Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 2/8/2022
HOLYOKE – The Holyoke City Council approved fines for the illegal use of unregistered dirt bikes on city streets, but stopped short to approve a Holyoke version of an ordinance passed by both Chicopee and Springfield.
The council tackled the issue, among many others, at its Feb. 1 meeting.
The dirt bike ordinance that passed established fines ranging from $300 to $500. The ordinance reads “No person shall operate a recreation vehicle or off-highway vehicle on any city-owned or-controlled public way, sidewalk, park, playground, recreation area, public school property owned or controlled by the city.”
Besides fines, second offenses that lead to a conviction can result in a forfeiture of a vehicle.
The councilors did not support joining Springfield and Chicopee in approving the ordinance that would prohibit the sale of gasoline to dirt bike riders. Councilor Linda Vacon said the Ordinance Committee believed the law would be unenforceable or could be enforced unfairly.
Councilor Kevin Jourdain expressed that ordinance was “a bridge too far.”
The council unanimously approved the appointment of Kelly Curran as the new personnel director. Curran, a city resident, has been a longtime employee of the School Department as the manager of recruitment and human resource manager.
The council was to vote on establishing a committee to discuss downtown parking meters “in terms of the amount of time allowed and the price charge.” It was then noted Mayor Joshua Garcia wants to assemble a parking advisory group, a body that had been created in the past but was never activated.
Councilor Joseph McGiverin said there are as many as 70 parking meters that aren’t working, which is allowing the city to lose income.
The council endorsed allowing the mayor to form his working group, make suggestions about parking and the council could then consider them. A zoning change at Cherry Hill Estates Condominium Trust at 1 Maplecrest Circle was approved that would allow further potential housing development. Several councilors noted the need for more housings by the city.
The council granted the removal of the no parking signs near 274 South St. and 2 Brown Ave. and approved the installation of additional speed signs on Homestead Avenue north and south of U.S. Route 202.
The council also passed an ordinance to limit the parking at 548 South St. to an hour at the request of the owners of Taino Restaurant. The prohibition would be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The council’s Public Service Committee will consider several appointments nominated by the mayor. He would like the council to approve the appointment of Maureen Tisdell to the position of acting director of Parks & Recreation; Marcos Marrero as a commissioner of Holyoke Gas & Electric; and Nicolas Duclos as a commissioner of Parks & Recreation.
Morris M. Partee was approved to serve as a member of the Board of Appeals and Miriam Panitch was also approved to continue her service as a commissioner of the Planning Board.
Panitch’s re-appointment to the board on which she has served for more than a decade was not without question. Councilor David Bartley opposed Panitch’s re-appointment asserting her stands on several issues resulted in lawsuits against the city and accused her as having “a steadfast lack of clarity.”
Jourdain expressed his admiration for Panitch and noted he had supported her appointment to the Planning Board in the past, but wondered if “it’s time to give to someone else a chance.”
Jourdain voted along with the rest of the council to re-appoint Panitch with Bartley the only “no” vote.
The appointments of Franchesca Nunez and Maribel Ortiz to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was tabled until the council receives guidance about length of terms and would be voted for approval at a future meeting. Councilor Israel Rivera stressed the importance of acting quickly at the CPC does not have a quorum at this time.