More than five months after it had overturned Palmer Renewable Energy’s permit to begin construction, the Zoning Board of Appeals once again ruled against the proposed biomass plant. Left unresolved from that January meeting was the Springfield City Council’s appeal. The ZBA sustained the Council’s
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 scrutiny Wednesday evening, it was
This post has been updated to reflect confirmation from the Department of Revenue on the Hotel Tax. With tension high following last week’s release of the mayor’s budget, on Monday the Springfield City Council staked out its own position on the proposed financial plan and
As Domenic Sarno rolled out his budget for the 2013 fiscal year on Tuesday, most of the observers in the crowd, largely just reporters and department heads, knew or had known for some time it would be bloody. On paper, the layoffs were limited to
Six months ago, as Springfield voted in the shadow of a year of bizarre weather that almost certainly affected the election, a potentially subtler electoral coup emerged besides Domenic Sarno’s landslide victory. Even as the weather had scrambled the predictions of the city’s punditocracy and
With its capacity to capture headlines and late night news teasers, crime remains one of the troubles for which Springfield get plenty of attention. Although the news can make the city appear to be a river of blood set against the din of incessant gunfire,
After a year defined by piece-meal measures of debatable effect to rein in crime in the City of Springfield, two councilors are propsoing arguably the most comprehensive approach yet when compared to other efforts. Early entertainment cessation and street closings have been the focus on
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 further steps on ordinances. Prior
Every now and then the Springfield City Council assembles and does little more than ministerial duties dressed up as discretionary acts. For example, the city cannot accept a grant or money outside of its own tax base or consistent with a general state law unless
**This post has been updated with pictures and for grammar. This post has also been corrected to accurately reflect the comments of one speaker with regard to Massachusetts municipal waste incinerator ban.** As early as five thirty, a half hour before the zoning board of