Fenton to take on ‘naysayers’ in second term as Springfield City Council president

Date: 1/8/2015

SPRINGFIELD – City Councilor Michael Fenton celebrated two milestones on Jan. 5: his 28th birthday and his reelection to the presidency of the City Council.

The vote was unanimous for Fenton and for his new vice president Councilor Orlando Ramos.

Fenton was nominated by Councilor E. Henry Twiggs who described him as “a person who has served us well in 2014. In addition to this body, he has served the city of Springfield well.”

Fenton was given the oath of office by City Clerk Wayman Lee and by decorated Springfield Police Officer Raul Gonzalez.

In his speech, Fenton called for people to support Springfield as well as a new initiative.

He said, “This year I call upon my colleagues in government to look around this room for inspiration. While the days of JFK, Rolls Royce, and the Duryea Brothers may have long passed in Springfield, our city is still surrounded by greatness every day. 

“Greatness is in the underpaid Springfield Public School teacher who stays late to correct papers and makes house visits to establish relationships with her student’s parents. It is in the citizen who shovels the driveway for his elderly neighbor and it is in the business owner who continues to invest in Springfield despite seemingly insurmountable and illogical perceptions related to public safety.  It is the Springfield booster who speaks up at the water cooler or at their friend’s dinner table when ill will is expressed towards Springfield. The city is too dangerous, they say. The schools are underperforming, they claim. Springfield’s greatness in this era is in the people who do not bite their tongue. The people who tell the naysayers that Springfield’s soul is not lost and that she is worth saving.”

Fenton said Councilor Kateri Walsh has been selected to head the new the Neighborhood Business Development Committee. 

“In 2015 this Council will continue its efforts to expand access to government, and to that end, I would like to announce today the creation of one new special committee of the City Council – the Neighborhood Business Development Committee. This committee, like those before it, will be open to the public through process that will be announced later this week. The committee will be chaired by a member of the council and will work in a collaborative fashion on solving the most challenging problems facing Springfield small businesses,” he said.

Fenton listed some of the accomplishments of the council last year. “Under the leadership of Councilor [Thomas] Ashe we implemented new pawn shop regulations which resulted in the recovery of more stolen merchandise from house breaks.  Through the passionate advocacy of Councilor [Melvin] Edwards we created a Cultural District in our Armory-Quadrangle neighborhood and amended our city’s leash law.  Under the supervision of Councilor [Kenneth] Shea, chairman of the Economic Development Committee, we approved two TIF agreements and bonded for the demolition phase of the Union Station project.  Additionally, through the hard work of one of our newest colleagues, Councilor Orlando Ramos, we began debating the merits of a landlord registration ordinance.”

He continued, “Our commitment to enforcing residency for city employees led to the four successive collective bargaining contracts with residency provisions.  Together we secured pro bono counsel to continue our fight against the biomass facility planned for Cadwell Drive, and voted to reduce property taxes on residents and business owners. With the Mayor’s help we expect to certify a $14.6M surplus this year giving us the ability to bring our stabilization reserve up to roughly $40M all while being able to bring on board a new class of 30 patrolmen and 28 firefighters in 2015.”

He predicted a busy year for the council by saying, “In addition, this body will have a busy year of policy-driven debate. Soon we will take up matters pertaining to the zoning and site plans for MGM Springfield, a revived discussion on residency for city employees, and a new piece of ground-breaking ethics legislation which I will announce on Wednesday.  With Mayor [Dominic] Sarno and Congressman [Richard] Neal at our side, we will continue our fight for a new Cathedral High School on Surrey Road.”

Concluding he said, “We, the Springfield City Council, pledge to guard the idea of Springfield with all the power and force of this chamber. We will take inspiration from the greatest amongst us – those including the committed teacher, the heroic policeman, and the unrelenting Springfield booster. Together let us be the best advocates Springfield has ever known – the advocates she deserves. Let it be known that the days of the cynics and the suburban Internet commenters controlling the discussion of Springfield are over ­– our resurgence, our reemergence is undeniable and 2015 will be the year that we take back the discussion.  Let the water cooler and the dinner table be flooded with stories of Springfield’s awakening and lets us silence the naysayers.”