Finance Committee Meeting January 31, 2024

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City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Finance

Wednesday, January 31, 2024
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: Patti Devine
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81300826662?pwd=M3NpQmRDVDJvM2ZUVU1JUzI4c3NhQT09
Meeting ID: 813 0082 6662 Meeting Passcode: 383728 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with
the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Live Spanish interpretation will be available on local access channel 15 using the television’s SAP option, through the live stream on the city website, as well as on the Zoom feed by clicking the interpretation option and choosing Spanish.

Agenda

Item 1: Minutes of December 13, 2023 and January 17, 2024 meetings

Item 2: 1-22-24 Devine- Ordered, that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2024, TWENTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 Dollars ($20,000) as follows:
FROM:
8811-10400 CAPITAL STABILIZATION $20,000
TOTAL: $20,000
TO:
11212-53009 CONTRACTED SERVICES-MAYOR $20,000
…..-….. AMBULANCE FEASIBILITY ……
TOTAL: $20,000

Item 3: 1-22-24 Devine- Ordered, that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2024, THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND 00/100 Dollars ($300,000) as follows:
FROM:
12101-51105 SERGEANTS $115,000
12101-51107 PATROLMEN 65,000
12101-51117 E911 DISPATCHERS 120,000
TOTAL: $300,000
TO:
12101-51300 OVERTIME $300,000
TOTAL: $300,000

Item 4: 12-5-23 MCGIVERIN — that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “FY2024 EDWARD J. BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT, $49,920, NO MATCH ” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant.
*Tabled 12-13-23

Item 5: 1-2-24 RIVERA_I — Order that the Holyoke Police department come into finance and elaborate on what is done with money that is seized or forfeited due to arrests or drug busts.

Item 6: 1-22-24 Devine- Ordered, that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “FY23 TDI EQUITY, $38,550, NO MATCH” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant.

Item 7: 1-2-24 RIVERA_I — Order that the honorable city council work with the law department on identifying the a criteria for the expenditure of Community Impact funding. It has been brought to my attention that at least one of the cannabis companies will soon be seeking a refund. How are we protected against this? And how have we spent money as of now?

Item 8: 1-22-24 Devine- Ordered, that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “MASS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, 26,800, 10% IN KIND/VOLUNTEER MATCH ” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant.

Item 9: 1-22-24 Devine- Ordered, that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “2023 COMMUNITY MITIGATION FUND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GRANT, $82,300, NO MATCH” grant and authorizes the establishment of a Fund or other method appropriate for the accounting of the receipts and expenditures of all resources associated with the administration of said grant

Item 10: 1-22-24 Murphy-Romboletti- Ordered, that the City Council vote to approve the attached Memorandum of Understanding allowing the City of Holyoke to receive transportation reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act, and as allowed by the provisions of M.G.L. c. 44, s70.

Item 11: 1-22-24 BARTLEY — In light of the recent announcement of Holyoke’s allocation from the State of nearly $500,000.00 in tax appropriation for its infrastructure, the Mayor and DPW Superintendent provide a plan on how to use the funds for this fiscal year. So the public is aware, please see agenda item #8 from the 1/2/24 meeting (Fair-Share Amendment). Refer to Finance.

Item 12: 1-2-24 From MassDOT, letter regarding Holyoke Fair Share apportionment for FY2024.

Item 13: 1-22-24 Murphy-Romboletti- Ordered, that the City of Holyoke establish a Health Insurance Trust Agreement pursuant to MGL c. 23B, Section 3A. MGL c. 32B, Section 3A permits a municipality to establish a health insurance trust to “organize, arrange, or provide for the delivery or payment of health care coverage or services”. The establishment of a trust by the City to administer health care payments will create a significant savings to the FY’25 proposed budget.

Item 14: 12-19-23 MALDONADO-VELEZ — Order that all city departments work towards creating digital access to all their forms, permits, and licenses to streamline access and reduce paperwork. Send a copy to all department heads and request an update to the finance committee with any expenses we would acquire in order to make this transition happen.

Item 15: 3-1-22 JOURDAIN, PUELLO, VACON — That the Finance Committee review the FY 22 budget impact, as well as, school building financial analysis impact of the Assessors’ decision to lower the Holyoke Mall’s assessment by an additional $36 million (for a $1.46 million annual revenue drop) the day after the Council’s February 15 vote to approve spending $475,000 on a feasibility study for a new middle school.

Item 16: 10-3-23 (referred back 10-17-23) VACON, JOURDAIN, PUELLO — Order:  that the ballot question approved by the City Council be placed on the ballot on November 4, 2024 as referenced in the 9/26/23 decision by Judge Mulqueen.
Ballot Question
Shall the City of Holyoke amend the current Community Preservation Act real estate surcharge, as established in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and which amendment of such surcharge is permissible pursuant to Section 16 of Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and approved by its legislative body, from 1.5% to 1.0%, a summary of which appears below?
(with revised dates)
8
Community Preservation Act Ballot Question and Draft Summary
Ballot Question
Shall the City of Holyoke amend the current Community Preservation Act real estate surcharge, as established in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of Chapter 44B of
the Massachusetts General Laws, and which amendment of such surcharge is permissible pursuant to Section 16 of Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and approved by its legislative body, from 1.5% to 1.0%, a summary of which appears below?
Summary of Question
On October 3, 2023, the City Council voted, without taking a position, to place a question on the ballot which will allow voters to reduce the current Community Preservation Act real estate surcharge from 1.5% to 1.0%.. The question will be approved, and the real estate surcharge shall be so reduced, if a majority of the voters voting on the ballot question
vote “yes”. The question will not be approved, and the real estate surcharge shall remain the same, if a majority of the voters voting on the ballot question vote “no”
On November 8, 2016, the voters of the City of Holyoke voted to accept Sections 3 to 7 of Chapter 44B, known as the Community Preservation Act (hereinafter referred to as the “Act’*). By accepting the Act, a funding source was established to enable the City of Holyoke to: (1) acquire, create and preserve open space, which includes land for parks, playgrounds and athletic fields; (2) acquire, preserve and rehabilitate historic resources such as historic community buildings and artifacts; and (3) acquire, create, and preserve
and support community housing to help local families meet their housing needs. By accepting the Act, a surcharge of 1.5% was assessed on real estate on an annual basis beginning in Fiscal Year 2018. Exempted from the surcharge are: (1) property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who would qualify for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing in the City of Holyoke, as defined in Section 2 of the Act; (2) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property; and (3) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of class three, commercial property, and class four, industrial property as defined in section 2A of said chapter 59. A taxpayer receiving a regular property tax abatement or exemption will also receive a pro rata reduction in the surcharge. Any taxpayer seeking a low income or senior exemption shall apply for said exemption annually to the City of Holyoke.
*Tabled 12-4-23

Item 17: 6-21-22 JOURDAIN — Acting DPW Superintendent please provide the City Council & Parking committee the following report:  for the prior 5 years (need to consider pre/post pandemic usage changes), amount of meter revenue and amount of parking garage revenue.  Please provide total usage % (used spaces divided total spaces) at both parking garages annually.  Please also provide any analysis of cost to get all meters fully operational.  Please provide the expected life cycle of the new meters if purchased.  Please also provide us the current amortization schedule for the Mayor Taupier Suffolk Street Parking Garage
*Tabled 6-7-23

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.