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Date: 4/22/2020
CHICOPEE – Mayor John Vieau is predicting the city would see a reduction of revenues due to the pandemic and has appealed to the city’s legislative delegation for relief.
Vieau made his comments during this weekly press conference.
He said the city would see a decrease in revenues from sales tax, lottery income, local meals and hotel taxes as well as the local share of the taxes from recreational cannabis.
“It is really hard to predict what will happen,” he said. The city is going through its budget process for the next fiscal year, he added.
He has frozen all non-essential purchases. He noted the city has $3.9 million in free cash.
“The good news is Massachusetts has $3.5 billion in its rainy day account,” Vieau said.
The city has allocated $150,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds for assisting small business so far and Vieau said it would allocate $700,000 more for that purpose.
Vieau said the incidence of the coronavirus appears to be “tracking down” in the city. Health Department Director Lisa Sander reported that of last week the illness has peaked at 118 cases: there were 73 open cases, 60 people recovered from the illness, one deceased and 13 people who listed Chicopee as their residence but do not live in the city at this time.
Police Department spokesperson Officer Mike Wilk asked if residents have walkers or canes they are no longer using to call the department and an officer will pick the items ups and will sanitize them before getting them to people who need them.
He also noted there are no officers ill with the virus at this time.
Council on Aging (COA) Executive Director Sherry Manyak reported there have been 860 wellness calls to the city’s seniors made so far with 95 wellness checks made by the two police officers who have been assigned to the COA.
The COA is also preparing meals for seniors and interested elders should call 534-3698 about meal options and to request a meal.
School Superintendent Lynn Clark said the last day for the district’s schools would be June 15. Distance learning is continuing and Vieau thanked the superintendent for being “able to keep education alive in the city of Chicopee.
Department of Public Works Superintendent Elizabette Botelho said that there is not any pickup of textiles in the pink bags for residents as the company that makes the pick-sups has temporarily suspended them. Residents can deposit unwanted textiles in the pick-up boxes around the city.
The city is not picking up bulk items at this time and the hazardous waste disposal day has been moved to June 13.