Charter and Rules Committee Meeting January 9, 2023
6:30 pm City Hall Holyoke
536 Dwight St, Holyoke 01040
Agenda posted January 5, 2023, 1:35 PM
City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2022,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Charter and Rules
Monday, January 9, 2023
6:30 PM
Meeting to take place at
Holyoke City Hall, 536 Dwight St
and can be accessed remotely on Zoom Meetings
Per order of the Chair: Jose Maldonado Velez
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85085869999?pwd=czZsUklBM2NjZFlURzMvaHZZdFltUT09
Meeting ID: 850 8586 9999 Meeting Passcode: 187081 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.
Agenda
Item 1: 2-1-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ — relook at committee responsibilities and restructure. Refer to Charter & Rules
*Tabled 2-23-22, 4-12-22, 6-14-22, 10-24-22
Item 2: 5-3-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ — that we add the following committees to the City Council:
Zoning Committee – dealing with zoning changes and language
Public Way Committee – dealing with handicap spots, parking, and traffic ordinances
Development Committee – focusing on grants and economic development
*Tabled 6-14-22, 10-24-22
Item 3: 5-3-22 RIVERA_I — Order that the honorable city council add the following committee:
Communications Committee
Senior citizen quality of life Committee
*Tabled 6-14-22, 10-24-22
Item 4: 4-5-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ — Ordered, Order that we create a Cannabis Committee to strictly deal with Marijuana special permits and ordinance changes related to cannabis.
*Tabled 4-12-22, 10-24-22
Item 5: 4-19-22 VACON — Ordered, that our city solicitor draft a ballot question for the next eligible election for voters to decide if the CPA tax should be reduced from 1.5% to 0.5% in light of current financial hardship of our taxpayers.
Item 6: 4-19-22 VACON — Ordered, That our city solicitor draft a ballot question to revoke the CPA tax and that it be placed on the next eligible election ballot for the voters to decide if they want to keep the CPA tax after 5 years.
Item 7: 12-20-22 VACON — VACON, PUELLO — that our City Solicitor draft a ballot question for the next eligible election for voters to decide if the CPA tax should be reduced from 1.5% to 0.5% in light of the current financial hardship of our taxpayers.
Taxes will increase by over $200.00 per year for a house valued at $236,262 due to repeated inability to achieve 7 votes of the City Council for lower taxes for homeowners. This increase is taking place along with significant increases in sewer, gas, electricity, food & heating prices. Voters should have the right to decide the rate. City Council initiated the CPA tax here originally, so needs to vote to place it on the ballot again for voters to decide.
Item 8: 5-3-22 RIVERA_I — Order that the city solicitors office begin drafting a ballot question for next election cycle around marijuana Social consumption sites such as bars and cafes for residents to vote on next election cycle similar to the language below. “The sale of marijuana products, as those terms are defined in G.L. c.94G, 1, for consumption on the premises where sold, is permitted when the sale occurs at Restaurants, Bars, Cafes, or any establishment in which food or beverages are served.”
*Tabled 10-24-22
Item 9: 1-3-23 MALDONADO-VELEZ – Order that we create a ballot question asking if there should be a recall process for all elected officials. The question should include a recall process and the decision should be binding.
Item 10: 10-18-22 PUELLO, VACON — Ordered, That recall provisions be established for every elected official in the city. These provisions should be fair and equitable to allow citizens a path to recall but also protect the system from nuisances.
Item 11: 6-7-22 MALDONADO VELEZ — Ordered, that we add to our charter that if a councilor is absent from full council meeting for more than 3 consecutive meetings without written notice, their seat is considered open.
Item 12: 6-7-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI — Ordered, that the City Council establish a rule that requires any resident running to fill a vacant city council seat will need to obtain 50 signatures from eligible residents in order to be considered by the full City Council for appointment.
Item 13: 6-7-22 MALDONADO VELEZ — Ordered, that when a vacancy open up in city council with more than 6 months left of the term, that a special election is required.
Item 14: 12-6-22 — Order that we add a rule 9Bviii (Committee) to read “The Youth Services Committee shall have jurisdiction over matters relating to the youth and are the representing body for the Joint Committee of the City Council and School Committee”
Item 15: 12-6-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ Order that we revert committee name (Council Rule 9Bvii) to read “The Joint Committee of the City Council and School Committee” instead of “Youth Services Committee”.
Item 16: 2-1-22 2-1-22 From Councilor Maldonado-Velez, City Council Rules examples with titles and sections. Send to Charter & Rules
Amherst(https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/46001/Amherst-Town-Council-Rules-and-Procedures?bidId=)
Boston (https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/city-council-rules)
*Tabled 2-23-22, 4-12-22, 6-14-22
Administrative Assistant: Jeffery Anderson-Burgos
The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Also one or two items may require the committee to enter into executive session at this meeting. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.