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Holyoke site for cabinet meeting
Date: 10/12/2011
By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
HOLYOKE — Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray is bringing The Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet to Holyoke in the hopes of strengthening ties between state and local officials as well as hearing ideas that could streamline government.
The meeting will be on Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m. at the City Council chambers in Holyoke City Hall, 536 Dwight St.
Murray explained to Reminder Publications the cabinet has met around the state 28 times so far and has played a big role” in fashioning legislation such as the Municipal Partnership Act.
Out of these conversations, state cabinet members and department heads have been able to meet municipal leaders, he said, and participate in “basic networking.”
Murray added that suggestions coming out of these meetings also resulting in the combination of six state grant programs into one, eliminating unnecessary paperwork.
Joining Murray for this upcoming series of meetings will be representatives from the Executive Office of Administration and Finance; the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs; Executive Office of Health and Human Services; Executive Office of Education; Executive Office of Public Safety and Security; Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development; Executive Director of the Group Insurance Commission Dolores Mitchell; and State Purchasing Agent Gary Lambert.
Among the topics scheduled for discussion at the meetings will be opportunities to seek the regionalization of local services, including public safety, public health, education, housing and economic development, and green communities.
“This upcoming series focused on regionalization and the administration’s new grant incentive program will be another opportunity to work with cities and towns, and encourage municipal managers to partner with neighboring communities to create more efficiencies in the delivery of local services,” Murray said.
