Council approves school bond, questions tax agreement

Date: 11/15/2011

Nov. 16, 2011

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

AGAWAM – The City Council approved bonding for repairs to the junior high school’s roof and windows, but questioned Mayor Richard Cohen’s request for tax considerations for two solar power projects proposed by Rivermoon Citizens LLC.

By a vote of 10-1, the council approved a resolution to bond for $2.9 million to fund repairs to the school’s aging roof, as well as replacement of the school’s windows and exterior doors, through an agreement with the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Green Repair Program. Councilor Robert Rossi was absent for this and all other votes that evening.

Councilor George Bitzas commented that the junior high school roof repair had been in the town’s Capital Improvement budget for many years, and by approving the Green Repair bond, the town was “getting a lot more” for its money, including a 57.7 percent reimbursement on the cost of the project.

The council referred to the Finance Subcommittee a request by Cohen to approve proposed tax agreements between the town and Rivermoon Citizens LLC, for a photovoltaic solar project to be constructed on a 13-acre vacant parcel located at 912 Shoemaker Lane on land owned by Westmass Area Development Corporation, and another to be constructed at 365 Main St., on land owned by Mushy’s Golf Center LLC.

City Councilor Gina Letellier suggested the council consider hiring a consultant to examine the agreement “to determine what the town should be getting in taxes” from Rivermoon for the projects in question before the council takes a final vote on the request.



The City Council has scheduled a public hearing on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Roberta G. Doering School to take citizen’s comments the town’s proposed joint application with East Longmeadow for a $900,000 Community Development Block Grant.

Among the projects that would be addressed with the proposed grant, which would be split 50-50 between the two towns, are a survey to bring all town buildings into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, sidewalk improvements on a section of Springfield Street, and rehabilitation of properties owned by the Agawam Housing Authority.

Debbie Gardner can be reached by e-mail at debbieg@thereminder.com