Finance Committee Meeting June 25, 2025

Posted June 18, 2025, 4:06 p.m.

City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Finance

Wednesday, June 25, 2025
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 zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83541292122?pwd=lOzz4s0PViavN5vFf0ZwVAm5hftHJ6.1
Meeting ID: 835 4129 2122 Meeting Passcode: 513657 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: 6-17-25 DEVINE – Ordered, that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2025, THREE THOUSAND SEVENTY FIVE AND 00/100 Dollars ($3,075) as follows:
FROM
16101-51102 REFERENCE LIBRARY ASSISTANT            $3,075
TOTAL            $3,075
TO:
16101-51108 CUSTODIAN              $1,025
16101-51112 FINANCIAL MANAGER                          850
16101-51114 COMPUTER COORDINATOR                          1,200
TOTAL            $3,075

Item 2: 6-17-25 Devine-Ordered, that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “DOE ENERGY EFFICIENT CDBG, $76,420, 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.
Sec 2-509 – Grant Reporting
Any city department, of which has received grant funding by approval of the city council pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, or any other authorizing criteria, shall within a reasonable period of time, but no later than 60 days from the conclusion of said grant, generate a detailed report which outlines the planned outcomes with the documented actual results. Said report shall be submitted to the city clerk for addition to the city council’s next agenda.

Item 3: 6-17-25 Devine-Ordered, that in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53A, the City Council hereby accepts the provisions of the “FY25 MA DEPT OF FIRE SERVICES SAFE AND SENIOR SAFE GRANT, $9,799.85, 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.
Sec 2-509 – Grant Reporting
Any city department, of which has received grant funding by approval of the city council pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, or any other authorizing criteria, shall within a reasonable period of time, but no later than 60 days from the conclusion of said grant, generate a detailed report which outlines the planned outcomes with the documented actual results. Said report shall be submitted to the city clerk for addition to the city council’s next agenda.

Item 4: 6-3-25 Magrath-Smith- Ordered, that the City Council review the FY26 Paving Program memo and consider how best to address our most pressing roadwork.

Item 5: 6-17-25 DEVINE – Ordered, that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year 2025, TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND AND 00/100 Dollars ($24,000) as follows:
FROM
14251-51102 HOISTING OPERATOR                      $24,000
TOTAL            $24,000
TO:
6990-10400 FUEL DEPOT                $24,000
TOTAL            $24,000

Item 6: 6-17-25 Devine:  Order that the amount of one million and five hundred-thousand dollars ($1,500,000) is appropriated for the purpose of financing the demolition, remodeling, reconstruction, engineering, construction, equipping or re-equipping of various municipal facilities, and purchase of municipal vehicles, including the payment of costs incidental or related thereto. To meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Mayor is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 7 or any other enabling authority.
FURTHER ORDERED: That the Mayor is authorized to contract for and expend any state aid available for the project; and that the Mayor is authorized to take any other action necessary or convenient to carry out these projects.
FURTHER ORDERED: That the Treasurer is authorized to file an application to qualify under Chapter 44A of the General Laws any and all of the bonds or notes authorized to be issued pursuant to this Order, and to provide such information and execute such documents as may be required for such purposes.
FURTHER ORDERED: That there shall be no change in the purpose of this bond authorization without prior vote of approval by the Holyoke City Council

Item 7: 3-4-25 Vacon, Jourdain- ORDER:  The Treasurer & Auditor provide the City Council with an update & timeline for the certification of free cash.

Item 8: 3-4-25 Jourdain, Vacon- Ordered, that the Treasurer, Auditor and Mayor please come to the Finance Committee to discuss why the Schedule A year end reconciliation for Fiscal Year 2024 has not yet been filed with the State.  Failure to make this end of year filing timely potentially jeopardizes our future state aid payments, cash flow and the certification of our free cash.  This filing was due on November 30 and is still unfiled.  It should be noted that it was filed many months late last year and appears to be late again.  Let’s discuss please how we can get this back on track.

LAID ON THE TABLE

Item 9: 6-3-25 DEVINE – Ordered, that there be and is hereby appropriated by transfer in the fiscal year EIGHTY THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY SIX AND 00/100 Dollars ($83,656) as follows:
FROM
11511-51202 PT ASSOCIATE SOLICITOR             $83,656
TOTAL            $83,656
TO:
11511-51201 PT ASSISTANT SOLICITOR                           $83,656
TOTAL            $83,656
*Tabled 6-10-25

Item 10: 3-19-24 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI – Ordered that the City Council invite the Mayor, Police Department and relevant financial department heads to a future meeting of the Finance Committee to provide an update on the status of the off-duty police account and former vendor Off-Duty Blue.
*Tabled 4-3-24, 5-15-24, 8-12-24, 9-11-24

Item 11: 11-7-24 – Murphy-Romboletti- In an effort to provide clarity for all councilors and the public, ordered that the law department provide guidance or a memo that outlines the number of votes required for different items related to finance, ordinances, real estate and other relevant voting topics.
*Tabled 1-14-25

Item 12: 11-7-24 – Murphy-Romboletti- Ordered that the law department provide a legal opinion on the number of votes required to make transfers from a special stabilization fund.
*Tabled 1-14-25

ADMINISTRATIVELY LAID ON THE TABLE

Item 13: 11-7-24 – Magrath-Smith, Jourdain – Ordered that the City Solicitor, Auditor, and Treasurer develop and present a clear policy regarding the use of the remaining collected cannabis fees, outlining a process for billing hours to the cannabis fund for work done by city employees connected to cannabis-related activities, such as:
1. Inspections of cannabis businesses
2. Processing of licensing and excise payments for cannabis businesses
3. Cannabis-related educational programming in schools
4. Safe driving and DUI prevention campaigns related to cannabis use also develop and present guidance on the use of cannabis fees for capital improvements or equipment (including related labor costs to support those projects and purchases) that is consistent with offsetting the impact of cannabis-related activities.

Item 14: 11-7-24 – Magrath-Smith, Jourdain – Ordered that the City Solicitor develop and present a clear policy regarding acceptable fees that can be levied against future cannabis businesses related to concrete, specific impacts of cannabis businesses where they exist.

Item 15: 11-7-24 – Magrath-Smith, Jourdain – Ordered that the HR Director come into Finance to present which HR functions are being completed by which Departments, Commissions, or Boards with a goal of seeking out areas where we can become more consistent or streamline processes and positions in the future with the goal of enhancing a more centralized HR function in our city.

Item 16: 11-7-24 From Mayor Joshua Garcia- 2023 Signed MOU HPD RollKall

Item 17: 11-7-24 From Mayor Joshua Garcia- 2021 Signed MOU HPD RollKall

Item 18: 11-7-24 HPD – OffDutyBlue Services Agreement

Item 19: 12-3-24 BARTLEY -Ordered, the mayor be requested to act on the bond study from last year and put together a plan to demo the old police station.

Item 20: 4-1-25 From Health Benefit Trust meeting, meeting minutes from December 4, 2024, January 13, February 24, and March 10, 2025

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. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.