Holyoke City Council Special Meeting June 23, 2025
Posted June 18, 2025, 3:30 p.m.
Please be advised that a special meeting of the Holyoke City Council will be held:
Date: Monday, June 23, 2025
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: City Council Chambers
The meeting can be accessed remotely via zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87994505394?pwd=eVhYeZt4rDVAtbiS63bSQ2pvKxAcar.1
Meeting ID: 879 9450 5394 Meeting Passcode: 226022 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with 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.
The agenda for the special meeting is as follows:
1. The Committee on Ordinance to whom was referred an order that City Council adopt the attached Substitute Municipal Modernization Ordinance
Recommended that the order be adopted, adding the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer (CAFO) to Grade 17 of Schedule A, the Treasurer/Collector to Grade 14 of Schedule A, and the Comptroller to Grade 13 of Schedule A.
2. The Committee on Ordinance to whom was referred an order that the position of Chief Administrative and Financial Officer be created and added to Schedule A
Recommended that the order has been complied with.
3. The Committee on Ordinance to whom was referred an order that the Personnel Department and Law Department work in conjunction to update the following ordinances to reflect a modern Human Resources Department:
Article I
30-1 (a)
82-4 (c)
82-5 (c)
Article II Division I
2-40 (a)
2-43 (e) (k)
2-64
2-66 b (3)
2-67 (a)
2-69 (h)
Article II Division II
2-86
Article II Division VI
2-182 b (3) e (2)
Article III Division II
2-311 a, b, c, d
2-312 a, b (21)
2-313
2-314
Article IV 2-422 (b)
4. The Committee on Charter and Rules to whom was referred an order that the City of Holyoke shall create an Administrative and Finance Department. Said acceptance shall be subject to implementation by city ordinance and any necessary amendments to the City Charter. This order shall be referred concurrently to Charter and Rules and Ordinance to be considered jointly, with recommendations regarding implementation to be reported back to the City Council jointly. See attached: Municipal Modernization Act of 2025.
Recommended that the order be adopted.
5. The Committee on Charter and Rules to whom was referred an order that City Council adopt the attached Substitute Municipal Modernization Ordinance
Recommended that the order has been complied with.
6. The Committee on Charter and Rules to whom was referred an order The City of Holyoke amends any charter, ordinance and any other regulations relative to its Tax Collector and combines the office with its City Treasurer so long as a charter change to appoint rather than elect Holyoke’s City Treasurer is approved by the legislature and Holyoke voters.
Recommended that the order has been complied with and referred to the Ordinance Committee.
7. Jourdain- Ordered that the following Charter Change be adopted:
Charter Sec. 39. – City solicitor.
AMEND
FROM:
The city solicitor shall perform those all legal services in which the city is interested and attend to all proceedings at law or in equity to which the city is a party, and to all claims made to the city council. For these purposes he shall have sole charge of all such matters and proceedings. He shall give in writing his legal opinion upon any of the municipal affairs of the city, upon the request of the mayor or city council, and in addition shall give his opinion upon the law relating to municipal affairs in any department, upon request made by the head of such department.
TO:
The city solicitor shall perform those legal services in the city as the city council shall establish by ordinance. He or she shall give in writing their legal opinion upon any of the municipal affairs of the city, upon the request of the mayor or city council, and in addition shall give his opinion upon the law relating to municipal affairs in any department, upon request made by the head of such department.
8. Charter changes related to Municipal Modernization Package be adopted.
9. The Committee on Charter and Rules to whom was referred an order With community support, order that the following section of our Codes of Ordinances and charter be updated to reflect use of email as sufficient for special meeting notice:
Sec. 12. – Special meetings of city council.
The Mayor or City Council President may at any time call a special meeting of the city council by public posting through the city website along with written notifications thereof, together with a statement of the subjects to be considered thereat, to be deposited in the post office, postpaid and addressed to the persons to be notified, at least forty-eight hours before the time appointed for such meeting, or to be left at the usual place of residence of each member of the council, by email at least forty-eight hours before the time appointed for such meeting. (Acts 1965, c. 187; Acts 1992, c. 189)
Recommended that the order be adopted.
10. JOURDAIN, BARTLEY — Ordered, That Charter Sections 19 and 34 be amended and elsewhere as appropriate to allow for all appointments to the Fire Commission and DPW Commission to be appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation by the City Council.
*Item to be pulled from the Charter and Rules Committee
11. FY 26 Holyoke Municipal Budget
12. Mayor’s Updated DPW Admin Budget Page 32
13. From City Auditor Tanya Wdowiak- budget revision from the Mayor
Page 1- City Council: Increase of $10k to Professional Services Line 11122-53010
Page 42- Recreation: Increase of $5,139 to Recreation Director Line 16301-51101
Here is how I came up with the calculation for the new Directors salary:
3.00% daily (260) daily (261)
83,000.00 85,490.00 328.81 85,818.81
14. City Council Amendments and Final Vote