2026-10-05 - City Council

00:29Testing. One, two. Two. One, two.

06:41Good evening. Today is October 5th and

06:46we are starting the public speakout

06:48portion of our city council meeting

06:52for I would like to welcome our

06:54counselors that's here in person.

06:57Councelor Martin, councelor Govan,

07:00councelor Walsh, councelor Delgado,

07:03councelor Click Bruce and online we have

07:05councelor Davila. So, I just want to

07:08thank you all for

07:10coming to participate in the public

07:12speakout. And the first person on the

07:16agenda is Stephen Howard.

07:19Is Stephen Howard here? I saw him

07:21earlier.

07:23>> Stephen Howard, you have three minutes.

07:26Please state your name and address for

07:28the record.

07:32>> Uh, thank you, Madam President. Good

07:33evening, everyone. Uh Steven Howard,

07:371104 Wington Street, Springfield, Mass.

07:39Uh just like uh the reason I'm here is

07:43to talk about AI technology. So I'm

07:45going to let the AI technology do its

07:48thing. So let me see if it's ready to

07:51go.

07:53Uh hold on. Uh it's loading. It's

07:56loading. It's loading. Somebody called

07:58me a little while ago and that

08:00disconnected me, so I had to reload it.

08:02Here it goes.

08:04Good evening. Your opening statement

08:06effectively lays out the urgent concrete

08:08impacts of AI automation across key.

08:10>> Hold on one sec. Hold on.

08:12>> Hold on. [laughter]

08:14No, we were set up, but I got a call and

08:17that call disconnected me. So, I had to

08:19reload it. So, it was uh it was doing

08:22something different. And uh okay,

08:25basically what it was saying is it was

08:29giving some statistics on the amount of

08:33uh jobs that will be lost due to AI by

08:37the year 2030.

08:39And they uh they're expecting something

08:41like 300 million job losses.

08:45And what was happening here is I I don't

08:48know why people called me at the wrong

08:49time. uh and I had this all programmed

08:53and what happened is uh they it was

08:57talking about the different industries

08:59how many uh positions will be eliminated

09:01by by AI

09:04and uh okay here goes let me see if I

09:07could pick up all right let me know when

09:08I run out of time please

09:13uh okay it's coming

09:18Nope.

09:21Okay, it's going back to giving me an

09:22analysis before it it starts speaking.

09:26So, I'll just include that in in the in

09:29the uh in my presentation.

09:32>> This public comment accurately reflects

09:34current projected trends regarding AI

09:36and automation impacts by 2030 across

09:38public safety, finance, legal, media,

09:40and construction. public safety, AI

09:43powered body cameras and speechtoext

09:45reporting systems are already

09:46standardizing automated incident tagging

09:48and immutable evidentiary archiving.

09:50Banking automated kiosks, AI virtual

09:52assistance and tellerless branch models

09:54continue to reduce traditional frontline

09:56staff needs. Legal generative AI tools

09:59and natural language processing are

10:00automating discovery, legal research,

10:02document drafting, and transcription

10:04tasks historically handled by entry-

10:06level staff. Media and entertainment,

10:08real-time neural translation, synthetic

10:10voice modeling, AI radio programming,

10:13and generative music/script tools are

10:15shifting production workflows away from

10:17traditional human roles. Construction,

10:19semi-aututonomous brick layers,

10:21automated heavy machinery, robotic

10:23drywall finishers, and remote crane

10:24control systems are entering mainstream

10:26job sites. Labor impact and reskilling.

10:29Displace and replace estimates vary

10:31widely across global economic studies

10:33such as WEF reports, but widespread

10:35workforce consensus underscores that

10:37rapid reskilling and technical

10:38certification pathways will be essential

10:40to manage structural displacement over

10:42the coming decade.

10:44>> So, uh that was just an assessment of

10:47what I had produced. It was not the

10:48report that I had queued up because what

10:51it does is it goes in and identifies all

10:53of the different areas in society uh

10:56legal, banking, construction and it

10:59would was given a nice detail as to how

11:02many jobs would be lost over what period

11:04of time and uh in some cases uh some

11:07studies have shown that something like

11:10600 million jobs will be lost

11:14internationally by the year 2020 uh

11:17right there 2030 and it um I'm sorry I

11:21couldn't uh sorry that phone call just

11:24got rid of that thing but I'll just like

11:26to say uh what he was concluded by

11:28saying is that this city council could

11:33establish a committee that could

11:36actually start working on what impact AI

11:40would have here in Springfield and what

11:44resources need to be pulled up uh to

11:46make sure that job losses aren't as

11:49extensive as it could be. So it was my

11:52my request was once this uh committee uh

11:55gets established that you have some

11:58working groups not just one working

12:00group but a bunch of working groups who

12:01could be focused on different aspects of

12:04the economy so that you can uh come

12:06together to try to preserve some of

12:08these jobs and if you can't then at

12:10least have people trained on AI in AI so

12:13that they will be better prepared for uh

12:16for things as as things move forward.

12:18But uh I I guess I'm running out of

12:20time. So thank thank you Madam

12:21President. Thank you everyone.

12:26>> Thank you.

12:29>> Next we have Erica Cruz who is online.

12:32But before that I would like to welcome

12:34councelor Hurst who is here in person

12:36and online councelor Finton and

12:38councelor Perez that joined us.

12:42Next we have Erica Cruz who is also

12:44online uh to speak. Erica, please state

12:47your name and address for the record.

12:50>> Good evening, counselors. My name is

12:52Erica Cruz and I'm a resident of um 155

12:56Allen Park Road and a member of

12:58Indivisible Springfield, Mass. And I'm

13:00here to speak about the importance of

13:01election protection and civic

13:03participation in our community. At this

13:06time when voters have concerns about

13:08access, intimidation, misinformation,

13:10and understanding their rights at the

13:12polls, election protection is more

13:14important than ever. Every eligible

13:17eligible voter should be able to

13:19participate safely, freely, and without

13:21unnecessary barriers. I encourage the

13:23city council to work closely with the

13:25Springfield elections office to actively

13:27invite and educate residents about two

13:30important opportunities. becoming a

13:32trained pole worker who helps administer

13:35administer our elections with the

13:37elections commission and also becoming a

13:39nonpartisan election protection poll

13:41monitor who can observe, document

13:44concerns, and connect voters with

13:46appropriate resources. This is not about

13:48supporting any political party or

13:50candidate. It's about strengthening our

13:52public confidence, encouraging civic

13:55participation, and helping ensuring that

13:57every election remains accessible,

13:59transparent, and safe for everyone. I

14:02respectfully ask the council to help

14:04bring this information into our

14:05neighborhoods and encourage more

14:07Springfield residents to step up and

14:09serve our community. Thank you.

14:12Thank you, Erica.

14:15Next, we have Nathan Albbright.

14:18Is Nathan here?

14:20All right, Nathan, please state your

14:22name and address for the record, and you

14:24have three minutes.

14:25>> Uh, my name is Nathan Albbright. I live

14:27at 33 Kenwood Park in Springfield, uh,

14:30Ward 3.

14:32Um, I'm here to ask the city council to

14:34stop the intrusion of AI technologies

14:36into the lives of people in Springfield,

14:38especially automatic license plate

14:40readers or ALPRs,

14:42uh, like flock surveillance cameras.

14:45Earlier [snorts] this month, my daughter

14:46started kindergarten at Zenetti. Uh, I

14:49drive her there every morning and on the

14:51way our lo our location is sorted and

14:54updated eight different times by AI,

14:56once for each flock camera that we pass.

14:58It's then saved in a database along with

15:00the locations of millions of other

15:02Americans. No warrant or cause for

15:04suspicion needed. While this is

15:06happening, she's usually giggling or

15:08looking out the window from her car to

15:09play uh from her car seat to play I Spy.

15:13In her first week of school, I learned

15:14that Springfield was planning to pilot a

15:16new program for middle schoolers to

15:18spend two hours a day with an AI tutor.

15:21That weekend, the Springfield public

15:22schools were hit by a cyber attack from

15:24a group also using AI. As a result, her

15:27second full week of school was

15:28cancelled. Uh because of how fully

15:31integrated these technologies are in our

15:32schools, the entire district was

15:34incapacitated. A friend told me that

15:37even the cafeteria wasn't able to cook

15:39lunch because their Wi-Fi enabled

15:41appliances were down.

15:43Ultimately, the school's data, including

15:44private information from teachers and

15:46students, is being held for ransom. I'm

15:48sure you all know this. [snorts] I bring

15:50this up not only because I want to see

15:52Springfield public schools keep AI out

15:53of the classroom, which I do, but

15:55because the city could learn from their

15:57mistake of fully integrating private

15:59technologies into the public sphere in

16:01exchange for the promise of greater

16:03efficiency and safety for everyone.

16:05Flock cameras which promise to quote end

16:08crime in America are peddling the same

16:09lies and their vast surveillance

16:11database is just as vulnerable to cyber

16:13attacks. Several journalists including

16:16the tech blogger Ben Jordan have

16:17demonstrated how easily flock cameras

16:19are hacked. The 50 plus flock cameras in

16:22Springfield are linked to hundreds of

16:24thousands of cameras nationwide. They're

16:26all connected to a database run by a

16:28company that's been hacked by YouTubers.

16:31Who decided to trust them with our

16:33information? And why did none of us have

16:35any say in this? What new city crisis is

16:38just around the corner?

16:40The same week that Springfield was

16:42processing all of these disruptions from

16:43AI, the national news, national news was

16:46saturated with headlines and quotes from

16:48CEOs of the top AI companies about the

16:50likelihood of this technology to wipe

16:52out the human race in our near future.

16:55What are we doing? What kind of future

16:58are we leaving for our children?

17:00I understand that city officials can't

17:02single-handedly stop the evils of the

17:04wider world any more than parents can.

17:06But we don't have to invite them in, put

17:08them in charge, leave them alone with

17:09our children for hours at a time, and

17:11give them eyes all around our city to

17:13keep tabs on everyone 24/7.

17:16What we can do is decide how our city

17:18responds. We can keep big tech companies

17:20out of our public schools and city

17:23council could pass a ban tonight on

17:24ALPRs like Flock and all AI surveillance

17:27in our city. That's what the large crowd

17:30gathered outside is here to ask you to

17:32do tonight. Thank you.

17:35[applause]

17:39>> Thank you, Nathan.

17:42Next, we have Terry Owens regarding flap

17:46cameras. Please state your name and

17:48address for the record.

17:50>> Good evening.

17:51>> Good evening.

17:53>> I'm Terry Owens. I live at 57 Wendover

17:56Road. A few weeks ago, I personally

18:00spoke to Mayor Sarno about my concerns

18:02regarding the 50some flock surveillance

18:05cameras positioned throughout our city.

18:09Mayor Sarno tried to assure me that

18:11flock cameras are for safety purposes

18:14and that the Springfield Police

18:16Department has set up guard rails that

18:18limit who can access this data.

18:22He also said the police department was

18:24not sharing that data with ICE.

18:27But here's the problem with the guard

18:29rail argument. It's simply not true.

18:34Like other automatic license plate

18:36reader companies, Flock is a forprofit

18:40company, an 8 billion privately held

18:44company. when they say their product is

18:47safe and that we can have guard rails,

18:50this is part of their sales pitch to

18:53police departments.

18:55But people across the country are waking

18:57up. 30 cities in Massachusetts,

19:01including Boston, have canled their

19:03contracts with Flock due to the

19:06documented harm from these unregulated

19:09AI surveillance systems.

19:11Police officers have used flock to stalk

19:14women.

19:16A Florida woman spent 13 days in jail

19:19after her car was wrongly linked to a

19:21fatal crash scene.

19:24A Georgia man was arrested for a crime

19:26he did not commit because he happened to

19:28be driving the same make and model car

19:31in the area where the crime was

19:33committed.

19:35Massachusetts

19:37shared flock data with a state that was

19:40pursuing a woman seeking reproductive

19:43care.

19:45The list goes on and on.

19:49As Missouri Republican Senator Josh

19:52Holly, yes, that Josh Holly recently

19:55pointed out, millions of innocent

19:57citizens have been scanned and recorded

20:00without due process.

20:04Flock is violating our Fourth Amendment

20:07right to privacy and lying about who

20:10gets the data. And as for their claim

20:13that cities can block information from

20:15being shared with ICE, just last week,

20:19404 media reported that the Trump

20:21administration is currently demanding

20:24that ALPR data be sent to federal

20:27surveillance centers, which fall under

20:30the jurisdiction of the White House.

20:33I think we can all guess where this is

20:35going.

20:37And this leads me to my final point.

20:40ALPRs like flock are tools for

20:44authoritarianism.

20:46Authoritarian states have historically

20:49used mass surveillance to intimidate

20:52people and silence disscent.

20:55When the government can track where you

20:57and I go, whether to a church, a civic

21:01group, or a protest, it has a chilling

21:05effect on democracy.

21:08ALPRs do not make us safer. They make

21:11private companies richer, put us all in

21:14danger, and provide authoritarians tools

21:18for mass surveillance. Tonight, I'm

21:21calling on this city council to follow

21:23the lead of 30 other cities in

21:26Massachusetts and enact a moratorum on

21:29flock and all other ALPRs.

21:33Thank you.

21:35>> Thank [applause] you.

21:42Councelor Govan, are you working on the

21:43ordinance?

21:46>> For the flock cameras.

21:49>> Okay. So, councelor Govon is the point

21:52person working on um an ordinance for a

21:55flat camera. So, maybe you'll have an

21:58opportunity to talk to them. Next, we

22:01have Liz O' Gilvy.

22:04Please state your name and address for

22:05the record.

22:06>> Liz O' Gilvie, 11 Dartmouth Street

22:11here in Springfield, Massachusetts. I

22:13helped to lead the Springfield Food

22:15Policy Council and Gardening the

22:17Community. And what that means is

22:19Gardening the Community teaches kids how

22:21to grow food. We have the only

22:23urban-based farm store located in the

22:27Commonwealth,

22:28uh, hardtop. And then we are the premier

22:32organization

22:34um in Western Mass that provides an

22:36access point for the healthy incentives

22:38program. Those of you who've known me

22:40for a long time know that this was a

22:42program that was piloted gardening the

22:44community and that I've advocated for

22:47since 2011. It enables everyone who

22:50received SNAP to receive an extra

22:53produce benefit. Um, we should be very

22:56proud that it came out of Han County and

22:58specifically Springfield. The

23:00Springfield Food Policy Council

23:02contributed to the development of this

23:04policy that will be funded um in FY28 at

23:09close to $29 million. So, that's

23:12magnificent and everyone who receives it

23:15is in harm's way. You'll remember I was

23:18here in August and want to say a huge

23:21thank you again to uh council president

23:24Whitfield and council member Lavar Click

23:28Bruce because they put forward a

23:30referendum which or I think it was a

23:33referendum but um which you all sent

23:36signed and sent to the governor and the

23:38legislature as well as the speaker of

23:41the house and the senate president

23:43asking that they increase funding ing

23:46for DTA. The federal administration is

23:49wreaking havoc in so many areas, none

23:52more so than agriculture and the SNAP

23:55benefit and school food. Their agenda is

23:59about devastating poor people and very

24:01specifically people of color. You have

24:03some data in front of you. I really,

24:07really, really hope you can understand

24:10our city has always been in a place of

24:13crisis. We have the largest percentage

24:16of SNAP recipients. Over 72,000 people

24:21at the beginning of this year were

24:23dependent upon SNAP. That is nearly half

24:25of our city's population. People use

24:28food insecurity. It is food poverty.

24:31Hear me clearly. People live in food

24:33poverty because we have a number of

24:35residents who are povertystricken. And

24:38in my advocacy work, I'm always trying

24:40to tell the story of children and

24:42adults. But I've had an aha. It is not

24:45about proving that the residents of this

24:47city or any other city in Massachusetts

24:49is worthy of getting what they need. It

24:52is about proving that we are worthy. And

24:55I include the council and people like me

24:58who lead public-based organizations in

25:01the Wii. We have got to do a better job

25:04and we've got to hold our legislature

25:07and our governor accountable. And they

25:09do a fantastic job. They are working

25:11with the hot mess that was created by

25:13the feds. There's so much paperwork that

25:16is now required that wasn't before. Many

25:19residents don't even know they are going

25:22to be cut off or they have been cut off

25:25until they get to a grocery store with a

25:27full cart and then they are left hungry

25:30and embarrassed. I'm just going to lift

25:32up two zip codes for the sake of time.

25:35If

25:35>> time is up. Um

25:36>> Oh,

25:38you look She seemed to talk for longer

25:40than three minutes.

25:41>> No, I I was timing. But um

25:44>> tell us the two points. The two zip

25:46points.

25:46>> The two points are you're looking at

25:48your um data in front of you. Look at

25:51the total households in your ward and

25:54then look to the right and see how many

25:57have SNAP or used to have SNAP and are

26:00dependent upon SNAP. And then if you go

26:02all the way over to the second to the

26:04last

26:05>> have that

26:08>> councelor Govan was making sure everyone

26:11had it.

26:11>> Anyway, I want you to see how many

26:14people have no access point for food. I

26:17need if the council can please request a

26:21connect ed call. All you need to do is

26:23get everybody who's in that database who

26:26gets these robot calls. Tell them open

26:28their envelopes from DTA and call DTA to

26:32get their paperwork in order. I am

26:35imploring you, we are going to end up

26:37with soup kitchens between the Medicaid

26:40cuts and the SNAP cuts come January. Our

26:43city is going to be in a more desperate

26:45state of affairs than it's in. And I

26:49don't know that we are prepared. In

26:51fact, I'll go out on a limb and say we

26:53are wolffully unprepared. Andrew Moore

26:55House at the food bank would echo me. I

26:58so appreciate everything this council

27:00does. I am really disappointed of the

27:02counselors who never come to speak out.

27:04It seems the poorest zip code in our

27:06city is 01105.

27:08I know that councelor Edwards is online

27:11and my zip code 01109.

27:14>> My counselor is never here and we are

27:16watching. So those of you who are here

27:19know that we we honor you. We celebrate

27:21you. We appreciate your hard work and

27:23everybody else needs to be worried about

27:25their jobs next year.

27:28[applause]

27:33>> Thank you, Liz. Um, Councelor Edwards is

27:36here. He's listening. Um,

27:39>> he always

27:40>> from the back. Um, just wanted to

27:43welcome him. Next, Matthew

27:47Ferry.

27:50Matthew Ferry.

27:54All right.

27:57Oh, he kept making it. Okay. Um, Charles

27:59Stokes.

28:03I don't see Charles.

28:05Kenneth Everett. Everett.

28:09Everett.

28:11>> You tell me.

28:12>> A. Yes.

28:13>> Name and address for the record, Miss.

28:15My name is Kenneth Everett and I live at

28:1728 Buckingham Street in Springfield,

28:19Ward 5.

28:22>> And you have the floor. Three minutes.

28:25>> Thank you. You're welcome.

28:26>> Um, I just want to begin with a really

28:27simple point. Public safety matters.

28:31Every person here wants a city where

28:34people are safe from crime, where

28:37victims receive help, and where police

28:39have effective tools to investigate real

28:42threats.

28:44But safety and freedom are not

28:46interchangeable.

28:47We should not accept a system that

28:50treats every resident's daily movements

28:52as data to be collected, stored, and

28:55searched simply because we drove down

28:57the street.

28:59Block cameras are not ordinary security

29:02cameras. They automatically photograph

29:04and catalog passing vehicles, creating a

29:08searchable record of where people have

29:10been and when.

29:12That means the SIB system captures the

29:14movements of people who have done

29:16nothing wrong or just simply living

29:18their lives.

29:20The question is not whether police might

29:23sometimes solve a case using this

29:25technology.

29:27The question is whether that benefit

29:29justifies an infrastructure that tracks

29:32the innocent public at scale.

29:36In April, police in Midland, Texas

29:38searched more than 4,800 flock cameras

29:41nationwide,

29:43including Holy Oaks with the reason

29:46logged in plain words, immigration

29:49assist, ICE.

29:51Holio, that's 20 minutes up the road.

29:54Springfield is a city built by

29:56immigrants. When my neighbors fear that

29:59a drive to church, the clinic, or the

30:02grocery store could land in a federal

30:05file, they stop calling the police. They

30:08stop testifying, and they disappear from

30:11civic life. Everyone knows that I'm

30:14right. A camera that scares witnesses

30:17silent doesn't make Springfield safer.

30:20It makes it more dangerous.

30:23Invest instead in approaches that

30:25improve safety without tracking

30:27everyone.

30:29Community-based violence prevention,

30:31victim services, youth programs,

30:34housing, mental health response, and

30:36adequate investigative resources.

30:39We can support real public safety

30:42without creating a permanent record of

30:44our neighbors movements. Please put

30:46civil liberties, transparency, and

30:49democratic oversight ahead of a

30:51surveillance state. Please say no to

30:54flot cameras. Thank you. Thank you.

30:58[applause]

31:04>> Thank you, Kenneth. Kathleen Plant,

31:10>> please state your name and address for

31:11the record.

31:12>> Sure thing. Kathleen Plant 158 Pinywood

31:14Sav.

31:16Nice to see familiar faces.

31:18>> Nice to see you.

31:20>> Uh my my subject matter is nowhere near

31:23as serious, but it is important. So, I'm

31:26here to advocate for one of Mother

31:29Nature's most valuable resources,

31:31leaves. Um there's a program in many

31:35cities and in the Commonwealth and

31:37across the country called Leave the

31:38Leaves.

31:40I'm bringing this to you because I was

31:42recently given a citation for the leaves

31:45that had built up in my garden which is

31:48um on the street side. I live across the

31:50street from Forest Park. So there are

31:52always leaves and I use it as mulch. I

31:55use it to build the soil to retain the

31:58moisture uh to keep weeds from happening

32:02from growing. It's a a valuable resource

32:05and I wasn't aware that we had an

32:07ordinance that said we couldn't have

32:10leaves in our gardens. So, at least on

32:12the street side. So, I'm here to ask for

32:15your support in first of all in removing

32:18that ordinance and second of all for uh

32:22encouraging leave the leaves.

32:24Sustainability is something we all have

32:26to think about. It's it's a problem when

32:30we're

32:32fertilizing our grass and pulling out

32:34weeds in our grass and killing all the

32:37bugs. And I mean, no, most people don't

32:39see fireflies anymore. And that's

32:41directly as a result of the chemicals in

32:44your yard. The water it takes to to

32:47sustain grass, to keep it green, is

32:49obscene, especially today. The wet the

32:53water the the type of rainfalls we have

32:55had in the last year and a half two

32:57years is torrential and substantial and

33:01has shown

33:03the the the the

33:05results we've seen in the overflow from

33:08bondies into the river. It can our

33:10wastewater system cannot support all

33:12that water. Leaves like I have in my

33:15tree bed and many of my neighbors have

33:18stop the water. They absorb the water.

33:20They slow down the water. They keep much

33:22of the water from going directly into

33:24the sewage system. So, I would love to

33:27encourage you to a make it so I don't

33:30have to pay a a fine [laughter]

33:33and b so that all of us can retain the

33:36leaves in our yards and and work on

33:39sustainability. Thanks.

33:43[applause]

33:45>> Thank you very much, Miss Kathleen Lewis

33:48Sako.

33:51Is Lewis here?

33:55Lewis is not here. I want to thank all

33:57of you who came out today. Is are you

34:00from a particular organization?

34:02>> Def Springfield Holio.

34:04>> Deflock Springfield Holio. Okay. Well,

34:07thank you for coming to Springfield to

34:10deflock the flock cameras.

34:14Um we're we're glad that you took the

34:16time to stand up for what you believe

34:18in. We need more of that. Um, and we

34:22just appreciate you making the signs and

34:24everything. And I want to just give

34:26councelor Govan a minute um to speak.

34:31>> Yes. Thank you, Madam President. And I

34:33also want to thank you all for coming

34:34out here, especially the leave the

34:36leaves. I was looking forward to that.

34:39Um, but regarding the flock um, cameras,

34:42I had a conversation with the sergeant

34:44earlier. Um, and I did write an

34:46ordinance and just uh, councelor Hurst

34:48is going to be um, helping with me with

34:51that and I believe we're going to be

34:53hearing it on our se October 19th

34:55meeting. So I would encourage you all to

34:57come back and hear the conversation that

34:59day. Um because I agree that we have to

35:03find a a happy medium between our

35:06privacy and public safety. Um

35:09historically in this city, as we know in

35:11a lot of urban cities, um these type of

35:14devices have been used to marginalize

35:17more the people who live in the city. Um

35:19and I want to make sure that we don't

35:21have to do that in our city any longer.

35:23So thank you. Thank you, Madam

35:24President.

35:25>> Thank you, Councelor Govan. I do want to

35:26thank all of the participants that um

35:29spoke today. This is how you advocate. A

35:33lot of times we don't know some of the

35:35issues that's going on because we don't

35:37know everything. Um and most of the time

35:40when we create ordinances, it's because

35:42someone else brought the issue or the

35:46solution to our attention and then we

35:49just go to work and putting actions in

35:51place. Sometimes people like you all

35:53even write the ordinances and we send

35:55them to law just to make sure everything

35:57we're saying meets the um the codes and

36:00the mass general laws in our Springfield

36:02ordinances. So advocacy is important. Um

36:05I don't want you to think you just came

36:07here just to talk and we're not hearing

36:09you. We are hearing you. We are

36:10listening and we definitely appreciate

36:13your advocacy and and keep up the good

36:15work. Even if we don't agree all the

36:18time, we still appreciate it. [laughter]

36:21So, thank you so much. Uh, we appreciate

36:23you coming down and hopefully October

36:2519th, we'll see you again with your

36:27signs. Um, because we'll be discussing

36:30the ordinance that councelor Govan and

36:32Councelor Hurst will be putting before

36:34the council. So, thank you very much.

36:35>> Can we get you contact information?

36:38>> Contact information.

36:39>> Can we give you contact information?

36:40>> Yeah, you can go right to our If you go

36:43around the corner to this office right

36:44here, you can go to our city council

36:46staff and leave it with our staff and

36:48then they'll get it to us. Okay. All

36:50right. Thank you so much.

36:56>> That concludes the public speakout

37:00portion of the city council meeting.

37:02We're going to jump right into our Huh.

37:06No, not today. [laughter] I went before.

37:09You don't have a chair.

37:12We're going to give um take a two-minute

37:14recess and then we'll start the city

37:17council meeting.

37:29Do you have a phone?

37:31>> Yes.

38:05recording in progress.

38:24Madison

38:26double

38:32careful.

38:59All sites here.

39:22How are you?

39:29Check

39:49it out.

40:14I wasn't

40:33That's awesome.

40:56Good evening.

40:59Today is Monday, October 5th. It is 6:35

41:03and we will start the regular meeting

41:06agenda for the city council.

41:09Madame clerk, will you please call the

41:11role?

41:15Councelor Santanelo

41:17>> here.

41:18>> Present. Councelor Martin

41:20>> present.

41:22>> Present. Councelor Perez.

41:27>> Number 10.

41:29>> Present. Councelor Brown.

41:34>> Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor

41:37Golvan.

41:38>> Present.

41:39>> Present. Councelor Walsh.

41:40>> Present.

41:42>> Present. Councelor Hurst. Present

41:46>> present. Councelor Davila.

41:48>> Present.

41:49>> Present. Councelor Fenton.

41:53>> Absent. Councelor Delgado.

41:55>> Present.

41:56>> Present. Councelor Click Bruce.

41:57>> Present.

41:58>> Present. Councelor Edwards.

41:59>> Present.

42:00>> Present. Councelor Whitfield.

42:02>> Present. Can someone please turn off the

42:04mic um on the podium for me? Thank you,

42:08Sarah.

42:12Will counselors and our guests please

42:14stand for a moment of silence.

42:22Please remain standing for the pledge of

42:24allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to

42:26the flag of the United States of America

42:29and to the republic for which it stands,

42:32one nation under God, indivisible, with

42:36liberty and justice for all.

42:40Are there any reports of committee?

42:43Councelor Walsh.

42:44>> Uh, thank you, Madame President. The U

42:47elder affairs committee met last week uh

42:50in person where myself, Detective

42:52McCain, who's the uh go-to person on the

42:56police force for elder scams, Nikki

42:58Brookin from the Raymond Jordan Center.

43:01We also had many people who represent

43:04different senior centers. Ariel

43:06Menddees, Angela Truheart from

43:09Cloepsion,

43:11Alli Hag from Hungry Hill. In attendance

43:14also were council Santel Dava and

43:17yourself. At this meeting, we tal the

43:20detective really spoke to the committee

43:22about the various scams affecting senior

43:26citizens and he gave a lot of advice to

43:29them on what they should be looking out

43:31for and but I think the thing that he

43:33said that he wanted to leave us with us

43:35is don't answer the phone because that's

43:38what starts everything going down the

43:39rabbit hole. So he said he'd be uh happy

43:42to give us more information at a later

43:44date.

43:46>> Thank you. And Detective McCain is here.

43:48We appreciate all the information. It

43:51blew my mind the scams that they are

43:53doing out there and um I look forward to

43:57the no soliciting ordinance coming back.

44:00Um I think that will help. But thank

44:02you, detective. Any other reports of

44:04committee?

44:06Council Govan.

44:07>> Thank you, Madam Thank you, Madam

44:09President. Um the finance uh meeting

44:12finance committee met on September 28th

44:15and we discussed the um parking

44:18authority item that was on the agenda

44:20previously. Um the parking authority Tim

44:23Sheen um yourself, councelor Walsh,

44:27councelor Hurst, councelor Davila,

44:29councelor Oh wait, no they weren't

44:30there. [laughter]

44:31[gasps] Only counsel I was going to say

44:33all those people were there. Um

44:35councelor Davila and councelor uh Click

44:38Bruce. um myself were there um and we

44:44had a good meeting and a good discussion

44:45about the parking authority and we

44:47learned a lot. So um I believe that

44:49that's going to be coming before us

44:51sometime in the future. Thank you, Madam

44:53President.

44:54>> Thank you, Council Govana. I think it's

44:56the 19th as well. Uh any other reports

44:59of committee?

45:04>> Councelor Martin.

45:06>> Um thank you, Madam President. Um on

45:09September 24th, Councelor Santanelo and

45:12I had a um joint subcommittee meeting of

45:16public safety and health and human

45:18services um talking about um the recent

45:22ban of cratom. It's it was a follow-up

45:23meeting

45:25um specifically the confiscation

45:28thereof. Um the state and uh Governor

45:32Healey's office stated that um we aren't

45:35allowed to confiscate it from the stores

45:38that are currently selling them and

45:39they're they are scheduled A1 and as you

45:42guys all got in the letters like people

45:44have like overdosed from it. It's you

45:46know there's some scary side effects.

45:48So, I was just talking with the law

45:51department attorney um Danielle Downing,

45:53Lieutenant Bruno from SPD and and

45:55Commissioner Carlton Harris just about,

45:58you know, could we pass our own

46:00ordinance to, you know, confiscate it um

46:03or, you know, what that what that look

46:04like on the on the legal end and uh what

46:07the police department will do in the

46:09meantime. And Lieutenant Bruno said that

46:10they will swing by all the stores that

46:12had a record of of selling the cratom

46:15and uh give them another warning or

46:18you know, verbal or physical and

46:21presence. So, that's all I got for you.

46:23Thank you.

46:24>> Thank you, Council M. Councelor

46:25Santinelo, did you want to add to that?

46:28>> Yeah, I just want to say that I can't

46:30understand I think we as a state I think

46:34we rushed into this uh without having a

46:37plan behind it. Uh here we have a a

46:40class one substance now in the class of

46:43heroin and we can't take it away from

46:45people. we can't confiscate, which makes

46:47absolutely no sense cuz if you can't

46:50confiscate it, somebody's going to

46:51overdose on that stuff in those stores.

46:54So, I just don't get it. But I want to

46:56see if the city can pass their own

46:57ordinance. Thank you.

47:00>> Thank you, councelor Santelo.

47:02Um, Madame Clerk, please recognize

47:05councelor in seat 9.

47:07>> Councelor Fenton,

47:09>> present.

47:09>> Present.

47:10>> Thank you. Are there any more reports of

47:12committee?

47:14Councelor Dava.

47:16>> Thank [clears throat] you, Madame

47:17President. Uh the environmental

47:20committee met on September 24th.

47:22Unfortunately, I was the only member

47:24present. Uh at that time, Madame

47:27President, we uh we met to continue the

47:30review of the proposed woodland

47:32ordinance. Uh we reviewed the last draft

47:34with the representative from the law

47:36department, SC, and the city uh forest

47:38division. Uh the proposed ordinance is

47:41intended to address the three canopy

47:43laws associated with development while

47:45balancing impacts of home owners and

47:47city operation. Uh the draft generally

47:50applies to parcels of at least 5,000

47:53square feet uh that uh that may meet

47:56additional tree canopy requirements. We

47:59did schedule a follow meeting October

48:009th at 2 o'clock uh to continue his

48:03review and with a possible u

48:06introduction to the chambers sometime

48:08before December. Um and that's my

48:11report. Thank you.

48:13>> Thank you councelor Dava. Any other

48:16reports of committee councelor Gohan?

48:19>> I'm sorry madam president. I forgot that

48:21the finance committee just met previous

48:23to this meeting and um councelor Perez

48:25was there and we discussed the financial

48:27orders that's on on our agenda

48:29[clears throat] today.

48:31>> Thank you.

48:31>> Thank you councelor Govan. Any others?

48:36>> Seeing none, madam clerk, please call

48:37the role on the reports of committee.

48:40>> On approval of the reports, councelor

48:41Santanelo, [clears throat]

48:43>> yes.

48:44>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

48:45>> Yes.

48:46>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

48:48>> Yes.

48:49>> Yes. Councelor Brown absent. Councelor

48:51Govan.

48:52>> Yes.

48:53>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

48:54>> Yes.

48:55>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

48:57>> Yes.

48:58>> Yes. Councelor Davila.

49:00>> Yes.

49:02>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

49:03>> Yes.

49:03>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

49:05>> Yes.

49:06>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

49:08>> Um I did report so I apologize.

49:12>> I could do it later though. But yes. No,

49:15I can do it later. I can It's on the

49:17agenda. I can do it later. Yes. Thank

49:19you.

49:21>> Yes, Councelor Edwards.

49:22>> Yes.

49:22>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

49:24>> Yes. Item approved. I thought he was

49:26going to say no. He forgot his report.

49:29[laughter]

49:30All right. Madame clerk, please call

49:34the first item on the agenda.

49:36>> First item is FY 2026 June revenue

49:39versus expenditure report.

49:40>> One and two, please. And item two is

49:43FY2027 August

49:47revenue versus expenditure. I'm assuming

49:49that

49:50>> August or 2026

49:51>> 26

49:52>> 2027

49:53>> Oh, 2027. Okay.

49:58>> You have the floor. Please state your

49:59name and address for the record.

50:01>> Thank you, Madame President. Patrick

50:03Burns, uh, comproller, 90 Clement

50:06Street, Springfield. Tonight, I have two

50:08reports. The first being the FY2026

50:12June revenue expenditure report. This

50:14represents the final report for fiscal

50:17year 2026.

50:19As you can see, the city ended the year

50:21with a $9.2 million

50:24favorable budget variance. On the

50:27revenue side, there was a 3.8 million

50:30favorable revenue side. And on the

50:34expenditure side, there was a favorable

50:36budget surplus of approximately $5.4

50:40million.

50:44>> Any questions from counselors?

50:47Uh yeah,

50:48>> Councelor Fantella, [clears throat]

50:50>> I just want to find out what what caused

50:53those surpluses and if we had surpluses,

50:57why didn't we apply that to the uh to

50:59the taxpayers on their homeowners on the

51:02on their taxes?

51:05>> The uh three major drivers on the

51:07revenue side were favorable motor

51:10vehicle excise tax.

51:12Um, other charges for services, part of

51:15that being a RFP sale of a city-owned

51:18property that totaled $544,000

51:23and also interest earned on investments.

51:26Uh, the expenditure side, the favorable

51:31budget surplus of 5.4 million. Of that,

51:352.7 million was made up in salary

51:37savings of vacant positions.

51:40And the the next step in the process now

51:43would be to get this certified as free

51:45cash. And historically we have used a

51:48portion of free cash to lower the tax

51:51rate. The uh the process for free cash

51:56is a do year-end checklist that will be

52:01submitted by the finance department, the

52:04controllers department and the city

52:07treasurer.

52:08This is our aim is to have that

52:10submitted on November 1st. Normally they

52:13will turn around the free cash

52:16calculation within 10 days. So we're

52:19hoping to have that well before the tax

52:21rate vote.

52:24>> Can you repeat the surplus? I already

52:26sent counselor. Can you repeat the

52:28surplus numbers one more time?

52:32>> Sure. The uh surplus amount on the

52:35revenue side was $3.8 $8 million and the

52:39surplus amount on the expenditure side

52:41was $5.4 million.

52:45>> Madame President,

52:47>> councelor, we have the

52:49>> um

52:50>> Yeah. How much how much did we put

52:52towards the uh I know the city put some

52:54money towards reducing the tax rate last

52:57year. How much was that?

53:00>> [snorts]

53:01>> That was 3 million in free cash and uh 4

53:06million in stabilization funds. So a

53:08total of 7 million. Okay. So can we

53:12earmark cuz I know that the council

53:13president has repeatedly said that

53:16people are hurting out there which we

53:18know and they're barely able to cling to

53:21their homes. We know. So, is it uh fair

53:24to say that we can put the majority or

53:26the the brunt of that cash that rolls

53:28into the new year towards that tax bill?

53:33>> Um

53:34I would say a portion of that would go

53:36there's already 2 million in

53:38stabilization interest that's been

53:40dedicated towards that. So, uh there

53:43will be 2 million to begin with of the

53:46the free cash certification. As you

53:48know,

53:50some will be have to be put aside for

53:52the OPED trust, some for our pension

53:54obligation and then for unforeseen

53:58circumstances similar to last year where

54:00we needed $1.8 million for snow and ice

54:04removal. So, that will be a discussion

54:06that we'll be having in the coming

54:08weeks.

54:10>> Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

54:12Thank you so much.

54:14>> Thank you, uh, Councelor Santanelo.

54:17So that was just the

54:202026.

54:22>> Yes, I have the report for August of

54:25fiscal year 2027

54:27which represents the first two months of

54:29the fiscal year.

54:31Um things are going pretty close to

54:36status quo. Uh very similar to last

54:38fiscal year at this point. Our general

54:42fund revenue through two months totals

54:45194.3

54:47million. This is 19% of budget. On the

54:52expenditure side, expenditures are 265.1

54:57million which is 25% of budget. Um but

55:01as I mentioned in July, we did make the

55:04pension appropriation payment on July

55:071st. So that is skewing that number

55:09upwards to the 25%.

55:16>> Any questions from counselors?

55:19Councelor Davlin.

55:21>> Thank you, [clears throat] Madame

55:22President. Uh Pat, good to see you. I

55:25just want to make sure. So we have a

55:27surplus and that's coming from motor

55:29vehicles, correct? Part of it.

55:32>> Yes, that was uh approximately $2.9

55:35million.

55:36>> Right. Now, is that because we have more

55:38cars or we are collecting more

55:41efficiently? What would you attribute

55:42that to be?

55:44>> I I did some research into the surplus

55:48because it it was very large. Uh the

55:51commitment

55:53the commitment one which is a large

55:55commitment that goes out in February

55:57where everyone receives an excise bill.

56:01uh that was about $400,000 more than it

56:04was in fiscal year 2025.

56:08But what I did notice was in fiscal year

56:122025, we had a commitment two and three

56:15and those were both released in June of

56:182025.

56:19>> So they were due actually in July of

56:222026.

56:24So normally commitment two and three

56:26would have been revenue attributed to

56:29fiscal year 2025.

56:31But because of the timing of the

56:33issuance of those two commitments, the

56:36revenue actually came in in fiscal year

56:39or the majority of the revenue came in

56:41in July of fiscal year 2026.

56:44>> I understand. So I know we're projecting

56:46uh might be projecting too far out but

56:49are we expecting

56:51so we're in 2026 we're going to be 27 28

56:55are we expecting the same amount roughly

56:57on motor vehicle tax do you think or

57:00we're going to be anywhere between 13 14

57:04>> yeah I I would say it would be more in

57:07line with historical numbers which would

57:09be about 13 million 13.5 million.

57:12>> Okay. um it was just skewed upward in

57:152026 because we actually had two

57:17commitments that belong to 2025 that

57:20were due in 2026

57:22>> right now Patrick the last the other

57:24thing that caught my eye was the

57:25penalties and it appears that my iPad is

57:28acting up here so uh

57:31>> uh how much of penalties did we go up

57:33like half a million

57:37>> I'm sorry which

57:38>> penalties my iPad is acting up but how

57:40much in penalties are we getting more.

57:42Is it half a million more

57:45>> penalties?

57:46>> Yes.

57:47>> And can you tell me about that?

57:53>> Um this is which line item? Sorry.

57:56>> Uh it's on the uh report. It's uh one,

57:59two, three. Uh the fourth line down.

58:02Penalties, interest, and other taxes.

58:06>> Yes. And this was pretty close to

58:09budget. We were only up $99,000.

58:12>> Okay.

58:13>> And in this

58:16this category includes the 121A payment

58:19from MGM.

58:22>> Okay. And they've been keeping up on

58:23that on those payments. Correct.

58:26>> Yes.

58:27>> Okay. Uh All right, Patrick. Thank you.

58:30Thank you for your thoroughess. Uh thank

58:31you, Madame President.

58:34>> Thank you, Councelor Dava. Any councelor

58:36Fenton?

58:37>> Thank you, Madam President. Um, it's a

58:38little off topic, so I'll be really

58:40brief, but because councelor Santanella

58:42was mentioning the uh tax burden of

58:45residents, and I know councelor Govan

58:47has recently been scheduling some

58:48upcoming meetings on that, I just wanted

58:50to inform the council that the um

58:53special committee on uh targeted tax

58:55relief has been meeting regularly. Um,

58:58and we're going to release later this

59:00week the uh application terms for uh

59:05taxpayers to be eligible for that tax

59:07relief this year. The applications will

59:09be available starting next week. Um,

59:12that'll be in a full release that comes

59:13from the city and uh the deadline will

59:16be about 30 uh 30 days after that, the

59:18middle of November in the hopes of

59:20getting that relief out to taxpayers for

59:21this fiscal year. Thanks.

59:23>> Can you tell us a little bit more about

59:24that fund like how it got started and

59:27how this committee got started?

59:29>> Sure. So, uh I think it was two years

59:32ago um that this body expressed a desire

59:37for targeted tax relief uh for people

59:40who um have the most financial need

59:43after some of the testimony that we

59:45heard. And uh so the targeted tax relief

59:48committee uh was formed uh in order to

59:51come up with the parameters for uh what

59:54the application would look like, who's

59:56eligible, and how ultimately the money

59:59will be um handed out to residents based

1:00:02on the appropriation that we originally

1:00:04got for $1 million. It was also uh sent

1:00:07out on tax bills to allow people to

1:00:09check a box and uh contribute some

1:00:11additional money uh to the fund.

1:00:13Unfortunately, that has not resulted in

1:00:15a material amount of money coming into

1:00:16the city, but uh we do have uh that

1:00:19original appropriation of a million

1:00:21dollars which uh this body approved, and

1:00:24that's that's really what we're looking

1:00:25at uh and targeting for that tax relief

1:00:28for this year.

1:00:30>> Thank you, counselor.

1:00:32>> Thank you.

1:00:34>> Any other questions or comments?

1:00:38Councelor Click Bruce. Again, I know

1:00:40it's out of topic as well, but I just

1:00:42want to put it on the record. I would

1:00:43love for us to figure out what we are

1:00:47are doing with the uh

1:00:50the marijuana funds, uh coming up with a

1:00:53process and possibly doing something to

1:00:56target um tax relief for those that are

1:01:00in that we have dispensaries in in the

1:01:02area. So, I just want to put on the

1:01:03record for us to look at that as well.

1:01:05Uh Madam Chair, uh Govon with the

1:01:07finance committee. Thank you. Thank you.

1:01:09I believe councelor Govan has a meeting

1:01:12scheduled.

1:01:13Do you remember the day?

1:01:16>> I would have to look at my calendar, but

1:01:18I I'll ask um the staff to send it out

1:01:21again.

1:01:22>> Okay. Thank you.

1:01:22>> I remember seeing it. Thank you,

1:01:24counselor. Thank you, counselor. Um

1:01:27All right. Anything else?

1:01:30>> Seeing none, Madame Clerk, please call

1:01:32the role on items one and two.

1:01:35on approval. Councelor Santanelo.

1:01:38>> Yes.

1:01:39>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:01:40>> Yes.

1:01:41>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:01:43>> Yes.

1:01:44>> Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor

1:01:46Govan.

1:01:47>> Yes.

1:01:48>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:01:49>> Yes.

1:01:50>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:01:52>> Yes.

1:01:53>> Yes. Councelor Davilla.

1:01:54>> Yes.

1:01:55>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:01:56>> Yes.

1:01:57>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:01:58>> Yes.

1:01:59>> Yes. Councelor Click proof.

1:02:00>> Yes.

1:02:01>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:02:02>> Yes.

1:02:03>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:02:04>> Yes. Items approved. Madame clerk,

1:02:07please call the next item.

1:02:09>> The next item is the election warrant

1:02:11for 2026.

1:02:14>> Are you speaking to that?

1:02:15>> Yes.

1:02:16>> Okay. [laughter]

1:02:17Um, Glattis Oyola Lopez, uh, 36 38

1:02:21Roland Street, Springfield, Mass.

1:02:23uh what you have before you and I

1:02:25actually have a copy um that goes with

1:02:28it of the early voting dates but is the

1:02:30election warrant for

1:02:33November 2026 which includes uh the

1:02:38offices for state and federal office.

1:02:43I'm just trying to click this as well as

1:02:44nine ballot questions. So this election

1:02:46year we're going to have nine ballot

1:02:48questions. We've received the ballots

1:02:51and started actually mailing out the

1:02:52absentee early voting ballots this uh

1:02:56past week on Friday. We have over 10,000

1:02:59requests in uh as of Friday for mail-in

1:03:03ballots uh that the staff is working on.

1:03:06So, this goes hand inand you also have a

1:03:08list of the polling locations which are

1:03:10the same as for the primary. There have

1:03:12been no changes and um as in every state

1:03:17election year, we have the early voting

1:03:18dates which I'm going to circulate. Uh

1:03:21early voting starts September I mean

1:03:23October Saturday, October 17th uh

1:03:26through Friday, October 30th. So it's

1:03:29two weeks worth of early voting. And

1:03:31we're trying to push those dates uh uh

1:03:34and also offer two dates over at uh the

1:03:37Green Leaf Center this year as opposed

1:03:39to just one. So, two Saturdays at

1:03:41Greenleaf and two weekdays at the Ray

1:03:43Jordan Senior Center.

1:04:14Any questions or comments from

1:04:16counselors?

1:04:19>> Madame chair.

1:04:21>> Yes, council Perez.

1:04:23>> Yeah, I'm just requesting that the staff

1:04:26send the uh information via email so we

1:04:30could spread it out in the community.

1:04:32Thank you,

1:04:32>> Council Martin. Can you ask staff to

1:04:34send this to um counselors?

1:04:38Thank you.

1:04:40>> All right. Thank you, Council Perez.

1:04:42Getting that over to you.

1:04:46Any other questions, comments?

1:04:48>> And I'll also ask uh counselors if you

1:04:50can share. We're going to start posting

1:04:52as of tomorrow all of these notices on

1:04:54our social media. And I know that you

1:04:56all have quite a few followers. If uh we

1:04:58would appreciate if you can share on

1:05:00Facebook, on any of the social media

1:05:02outlets uh anything that the election

1:05:05office posts, that would be great.

1:05:10>> Sure thing. Thank you.

1:05:12>> Oh, you're welcome.

1:05:14>> Yes.

1:05:15It's you. That's what Sean is emailing

1:05:18to us now.

1:05:18>> That's what Sean is emailing right now.

1:05:20>> Okay. Thank you, Madame Clerk.

1:05:24Madame Clerk, please call the uh

1:05:26councelor Hurst.

1:05:31Um, I noticed that you have two Saturday

1:05:34dates at Green Leaf, and then two dates

1:05:38during the week at the Raymond Jordan

1:05:40Senior Center. Was there any reason as

1:05:43to why we didn't do one Saturday at

1:05:45Green Leaf, one Saturday at the Raymond

1:05:47Jordan Senior Center, and then,

1:05:51you know, switch around the week the the

1:05:53days during the week?

1:05:54>> We've at each site. We've noticed a

1:05:57trend that the Green Leafs uh center

1:05:59itself is more popular on those

1:06:02Saturdays. So, the voters have requested

1:06:04that we keep Green Leaf on a weekend. Uh

1:06:07we've seen the increase as far as the

1:06:08voter turnout there because people go

1:06:10there from Indian Orchard and from W

1:06:13five and seven. So, ws five, seven, and

1:06:15eight tend to go there on Saturdays. Uh

1:06:18initially what we did was have early

1:06:21voting on Saturdays and different days

1:06:24of the week all over the city. So what

1:06:26we used was the library branches to have

1:06:29those and just over trial and error have

1:06:32noticed that those are the days that are

1:06:34more popular in those neighborhoods and

1:06:35at those times. Same thing with Ray

1:06:37Jordan Senior Center because the seniors

1:06:40are there for activities during the day

1:06:42between those hours. We see um that they

1:06:45do turn out more at those sites. But

1:06:47we're always welcome, you know, we take

1:06:50we welcome all suggestions. So if we if

1:06:52voters tell us or have sites that they'd

1:06:54like us to do or try out, we would

1:06:56definitely do that.

1:06:59>> Okay. We'll definitely set up a meeting

1:07:01uh to talk further. But it just if

1:07:03you're doing it based off of research, I

1:07:05would I would love to know and have that

1:07:07that data. Um

1:07:09>> Sure thing. [clears throat]

1:07:10>> Yeah.

1:07:12>> Thank you, counselor. One moment. Um

1:07:14councelor D. Madame clerk, please

1:07:15recognize counselor in seat number four.

1:07:18>> Councelor Brown.

1:07:25>> Councilor Brown, I see that you unmuted,

1:07:27but we still can't hear you. So,

1:07:33>> we'll we'll come back we'll come back to

1:07:36you, councelor Donville.

1:07:38>> Uh thank you, Madame President. U Madame

1:07:40Clerk, uh just a quick observation if I

1:07:42may. Uh just a humble suggestion if I

1:07:45may. Uh I did notice that the Ray Jordan

1:07:47Senior Center uh they're going to be

1:07:48open Wednesday October 21st and Thursday

1:07:52October 29 from 9 to 3. U may I suggest

1:07:56that perhaps we should increase up to to

1:07:58four to keep it up hard with green leaf.

1:08:00And I'm sure that the data told you that

1:08:03that's the times but I will encourage

1:08:06you

1:08:07uh go back see if it's possible to add

1:08:10that extra hour on both days. We did we

1:08:13did have it at for the past few

1:08:15elections uh extended to four o'clock at

1:08:17that site. And what happens at uh the

1:08:20the senior center is 3:00 is their

1:08:23cutoff. So at 3:30 uh the staff goes

1:08:26home. 4:00 the staff goes home. 3:30 the

1:08:29last bus like the last senior PBTA picks

1:08:33up the seniors that are there. Uh so we

1:08:36cut it off at three because between 3

1:08:38and 4 we don't get any voters. But we

1:08:42again we are definitely willing to

1:08:43extend um

1:08:44>> right right I I would encourage you to

1:08:46do so um I mean go back look at your

1:08:49data I should say of course I am not the

1:08:51election commissioner but it's just an

1:08:52observation that I made so is it

1:08:54basically the raid senior center is more

1:08:58in line to target the population which

1:09:00is the early correct

1:09:02>> yes okay although anybody could go and

1:09:05vote

1:09:05>> correct okay

1:09:06>> and they do right thank you madame clerk

1:09:09thank you madame

1:09:11Thank you, counselor. Any other comments

1:09:13or questions, concerns?

1:09:15Seeing none, madame clerk, please call

1:09:17the role.

1:09:19>> On approval, councelor Santanelo,

1:09:22>> yes.

1:09:23>> Yes. Councelor Martin,

1:09:24>> yes.

1:09:26>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:09:28>> Yes.

1:09:29>> Yes. Councelor Brown.

1:09:31[snorts]

1:09:34>> Absent. Councelor Govan. He's he's

1:09:36unmuted and I think he's trying to

1:09:38respond but I don't know what's going on

1:09:41cuz we have to recognize him when he

1:09:43can't unmute first before you can vote.

1:09:45So, council Brown, keep working on that.

1:09:51>> Okay.

1:09:54>> Yes.

1:09:56>> Councelor Govan.

1:09:58>> Yes.

1:09:59>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:10:00>> Yes.

1:10:01>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:10:03>> Yes.

1:10:04>> Yes. Councelor Davila.

1:10:06>> Yes.

1:10:06>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:10:08>> Yes.

1:10:08>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:10:10>> Yes.

1:10:11>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:10:12>> Yes.

1:10:13>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:10:15>> Yes.

1:10:15>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:10:19>> Yes. Item approved.

1:10:20>> Yes.

1:10:22>> Madame Clerk.

1:10:24Um items four and five are under the

1:10:28100,000

1:10:29threshold.

1:10:31We can call the role on those two unless

1:10:34anyone has any discussion questions on

1:10:36the two items.

1:10:40Madame clerk, please call the roles on

1:10:42items one and two, I mean four and five.

1:10:45On approval of the FY27 CMF gaming harm

1:10:49project 75,000 and parks FY27 greening

1:10:52the gateway cities program grant for

1:10:5775,000. Councelor Santanelo.

1:11:00Yes.

1:11:01>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:11:02>> Yes.

1:11:03>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:11:05>> Yes.

1:11:06>> Yes. Councelor Brown.

1:11:14>> He's away.

1:11:15>> Yeah.

1:11:16>> Away. Councelor Govan.

1:11:18>> Yes.

1:11:19>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:11:20>> Yes.

1:11:21>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:11:23>> Yes.

1:11:24>> Yes. Councelor Dabula.

1:11:26>> Yes.

1:11:27>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:11:28>> Yes.

1:11:29>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:11:30>> Yes.

1:11:31>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:11:33>> Yes.

1:11:33>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:11:35>> Yes.

1:11:36>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:11:37>> Yes.

1:11:38>> Items approved. Madame clerk, please

1:11:40call the next item on the agenda.

1:11:42>> Item six is a CIT training reimbursement

1:11:44grant. No match required in the amount

1:11:46of $100,000.

1:11:50>> Please state your name and address for

1:11:51the record.

1:11:52>> Good evening, Madam President. Uh good

1:11:54evening, Lieutenant Brian Elliot,

1:11:55Springfield Police Department. Uh this

1:11:57grant that we received is a grant from

1:11:59the department of mental health. I apply

1:12:01for it each year. Uh this provides

1:12:03training for the officers and

1:12:05dispatchers and the latest best

1:12:07practices as it relates to uh mental

1:12:11health and those that are in crisis in

1:12:12the community.

1:12:15>> Any questions, comments?

1:12:20>> Really?

1:12:23>> Okay.

1:12:24>> Thank you, ma'am. I think the next one

1:12:25is mine also.

1:12:27>> Oh, really? Okay. Um, councelor Govana.

1:12:31>> Um, no, we discussed these items in the

1:12:33finance committee and um I think these

1:12:35are especially number seven, the one

1:12:38that's coming up next is the one with

1:12:39the BHN which I think we all are aware

1:12:42of and um the training grant of course

1:12:44we want our officers to be more trained.

1:12:47Thank you, Madam President.

1:12:48>> Thank you.

1:12:49>> Thank you, counselor.

1:12:51Madam clerk, please call the role on

1:12:53item number six

1:12:55on acceptance. Councelor Santelo,

1:12:58>> yes.

1:12:58>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:13:00>> Yes.

1:13:00>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:13:03>> Yes.

1:13:04>> Yes. Councelor Brown.

1:13:07>> He is absent on this.

1:13:09>> So, okay. Absent. Councelor Govan.

1:13:12>> Yes.

1:13:12>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:13:14>> Yes.

1:13:14>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:13:16>> Yes.

1:13:17>> Yes. Councelor Davila.

1:13:19>> Yes.

1:13:19>> Yes. Councelor Fenton. Yes.

1:13:22>> Yes. Councelor Dogado.

1:13:23>> Yes.

1:13:24>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:13:25>> Yes.

1:13:26>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:13:28>> Yes.

1:13:28>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:13:30>> Yes. Item approved. Madame clerk, please

1:13:32call the next item.

1:13:34Item seven is the jail arrest diversion

1:13:36program grant. No match required in the

1:13:38amount of $434,264.

1:13:43>> Elliot.

1:13:44>> Yes, ma'am. Uh this is a a grant that we

1:13:46received from the Department of Mental

1:13:48Health and this pays for civilian crisis

1:13:52clinicians to respond to 911 calls um

1:13:56based on the information that's received

1:13:58by dispatch. Uh they co-respond out of

1:14:00our office downtown in the metro unit.

1:14:13Thank you, Madame President. Uh,

1:14:15Lieutenant, good to see you again. Uh,

1:14:17as I have said in the past, I'm a big

1:14:20proponent of this program. It has, it

1:14:22works. I've seen it first hand. Uh, but

1:14:24I have to ask the same questions I ask

1:14:25every year. Uh, are we keeping these uh,

1:14:28clinicians to Springfield only?

1:14:31>> Yes. Yes.

1:14:32>> Okay. that I believe that was the same

1:14:34case last year. So, I know there was a

1:14:35time in which we were sharing the

1:14:37clinicians with area communities. Um,

1:14:40and that's music to my ears that they're

1:14:42dedicated for Springfield. With that

1:14:44being said, um, good job on this

1:14:47program.

1:14:47>> Thank you.

1:14:48>> Thank you.

1:14:49>> Thank you, counselor. Any other

1:14:50counselors? Uh, councelor Walsh.

1:14:53>> Thank you, Madam President. Thank you

1:14:54for your presentation. Ma'am,

1:14:56>> I think this is a wonderful program. I'm

1:14:58just wondering are there any statistics

1:15:00or feedback on how effective it is?

1:15:04>> Uh well, we meet on a quarterly basis.

1:15:05We meet with the state. They monitor us

1:15:07very closely. Um out of the calls for

1:15:11service that we receive. We're in the

1:15:1450th percentile. Uh this funding does

1:15:17not meet the need that the city has. It

1:15:21comes

1:15:22it meets at about 50 to 60%. Um we get a

1:15:26number of calls for service each day

1:15:28amortized over a month over a year etc.

1:15:31Uh currently we have five clinicians and

1:15:34a supervisor. Um and we try to optimize

1:15:37the hours based on need. We can see the

1:15:41calls when they come in and so forth. Um

1:15:43so we try to make sure that we optimize

1:15:45every penny that we do have to get

1:15:48clinicians to those crisis calls.

1:15:57Thank you, Councelor Wash. Councelor

1:15:58Click Bruce.

1:16:00>> Thank you, uh, Madame President. Good to

1:16:01see you, Lieutenant Elliot, again,

1:16:03>> counselor.

1:16:04>> Um, some question. Um, did the did the

1:16:07did the amount increase, uh, from last

1:16:09year or is it

1:16:10>> modestly?

1:16:11>> Okay. Um, and then, um,

1:16:16I know we go through this every year.

1:16:18Are you looking to add any of the

1:16:19partnerships other than BHN? Um, and if

1:16:22so, what would that process look like?

1:16:24Or are you comfortable with BHN moving

1:16:26forward or you're not looking?

1:16:28>> We go with BHN because they're the

1:16:30designated provider for the state DMH.

1:16:33DMH pays for this program. DMH picks who

1:16:36the provider is for the city of

1:16:38Springfield, uh, and all the area in the

1:16:40regions. We don't pick any of that. Um,

1:16:43and because of that, uh, for continuity

1:16:45purposes and response, plus they have

1:16:49the the clinical data in their

1:16:51databases, so it all just kind of

1:16:55clicks.

1:16:57>> Understood.

1:17:01>> What was that?

1:17:02>> He said click.

1:17:02>> Oh. Oh.

1:17:03>> Oh, yeah. No, sorry. [laughter]

1:17:07>> I'm like, what? Big punk. All right.

1:17:10>> Yeah.

1:17:11No, I got you. Thank you, uh,

1:17:14Lieutenant. Thank you, Madam President.

1:17:16>> Counselor,

1:17:17>> thank you, counselor. Um, any other, um,

1:17:20councelor Hurst,

1:17:23>> just really quickly, Lieutenant Elliott,

1:17:25how many clinicians do you think we need

1:17:28uh, here in Springfield?

1:17:30I

1:17:30>> I would say to meet the basic needs

1:17:32outside of any anomalies, I'd say eight.

1:17:36>> Eight.

1:17:36>> We're about five right now based on call

1:17:38volume. Um we average between 350 to 400

1:17:43calls per month.

1:17:46Um and for a clinician to do this

1:17:48correctly, they have to spend some time

1:17:49with the person. They it's our time that

1:17:53we spend there is relatively short.

1:17:54We're off to other things and a

1:17:56clinician can remain behind uh if it's

1:18:00safe. Um there's a lot more that goes

1:18:02into it. We're not interested in the

1:18:04medical history or any of that. um and

1:18:07they spend time talking with the person

1:18:09to try to gain that information. Um and

1:18:12that's outside of our presence.

1:18:16>> Have we asked uh the mayor for any

1:18:18additional

1:18:20clinicians to be funded uh in the

1:18:22budget?

1:18:24>> I do not believe we have. No sir.

1:18:27>> Okay. Thank you.

1:18:28>> Thank you.

1:18:32>> Thank you councelor Hers. Councelor

1:18:33Perez.

1:18:34>> Yeah. My question is based on the need

1:18:37and um and what you just said, what

1:18:40happened to those that are in need of

1:18:42the service and what plan is in place if

1:18:47they cannot reach them?

1:18:50Well, the way the system, the way the

1:18:52program is set up, uh we always send

1:18:55police officers, uniform police

1:18:56officers. We'll answer the 911 call

1:18:58every time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a

1:19:01week, in the absence of the presence of

1:19:03a crisis clinician. Um then the hospital

1:19:07is the option. Um it's not the best

1:19:09option, but it is 100% a safe option for

1:19:13somebody who's suffering from crisis

1:19:15that they can seek that treatment at one

1:19:18of the hospitals.

1:19:20Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

1:19:22>> Thank you, counselor.

1:19:25Any others?

1:19:27Council Govan.

1:19:28>> Thank you, Madam President. Um and I'm

1:19:31I'm as a social worker, I am aware of

1:19:33the crisis um uh calls that are made and

1:19:37how they're made. So it's really helpful

1:19:39sometimes when you have a police officer

1:19:41present um because of the you know the

1:19:45risk that it could happen because you

1:19:46know there's potential for um you know

1:19:49people going out of control. Um so it's

1:19:51really helpful and to the question that

1:19:54councelor Perez asked about what happens

1:19:56when there's not a clinician available.

1:19:58Um a lot of times

1:20:01that gives me pause because you know you

1:20:03guys aren't trained to do the the crisis

1:20:05assessments. Um, but I know that when

1:20:07that does happen, you guys have an

1:20:09ambulance and a police officer most of

1:20:12the time because they do have to be

1:20:14transported to the um, hospital so they

1:20:16can get assessed. Um, and that's usually

1:20:18the safest way to do that. So, um, I

1:20:21appreciate the work that you guys do.

1:20:22Um, and I'm glad with the partnership

1:20:24with uh, BHN. I would like to see the

1:20:27possibility of having more clinicians,

1:20:29you know, um, um, going out with you

1:20:31guys. Um, but it's a really good program

1:20:33that I fully support.

1:20:39Maybe some advocacy to DMH.

1:20:44>> Yeah. [laughter]

1:20:45All right. Any others?

1:20:49Madame clerk, please call the role on

1:20:51the item

1:20:52>> on acceptance of the grant. Councelor

1:20:55Santanelo.

1:20:56>> Yes.

1:20:57>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:20:58>> Yes.

1:20:59>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:21:01>> Yes.

1:21:02>> Yes. Councelor Brown.

1:21:05Absent. Councelor Govan.

1:21:08>> Yes.

1:21:09>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:21:11>> Yes.

1:21:11>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:21:12>> Yes.

1:21:13>> Yes. Councelor [clears throat] Davila.

1:21:15>> Yes.

1:21:15>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:21:17>> Yes.

1:21:17>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:21:19>> Yes.

1:21:19>> Yes. Councelor Click Proce.

1:21:21>> Yes.

1:21:22>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:21:23>> Yes.

1:21:24>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:21:25>> Yes. Item approved. Madame clerk, please

1:21:27call the next.

1:21:28>> Thank you very much.

1:21:29>> You're welcome. Have a good evening.

1:21:32Item eight is bills of prior year.

1:21:37Please state your name and address for

1:21:39the record. Uh Kathy Bono Okala Road. Um

1:21:43councilors, I'm asking you to approve a

1:21:44prior year bill from the Department of

1:21:47um labor relations and human resources

1:21:51for $48. I need your authorization to

1:21:54pay a prior year bill with current year

1:21:56funds. $48. $48. Yes. Any questions from

1:22:01counselors?

1:22:03[laughter]

1:22:04Oh, okay. Madame clerk, please call the

1:22:07role on the $48 bill of a prior year.

1:22:11>> On approval, councelor Santanelo,

1:22:14>> yes.

1:22:15>> Yes. Councelor Martin,

1:22:16>> yes.

1:22:16>> Yes. Councelor Perez,

1:22:18>> yes.

1:22:19>> Yes. Councelor Brown, absent. Councelor

1:22:22Govan,

1:22:24>> yes.

1:22:24>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:22:26>> Yes.

1:22:26>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:22:28>> Yes.

1:22:28>> Yes. Councelor Davila.

1:22:30>> Yes.

1:22:30>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:22:32>> Yes.

1:22:32>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:22:33>> Yes.

1:22:34>> Yes. Councelor Click Roose.

1:22:35>> Yes.

1:22:36>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:22:37>> Yes.

1:22:38>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:22:39>> Yes. C. Kathy coming in here breaking

1:22:41the bank.

1:22:44[laughter]

1:22:46>> Madame clerk, please call the next item.

1:22:49>> Next item is an Indian Orchard Library

1:22:51donation.

1:22:54>> Kathy. Uh, this is a $100 donation from

1:22:58Barbara Garvey for the Indian Orchard

1:23:00Branch.

1:23:04>> Thank you, Miss Garvey. Any questions,

1:23:06comments?

1:23:08>> Madame Clerk, please call the role on

1:23:10acceptance.

1:23:11>> On acceptance, councelor Santelo?

1:23:14>> Yes.

1:23:15>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:23:16>> Yes.

1:23:17>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:23:19>> Yes.

1:23:19>> Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor

1:23:21Govan.

1:23:22>> Yes.

1:23:23>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:23:24>> Yes.

1:23:25>> Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:23:26>> Yes.

1:23:27>> Yes. Councelor Dabila.

1:23:28>> Yes.

1:23:29>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:23:30>> Yes.

1:23:31>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:23:32>> Yes.

1:23:33>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:23:34>> Yes.

1:23:35>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:23:36>> Yes.

1:23:37>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:23:38>> Yes. Item approved. Madame clerk, please

1:23:41call the next item.

1:23:42>> Next item is a bond authorization $6

1:23:44million for vehicles FY27.

1:23:48>> Thank you. Chris, please state your name

1:23:49and address for the record. But I also

1:23:51want to tell you, thank you for sending

1:23:53that 100page document ahead of time for

1:23:56us to read about the vehicles and the

1:23:59plan.

1:24:00>> It wasn't really 100 pages, but it felt

1:24:01like it

1:24:02>> and everybody read it, right?

1:24:07>> Good evening, councilors. Chris Signoli,

1:24:09DPW director. Um, a little bit over a

1:24:13year ago, uh, the CAFO auditor and city

1:24:16council asked that the DPW put together

1:24:19a combined vehicle master plan for the

1:24:22city, uh, which was what they sent to

1:24:24all the counselors. Uh, last week, uh,

1:24:28we had a subcommittee meeting last week

1:24:29to look at the first year purchase on

1:24:31this new master plan. Uh, and we are

1:24:34looking for $6 million and it is split

1:24:37up as 2.2 2 million for the police

1:24:40department, 510,000 for the fire

1:24:43department, 1.4 million in the general

1:24:46fund, which is all of the departments in

1:24:48the city, and 1.8 million in the

1:24:51enterprise fund uh for excuse me, for a

1:24:55total of 73 vehicles. Um the $6 million

1:25:01um is for those 73 vehicles split up, as

1:25:04I said. I'm sorry, council. [snorts]

1:25:06>> Thank you, Chris. Councilor Martin, do

1:25:08you know what the enterprise vehicles

1:25:09are?

1:25:12>> Chris, can you explain that to council?

1:25:14>> I can absolutely explain that.

1:25:16>> The uh police is obviously police, fire

1:25:19is fire. Uh enterprise fund is the DPW

1:25:23trash side of the uh budget. It is

1:25:27separate and we uh follow funds

1:25:29separately for that. And the general

1:25:31fund is vehicles from all departments in

1:25:34the city with the exception of police

1:25:36and fire, DPW, parks, facilities. The

1:25:39master plan that we put together does

1:25:42not analyze anything for the school

1:25:43department. They purchase all of theirs

1:25:45on their own. Um and uh so we do not

1:25:49include anything in here on the master

1:25:51plan side for the school department, but

1:25:53everything for DPW um all the way from

1:25:56assessors

1:25:58at at a all TJO

1:26:01uh parks facilities DPW and all the

1:26:05other departments in the city.

1:26:07>> Thank Chris. I wasn't calling you out.

1:26:08That's for anybody who didn't know what

1:26:10enterprise vehicles [laughter] were. But

1:26:12as a new counselor, sometimes we don't

1:26:15know those terms. So thank you for the

1:26:16explanation for the trash trucks and

1:26:20vehicles and the enterprise fund. Chris,

1:26:23any other questions, comment? Councelor

1:26:25Click Bruce.

1:26:26>> Thank you, Madam President. I also uh

1:26:29want to speak on this item as a report

1:26:31and I apologize not getting it out, but

1:26:33we did meet on the 29th u with uh Chris

1:26:36Signoli, uh Lindseay Hackett, Counselor

1:26:39Davala, uh Councelor Perez, and uh

1:26:42Kathy. Um so uh he already gave the

1:26:46overview. I just want to commend the the

1:26:48city for uh listening to the city

1:26:49council and other um us advocating to to

1:26:53come up come up with a comprehensive

1:26:54plan. Um and this is something that is

1:26:57needed. Um we didn't make a

1:26:58recommendation recommendation, excuse

1:27:00me, but we did uh I know he brought it

1:27:03to the finance committee for Monday. Um

1:27:05so I just want the report on that. So

1:27:07thank you madam president.

1:27:08>> Thank you councelor click Bruce for

1:27:10holding that meeting. Any others

1:27:13counselors?

1:27:15Seeing none, madame clerk, please call

1:27:17the role on the item.

1:27:20>> On approval of the bond authorization,

1:27:22councelor Santanelo,

1:27:24>> yes.

1:27:25>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:27:26>> Yes.

1:27:27>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:27:29>> Yes.

1:27:30>> Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent.

1:27:32>> Present. Present.

1:27:34>> And yes.

1:27:35>> Councelor seat number.

1:27:37>> Present. Present. And yes. Councelor

1:27:40Govan.

1:27:41Yes.

1:27:43>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:27:44>> Yes.

1:27:45>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:27:47>> Yes.

1:27:47>> Yes. Councelor Davila.

1:27:49>> Yes.

1:27:50>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:27:51>> Yes.

1:27:52>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:27:54>> Yes.

1:27:54>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:27:56>> Yes.

1:27:56>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:27:58>> Yes.

1:27:58>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:28:00>> Yes. Item approved.

1:28:01>> Thank you, counselors.

1:28:02>> Thank you, Chris.

1:28:12Item 14 is supporting House Bill 4087.

1:28:18Thank you. Um I'm going to ask Vice

1:28:20President Delgado to swat with me since

1:28:24this is my resolution

1:28:29and council. Huh?

1:28:32Huh?

1:28:35Oh, no. It's 14. Did anyone want to take

1:28:39any of these unfinished business?

1:28:42>> Councelor, I think what councelor Walsh

1:28:44is saying that you didn't call item 11

1:28:46>> cuz it's under unfinished business.

1:28:49>> A a counselor.

1:28:50>> Huh?

1:28:52>> Oh, on mine it says 14.

1:28:56>> It is.

1:28:57>> Oh, see 14 on my

1:29:02Okay. Well, item number 11, then we're

1:29:04in good shape. Please call item number

1:29:0711, Madam Clerk. That's why I was

1:29:09wondering why it was all the way at 14,

1:29:11but that's what it is on mine.

1:29:13>> We still need you.

1:29:18>> So, item 11 is the Head Start

1:29:20resolution.

1:29:23>> The Item 11 is the Head Start resolution

1:29:25sponsored by Council President

1:29:28Whitfield.

1:29:33um to this resolution because we were

1:29:36together when Senator Jake Alivera

1:29:39approached us and asks us to bring this

1:29:42resolution forward for the Springfield

1:29:45Head Start and all Head Starts. Um the

1:29:48federal government is looking to slash

1:29:51the funding for the Head Start programs

1:29:54and um there is public testimony that is

1:29:59available for anyone to comment on and

1:30:02it's um open until tomorrow. And so we

1:30:06wanted to try to get this resolution

1:30:08passed and sent out to the Honorable

1:30:11Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the

1:30:14US Department of Health and Human

1:30:16Services and add it to the record um for

1:30:19public testimony. I'm just going to read

1:30:22it. We all know how important Head Start

1:30:25and Early Head Start programs are. So, I

1:30:27will read the resolution sponsored by

1:30:29Councelor Clip Bruce and I and I hope

1:30:32that you all will join as sponsors of

1:30:35the resolution.

1:30:37um resolution in support of Head Start

1:30:39and Early Head Start and the importance

1:30:42of their programs in the city of

1:30:44Springfield. Whereas Head Start and

1:30:47Early Head Start are federal grant

1:30:49programs that provide comprehensive

1:30:52early education, health care, nutrition,

1:30:55and family supports and services to

1:30:58lowincome children, those at risk of

1:31:00homelessness, and other vulnerable

1:31:02populations. serving three and four year

1:31:05olds and infants and toddlers respective

1:31:08respectfully. And whereas each year Head

1:31:11Start programs serve about a 100,000

1:31:13children and families across communities

1:31:15in Massachusetts including Springfield

1:31:19where Holio Chape Springfield HCS Head

1:31:24Start Inc. has served families since

1:31:261965

1:31:28and operate centers across the city,

1:31:31including the Janice Santos Early

1:31:34Learning Center on Madison A, the Mason

1:31:36Square Head Start and Early Head Start

1:31:39Center, the MGM Head Start Child and

1:31:43Family Center, Robinson Gardens, Karoo

1:31:46Street, and the Early Learning Center at

1:31:48Springfield Technical Community College.

1:31:50And whereas Head Start allows

1:31:52Springfield parents to work, train, and

1:31:55attend school with confidence in their

1:31:57children are safe and learning and and

1:32:01employs teachers, family advocates, bus

1:32:04monitors, bilingual educators, and other

1:32:06staff who live in and support our

1:32:09neighborhoods and local economy. And

1:32:12whereas Head Start is governed by the

1:32:151965 Head Start Act and its program

1:32:19performance standards which set

1:32:21requirements for teacher qualifications,

1:32:24curricula and classroom quality, child's

1:32:28I'm sorry, staff child ratios and group

1:32:30sizes, health and mental health

1:32:33screenings, parental support and

1:32:35services for children with disabilities.

1:32:38And whereas on August 6, 2026, the US

1:32:41Department of Health and Human Services

1:32:44announced a notice of proposed

1:32:46rulemaking

1:32:48reducing federal burden for Head Start

1:32:50programs published in the Federal

1:32:53Register on August 7th, 2026. that will

1:32:57rescend and replace the current Head

1:32:58Start program performance standards with

1:33:01significantly shorter set of regulation,

1:33:04eliminating

1:33:06most standards related to teaching and

1:33:08learning, health and safety and staffing

1:33:10and largely deferring to state license

1:33:13requirements that in many cases are less

1:33:15pro protective. And whereas the

1:33:18Massachusetts Head Start Association and

1:33:20other industry ex experts and advocates

1:33:23have stressed the major negative impacts

1:33:25the NPRM

1:33:28would have on programs that many

1:33:30Springfield children and families depend

1:33:32on, including increased class sizes by

1:33:35about 16% while reducing teacher

1:33:37workforces, reducing salaries for

1:33:40educators, eliminating jobs, and key

1:33:43roles such as bus monitors and bilingual

1:33:45educators, and making 8% of children

1:33:48ineligible for the program. And whereas

1:33:51amid such federal uncertainty, the city

1:33:54of Springfield must uphold its support

1:33:57for and elevate the critical role Head

1:34:00Start programs play for children and

1:34:02families across Springfield and

1:34:04subsequently our city as a whole. Now

1:34:07therefore be it proclaimed resolved that

1:34:10the Springfield City Council confirms it

1:34:12strong support for Head Start and Early

1:34:15Head Start programs in their accordant

1:34:18standards for teaching, learning,

1:34:19health, and welfare of children,

1:34:21families, and classrooms. And that the

1:34:23city of Springfield encourages residents

1:34:25to submit public comment in support of

1:34:28retaining these quality standards in

1:34:30support for Head Start before the

1:34:31comment period closes on tomorrow,

1:34:34October 6, 2026. And therefore, and be

1:34:38it further resolved that a copy of this

1:34:41resolution be transmitted to the

1:34:43Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Senior,

1:34:45Secretary of the US Department of Health

1:34:48and Human Services, and entered into the

1:34:51public record of the department's

1:34:53proposed rulemaking, reduce federal

1:34:55burden for Head Start programs in the

1:34:58docket number. Got through it.

1:35:01[laughter]

1:35:02>> You fit that all on one page. one page.

1:35:05Um, so I just wanted to see if councelor

1:35:08click Bruce wanted to say anything and

1:35:11then

1:35:13>> Oh, you want me? Okay. And then

1:35:14>> All right. Councelor Click Bruce. Thank

1:35:16you, uh, Madame President. Uh, thank you

1:35:18uh, for the resolution and taking the

1:35:20lead on that. Um, I'm a firm believer in

1:35:23early education. My mom was an ed

1:35:25educator at Early Childhood Centers. So,

1:35:27I know uh firsthand uh what um early

1:35:30childhood education can do to to uh our

1:35:34young young uh families and not only in

1:35:36the city of Springfield, but across the

1:35:38Commonwealth. So, I'm happy to support

1:35:40this. It's something that we need to

1:35:42advocate for more of. Um so, thank you

1:35:44again, Council President, for uh uh

1:35:47taking the lead on this and uh I do

1:35:49remember that now. Uh so, yes, I I look

1:35:52for hopefully our colleagues to support

1:35:53this. So, thank you.

1:35:55>> Thank you, Councelor Click Bruce.

1:35:56Anybody else want to speak?

1:35:58>> No.

1:35:59>> I would like to be added to the

1:36:00resolution.

1:36:01>> Is there anybody that does not want to

1:36:03be added to the resolution?

1:36:05If not, madam clerk, can you add all the

1:36:07counselors to the resolution?

1:36:10If I'm hearing any of the Oh, councelor

1:36:12Fenton.

1:36:12>> Yeah. And I just want to echo the

1:36:14statements that were made. I'm happy to

1:36:15support it and be a co-sponsor. I think

1:36:17it's a really worthy initiative and

1:36:19thank the council president for bringing

1:36:20it forward. Um, I do have one friendly

1:36:23edit if it's okay. Um I he is the

1:36:28secretary of the department of health

1:36:29and human services, but if it's at all

1:36:31possible not to call him honorable. Um I

1:36:33would like to to strike that that's a

1:36:35you know we don't have to use that word

1:36:37and I would prefer not to use that word

1:36:39to describe that particular person but

1:36:42um otherwise I'm really very much in

1:36:44support of it. Okay. [laughter]

1:36:48>> Otherwise very happy to support. Thank

1:36:49you.

1:36:50>> So madam clerk you got that in nose to

1:36:51strike that.

1:36:55I don't I just want

1:36:58>> Yeah, I think we're good.

1:37:01>> You want to vote on it? All right. So

1:37:02then you made a motion and seconded by

1:37:05Madame President. Uh any questions on

1:37:08the mo?

1:37:09>> All right, Madame uh Madame Clerk, can

1:37:12we call the uh role on the amendment

1:37:16>> on the motion? Councelor Santella.

1:37:20>> Yes.

1:37:21>> Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:37:25No.

1:37:28>> No. Councelor Perez.

1:37:31>> Yes. And please include my name. Thank

1:37:33you.

1:37:34>> Yes. Councelor Brown.

1:37:37>> Yes.

1:37:38>> Yes. Councelor Govan.

1:37:39>> Yes.

1:37:40>> Yes. Councelor Walsh.

1:37:42>> Yes. Councelor Hurst.

1:37:44>> Yes.

1:37:45>> Yes. Councelor Davula.

1:37:47>> Yes.

1:37:48>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:37:49>> Yes.

1:37:50>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:37:52Yes.

1:37:53>> Yes. Sorry. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:37:57>> Yes.

1:37:57>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:37:59>> Yes.

1:38:00>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:38:01>> Yes.

1:38:03>> All right. Motion passes. Uh, Madame

1:38:05Clerk, can we uh put a can we vote on

1:38:09the resolution?

1:38:10>> Um,

1:38:12approval of the resolution. Councelor

1:38:13Santelo.

1:38:15>> Yes.

1:38:16>> Yes. Councelor Martin.

1:38:18>> Yes.

1:38:19>> Yes. Councelor Perez.

1:38:21>> Yes.

1:38:22Yes, councelor Brown.

1:38:25>> Yes.

1:38:26>> Yes, councelor Govan.

1:38:27>> Yes.

1:38:28>> Yes, councelor Walsh.

1:38:30>> Yes, councelor Hurst.

1:38:32>> Yes.

1:38:33>> Yes. Councelor Davila.

1:38:35>> Yes.

1:38:35>> Yes. Councelor Fenton.

1:38:36>> Yes.

1:38:37>> Yes. Councelor Delgado.

1:38:39>> Yes.

1:38:39>> Yes. Councelor Click Bruce.

1:38:41>> Yes.

1:38:42>> Yes. Councelor Edwards.

1:38:44>> Yes.

1:38:45>> Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

1:38:47>> Yes. Thank you, counselors.

1:38:48>> Resolution passes.

1:39:00Madame Clerk, is there any other items

1:39:02on the agenda? There

1:39:04>> is not. Thank you. Um, that concludes

1:39:06this meeting. Our next meeting is

1:39:09October 19th for a regular city

1:39:12council's meeting. But councilors,

1:39:13please keep in mind that we are starting

1:39:15the tax rate setting meetings and the

1:39:19first one will be October 20th at 5:00.

1:39:22Um, please try to make it virtually or

1:39:26in person.

1:39:30Meeting adjourn.