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Date: 5/10/2021
HOLYOKE – The elimination of handicapped parking spaces was a significant topic of discussion at the Holyoke City Council meeting on May 4.
The meeting began with Councilor Joe McGivern explaining that the council had a special guest, Charlie Lotspeich, who he said was retiring and the council had unanimously issued a proclamation for. He said Lotspeich, who served as the former supervisor of the Holyoke Heritage State Park, began his career in 1989 and retired in April. McGivern said he had put his “heart and soul” into his job and highlighting the heritage of Holyoke through the park.
McGivern said while Lotspeich had never lived in Holyoke, he “was a true Holyoker” as he had promoted the heritage and city in a positive light. In addition to attending the upkeep of the park and its needs, McGivern said that Lotspeich also worked in local schools to promote the heritage of the city to young people. “You are an unsung hero, you are my hero,” McGivern said.
Lotspeich went on to express his own gratitude for everyone in the city that had supported the park over the years. “There’s no city/town that I would have rather served in for the number of my careers than Holyoke,” he said.
During a discussion about the renewal of a secondhand license for Mimi Mai at 324 Appleton St., Councilor and acting Mayor Terrance Murphy said there were some legal proceedings taking place at this business and recommended the license not be renewed. However, McGivern said the council needed more information. Murphy said there had been a raid and “it appears there was close to a million or more of goods that were not appropriately obtained and there are other charges based on other businesses this organization had run in other cities as well.” Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to deny the license.
During public comment, former City Councilor Kevin Jourdain who was joined by an elderly resident who lived on Ivy Avenue said he was opposed to an order that would remove two of four handicap signs on his street.
“It will create musical chairs of two seniors to lose their space,” he said, adding that he felt the council should simply leave the allotted handicap signs there and make no changes.
During the discussion regarding the elimination of handicap parking spaces on Ivy Avenue Councilor Rebecca Lisi, who chairs the Ordinance Committee, said two spaces would be eliminated. She said one was not currently in use and another was never officially recognized by the city with a sign or street marking and would be removed. Lisi said that another space would be moved 20 feet and the other would be left where it was, allowing for the two spaces currently in use to remain.
Councilor Juan Anderson-Burgos said he initially filed the order after hearing complaints from residents that there was inadequate parking. However, he said since the order was filed the situation had changed. He said he had done “a ton of research” with regards to removing a handicapped parking space on the east side of the street. He said he had reached out to the city clerk and asked how many residents who lived on Ivy Avenue had applied and received a handicap placard for their card. He said at that time there was just one resident. However, while there was only one resident registered on the block for a placard, he said there was now a need for two spaces as there was another individual who had a handicap placard as well.
“I’ve done enough work, and I would never take away from anyone. I’m simply doing what the residents of the building are asking me to do and provide one extra parking space,” he said.
After some clarification, Lisi said she’d misinterpreted the legal language. Rather than moving the space farther from the elderly woman’s home who used it, it would simply change the space from the use of a specific placard number to a general handicap parking space as the process had changed throughout the years. She clarified that no spots would be moved.
Murphy said he had some concerns that if there were other residents that should be applying for the use of a handicap placard in the city they should apply. He said he felt as though the resolution should be tabled until the individual could apply and see if they were approved for the use of a placard. McGivern said he felt as though the Commission on Disabilities should tell the council how many residents needed overnight parking near Ivy Avenue. He said while they were unable to designate spots during the daytime, having the commission tell the council how many spaces would be used to help ensure the residents in need to get the parking they needed overnight.
Ultimately the council voted in favor of deleting the handicapped parking space that had not been marked by any identifying marker on the street, but had simply been marked in city books for years. The council then voted to table the discussion and deciding vote of the other three spaces until they could clarify some concerns that were brought up and seek further guidance.
Regarding an appointment of an attorney, Lisa Ball, to the position of city solicitor, the council discussed what would happen should the appointment go through. Nearly all the councilors supported the decision, while some had concerns regarding funding. However, Council President Todd McGee expressed that since the departure of the former acting city solicitor who had left the position, there was just one individual working in the city’s legal department and he felt it was imperative to get help for the department.
Ultimately, the council voted to bring in Ball before the council to answer any questions members of the council may have.
The council also received a letter from Holyoke Public Schools acting Receiver Anthony Soto regarding the conviction of police officer Derek Chauvin from Minnesota, who was convicted for the murder of George Floyd, and Councillor Howard Greaney expressed some concerns about parts of the letter. The letter was then sent to committee, where his concerns would be addressed and discussed.
In a brief update, Murphy said he was interviewing candidates for personnel director and was working to finalize the city budget. He said he was able to increase funding for several programs within the community such as meals for seniors and the tutoring program for the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club. Additionally, he said they were able to allot money for the YMCA to address the needs they had regarding the HVAC system to prepare them for summer.
He added that while he was working to address the sewer funds, he was hoping to avoid an increase in sewer fees and taxes. Murphy said that the city was hoping for a targeted opening of June 1 of the opening of City Hall and in person meetings for the city council. He said they were hoping to open the senior center and the library on June 7, but there was still some work to be done.
While the City Council would be meeting in person at that time, he said Zoom meetings would still be accessible and the public meetings would not be open to residents. He explained that there would be chairs for council members spaced 6 feet apart and the bleachers that held members of the public would be removed. Instead of inviting members of the public in, Murphy said, meetings would only be attended by council members and those who requested to come in and offer their expertise.