this would be the year Springfield voters would awaken to scarf down the opportunity two open at-large Council seats presented. But once all the ballots were in, turnout was just as disappointing than past cycles, if
Courting 36 Court Street is a series of quick interviews with Springfield’s at-large candidates. **All interviews are edited and condensed for length.** Victor Davila is no stranger to Springfield politics. He majored in political science and economics in college. Now the operator of a small transportation
This is the second of two-part series on the impact of retirements on the 2017 Springfield at-large Council race. SPRINGFIELD—Only hours before the deadline to pull papers, word hit the City of Homes that not one, but two open at-large City Council seats in this
UPDATED 10:02PM: To add quotes published in The Republican. This is the first of two-part series on the impact of retirements on the 2017 Springfield at-large Council race. Capping off the longest continuous Council tenure in Springfield and giving this year’s at-large race yet another
SPRINGFIELD—Ahead of its summer slowdown, the City Council ripped through a potpourri agenda featuring new ordinances, support for added rail service and derailment of a labor contract. Earlier in the evening, the City Council had unanimously passed Mayor Domenic Sarno’s budget without any cuts. Similar
SPRINGFIELD—On December 3, 1990, amid disputes over the bargaining process, a grim City Council voted 8-0 to approve a contract awarded after “interest arbitration” that ended city cops’ obligation to live in Springfield. The move effectively killed what was left of the residency ordinance as
SPRINGFIELD—Last Monday the City Council dispatched two big issues that had been hovering over it for weeks and even months. A revised version of a public safety measure aimed at reassuring undocumented immigrants passed unanimously. Meanwhile, the Council approved the first public safety labor contract