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Date: 12/6/2022
SOUTH HADLEY – The Nov. 30 Special Town Meeting in South Hadley went smoothly as all five of the articles on the warrant were approved by Town Meeting voters.
One of the articles of note was Article 3, which had Town Meeting members vote to accept Massachustts General Law Chapter 60 section 3F, which would allow for the donation and collection of funds for a municipal veterans assistance fund. The article was passed by a 77-1 vote.
Section 3F of Chapter 60 allows voluntary donation to a municipal veterans assistance fund by designation on municipal property tax or motor vehicle excise bills. The Selectboard voted to support the creation of the fund during a Sept. 6 meeting.
Veterans or surviving spouses who live in South Hadley would be eligible. It is entirely funded by voluntary contributions and funds would be used for assistance with food, transportation, heat and oil expenses for veterans and their families.
One resident spoke against the proposed article as she said she thought there were already plenty of avenues for veterans to get assistance and cited her husband as an example as he served and has been able to secure assistance from different veteran related programs.
South Hadley Veterans Agent Mike Slater responded to the concern and while he acknowledged the resident was correct that there are options out there, this fund would serve as a direct local emergency fund for veterans and their families in town.
“Those programs do exist but are much harder to access. If it were an emergency situation, this would be an assistance fund that would come in,” Slater said. “It’s an asset with food security, rental issues, if someone is unemployed and falling behind. Situations where people could be facing homelessness or medical emergencies, it fills in that option.”
Another resident spoke in favor of establishing the fund and said as a Vietnam veteran, he felt “we should do everything we can to support Veterans in this country.” One other resident said they were also in support and noted donations optional for residents.
Now with the creation of the fund approved, the town will establish an application process, standards for documentation of veteran/dependent status, and financial eligibility criteria for determining need and amount of assistance. The Veterans Services Department would review applications based on those criteria.
Articles relating to veterans affairs did not stop there as Article 4 looked to amend the Town General Bylaws by adding a new section 7-7 titles, Veterans’ Council. The article was passed through a 76-1 vote in favor. The Selectboard had previously approved to support the creation of this council during a Nov. 1 meeting.
A South Hadley Veterans’ Council would help with a number of veteran related events throughout the year in terms of planning, organizing and input in the community. Town Administrator Lisa Wong added during the previous Selectboard meeting on Nov. 1 that the addition of the council would be a great addition to the town in terms of outreach as it will establish a new working relationship where the town’s veteran’s agent can have more from the community in support.
“I think the important part for us to consider is this is another avenue for veterans in the community and residents to participate,” Wong said on Nov. 1. “This has been a goal of ours through a number of warrant articles initiatives to provide more support for the population.”
There will be seven members on the Veteran’s Council appointed by the Selectboard and the council would work with the veterans’ service officer. These councils are made up of veterans who are voters and residents of the town. Wong noted in a previous November Selectboard meeting that members would be serving staggered three-year terms on the council.
The final article listed on this year’s warrant was Article 5 which was removal from civil service. The town had previously voted to move the police chief out of civil service and this new article is to remove the entirety of the Police Department out of civil service. The article passed through a 69-8 vote.
Selectboard Chair Jeff Cyr explained at the Special Town Meeting that civil service was previously the most common hiring method for employees. He added that initially, civil service was introduced to help address nepotism in hiring.
“Currently recruiting is very challenging due to the fact if another officer wants to leave the community, it has to be approved,” Cyr said.
Wong explained at the Selectboard’s Nov. 1 meeting that the town would not have to follow the rules of the Civil Service Commission, which also means they would need to establish their own policies surrounding hiring, promotions and discipline.
“All those things are actively being developed and negotiated right now. That can be done concurrently with this article,” Wong said.
The civil service law was passed and implemented in 1884 in state and local governments to deter the “spoilt system” of government jobs being offered only to political supports. In 1933, South Hadley Town Meeting voted to have the town join civil service. All sworn South Hadley police officers, except the chief, are covered under Massachusetts civil service.
One resident asked Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen if removal of the civil service practice left officers vulnerable or unprotected with their jobs. Gundersen said she did not believe so and added the local South Hadley police union leadership had said they were in favor of passing this article.
“All current police officers in the town of South Hadley would still be civil service employees. It would be any new hires or promotions. All South Hadley officers are a part of a collective bargaining agreement. I do not believe that it removes any current protections regarding their employment,” Gundersen said.
Civil Service is still utilized in 131 communities and an estimate of 40 of those having removed or currently in the process of removing the law. Some of the Western Massachusetts municipalities that have completed removals or “in process” for removal from Civil Service are Greenfield, East Longmeadow, Athol and Palmer.
According to background information provided by the town on this article, the Western Massachusetts communities that will likely remain in civil service will be Springfield, West Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke and Pittsfield.
Article 2 was passed in a 64-11 vote to make a minor change in the wording to the town’s Wetland Bylaw. The Selectboard voted unanimously to support the article. The Conservation Commission is proposing adding a new paragraph to Local Wetland Bylaw, Chapter 240. The language will allow the commission to collect permit fees, mitigation payments or fines.
Simultaneously, the commission has proposed changes to the Local Wetland Regulations related to tree placement performance standards. These performance standards would allow an in lieu of payment to be collected in unique circumstances when tree replacement mitigation requirements cannot be met due to site constraints.
To allow the commission to make said changes to the Local Wetland Regulations, a Wetland Bylaw change must be made to give the commission proper authorization to collect mitigation payments for these unique circumstances.
One resident spoke against the article and said he found it difficult to vote for as he felt it allowed the Conservation Commission to set whatever fees they choose. He added it did not represent good government and it was “another tax upon our community.”
Planning Board and Town Meeting member Joanna Brown spoke in favor of the article.
“I think this again gives one more option for a way to work with landowners when replacement of trees has been taken down and can’t be replaced on that site,” Brown said. “There will be regulations that will be passed, but right now this is adding one more option which I think is a good thing overall.”
In a 61-9 vote, the town also approved Article 1, which proposed the resolution in support of changing the state flag and aeal of Massachusetts.
This article was a citizens’ petition that was submitted before the last Annual Town Meeting but after the deadline to make the warrant, automatically bringing it to this Special Town Meeting.
The state Legislature formed a special commission charged with making recommendations back to the Legislature for a new design for the state seal, flag and motto. The special commission will only be able to make a recommendation.
Only an act of the legislature can change the commonwealth’s current seal and motto, with approval from the new governor. An estimated 57 other cities and towns in the commonwealth have considered a similar resolution. Fifty-five of those chose affirmatively, including the city of Easthampton on Sept. 7.