City Council debates fiscal conservatism, spending obligations
Date: 1/11/2013
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE — The theme of fiscal caution ran through much of the meeting of the Chicopee City Council on Jan. 3.
The issue of spending $850,000 to purchased wheeled Toter trash cans was sent to the Finance Committee as well as the appropriation made by Mayor Michael Bissonnette for $1.8 million to be taken from the free cash account to pay for flood control improvements.
City Councilor John Vieau, whose constituents live within the flood plain, said accreditation of the city's flood control system is "critical," but he would like to know what the allocation would fund.
Vieau said, "It's time to tighten up the purse stings."
City Councilor James Tillotson said that he suggested to Bissonnette that in the future the city impose a cap on how much sick time a department head can collect over the course of his or her career. The council voted to approve an allocation of $53,446 of a sick time buy-back to Stanley Kulig who is retiring as the director of the Department of Public Works.
Although Tillotson said that Kulig earned the amount by not taking sick time, he added, "We need to look at not being so generous down the road."
On the new city-issued trash containers, Tillotson expressed concern that people would be getting less for their money. He explained the city residents are used to throwing out a variety of items that may not fit in the new barrels. He expressed fears that illegal dumping in vacant lots might then take place.
Vieau said that discussing the allocation for the new barrels is "not in the best interests of the city."
He added, "Maybe we should be talking about tax relief."
Tillotson, noting the discussion from the previous meeting during which allocations for new ambulances, police cruisers and other city vehicles took place, asserted, that if approved, not enough money would be left in the city's stabilization account to secure a continued good bond rating.
He said, "We will buy an ambulance. We will buy all the items we really need. Our frugality is keeping us afloat."
Tillotson also made a motion that passed to request a written statement from City Solicitor Karen Betournay on whether or not the mayor has the right to skip over approval from the city council on appointments to commissions.
Tillotson charged that Bissonnette was "moving toward a totalitarian state" and the mayor's actions were "a setback from democracy."
The next council meeting will be Jan. 15 at 7:15 p.m. in the council chambers in City Hall.
