Public Safety Committee Meeting September 27, 2023
6:30 pm City Hall Holyoke
536 Dwight St, Holyoke 01040
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
Public Safety
Wednesday, September 27, 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: Israel Rivera
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82506091526?pwd=bTRRa2xDaS9zanFPQjYwVHF1NkxuQT09
Meeting ID: 825 0609 1526 Meeting Passcode: 316002 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.
Agenda
Item 1: 6-20-23 (copy) MALDONADO VELEZ — Ordered, that a communication is sent to the Council as to when the rubbish at 27 Cabot Street will be cleaned up.
Item 2: 6-20-23 (copy) JOURDAIN, PUELLO — Ordered, Mayor and Building Dept/Board of Health/Law Dept please provide the City Council with a status report on the demolition and resolution of the dangerous abandoned building at 27-29 Cabot Street and 510 South Bridge Street (Parcel ID 031-01-014 owned by Next Realty Inc. with Corporate President of Shakeel Ahmed Butt of 10 Patriot Parkway in Weymouth, MA). Fencing is no longer safely enclosing the property and it has a dangerous debris field and is an attractive nuisance for children.
According to my records, there was a fire there in September 2021 and another fire in April 2022. It has been vacant from even before these fires. Please report if the owner is paying the vacant building fee and when this building is going to be demolished since it seems inconceivable that it will be restored. This has gone on for too long and is a danger to residents.
Item 3: 4-18-23 (copy) RIVERA_I, TALLMAN — Ordered, that the Mayor organize an advisory committee that will work in collaboration with Public Health Department and Public Safety Committee that will work on coordinating re-entry services for those re-entering society, specifically the city of Holyoke.
*Tabled 6-21-23
Item 4: 4-18-23 RIVERA_I — Ordered, that representatives of Cataldo Ambulance Service Company be asked to come into public safety and share any information or data they have collected in relation to overdoses with the city of Holyoke.
Item 5: 1-17-23 VACON, PUELLO, TALLMAN — Ordered, that local inspections of retail marijuana establishments for compliance with laws (selling to 21+) similar to those for cigarettes and alcohol be completed in coordination with the Cannabis Commission.
Item 6: 1-17-23 VACON, PUELLO — Ordered, that the Cannabis Commission create a regulation that retail marijuana products be required to have a health safety warning. This is needed in light of studies showing significant medical emergencies among children and adolescents as well as adults, due to marijuana use.
Item 7: 4-18-23 GIVNER — Ordered, In the interest of public safety, that a traffic safety pledge be created, in good faith, and that this pledge be taken by all city employees and officials. All city employees and officials should be expected to model righteous behavior by adhering to speed limits and following all traffic laws, ESPECIALLY when using CITY VEHICLES. How can we expect our community to respect its laws if city employees are blatantly disregarding them.
Item 8: 10-4-22 MALDONADO-VELEZ, RIVERA_I, GIVNER — Ordered, that an RFP be created to study a community responder model type program that is outside of the Police Dept but works in collaboration with that department as one of several contributing partners.
*Tabled 11-19-22, 3-6-23, 4-19-23
Item 9: 4-19-22 BARTLEY — Ordered, The DPW and Mayor locate public spaces where trash and recycling receptacles can be placed and maintained. This should start off as a pilot program and it will require funding and management to ensure the debris/recycling bins are maintained but hopefully it will be a success and Holyoke can expand its scope.
*Tabled 6-27-22, 8-8-22, 9-19-22
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.