Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 4/26/2022
SOUTH HADLEY – Town leaders gathered at the South Hadley Public Library on April 20 to host a community forum and give a State of the Town update to residents as the Annual Town Meeting approaches.
Joined by Select Board member Andrea Miles moderating, the panel for this community forum included Town Administrator Lisa Wong, Police Chief Jennifer Gunderson, Planning and Conservation Director Anne Capra and Public Works Director Chris Bouchard.
Wong began an overview presentation of where the town sits going into the next fiscal year and plans ahead. Wong started with some updates in public health, stating the town is still collecting and sharing COVID-19 data online and with the community. She added while it is difficult to know the number of tests out there, the town is still collecting wastewater samples for data and to look for a COVID-19 presence in the community.
Wong also mentioned that the town was involved in receiving a grant of $625,800 for regional public health efforts. South Hadley will use this grant funding to work with Holyoke and Chicopee on regional public health efforts like looking for infectious diseases, opioid abuse and child obesity, as well as other wide ranging health issues.
When discussing the upcoming budget numbers around the community, Wong shared the town’s current proposed operating budget sees the school budget increase by $1.5 million as well as a $500,000 increase in retirement and health insurance costs.
Wong continued by stating there would be increased investments in preventive maintenance, mental health resources, sustainability, conservation efforts, economic development, data management and a few other areas. She added that the town has already implemented free transportation for anyone 60 years old or older to doctor appointments, grocery shopping and other necessary trips for those residents.
Moving to an overview of capital projects that will be on this year’s Annual Town Meeting agenda, Wong shared there were a few projects the town was hoping to get approved at this years meeting. The costliest request shared was $676,000 for improved drainage and HVAC repair at the high school. Wong said the school is looking at making more permanent solutions to their moisture problem starting with this funding.
A $300,000 request will be at town meeting to help repair the Police Department roof, as well as their HVAC system. There is also a $100,000 request so the town can incorporate a new digital data system to preserve old documents for the town. Wong said there are basements filled with old records and this move would allow for the town to preserve these documents and clear space.
Other capital projects that will be requested at Town Meeting are $400,000 for the Main Street generator, $65,000 for cable studios renovations and $40,000 for a wastewater plant security gate.
Wong continued her presentation and shared that the town still has $4.13 million left in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to be allocated from the $5.27 million the town was given. The approved ARPA projects to date have cost $1.14 million and have been used for remediation of mold at the high school, COVID-19 related costs, a full-time public health nurse, a housing production plan update and the Judd Brook sewer interceptor project.
“We want to be very judicious knowing this is a flexible source to fund something, we don’t expect like the high school, or something we do expect like the Judd Brook project,” Wong said.
Wong then turned it over to Capra who gave an overview of her department’s work and their goals for the future.
Capra began her presentation going over the updated demographics of South Hadley, sharing data from the 2020 US Census that showed a 3.6 percent population increase to just over 18,000 residents. Capra added the population is expected to continue its climb in the next decade with an estimated increase of 2 percent.
Capra also mentioned a goal for the town was creating more affordable housing to meet the state recommended percentage of affordable housing units. Currently, South Hadley’s subsidized housing inventory sits at just under 6 percent, according to Capra. The town’s efforts are in hopes of creating more affordable housing and meeting the 10 percent threshold that is recommended.
Continuing her presentation, Capra said in economic development, the town hopes to continue growth in their five different commercial districts in town. She added that South Hadley Falls continues to be a high priority site for development.
Capra also said the town was looking forward to establishing free, Wi-Fi internet connection throughout the town through a mesh Wi-Fi system. She added that the coronavirus pandemic shined a light on how many residents did not have proper internet access and this would serve as a public Wi-Fi system anyone in the area could use. The town has applied for two different grants thus far in hopes of securing the funds for this project.
One of Capra’s final comments was on the new Smart Growth Overlay District in town that aims to bring in more affordable housing and has created zoning provisions that support mixed used properties in this area of town. Capra said this would encourage and allow for residents to “eat where they play” in terms of being in an area where work, nightlife and dining are all within walking distance.
Gunderson was last to speak on the panel, and like Bouchard, shared information on their staff and operations. Gunderson went into further detail and described that the department was actively looking to fill three and soon to be four new positions within the department.
“We are looking at just shy of 20 percent reduction in our patrol force. We have to be creative until we get proper training,” Gunderson said.
The police chief added that it typically takes a year on the job after basic level training before an officer begins responding to calls on their own in South Hadley.
Gunderson continued and shared with residents some of the new programs within the police department to assist in their day to day work. She shared there are officers assigned for specific outreach with people they met on a call for something like an overdose. The officer will be able to reach back out to the person and help encourage them to the right resources like a recovery coach.
“If it’s not time for recovery, these specialized officers can talk about access to Narcan, clean needles, little things like that that are important,” Gunderson said. “We are in the business of saving lives and we recognize we are in an epidemic of drug abuse.”
Gunderson also shared how South Hadley has recently started incorporating a crisis intervention team, provided through a state grant and with working with Behavioral Health Network (BHN), to go on certain calls with officers for people facing mental health struggles. This team will follow up with families and people to try and connect them with the proper resources for their problems as opposed to the police making a rash decision and arresting someone.
The town has also just hired a full-time mental health clinician through this grant that works on calls with the department and uses de-escalation tactics as a resort to having police work directly with someone struggling with mental health.
“Police officers and agencies haven’t done a great job of being accessibly with the community or educating the community. We like to talk more than listen and this forces us to listen,” Gunderson said.
When opened up to the public for questions, most residents had basic questions on different items in town relating to the panel. Almost every speaker thanked the panel for a thorough presentation that helped them be more in the know of what’s going on in town.
One question that came from a resident was for police chief Gunderson. This resident asked her to speak more about the town’s restorative justice program and it’s future in town.
Gunderson responded by stating they have a coordinator that provides mediators for incidents that happen throughout town. Domestic violence and other violent crimes of that nature do not qualify for the program, but crimes like trespassing and larceny can.
Gunderson explained that the responding officer on calls such as these is supposed to provide the offender information on restorative justice and offer them to not go through the court process, but instead have the department bring in a consultant to see if they can mediate with the involved party. She added that they have seen 10 cases in the last eight or nine months go to restorative justice.
“It’s really a lot of work. It is much easier for an offender to go to court. It’s a much easier process than facing victims and the community you harmed. I think there is value to is if the system is done right,” Gunderson said.
Bouchard said when there was an incident of vandalism in town, he jumped on the opportunity to bring in this program for this incident.
“I wholeheartedly believe in this program,” Bouchard said. “Some sweat equity, it helps. I truly think the offenders did learn their lesson and put the effort in to become better community members from it.”
One other question of note was also for the police chief and it was focused on the challenge the town faces with addiction within the community.
Gunderson said there was an initial uptick in fatal and non-fatal overdoses in not only South Hadley but the region as a whole. She said this had a lot to do with the lack of service providers available during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic with restrictions in place.
She continued by sharing the South Hadley community averages five fatal overdoses a year, a number that has stayed consistent for almost a decade. Gunderson, though, remains committed to tackling this health epidemic and making the best effort to save lives and help people struggling with drug addiction overcome their challenges.
“One goal of our response team is not to criminally charge,” Gunderson said. “People with drug addiction need help, just like crisis intervention program was from a jail diversion grant. We are not for officers doing less, but for smarter work and connect with service providers and clinicians equipped for that.”
This same panel will meet for another in-person community forum moderated by Select Board Chair Jeff Cyr on April 28 at the Gaylord Library at 6 p.m.