2008 has been quite a year for communitiesDate: 12/30/2008 By G. Michael Dobbs and Katelyn Gendron
Reminder staff writers
NEWS ANALYSIS
2008 has been an eventful year in the Pioneer Valley and Katelyn Gendron and I would like to take a look back at some of news stories that made an impact this year.
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Holyoke faces a busy year in 2009 as candidates will begin to line up to fill the seat of departing Mayor Michael Sullivan. Sullivan announced this year that he would not seek another term and said this was an opportunity for voters to decide if the city's present form of government should remain the same.
Sullivan was in demand in the state level as part of a task force assembled by Gov. Deval Patrick to seek a strategy to address homelessness in a more permanent manner. Sullivan, Mayor Claire Higgins of Northampton and Springfield Mayors Charles Ryan and then Domenic Sarno headed up a similar effort to look at the homeless problem not as a one isolated to several urban communities, but one that has to be addressed throughout the three counties making up the Pioneer Valley.
Holyoke saw new investment in its housing stock this year as a new condo development built by Sears Reality of Springfield rose along U.S. Route 5 along the Connecticut River. Open Square saw further redevelopment with the opening of a new retail store, the addition of new offices and a $2 million loan from MassDevelopment.
Police Chief Anthony Scott continued his fight against not only major crimes in the city but quality of life issues such as prostitution. His weekly press releases detailing arrests, the subject's records and how the Holyoke District Court handled the cases showed his ongoing struggle with the judiciary.
The Parsons Paper fire gave the city a new headache with a huge complex laying in rubble and the issue of which entity would pay for the clean-up.
The Massachusetts Festival of the Arts (MIFA) announced a new season of theatrical events and a new effort to restore the Victory Theater. Donald Sanders, MIFA's artistic director, estimated the cost of the renovation at $25 million but expressed confidence the project could be completed.
Young entrepreneurs and artists began discovering the city in 2008, which might have a significant impact on Holyoke in the future. Paper City native and Web designer Brendan Ciecko received national recognition in Inc. Magazine for his business efforts and he has bought buildings in the downtown area for redevelopment.
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In Chicopee, the only "Catholic Education Corridor" started with the opening of the new Holyoke Catholic High School on Springfield Street. With the Holy Name school and Elms College within a block's walk, students can literally receive a Catholic education from kindergarten to grad school.
The opening of Holyoke Catholic added additional life to downtown Chicopee, which is on the verge of a major revival if the condo project in the Chicopee Industrial Park building receives the approval it requires. Ames Privilege also announced plans for the addition of new apartments, a move supported by Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette.
Bissonnette found himself as a state leader on the casino issue. Bissonnette didn't necessarily favor casinos themselves, but urged the Legislation to take the steps to decide if there was support for them from voters and from developers.
Chicopee had been mentioned in one report as being a logical location for a casino. The mayor's stance put him at odds with State Rep. Joseph Wagner who said that while he was fundamentally opposed to casino gambling, he wanted more depth in the details before he could consider supporting it.
Although the mayor hadn't found a new use for the former library building in downtown, he did make considerable progress in moving forward on the Uniroyal/Facemate project a development nightmare that had confounded his predecessors.
Lorraine's Soup Kitchen faced a rocky year as it was asked to leave its long-time Center Street location by its landlord. Faced with relocating, the board of directors searched for a new home and eventually took up the offer of Calloway Golf, which offered a small plot of land on Meadow Street. Although hotly opposed by neighbors who said the abutting narrow streets couldn't handle additional car traffic or parking, the project has gone forward.
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With some local media trumpeting every crime committed in the city, Springfield continued to suffer from bad press while trying to continue the financial recovery begun under Mayor Charles Ryan and the Finance Control Board.
Police Commissioner William Fitchett made several key changes in police strategy and some of the crime rates declined in the city.
City Councilor Domenic Sarno won a heated race for mayor and surprised many by retaining key Ryan appointees. There was one significant change in personnel with the departure of beleaguered School Superintendent Joseph Burke and the hiring of Dr. Alan Ingram.
The mayor was shocked and outraged at the end of the year to discover a multi-million dollar deficit in the school-busing budget a surprise left over by the previous school administration.
Meanwhile, an effort from the Sarno Administration to get neighboring communities to pay the city for the busing costs of homeless children had a mixed reception. While some communities paid what the city said they owed, others, most notably Holyoke, refused to pay until an agreement was forged between the two municipalities.
City Councilor Timothy Rooke emerged as a vocal critic of the Sarno Administration on financial issues. Rooke clashed with Sarno over the mayor's closed-door approach to the budget process, keeping councilors out of meetings of which historically they were a part.
The redevelopment of the former Court Street Hotel on Elm Street went a step farther with the naming of a developer, William Connolly of Connolly & Partners. Their proposal, depending upon funding, would transform the century-old structure into a combined condo and hotel complex.
The redevelopment might also affect what will be the permanent use of the Old First Church, which was purchased from the city in late 2007.
The opening of the new $72 million federal Court House was the unofficial start for the redevelopment of the State Street corridor, a massive project that will bring improvements to the infrastructure and roadway.
The South End neighborhood is also another area of the city that will be undergoing an improvement of its streetscapes.
The city began grappling with the final design issues on a new Putnam Technical and Vocational High School.
The Mason Square branch Library continued to be an ongoing issue as residents of the neighborhoods served by that library continued their effort to bring a full-service branch back to the area.
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2008 was a banner year for many Valley communities, ushering in new mayoral regimes, heated disputes and controversy between constituents and their elected officials.
Agawam pioneered a new era in its history, electing three women to occupy the highest seats in government Mayor Susan Dawson, City Council President Gina Letellier and City Council Vice President Cecilia Calabrese.
Together, the Executive and Legislative bodies have managed to quell quite a few storms between Town Hall and the community. In February, it was standing room only at Agawam Middle School, when over 200 angry residents filled a City Council meeting to protest the cost of the $31.2 million Sewer Extension Project each resident in the affected area would have been forced to pay approximately $19,000 for sewers over 20 years. The City Council ultimately killed that proposal and City Councilor Robert Rossi took over the reigns of the council's Ad Hoc Sewer Committee and promised to draft a new, economically viable sewer proposal.
In February, Six Flags New England announced that they planned to open a new indoor roller coaster based on the new Batman film "The Dark Knight" during Memorial Day weekend to kick off their 2008 season. However, a lengthy permitting process and the park's decision to begin construction without proper building permits ultimately prevented the new ride and gave park-goers the "Glow in the Park Parade" instead.
When Mayor Dawson sat in her new office this year, she came to find a $6 million bond unsigned by the previous mayor. Her endorsement and work with the Agawam Housing Authority and the Senior Center Building Committee to revise preliminary concerns over the parking lot have led to the erection of the new state-of-the-art facility for seniors slated to open in early January 2009.
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Southwick's great claim to fame this year centered around their School Department. Dr. John Barry beat out Southwick-Tolland Regional School District Assistant Superintendent Paul Petit to replace retiring Superintendent Thomas Witham. The district and School Committee also endorsed full-day kindergarten and a plan for a new Early Childhood Education Center to alleviate overcrowding, which was submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
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Newly elected officials in Westfield took the bull by the horns this year and made tangible progress toward downtown revitalization.
In January, Mayor Michael Boulanger and newly appointed Westfield State College (WSC) President Dr. Evan Dobelle sat down to discuss how the college could play a role in turning this area of the city back into a thriving economic market. Earlier this month, WSC hosted a press conference in which William Rawn Associates revealed their proposals for a collegiate arts district downtown. Dobelle also announced that WSC will be completing a 1,000-bed dormitory in this area in order to increase foot traffic and college presence.
Budget constraints plagued government this year, when officials announced that spending had created a $552,000 shortfall in the budget. The fiscal year 2009 budget also posed problems for the City Council, School Committee and mayor as a bloated School Department budget was called into question amid decreasing aid. After much back-and-forth between Superintendent Shirley Alvira, the mayor, the City Council Finance Subcommittee and the School Committee Finance Committee, the department totaled approximately $1 million, far less than initial proposed cuts.
After a lengthy fundraising campaign, the Amelia Park Children's Museum finally opened the doors to its new facility this fall with hundreds of children in attendance. While only half of the museum's exhibits are built, the board continues to fundraise for the remaining interactive exhibits. Such fundraisers include the highly-successful "Penguin Plunge," where those faithful to the museum brave the icy waters to raise funds for the facility. The 2009 plunge will take place in February.
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West Springfield kept fairly dormant this year as Mayor Edward Gibson kept to his plans to "stay the course."
The Town Council's Traffic and Safety Subcommittee kept busy with complaints from numerous residents about the abundance of speeding drivers and lack of enforcement. The town's new $16,000 high-tech speed board helped to target high-need enforcement areas by recording speed data at various locations. Concerned citizens also took matters into their own hands by initiating an "Operation Slow Down" campaign.
The town also created an eight-member Master Plan Committee to update the 2000 Master Plan and gauge potential development opportunities and overall direction. Residents provided input on various questions via an online survey and various public meetings, the most controversial question being the possible development of the Bear Hole Reservoir.
The 2008 Big E was certainly the highlight of the town's excitement, filled with star-studded performances even amidst the volatile weather. Those at the Eastern States Exposition began work on the 2009 fair immediately after the doors closed in September and have said they will bring more innovative programming and excitement for fairgoers yet again next year.
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