Finance Committee Meeting May 29, 2025

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

Thursday, May 29, 2025
5:30 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/89023764042?pwd=Sl9RMbfZRkPZj1WZvjNaaNBFN8RdMa.1
Meeting ID: 890 2376 4042 Meeting Passcode: 172747 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with
the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Agenda

Item 1: 5-20-25 Devine- ORDERED:
1. That the Mayor is authorized to sign Donation Certificates for the following temporary easements on City-owned property to  facilitate the construction and maintenance of roadway and related improvements for the “Resurfacing and Related Work on Cabot Street and Race Street (City Center Connector) State Project #609065” Project, understanding that said easements will be for a duration of five (5) years and recorded on land records such that said easements will remain in effect in the event the City chooses to sell any of these properties before the termination of the five (5) year period:
Deed Reference (Book-Page)            Parcel Address           Map/Block/Parcel       Title Holder
16564-387       Cabot St          030-03-007      City of Holyoke
Easement ID   Type    Size (S.F. ±)
TE-24  Temporary (5 years)   482
Combined Value of Easements          Donated $0.00
Deed Reference (Book-Page)            Parcel Address           Map/Block/Parcel       Title Holder
16826-128       61 Cabot St     030-03-008      City of Holyoke
Easement ID   Type    Size (S.F. ±)
TE-25  Temporary (5 years)   684
Combined Value of Easements          Donated $0.00

Item 2: 5-20-25 Devine- ORDERED
1. That the Holyoke City Council introduce and read into record a proposed Order of Taking, to be acted upon at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting to be held on June 3, 2025, authorizing the eminent domain takings of ten (10) permanent easements, one (1) permanent utility easements, and fifty three (53) temporary easements for purposes of obtaining the necessary access and rights of way for the construction and maintenance of roadway and related improvements for the “Resurfacing and Related Work on Cabot Street and Race Street (City Center Connector) State Project #609065” Project (the “Project”), from certain owners of record of land abutting the Project in the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts;
2. That proposed payment for damages, totaling $59,000 for all easements, be made using Chapter 90 funds;
3. That this item be referred to the Finance Committee for review and hearing on May 27, 2025 at 6:30 PM, in accordance with Section 78-83 of the City of Holyoke Code of Ordinances, such that the Finance Committee may recommend final action be taken to approve said Order of Taking by City Council at the upcoming meeting of June 3, 2025; and
4. That City Council be informed that affected property owners have been made aware of said proposed meeting dates by means of USPS First Class mailing.

LAID ON THE TABLE

Item 3: 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 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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 9: 11-7-24 From Mayor Joshua Garcia- 2023 Signed MOU HPD RollKall

Item 10: 11-7-24 From Mayor Joshua Garcia- 2021 Signed MOU HPD RollKall

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

Item 12: 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 13: 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.

Item 14: 3-4-25 Vacon, Jourdain- ORDER:  The Treasurer & Auditor provide the City Council with an update & timeline for the certification of free cash.

Item 15: 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.