Williams takes aim at Sarno over two issues

Date: 8/12/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- The mayoral race between City Councilor Bud Williams and incumbent Domenic Sarno heated up recently on two fronts: cops and electricity.

Williams accused Sarno of making a "serious mistake in judgment" in missing an opportunity to apply for federal stimulus funds that could have added more police officers to the Springfield force.

Williams explained to Reminder Publications that 13 cities in Massachusetts, including Holyoke, received funding from the $787 billion economic stimulus package. The federal grant money under the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services from the Department of Justice would have paid for the salaries and benefits of new police officers for at least three years.

Williams said Springfield did not apply for the grant money, but declined to lay any blame on Police Commissioner William Fitchet. Instead he asserted that Sarno was consulted about the grant opportunity, but did not pursue it.

Williams estimated that 40 to 50 new police officers could have been hired with the grant money.

"My theory is that [the hiring of new officers] would have driven down the crime rate which would have attracted new businesses and increase new revenues," he said.

"You've got to think big," Williams added. "You can't pass up federal money."

Williams, who earlier this month released a four-point crime prevention plan, stated, "My administration will never pass up an opportunity to put more police officers on our streets. We will leverage every available dollar to make Springfield a safe city."

Earlier this year, Williams announced he would arrange a series of summit meetings to address gun violence in the city. No announcement has been made as yet on a schedule for those meetings.

Williams also called on Aug. 1 for the city's Law Department to begin the process of a class action lawsuit against Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO) for responsibility for the power outage that occurred on July 30 and 31.

Sarno met with WMECO offcials to discuss the power outage on Aug. 6, which included some 500 claims of damage to businesses and residents caused by the outage.

"I want to ensure that Springfield residents and businesses are compensated for their losses adequately and appropriately," Sarno said. "The city will also be submitting a list of expenses it incurred as a result of this event," he added.

Sarno's office released a statement last week that a meeting has been scheduled for early next week with Mass Highway officials regarding the ongoing fiber optic installation project so a future outage could be avoided.

Sarno said he "wants to ensure that the city does everything it can so that this does not happen again."

Williams stated, "Hearing complaints from directly affected citizens is but one step in the process. WMECO must be held accountable to all the citizens as this power outage had personal and economic repercussions across the city."