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Agenda

Item 1: Minutes of January 21, 2026 meeting.

Item 2: 4-1-25 Magrath-Smith, I. Rivera, Murphy-Romboletti – an order that the City of Holyoke shall create an Administrative and Finance Department. Said acceptance shall be subject to implementation by city ordinance and any necessary amendments to the City Charter. This order shall be referred concurrently to Charter and Rules and Ordinance to be considered jointly, with recommendations regarding implementation to be reported back to the City Council jointly. See attached: Municipal Modernization Act of 2025.
*Referred out Chapter 27 language, tabled Chapter 44 language 1-21-26

Item 3: 1-6-26 Magrath-Smith – Ordered, that a standing agenda item be added to the Council agenda to allow for tracking the progress of ordinances being changed in Municode. This will allow us to ensure that our ordinance changes are being accurately recorded.
*Tabled 1-21-26

Item 4: 10-21-25 Bartley, Devine, Vacon- The city of Holyoke apply to the legislature for a Home Rule petition that allows the city to expand the use of M.G.L. chapter 40, §22A ¾ which grants authority to municipalities to designate a parking space at City Hall for Veterans.   If the petition is granted, the city could create a local ordinance that would designate parking for veterans at municipal buildings other than City Hall.  Refer to Charter & Rules.  Copy to Parking Advisory Committee.
*Tabled 12-9-25

Item 5: 9-17-25 Vacon, Greaney – ORDER: add a rule that any city councilor named by a speaker during public speak has 2 minutes to respond at the end of public speak.

Item 6: 5-6-25 Jourdain, Vacon – Rule 8 be amended by adding a New Rule 8.O as follows:
No sum appropriated for a specific purpose shall be expended for any other purpose, and no expenditure shall be made nor liabilities incurred by or in behalf of the city until an appropriation has been fully voted by the city council, sufficient to meet such expenditure or liability, together with all prior unpaid liabilities which are payable out of such appropriation, except in accordance with the recommendation of the mayor to the city council, approved by the yea and nay vote of two-thirds of the council: provided, however, that after the expiration of the financial year and until the passage of the annual appropriations liabilities payable out of a regular appropriation to be contained therein may be incurred to an amount not exceeding one third of the total of such appropriation for the preceding year. Every bill, pay roll or other voucher covering an expenditure of money shall be approved by the signatures on the back of such bill or voucher of the majority of the board or committee having control of or incurring such expenditure, and after such approval such bills, pay rolls or vouchers shall be turned over to the auditor. The financial year shall begin with the first day of July in each year. The provisions of this section shall apply throughout the entirety of the financial year, [Reference: City Charter Section 49, MG.L. c. 44 § 56A and MG.L. c. 44 § 338] *Tabled 12-9-25

Item 7: 5-6-25 Jourdain, Vacon – Rule 8 be amended by adding a new Rule 8P:
In case of the failure of the mayor to transmit to the city council a written recommendation for an appropriation for any purpose not included in the annual budget, which is deemed necessary by the council, after having been so requested by vote thereof, said council, after the expiration of seven days from such vote, upon its own initiative may make such appropriation by a vote of at least two thirds of its members, and shall in all cases clearly specify the amount to be expended for each particular purpose, but no appropriation may be voted hereunder so as to fix specific salaries of employees under the direction of boards elected by the people, other than the city council. [Reference: MG.L. c. 44 § 33] The annual budget shall include sums sufficient to pay the salaries of officers and employees fixed by law or by ordinance. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of any city charter, no ordinance providing for an increase in the salaries or wages of municipal officers or employees shall be enacted except by a two thirds vote of the city council, nor unless it is to be operative for more than three months during the calendar year in which it is passed. No new position shall be created or increase in rate made by ordinance, vote or appointment during the financial year subsequent to the submission of the annual budget unless provision therefor has been made by means of a supplemental appropriation. No ordinance, vote or appointment creating a new position in any year in which a municipal election is held shall be valid and effective unless said ordinance, vote or appointment is operative for more than three months during said municipal election year. [Reference: MG.L c. 44 § 33A] *Tabled 12-9-25

Item 8: 1-6-26 Panitch- ORDERED, that Council Rule 8D be struck in its entirety, that Rule 8F be amended to read, “In all cases the President shall have the privilege of discussing all matters before the Council and of voting thereon.,” and that Rule 8 be renumbered accordingly. The revised rule would serve the public’s interest in their elected Councilor being able to participate fully in the Council’s decisions, and is consistent with the practice of the Council’s committees and with the rules of other city boards and commissions.
*Tabled 1-21-26

Item 9: 12-5-23 VACON — Ordered, That we amend our charter and ordinances to change from an elected Mayor to a City Manager/Chief Administrative Financial Officer, appointed by the City Council.
*Tabled 5-13-24, 6-10-24, 3-3-25, 10-14-25

Item 10: 5-21-24 DEVINE – Ordered that the City Council consider a rule addition to to RULE 6C (DECORUM/SPEAKING), adding the following words as a second paragraph:
“No Councilor shall speak more than 4 minutes during debate. The President/and or the City Council Administrative Assistant shall keep track of the minutes. A (1) one minute reminder shall be given at the 3 minute mark during debate.”
*Amended to “3 minutes at a time,” referred back 2-4-25, tabled 3-3-25, 10-14-25

Item 11: 11-19-24 From Atty Jane Mantolesky, Asst City Solicitor, City Council Voting Specifics
*Tabled 1-27-25, 3-3-25

Item 12: 3-4-25 Jourdain, Vacon- Ordered, amend Rule 6E by adding the following: that no member of the City Council shall make references to or about another member but in respectful terms whether inside or outside the City Council Chambers including on social media.  That the City Council also taken into consideration this time how the City’s social media policy should help guide our final rule.
*Tabled 4-2-25