Ballot question on extended terms defeated again
Date: 2/11/2013
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE — The memories of convicted Mayor Richard Goyette and the petition forgery scandal hung over the City Council meeting on Feb. 5.
Addressing an effort to once again place the question of extended terms for the mayor and City Council before the voters, the City Council unanimously voted to defeat two orders from Mayor Michael Bissonnette that would have put two separate questions on the 2013 ballot.
City Councilor Frederick Krampits led the effort to defeat the orders with support from Councilors John Vieau and Dino Brunetti.
"I just don't think it's proper," Krampits said of the City Council approving such a motion. He said he believes the voters who support such a question should put it on the ballot through a petition.
The petition effort that was undertaken in 2011 was marked by voter fraud and forgery.
Councilor John Vieau spoke to the embarrassment of the forgery case and said that while initially he didn't oppose voters having the choice, he is now against it.
"I think that [a four year term] takes some power away from the voters," he said. He added, "I don't understand why Mike Bissonnette is so motivated about this."
Brunetti said, "Every two years you should be accountable for what you do."
Councilor Donald Demers believed the voters should have a choice, but also expressed the need to have a recall provision in the city charter. In his briefing preceding the meeting, Mayor Michael Bissonnette alluded to the lasting impact of the FBI investigation that led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of Goyette and spoke of a recall provision.
For some councilors, such as James Tillotson, William Zaskey and Robert Zygarowski there was support for sending the issue to committee. Zygarowski said he would like the issue settled through charter change.
Tillotson favored a discussion on charter change and addressing the extension of terms in the context of revising and updating the city charter.
"I think there are a lot of questions," Tillotson said.
City Council president George Moreau said the order could not be amended or sent to committee. It could either be approved or defeated.
In other action, the council accepted a $1.1 million grant to the Parks Department for further improvements for Szot Park, including new bleachers, fields, and grandstand. Brunetti explained the city's share of the costs is 30 percent. The project will take two to three years to complete.
Tillotson commented, "I guess when you get this kind of deal you can't pass it up."
While the council approved receipt of a grant for $16,323 for design work on another phase, Councilor Gerry Roy objected to it and said he believed there are better uses for the state's money.
"It's not an emergency and we don't need to spend it," he said. Tillotson agreed with that statement.
A grant of $23,500 that would pay for an inventory of the city's trees an initial step to replenishing the city's stock was sent to committee Tillotson noted the grant only pays for an inventory and not for the trees themselves.
Roy noted that state and federal program is part of a United Nations initiative, which he asserted, "is not as forthright as its seems."
He said the ultimate goal is to assign a monetary value to each tree as well as a notation of its contribution to lower carbon in the air. He said it would then be more difficult to remove trees.
"This is a big issue. It's not what it seems to be," Roy charged.
The council approved sending the issue to its community development committee for a public hearing.
Vieau said, "Just because it's [the grant] going to be free, doesn't mean it's in everyone's best interest to spend it."
