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Date: 5/28/2021
AGAWAM – The Agawam City Council’s major focus during its May 17 meeting was the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) proposed by Mayor William Sapelli, who shared the proposed appropriations for the upcoming fiscal years.
The following figures were put forward by the mayor and submitted to the City Council in the proposed CIP budget.
Laurel Placzek, treasurer/collector, shared the CIP Powerpoint slides that were created by the mayor. Placzek explained there are some changes to the amounts that were already proposed for fiscal year 2022 (FY22).
One of the appropriations included the removal of a street sweeper. “We do have funds available to purchase that street sweeper in 2021, so it doesn’t have to be appropriated in the 2022 budget,” said Placzek.
Placzek went on to say that traffic light improvements are $40,000 and the Hampden County Land Acquisition is $9,500 and will be ending in a couple of years.
“The Fire Department staff vehicle for $67,000 has been removed as the parking lot improvements at station number two, and the Public Safety Facility Needs Study has been removed,” said Placzek.
Included in this are two servers and storage units for the IT Department in the Town Hall and replacement of the building maintenance department box truck, which Placzek explained is in “dire need of improvement.” Finally, the police station fire alarm system.
Looking forward to FY 23, 24, 25 and 26, proposals include similar improvements and appropriations made, with traffic light and sidewalk rehabilitation, along with wastewater equipment replacements, and a municipal golf course.
On the topic of new items, Placzek said next year, the Tuckahoe Dam and Recreation Project is estimated to be about $2 million. The City Council is looking into different grants from the state to assist in the funding.
A major concern that was raised during the meeting was in regard to the new Public Safety Complex. More specifically, the proposal made for FY 26 – the replacement of the fire department aerial platform truck.
Council member George Bitzas addressed the $30 million safety complex and its appropriations. While some of that money is being used to carry out a $65,000 study, he believes this is unnecessary and the money should be put elsewhere, such as the sidewalks or the streets.
Bitzas went on to say he agrees with and likes the CIP except for the proposed safety complex. Currently, Agawam has two fire stations. With the addition of a Public Safety Complex, there would be three fire stations.
Bitzas emphasized that he supported public safety, but was initially concerned with allocating this much funding into the safety complex as taxes are only increasing.
Sappelli replied to Bitzas, “I can tell you that this building that we’re in right now [Agawam Junior High School] was built in 1973. You drive around any community around us, around this state, and show me a community that hasn’t had a school in over 45 to 50 years built in their community. You show me another community that doesn’t have a fire or police station that hasn’t been built in the last 30 years.”
Sappelli went on to say, “We have a police station that was a 1930s elementary school, converted into a police station retro-fit. That is nowhere near sufficient for the needs we have today and the number of staffing we have on that police force.”
Currently, there are several fire engines and three ambulances that cannot fit in the building they’re in.
Sappelli told Bitzas, “I respectfully disagree with you – this is a long time coming and it’s been kicked down the road for 20 to 30 years, and it’s about time it got put on there and it should be taken seriously.”
Bitzas said, “I don’t disagree with that. If you need another fire station, it’s a necessity, and the fire chief requests another fire station … I have no problem.”
Later on in the meeting, Bitzas reiterated, “I’m not against a third fire station if needed.”
City Council Vice President Cecilia Calabrese stated the Public Safety Complex was a need for the community. When the time comes, she informed members that she will be voting in favor of the CIP.
The City Council approved the CIP budget as proposed by Sapelli.
Sappelli also introduced Mario Mazza, newly hired Department of Public Works (DPW) director at the meeting.
Mazza said he began his DPW work in 1999, with the city of Springfield.
“I worked my way through the ranks until I reached the level of deputy director. In 2015, I was offered the Longmeadow DPW director position ... It had a lot of appeal to me, it was a different community – got me to the next level,” he explained. He worked in Longmeadow for five years before accepting the position in Agawam.