Holyoke Mayor signs Municipal Finance Modernization Act at Holyoke City Hall.

Posted February 9, 2026

On Monday, February 9, 2026, Holyoke Mayor Joshua García and Interim City Treasurer, Rory Casey, introduced in a press conference at Holyoke City Hall, the recently approved Holyoke Municipal Finance Modernization Act for its signing, marking what he described as a “historic moment” aimed at resolving decades of fiscal instability and structural fragmentation within city government.

The legislation, which passed the City Council with an 11-2 vote, centralizes Holyoke’s financial operations under a newly created Department of Finance. The department will be led by a Chief Administrative and Financial Officer (CAFO), a position the mayor announced is now open for recruitment across the Commonwealth.

Councilor Meg McGrath Smith, chair of the Ordinance Committee, noted that the city’s financial structure has been “fragmented” for more than 20 years, spanning four mayoral administrations. “Clear authority creates clear accountability,” McGrath Smith said. “Clear accountability is how we will rebuild trust between our local government and our community.”

Interim City Treasurer Rory Casey reported that the city is also making progress on its backlog of audits. With assistance from state-appointed firm CliftonLarsonAllen, the 2023 audit is complete, and officials expect to have the 2024 and 2025 audits wrapped up by the end of the current fiscal year. “The most visible thing residents will see is they won’t hear about this in the press any longer,” Casey said, suggesting that a well-functioning finance department should operate quietly “like clockwork.”

To witness the signing of the Modernization Act, several elected officials were in attendance:

City Councilor for Ward 7, Meg Magrath-Smith, who also is the Chair of the Ordinance Committee.
City Councilor at-large, Patty Devine, who is also the Chair of the Finance Committee.
City Councilor for Ward 3, Anne Thalheimer.
City Councilor for Ward 6, Juan Anderson-Burgos.
City Councilor at-large, Mimi Panitch.