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Date: 5/3/2018
CHICOPEE – The City Council approved unanimously with little comment a settlement of $140,000 in a lawsuit brought by Nicolle Huber against the city and Allen Ryczek, the supervisor of the city’s central maintenance garage.
City Councilor Frank Laflamme read a statement that stressed the council’s inability to discuss the issue until their vote is approved by the mayor but did offer the opinion he was not “happy” with the events that had been described to him in an executive session meeting that briefed the council.
Laflamme read from a written statement and stressed the settlement still has to go to the mayor’s office for his approval. He urged his fellow councilors caution about what they could say took place in the executive session.
Huber was reportedly offered a job as a diesel mechanic, but the offer was rescinded after a requirement that she be able to lift 100 pounds was reinstated. Huber had tendered her notice with her previous employer.
City Councilor Joel McAuliffe said members of the public have discussed this case and that “many questions remain.” He said he would submit some of these questions to the mayor and the Law Department in writing. He added he would solicit questions from fellow councilors.
Councilor James Tillotson said he would not discuss the case until the settlement is completed. “The main goal now is to settle and put it behind us,” Tillotson said.
The council approved $123,382 to replace the Police Department’s mobile computers. The sum is a reimbursement grant from the State 911 Department. The city has to put the money up front and then will be repaid by the Commonwealth. Police Chief William Jebb described the department’s need to replace the “aging mobile computers” as critical in a letter to the mayor.
The City Council received a letter from City Engineer Elizabeth Botelho detailing her recommendation that school zones be re-established on Front Street with the addition of Dupont Middle School and that raised crosswalks be installed on the street.
She wrote, “The Engineering Department conducted a speed study to evaluate the speeds traveled on Front Street by the typical vehicle operator. Automatic traffic counters were installed to record the number of vehicles, vehicle speeds and time of day. The traffic counters were in place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8, 2017 to evaluate the use during a minimum one-week period. The speed traveled along Front Street by the typical operator (85th percentile) was recorded to be approximately 34 mph. These findings support the current posted speed limit of 30 mph by MassDOT since the typical operator travels along Front Street comfortably at the posted speed limit. Although this is not the desired speed to be traveled through a sensitive area with schools, studies show that reducing speed limits using only signage reduces the speed by approximately 2 mph, which is enough of a reduction.”