Rebecca Lisi At-Large City Councilor

Field redesign rejected

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:59:00 +0000

from The Republican

Thursday, November 20, 2008
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - The City Council Tuesday rejected a $30,000 request to redesign Avery and Mitchell fields, saying they think such a project is too expensive to undertake amid the current economic downturn.

"Are we living in a dream world here," City Councilor John P. Brunelle said during Tuesday's meeting. "Right now, we should be tightening the belt as much as we can."

But other councilors insisted such a project is worth considering. "It's an area that deserves a look," City Councilor John J. O'Neill said. "That section of Hampden Street is really problematic."

Mayor Michael J. Sullivan agreed. "This is just to avert some safety concerns," he said Wednesday. He added he believes it's too soon for officials to judge whether the project is too expensive for the city to undertake.

"What's the project," Sullivan said. "I think it's well worth spending $30,000 to see if it's worth changing Avery and Mitchell field."

But since the council voted the request down, Sullivan said he does not plan to pursue it.

The council voted 8 - 7 in favor of appropriating the money to redesign the two fields. But the motion failed since it required a two-thirds majority vote.

The councilors who voted in favor of the appropriation were O'Neill, Elaine A. Pluta, Timothy Purington, Peter R. Tallman, Donald R. Welch, Kevin A. Jourdain, James M. Leahy and Todd A. McGee. The councilors who voted against the appropriation were Brunelle, Joseph M. McGiverin, John E. Whelihan, Patricia C. Devine, Anthony M. Keane, Rebecca Lisi and Diosdado Lopez.

The goal of the redesign project was to study the feasibility of combining the two parks, Purington said. He added the study would also examine whether to close the section of Hampden Street which intersects both parks.

An identical design request was considered last year by the council.

Sullivan said no decision has been made to close Hampden Street as part of the rejected request. That's why he insisted the design funding was requested - to decide whether closing the street to vehicle traffic made the most sense.

He also insisted no specific project had been predetermined. The design request was simply to study possible ways to redesign the two adjacent parks to determine if there was a better way to incorporate the two parks together.

Community Leaders Discuss Impacts of Question 1 on Paper City

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:56:00 +0000

HOLYOKE- Last Thursday at The Waterfront Tavern, Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke (C.R.U.S.H.) gathered for a chance to network with like-minded residents and hear community leaders discuss the impacts of ballot question 1 on life in the Paper City.

Question 1 is a referendum on the November 4 election ballot that if passed would by law eliminate the state income tax as of January 1, 2009. The Vote No on 1 campaign was invited to speak at the event and called the referendum a “reckless idea”.

Pamela C. Schwartz, Western MA Field Director for the statewide Coalition for Our Communities, said that without the state income tax we would see wide-ranging reductions in everything from public safety to education to funds for roads and bridges, libraries and parks.

“Question 1 would eliminate over 40 percent of the state’s budget. Times are hard enough and this is a lose-lose proposition” said Schwartz.

Holyoke community leaders John Kelley, President of the Holyoke Tax Payer’s Association; Attorney Jay Driscoll of The Government Affairs Committee for the Chamber of Commerce; and Caleb Snow, acting President of the Holyoke Teacher’s Association, each spoke in turn about how, from their perspectives, Question 1 would have devastating effects on the local economy and the city’s ability to provide many valuable services.

John Kelley emphasized the growing $1.5 billion state budget deficit. “Add to this an elimination of the state income tax and the results would be devastating to cities like ours. We would have to look to alternative sources of revenue that are anti-business and anti-consumer such as increases in sales tax, meals tax, user fees or potentially increases in property taxes”.

C.R.U.S.H. member City Councilor Rebecca Lisi said, “We need to look within city and highlight the experts and experiences that can illustrate how this referendum will affect the way we live in Holyoke”.

C.R.U.S.H. gave the Vote No on 1 campaign a venue to speak at because many city services, including large portions of both the city and public school budgets, rely on state funding. C.R.U.S.H. members are creating a place where residents can overcome race, class, or gender differences and begin using the talent and organization within Holyoke to talk about issues that have hard-hitting effects on the entire community.

C.R.U.S.H. on Holyoke can be found on-line at www.crushonholyoke.org

Confessing a C.R.U.S.H.: An Interview with Rebecca Lisi, Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:29:00 +0000

by Greg Saulmon
Tuesday September 09, 2008, 2:19 PM

On the last Thursday in August I went to the Waterfront Tavern to check out the first public event held by a group calling itself Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke -- or, more succinctly, C.R.U.S.H. At the event, there were snacks; there was a Duraflame in a fire bowl; there was a survey asking about the city's strengths, weaknesses, and most important priorities. There were also a lot of people discussing a lot of exciting ideas and visions for Holyoke. Last week, I caught up with one of those people -- Holyoke At-Large-Councilor Rebecca Lisi -- to learn more about C.R.U.S.H.

Tell me about the origins of C.R.U.S.H. -- who was involved in getting it off the ground, what was the inspiration, and what are the group's goals? The initial thought was that we were going to create a young professional society. James Sutter and I were running into each other often --

And James owns a jewelry store here in Holyoke --
Right. And he was always talking about the issues, and about the need to get people involved, and I told him I had the same ideas, the same feelings. He was talking a lot about how he'd tried to create a newsletter, and how everyone who talks to you talks the same way about the issues -- but nobody seemed to be able to follow through with action. I come from organizing experience, and I think one of the most important things you can do is to follow through on an idea.

So we sent out a mass e-mail to set a date to talk about forming a young professional society, which was the original model. We went to a young professional society meeting in Northampton -- the Wednesday before the first Sunday that we met -- and I took notes and asked questions: How did you guys get developed? Where did it come from? Who sponsors you? How did you organize? I presented that to the group that met on Sunday -- it was a lot of James and Becca Sutter's friends, as well as other folks who were interested in redeveloping the city -- and I explained what the original concept was. I told them I wasn't wed to it, that I wanted to hear what they thought would work, what they thought would help.

What we decided was that we didn't want to be exclusively young; we didn't want to be exclusively "professional". And, even more so, we couldn't afford to be exclusive in any way, shape or form, because the city is really lacking organization overall. So we wanted the group to be a place where people could come together, to get organized around ideas and vision, talent, energy. We really needed to throw the net wide and welcome everybody in. So that's why you saw the generational diversity, probably even class diversity.

It was a mix of artists and people from the business community, as well as people who've been around and who've been doing business in Holyoke for some time, like David Scher from the Canal Gallery.
He was really happy to be there.

And he sort of straddles the art and business communities. So it did seem to draw from a wide crowd.
And one of the things we decided is what we're not going to be -- we're still hammering out what the function and organization of this group is. The one thing I think is really important is that we're mostly a place where people can connect -- to the organizations, resources, the other people who will support the different ideas that you and your friends and your neighbors have about what needs to be done. So it's just a place, a space we're creating where all of that can happen.

If I'm remembering, when you spoke the other night you used "silos" as a metaphor for how people and organizations are separated or disconnected in the city. Can you talk more about the disconnect that exists in the city, and how you're trying to overcome it?
The idea of "silos" is very prominent in my mind, because the first way I started connecting with the city, being a newcomer, was through the youth-serving agencies, and the Holyoke Youth Task Force. The agencies had been struggling a lot with replication of efforts, really feeling that they're in silos due to funding restrictions, funding constraints, funding competition, and the Task Force was a place where they could network and share ideas.

And it really, in my eyes, permeates a lot of what's happening beyond just the social service agencies. The business community isn't talking to the artist community, and the artist community isn't talking to the community groups -- there are lots of things happening, but the word is not getting out. There are lots of people -- there's Friends of CanalWalk now, there's the Taxpayers' Association, the Chamber, all these social service agencies, that are all doing really good work -- but we're not getting a synergy so that you can see a measure of real difference in the city.

So James and I have both been talking to different groups, different people, and we're finding that there's a common theme; we're all focused on the same thing. We all want to see the city succeed. We all want downtown to be revitalized. We all want to see business come back. We want to see a revival of the middle class, of a working community here in Holyoke. We all have different talents, and we all have different ways of going about doing that. [...] You have your skills, your talents, and I need to connect you to the people who need those skills and talents. There's a nice exchange that can happen if you bring everybody to the table.

Since you'd originally envisioned a young professional society, it makes me wonder -- is Holyoke, as a city, getting younger? Is there a growing pool of young entrepreneurs and business people in the city, and is that an increasingly important force in city politics and in the city's business community?
I don't have actual statistics. My sense is that our generation -- people currently in their twenties and thirties -- I think they have a very entrepreneurial spirit. And there is so much potential, and so many available resources in this city that it's like a blank canvas. So I think that a lot of entrepreneurs and people who have brilliant ideas see this as a canvas, in a way. It gives a chance for individuals with ideas to express themselves.

I think there's a pull in the city, because of all its needs. People are stepping up and saying, "Well, the city has needs, but I have needs too." And there's a good match there.

It seems to me, as an observer, that in addition to having housing that people will find affordable, especially for a first-time homebuyer -- the city also has space, if you're looking to open a business, for people who may be priced out of a place like Northampton or Amherst. Especially if you're not doing something retail-oriented that will rely on foot traffic --
It seems like there's ample space, and it seems like the city is calling out for activity. So, you can really be a pioneer, in a way. And that's really the entrepreneurial spirit -- going into a place and creating something where there is nothing.

You talked the other night about having fun this fall, and then really hunkering down and creating sub-committees to work on different projects. Can you tell me more about how you see this group evolving over the next several months, and what the work of C.R.U.S.H. will be like starting in the new year?
There are two parts that I see as the foundations. One is the fun, the social networking part, which is what we drew from the young professional society. Because there needs to be an element of fun and lightheartedness, and to acknowledge that it's in our own interest to meet people in our community, and to create community and create social bonds. And there are new people mixing with people who've lived here a long time, young people mixing with older people, and they're interested in knowing who is in the city.

The other foundation is action. I feel like as far as I've lived in the area, I've heard people talking about Holyoke coming back. And while there are individual projects that have been successful, I feel like there hasn't been a real groundswell of movement to really signal that success. So we really need to focus on creating concrete and tangible goals and following through on them. That's really important to me, and to the other folks who we're working with. We expect more from the city, and we're not expecting anyone else to take care of it. And we feel like we have skills, we have talents, we have the energy, we have the vision to start implementing the things that we want to see.

It doesn't mean that it's only our vision. It's really about creating a space for everybody to say, "This is what I want to see, how can I connect to the people and resources who will help me realize that?"

Check back on Wednesday for Part II of our conversation.

Residents have 'crush' on Paper City

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:47:00 +0000

from The Reminder; September 4, 2008

By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor

HOLYOKE- A group of Holyoke residents recently expressed having a crush on their hometown by launching a new organization, Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke (CRUSH).

The group met for its first event on Thursday at the Bungalow of Waterfront tavern. With music playing in the background and about 20 mostly young people seated and talking in the outdoor area, it appeared to be a gathering one would find in Northampton.

One of the points CRUSH is hoping to make is to challenge the public's perceptions about Holyoke, according to CRUSH members Laurie Landry and Rebecca Sutter.

To help that effort all of the people attending the event were asked to fill out a survey that asked what the city's strengths and weaknesses are as well as what respondents would like to see as priorities for the city.

Both women are Holyoke natives and residents who said the organization's first meeting in July attracted not only natives, but people who have moved to the Paper City as well as those who just work in Holyoke.

The organization is a grassroots effort and Landry thanked the owner of the Waterfront tavern for donating the use of the bungalow for the meeting.

The plan for CRUSH is to sponsor one event a month culminating hopefully in a New Year's gala, Landry said.

Sutter said that some people don't realize the advantages Holyoke has in being located next to three major highways and having the river providing a green power source. She added that potential homebuyers could find affordable beautiful homes in the city as well.

The organization will be making announcements about future events on its Web site at http://www.crushonholyoke.org/.

Holyoke sewer fee increase fails

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:45:00 +0000

from The Republican; Wednesday, September 03, 2008
By KEN ROSS

HOLYOKE - A City Council move to increase the fee for sewer service failed by a narrow vote Tuesday.

The council voted 7-6 in favor of the increase. But because the motion requires a two-thirds majority vote, the proposed rate increase was not approved.

Voting in favor of the increase were Councilors Diosdado Lopez, Joseph M. McGiverin, John J. O'Neill, John P. Brunelle, Patricia C. Devine, Anthony M. Keane and James M. Leahy. Voting against were Councilors Rebecca Lisi, Todd A. McGee, Elaine A. Pluta, Peter R. Tallman, John E. Whelihan and Timothy Purington. Councilors Kevin A. Jourdain and Donald R. Welch were absent.

If approved, the sewer use fee would have been raised by 74 cents or 15.8 percent from $4.66 per 1,000 gallons to $5.40 per 1,000 gallons.

The increase is needed mainly to help pay off $6 million in debt for the city's new sewage treatment plant and $3 million for a combined sewer overflow abatement project on Mosher Street, William D. Fuqua, Department of Public Works superintendent, has said.

Several councilors spoke in favor of the proposed rate increase. "I certainly don't want to see an increase but I think it would be short-sighted for us to vote against this," Keane said.

"I think we have to do the responsible, fiduciary thing," Leahy said.

But opponents to the defeated rate increase mainly noted the way the sewer system is currently managed through a contract with a private company, United Water.

"We do have the capacity to manage it on our own," Lisi said.

That's why Pluta said she believed the city should investigate the possibility of getting out of the contract with United Water.

"We have no oversight as to what's going on," Pluta said.

Last month, Fuqua said he hoped to implement the increase as soon as it was approved by the council. "It's important because we're losing about $150,000 a month in anticipated revenue," Fuqua said Aug. 6.

On May 19, the Board of Public Works voted 3-0 in favor of recommending the rate increase.
The proposed increase was not a big surprise because public works officials planned two years ago to review sewer rates every two years, Fuqua said in May.

As a result, Fuqua said he does not envision rates going up again in the near future.

Holyoke officials at odds over additional pay for retirees

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:40:00 +0000

from The Republican, Sunday, August 31, 2008
By KEN ROSS

HOLYOKE - City officials are at odds over whether 61 retirees should receive additional money for last fiscal year, which ended June 30.

If the appropriation is approved, the increase will not affect all 61 retirees the same, according to records from the city's retirement board.

One retiree would receive $360 more. Another would receive $6,311 more. A third retiree would receive $17,014 more. And that's just for one fiscal year.

In the case of one retiree, due to similar adjustments made in years past, the retiree has received $513,921 extra on top of the regular retirement payments the retiree would have received if such adjustments had not been made each year in years past, according to city records.

Such statistics are the reason why Mayor Michael J. Sullivan has refused to approve an additional increase for 61 retirees last fiscal year.

"I don't think it can go any farther," Sullivan said earlier this month.

On Aug. 5, the Holyoke City Council voted 14-1 in favor of three separate agenda items related to the additional money for the 61 retirees. Councilor Rebecca Lisi cast the sole dissenting vote.

But there's confusion over whether the raises can go into effect. That's because a previous order signed by Sullivan contained the phrase "subject to appropriation," something Sullivan has said he will not do since he believes the appropriation would be financially disastrous to the city. Sullivan has not signed the Aug. 5 order.

But City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain speaking at an Aug. 14 retirement board meeting insisted

Sullivan cannot qualify his signature. Therefor, the additional raises for the 61 retirees can already go into effect.

"You can't put conditions on your signature," Jourdain said. "Either you sign it or you don't sign it."

The retirement board tabled a motion to grant the additional retirement benefit for the 61 retirees. Specifically, the board wanted a legal opinion from the city solicitor on whether Sullivan can qualify his signature on the appropriation for these retirees. The retirement board's next meeting will be held on Sept. 11.

Currently, there are 909 municipal retirees, Sullivan has said. All of them receive a cost-of-living increase each year. For last fiscal year, that would be a 3 percent increase.

But among the 909 retirees, 61 may be eligible for additional money for last fiscal year if the dispute over Sullivan's signature is resolved. Specifically, the 61 retirees would be paid 50 percent of the current salary for an employee performing the same job. Such retirees also had to have worked for the city for at least 25 years.

The additional money the 61 retirees would receive for last year varies from $47.04 to $17,014 for one year, totaling about $58,000.

Such figures are deceiving, though, since the additional money would be added to the base salary every year in the future for such retirees, according to Daniel R. Owens, executive director of the Holyoke Retirement Board.

So in the case of the person who stands to receive an additional $17,014 last fiscal year, that retiree would receive $17,014 extra every for the rest of their life, plus any additional cost of living increases or similar additional one year adjustments. The $17,014 is on top of $30,800 they would receive under the standard retirement benefit.

In another case, one employee stands to receive an additional $6,311 for last fiscal year on top of the $31,188 they would receive even without last fiscal year's added benefit. And the $31,188 already includes $3,630 in additional added benefits due to similar increases approved in years past.

Another retiree would receive an additional $1,800 next fiscal year on top of the $42,894 they would receive even without the added benefit. The $42,894 figure includes $26,098 in additional added benefits due to similar increases approved in years past. And since this person retired, they have received an extra $513,921 in retirement benefits on top of the $328,323 they would have received without the added benefit.

As a result of the recurring costs in future years due to a single increase, Owens said providing the additional funding for last fiscal year's proposed raise for the 61 retirees would cost the city a one-time set-aside of $580,000, Owens said.

That's because the city would need to set aside enough money to invest and pay for raises in future years due to the higher payments made to retirees.

If the city were to simply provide the necessary funding for last fiscal year and not future years, Owens has said that would be fiscally irresponsible and would simply add to the debt created by similar financial practices in the past.

"These costs are being pushed off to future generations," Owens said earlier this month.
Currently, the city has accumulated $94 million in debt due to similar retirement practices in the past. As a result, the city must pay $9.7 million extra this fiscal year out of its annual budget to pay for such so-called unfunded liabilities.

In contrast, the amount of money the city must appropriate for its normal retirement costs is $2.3 million this fiscal year.

Rebecca Lisi to wed Damian Cote

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:35:00 +0000

HOLYOKE- City Councilor At-Large Rebecca Lisi and fiancé, Damian Cote, announced this week their wedding planned for late October of this year.

Councilor Lisi is the daughter of Ellen and Joseph D. Lisi of West Hempstead, New York. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Binghamton University in New York and is currently working toward a Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Lisi has worked as a policy advocate and community organizer since she moved to the Pioneer Valley in 2002. In 2007, Lisi was elected to serve a 2-year term as an At-Large Councilor on the Holyoke City Council.

The future bridegroom, Damian Cote, is the son of Robert and Gail Cote of Granby, MA. Cote is a veteran who served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps. He received a bachelor’s degree Cum Laude in both psychology and fine art from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and will begin the Master’s of Fine Arts Printmaking program at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence this September. He has owned and managed a local business, Holyoke Carpentry, since 2003.

The couple will be married at The Wistariahurst Museum and the reception will follow at The Delaney House.

“Damian and I are very committed to supporting the local economy. We very consciously planned an event that could show-off many of Holyoke’s distinctive features to guests coming to visit our home for the first time,” commented Lisi.

They decided on a fall wedding because the peak New England foliage would serve as the perfect backdrop to showcase Holyoke to the many friends and relatives they have coming from out of town. It brings the couple great pleasure to celebrate their relationship and share their happiness with the community in which they are making their home.

Letter to Editor

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:13:00 +0000

fom The Republican; August 20, 2008

Westfield Retirement vote shows fiscal responsibilityHolyoke Mayor Michael J. Sullivan and City Councilor Rebecca Lisi are correct to oppose extra increases in retirement benefits for 61 Holyoke retirees. ("Holyoke panel delays benefits increase ruling," The Republican, Aug. 15)

Sullivan has been fiscally responsible as mayor. In spite of severe budget shortfalls Holyoke has been able to avoid the fiscal fate of many struggling urban areas, such as Springfield's Finance Control Board. This is a significant accomplishment for any city in the current financial conditions; it is nothing short of miraculous for Holyoke.

Holyoke retirees automatically receive very generous cost-of-living adjustments. Historically Holyoke has been even more generous, by providing an extra increase based on 50 percent of the salary of the current person performing the job. This is an extra benefit that should only be offered when the city finances are in better shape. When the city has shut down two schools and still needs $400,000 for art and music programs, city officials should be more financially prudent!

It is politically brave of Sullivan and Lisi to commit to fiscal responsibility in light of the fact that city retirees are often politically connected and politically active in their communities. Residents of Holyoke support the fiscal responsibility of Sullivan and Lisi. We especially appreciate the principled commitment it represents.

If only the other 14 city councilors could be as politically brave and fiscally responsible.

HANS G. DESPAIN
Holyoke

Officials split on payments to 61 retirees

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:18:00 +0000

from The Republican, Sunday, August 10, 2008
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - A proposal to provide additional money to 61 city retirees has strongly divided city officials.

On one side, city councilors support the additional appropriation, saying the retirees deserve the money since they have received it in years past.

"There's something not quite right here," City Councilor Patricia C. Devine said Tuesday. "These retirees need to be taken care of pronto."

On the other side, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan insists providing additional money for these retirees would cost $580,000. Otherwise, the city would not have the proper funding for future increases due to this raise, something that would be financially disastrous and add to the $9.7 million the city already appropriates each year to pay for similar increases in years past.

"I don't think it can go any farther," Sullivan said.

The City Council voted 14-1 on Tuesday in favor of three separate agenda items related to the additional money for the 61 retirees. Councilor Rebecca Lisi cast the sole dissenting vote.

Currently, there are 335 municipal retirees, Sullivan said. All of them receive a cost of living increase each year. A bill pending before the state Legislature would give these retirees an additional 4 percent.

But among the 335 retirees, 61 retirees are eligible for additional money since city officials voted to accept a state provision which pays city retirees 50 percent of the current salary for an employee performing the same job. Such retirees also had to have worked for the city for at least 25 years, according to the state provision.

One of the agenda items approved Tuesday by the council by a 14-1 vote was to accept this state provision for fiscal year 2008, which ended June 30.

But the raises will not go into effect until Sullivan appropriates the funding for them, according to Daniel R. Owens, executive director of the Holyoke Retirement Board.

Providing the necessary funding for the fiscal 2008 raises for the 61 retirees would cost the city a one-time payment of $580,000, Owens said. That's because the city would need to set aside enough money to invest and pay for raises in future years due to the higher payments made to retirees.

If the city were to simply provide the necessary funding for only fiscal 2008 and not future years, Owens said that would be fiscally irresponsible and would simply add to the debt created by similar financial practices in the past.

"These costs are being pushed off to future generations," Owens said.

Currently, the city has accumulated $94 million in debt due to similar retirement practices in the past. As a result, the city must pay $9.7 million extra this fiscal year in its annual budget to pay for such so-called unfunded liabilities. In contrast, the amount of money the city must appropriate for its normal retirement costs is $2.3 million this fiscal year.

"The pay as you go method is what has gotten us into this mess," Owens said. "It's fiscally naive to add to the unfunded liability of the city."

Owens met June 16 with the City Council's Finance Committee and explained these issues to them, he said Thursday.

Such issues were not discussed Tuesday before the council voted on the three related agenda items. Rather, several councilors stressed the importance of immediately approving the raises, citing numerous calls they have received from frustrated retirees who have not received the raises for last fiscal year.

"I don't understand this," Devine said. "We've never gone to this length to get the half pay. There's something really not quite right here."

City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain also expressed confusion about why retirees were not receiving the raises. According to Jourdain, the council had already approved the raises. Therefore, the 61 retirees should be receiving them.

City Councilors John P. Brunelle, James M. Leahy and John E. Whelihan agreed.

"Holyoke should be proud to take care of its retirees," Whelihan said. "They're entitled to the money. Pay them."

But providing additional money for the 61 retirees without properly funding such raises for future years would be disastrous, Sullivan said. "Our increases have outpaced what we could realistically expect to make," Sullivan said.

"The taxpayer has to know they're paying the difference," Sullivan added.

And while Sullivan acknowledged he has approved similar increases in years past, the city simply can no longer afford to do so, he insisted. "All of those (raises) have a cumulative effect," Sullivan said.

Land swap divides council

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:15:00 +0000

from The Republican, Saturday, August 09, 2008
By KEN ROSS

HOLYOKE - A land swap necessary to build a gas station in the southern section of the city was approved Tuesday by the City Council.

But some councilors believe the gas station is not the right business for that location and would not help spur development in the neighborhood.

"I think this is the wrong location for this type of business," City Councilor Rebecca Lisi said Tuesday.

Lisi was one of four councilors who voted against the land transfer, which was approved 11-4.
The other three councilors who voted against the transfer were John E. Whelihan, Diosdado Lopez and Timothy Purington.

The transfer affects two parcels located on Main Street between Cabot and Spring streets. A 14,850-square-foot parcel owned by the city was given to Trak II, LLC, in exchange for a 16,335-square-foot parcel owned by the development company.

Many councilors spoke in favor of the transfer and praised the proposed gas station.

"To me, this is a home run for the city," City Councilor Todd A. McGee said.

The developer plans to spend $2.5 million on the business, which will create 15 to 25 new jobs and will have a new parking facility, McGee said.

The developer has also promised to beautify the block and operate a laundromat on the site, City Councilor James M. Leahy said.

"It's certainly going to beautify the area," City Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain said.

But others disagreed. "I have a problem with this deal," Lopez said, adding he believes the new gas station will make it harder to attract businesses to the neighborhood.

Purington also said the developer operates two other gas stations in the city and both of them are in "disrepair."

"I don't have a lot of faith in this development company," Purington said.

But the majority of councilors favored the project. "There's more pros than cons," Leahy said.

Councilor Lisi Catches Gov. Patrick's Ear

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:23:00 +0000

Smart Growth District a welcome addition

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:03:00 +0000

Letter to Editor
from The Sun, June 20-26

Dear Editor,

Your recent article on the decision of the City Council to approve a zoning change that allows the creation of a Smart Growth Overlay District in downtown Holyoke is welcome news. I was particularly pleased to learn that the change earned the unanimous approval of the Council since, in my view, sustained focus on revitalizing downtown Holyoke has been lacking among that body. Also encouraging were the sentiments of the Councilors quoted in your article that suggest such a focus may indeed become a more central priority for them. Insofar as that is true, Holyokers would be remiss in failing to note the contribution that Rebecca Lisi has made in bringing the matter of Smart Growth to the attention of the residents and political leadership of Holyoke. Her efforts to educate voters about the principles of Smart Growth, and to advocate for their implementation since her 2005 campaign for City Council, mark the beginning of a long-overdue public discussion about the most daunting (and, potentially, most promising) challenge facing the city. While Lisi does not appear in your article, her work should not go unnoticed.

Sincerely yours,

David Swiderski
Holyoke

HOLYOKE CITY COUNCILOR REBECCA LISI GRADUATES FROM POLITICAL TRAINING PROGRAM

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:47:00 +0000

Emerge Massachusetts Trains Democratic Women to Run for and Succeed in Elective Office

HOLYOKE- Emerge Massachusetts today announced that Holyoke City Councilor Rebecca Lisi is one of 15 women graduating from its inaugural training program for Democratic women candidates and elected officials. The graduation ceremony took place on June 7th at the Democratic Party State Convention in Lowell. During the intensive program, Lisi received comprehensive instruction in the areas of Public Speaking, Fundraising, Campaign Strategy, Field, Labor & Endorsements, Networking, Media Skills and Messaging, and Ethics in Politics, all while expanding her policy background and making lasting connections with other local leaders.

“Being part of the inaugural class of Emerge Massachusetts was a privilege,” said Councilor Lisi. “It was truly inspiring to learn and network with so many diverse women from across the state. It is critical for women to make their voices heard in politics and civic life. With this training program, Emerge has enhanced my ability to do just that.”

Councilor Lisi won her first election in November 2007 and is the youngest member of the Holyoke City Council. She is currently one of four women holding elected office in Holyoke. Upon graduation from the Emerge Massachusetts program, Councilor Lisi will join Emerge’s Alumni Relations Committee and help on the board of directors’ Curriculum Committee.

Founded in 2007, Emerge Massachusetts is a nonprofit organization devoted to the identification, education and inspiration of Democratic women who are currently elected officials or who want to pursue elective office at the local and state level. The group is an affiliate of Emerge America, which has six other chapters that have had tremendous success getting women to run and win. Over 60% of Emerge alumnae are in public office and another 15% of its alumnae are running in 2007 and 2008.

Applications are available for the 2009 session at http://www.emergema.org/.

City Council Recognizes Non-Profit

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:59:00 +0000

from The Sun, May 2-8, 2008

The Holyoke City Council voted to recognize local grassroots organization Nuestras Raices for the ways in which their community gardens have contributed to the quality of life in Holyoke, and also for the esteem and national recognition their work brings to the city.

This Proclamation will be presented at the next City Council Meeting on May 6th in the Council Chambers.

Nuestras Raices, which means “our roots” in Spanish, promotes economic, human and community development in Holyoke through projects relating to food, agriculture and the environment.

The motion for the proclamation was made by City Councilor At-Large Rebecca Lisi and approved unanimously. Councilor Lisi cited the article, “A Papaya Grows in Holyoke” from the April Atlantic, a national magazine, as inspiring the proclamation. Nuestras Raíces volunteer and farmer Robert Chipman brought the article to Lisi’s attention.

Nuestras Raices originated in 1987 with the members of La Finquita Community Garden, on the corner of Cabot and South East Streets, and was later incorporated in 1992. From the community gardens have grown innovative programs. Nuestras Raíces helps community members to start small businesses and create jobs, trains beginning farmers, researches and educates community members about the urban environment, builds youth leadership, and fosters community-based coalitions.

Nuestras Raices now has ten gardens throughout the city, in which more than one hundred and twenty-five Holyoke families are participating. The gardeners have worked together to transform what were once vacant lots into flourishing green spaces where they produce fresh herbs, vegetables, berries and flowers. Low income families who have gardens with Nuestras Raices produce on average one thousand dollars in food.

On Nuestras Raíces Farm, Nuestras Raíces helps community members who were farmers in Puerto Rico and other countries of origin become commercial farmers in Massachusetts. The farm is on a thirty acre parcel of land, some of which the Sisters of Providence lease to the organization. The river-front site features walking trails, cultural festivals, a youth farm, petting zoo, farm stand, and paso fino horse stable, among other attractions.

Nuestras Raices has received recognition and support from numerous state and national institutions, bringing positive attention and funding into Holyoke. In 2007, Nuestras Raices was a leader in the Holyoke coalition that secured a $4.5 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to fight obesity. Most recently, on April 29, the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund granted $310,000 to Nuestras Raices' thirty acre farming project.

Protect health and safety of residents

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:36:00 +0000

Letter to the Editor
from The Sun, April 4-10, 2008

Dear Editor,

I recently took a tour of a waste transfer facility in Suffield, CT with Scott Lemay, the proponent of a proposed waste transfer station at 686 Main St. I was happy to learn more about the details of the matter and see a transfer station in action. While I still have many concerns about the health impacts of such a facility on our community and the neighbors nearest to the site, I believe that with due diligence we can implement the proper, reasonable protections that would make the project worthwhile for all parties.

Mr. Lemay was remiss in submitting his MEPA proposal without first seeking input from community members or the ward councilor, Diosdado Lopez. The opposition to the project has forced Lemay to recognize that Holyoke is an Environmental Justice community with high concentrations of poverty and minority populations that deserves a process in which we are involved, informed, and able to conduct a candid conversation with the proponent. On our trip, Mr. Lemay mentioned several times that he is now eager to talk with community stakeholders and work to negotiate the scale and scope of his project to better suit the city’s needs.

I urge my colleagues, the opponents and other stakeholders to take up Mr. Lemay on his offer to engage in an open, meaningful dialogue that will impact this project. The city must do its part to protect the health and safety of all our residents and that responsibility should not be taken lightly. With citizen participation however, we can ensure a transparent process and a public-private partnership with long-term benefits for the entire Holyoke community.

If you would like to be involved in this process, please contact me at 413-535-2492 or visit me on the web at: www.votelisi.com.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Lisi
Holyoke City Councilor, At-Large

Lisi Marches in her 1st St. Pat's Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:20:00 +0000

The weather was beautiful and the march was fantastic. Thank you to all who came out to support the event!

Trash Talk- Does a proposed transfer station unfairly target one Holyoke neighborhood?

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:47:00 +0000

from The Valley Advocate, Thursday, February 21, 2008
by Maureen Turner

Standing at the empty lot at 686 Main St. in Holyoke, it's easy enough to imagine a trash transfer station at the site.

The land, ringed by a chain-link fence, sits in the city's designated waste management district. On one side of the two-plus acre parcel is Holyoke's wastewater treatment facility; on another side, just across Berkshire Street, is the city's yard-waste drop-off site, where a pile of discarded Christmas trees awaits recycling. The immediate neighborhood is largely industrial in nature, dominated by oil companies, paper companies, printers.

But travel just beyond that ring of buildings and the nature of the neighborhood changes again, to include modest single-family homes, rental properties and the pride of the neighborhood, Springdale Park. Morgan Elementary School is half a mile from the site; Holyoke High and Dean Technical High are both within a mile and a half. It's a fragile neighborhood, one that struggles with high poverty rates, public health problems, language barriers (many residents speak Spanish as their primary language), ailing schools. The last thing it needs, many in the area say, is to add trash into the mix.

But that's what could happen, if a proposal to build a 22,575-square-foot trash transfer station at 686 Main St. succeeds. The project, proposed by United Waste Management, Inc., based in Bolton, Mass., would be a drop-off site for solid municipal waste, collected from neighboring communities, and for construction and demolition, or C&D, waste. The waste would be consolidated and then transported to landfills.

Angry residents are organizing against the project, citing worries about pollution, increased traffic and noise. Proponents of the project counter that the station would bring jobs and tax revenue to a city that could use more of both, and say fears about the project are off the mark.
And while neighbors have the backing of city councilors and a dedicated coalition of activists, they face an uphill battle: Right now, they have little legal standing in their fight to stop the project.

City Councilor Diosdado Lopez has represented Ward 2, which includes the proposed transfer station site, for 17 years. Like other opponents, he says the project snuck up on the neighborhood, with little public notification or opportunity for input.

"This whole project has been like a secret," Lopez says. "Even though I represent the area where the project is being proposed, I never got any information until I found out through the Planning Board. That usually never happens."

But once he got wind of the idea, Lopez lost no time trying to kill it. He and others opposed to the project see numerous potential problems: Pollution, generated by as many as 225 trucks a day, carrying up to 750 tons of trash to the transfer station, in a city where asthma rates are already higher than average. Noise created by the trucks and by train cars, running on tracks adjacent to the site, that would carry some of the trash from the transfer station. The wear and tear on the streets caused by the increased traffic, which they also worry could cause jams that would make it hard for emergency vehicles to get through. Declining property values for homeowners who suddenly find themselves neighbors to a trash drop-off site. Concerns about the materials at the site, including the potential for toxins like asbestos and mercury in the construction and demolition waste.

"It doesn't make sense to put something like this project in the neighborhood," Lopez says. "We don't deserve it, due to all the problems we have in the area."
Last fall, Lopez struck what looked to be a debilitating, if not fatal, blow against the transfer station project: In October, the City Council unanimously approved his proposal for a 12-month moratorium on any new waste processing or trash transfer facilities in the city.

Ginetta Candelario, a Smith College sociology professor who lives in Holyoke's Highlands neighborhood, was one of the residents who came to the council meeting that night, waving signs and wearing medical masks to symbolize their concerns about the health effects of the transfer station. "We left feeling very satisfied that we had managed to at least put the brakes on this project," Candelario recalls.

The victory was short-lived, however; within a week, the city's Law Department declared that the moratorium was not legally valid. In an Oct. 22 letter to Mayor Michael Sullivan, who had requested her opinion on the legality of the moratorium, City Solicitor Karen Betournay wrote that "the order as adopted was not in proper legal form." The moratorium, she wrote, amounted to an amendment of the city's zoning ordinance, but the Council had failed to follow the legal process, including public notice and a hearing, necessary to amend an ordinance. In addition, Betournay cited a Mass. General Law that prohibits municipalities from banning a waste disposal facility on a site already zoned for that use.

The city solicitor did note that the Council could vote to require a transfer station to obtain a special permit imposing conditions on the project. "[I]t is my opinion that a Court would not uphold the [moratorium] order, should United Waste challenge it in Court," Betournay wrote. "Rather than allowing this project to be forced upon the City through the Court system, the City should work with United Waste Management to address residents' concerns during the permitting process."

In light of Betournay's opinion, Sullivan did not sign the moratorium order, effectively vetoing it. Opponents, however, have not given up the fight: Lopez still hopes to legally impose a moratorium; barring that, he hopes to pass an order that would require United Waste Management—or any company looking to open a transfer station or recycling facility in the city—to apply for a special permit. Right now, UWM doesn't need a special permit, since the land is already zoned for waste management.

"If indeed it's going to go in, let it go in with some conditions," Lopez says. That might mean limiting the hours of operation (according to UWM documents about the project, the station would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for six major holidays a year) or reducing the maximum amount of trash allowed at the site. The permit could also require that the center, which is now pitched as a regional facility, only accept trash from within the city, Lopez suggests. "Holyoke shouldn't be a dump for any other cities or towns," he says.

Holyoke would not, in fact, serve as a dump for other communities; the project proposed for 686 Main St. would be a transfer station, where waste would be dropped off, consolidated, and then sent out to landfills.

But symbolically, opponents—who've formed a group called Holyoke Organized to Protect the Environment, or HOPE—see the project as dumping on an already beleaguered community. "We have not had a real conversation about any of this, and consequently it feels like they're trying to push something through," says Candelario.

A moratorium would create an opportunity for that conversation, she says. "What we basically want is a pause. We want to really assess the costs and benefits of a transfer station, and is this the best location. We don't think it is," she says.
"You're talking about hundreds of tons [of trash] coming in every day," Candelario says. "That's a huge amount of waste coming into the city and, sadly, coming into the ward that has the highest poverty rate, the highest asthma, high diabetes. You're talking about the most vulnerable population in Holyoke ... made even more vulnerable."

William Aponte is an environmental organizer with Nuestras Raices ("Our Roots"), a community organization focused on environmental issues and economic development in Holyoke. He's also co-director of an "environmental justice" grant Nuestras Raices received, with Mount Holyoke College, from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to assess the risks posed by toxins in the city and develop community partnerships to address the problem.

"We have many environmental problems here—diesel trucks and buses driving through the community, brownfields and abandoned buildings, the river is contaminated, the outdoor air pollution—you name it," says Aponte.

Adding a transfer station, Aponte says, runs counter to the work his organization is trying to do. "Why can't we focus on the problems we have here and try to find solutions to that, and bring healthy businesses to the community?" he asks. "Why bring a transfer station to a downtown community?"

Candelario agrees. She points to the city's ambitious Canal Walk project, which aims to revitalize the canal district with a pedestrian mall, an "arts corridor," retail and museums. "And three blocks south of there, you're going to have hundreds of dump trucks bringing trash in and out of the city?" she asks. "This is literally the gateway to Main Street." (The transfer station site sits three-quarters of a mile from the southernmost point of the Canal Walk project.)

"Holyoke has enormous potential," Candelario says. "It's a beautiful city. It's got character, architecture and history. And this just seems like a giant step backwards."

Scott Lemay, CEO of United Waste Management, says there are a lot of misconceptions about the transfer station project. That's not unusual; waste management projects tend to trigger people's worst fears, says Lemay, who's been in the industry for more than 20 years.

"People think there's pollution, and you're dumping on them," he says. But, he points out, a transfer station is not a dump or a landfill; it's a place where waste material is temporarily stored while loads brought in by smaller vehicles are consolidated to be carried out by larger trucks or by train. The material is not burned or processed, and it doesn't remain there long enough to decompose, he says.

"The reality is, you're dumping in a closed building," Lemay says. "Everything that goes into the building goes out of the building."

Lemay describes the project as having numerous benefits for the city of Holyoke. "For starters, it will create jobs, good-paying jobs," he says. Lemay estimates the facility would need about eight workers on site, such as heavy equipment and scale operators, in addition to office staff such as accounting personnel and the truck drivers and rail workers who would transport the material. "We definitely will give preference to Holyoke people," he adds.

Another benefit—one that's caught the attention of some in City Hall—is the tax revenue the project would bring to Holyoke. "You have an industrial piece of property there right now that is clearly distressed," Lemay said. Developing the property would bring in property taxes as well as excise taxes on the equipment; while the specifics of the building are still being sorted out, Lemay describes the station as a "multi-million dollar facility" that would yield "hundreds of thousands" in taxes. In addition, he says, United Waste Management is willing to negotiate a "royalty" payment to the city, which is not mandated by law but is standard in the industry for larger-scale projects.

"We're committed to making sure there are benefits to the city," he says.
Lemay contends that many of the community concerns are not as bad as opponents suggest. The facility would generate an average of 150 vehicles trips a day, with a maximum capped at 225. The site's proximity to I-391, he says, means the trucks would not be on city streets for long. And plans to move material from the facility by rail would mean fewer trucks on the road and would make it easier to move the trash to larger regional landfills, to relieve stress on already overburdened landfills in the area.

Lemay says it's unclear yet how many communities would be served by the transfer station, although he says it would serve "the immediate communities. ... People would not long-haul waste from far-away communities."

Lemay says he understands residents' fears about the transfer station, especially given the history of the site, which has, at times, hosted an incinerator and a composting site. A transfer station, he says, would not create the same odor and pollution issues.

"People need to realize that this isn't some toxic waste dump," he says. "We're talking about their trash, the surrounding communities' trash. It's no different than what you look at in your waste barrel or in a dumpster out in the city."

The concerns of residents who oppose the transfer station extend beyond environmental and traffic issues to include politics and public process. Some suggest that the project is being pushed through because it's in a heavily poor, mostly Latino neighborhood. "I believe it's like a racial project," says Nuestras Raices' Aponte, who notes that many affected residents speak Spanish as their primary language, which makes it harder for them to be engaged in the public process or to weed through technical documents that are available in English only.

And while the City Council unanimously passed the moratorium last fall, project opponents say that doesn't necessarily mean they've got city government on their side. "The mayor is basically selling this idea that he's neutral, which I don't believe," says Diosdado Lopez, who contends Sullivan is quietly backing the project.
Not so, counters Sullivan. "I really haven't taken any position one way or another," the mayor says. "I try and be fair about the advantages to the city and the disadvantages."

But, Sullivan adds, he also has to make sure the city doesn't overstep its legal rights. He didn't sign the moratorium, he says, because the Law Department made it clear it was not legally sound. He says he also has to keep in mind that, as things now stand, UWM has a legal right to build the transfer station, since the land is already zoned for that use.

"We also are very cognizant and very aware of people's land rights, and the process. This is privately held land. Taking a position one way or another would be imprudent, because that's how litigation starts," Sullivan says. "If United Waste thinks that it's unfair to them one way or another, or the residents do, it may lay the ground for a suit down the road."

While Sullivan says he's not taking a position on the project, he appears to consider its building a likely possibility and is already considering ways to mitigate potential problems. "Certainly, there are concerns," the mayor says, pointing, for instance, to increased traffic in the area. But, he says, the project might be an opportunity to get UWM to help improve traffic flow in the neighborhood, especially at I-391.

"The city engineer and I don't feel [the traffic concerns are] insurmountable, and we feel there probably would be a benefit for the greater good if we could make improvements in that area," says Sullivan. Plus, he adds, a local transfer station would mean fewer trucks heading through the city to the West Springfield facility where Holyoke now sends its trash—provided the city contracts with UWM to handle its trash.

After discussions with Lemay and with the city's DPW head, Sullivan feels many neighborhood fears about the project are unfounded. "From an environmental aspect, there's a lot of misinformation out there," he says. UWM would have control systems to handle dust and odor, he says, and the trash sorting would all take place within the building. "That's far better than what we had there before, which was an odorous nightmare," says Sullivan, referring to the former composting facility.

Sullivan objects to suggestions that Ward 2 is being treated unfairly, and that the project would never happen in a more affluent neighborhood. The fact is, he says, the project is targeting this community because it's already zoned for waste management.

"Every neighborhood has to put up with some aspect of quality of life," says Sullivan. People in the Ingleside area are bothered by mall traffic; residents of West Holyoke complain about snowmobilers; in the Highlands, they're unhappy about the coal-burning plant and the Mount Tom quarry. Given a choice, "they'd probably take the transfer station," Sullivan says.

"People don't like these things," he says of the transfer station. "They need them, but they don't like them."

One other thing Holyoke needs, the mayor adds, is revenue. While he doesn't yet know how much the transfer station would generate in taxes, he says, "I think it's safe to say it would be more than [the property] does now." The project could generate other income for the city, too, such as tipping fees.

"That money is going to go to our schools, our police, our fire. Like every community, we're starving to find new sources of revenue," Sullivan says. He even raises the specter of something that has caused much turmoil in Holyoke's biggest neighbor to the south: "I'm not saying it will, but this project may be the difference between Holyoke continuing to have free trash pick-up and having a fee like Springfield does."

Freshman City Councilor Rebecca Lisi wasn't in office when the moratorium was passed last fall. But she supports Lopez's new moratorium effort, to allow the city and residents time to evaluate the project and to make sure there's a fair process in place for evaluating such proposals in the future.

If the moratorium fails, Lisi supports requiring transfer stations to get a special permit from the City Council. "In the end, the special permit is a fallback. As a last resort, the special permitting process is there to make sure it's not interfering with the lives of the residents," she says. "It's reasonable to impose conditions about things like hours, noise control and traffic control."

Transfer stations can have positive benefits, such as encouraging recycling, says Lisi. But, she asks, "Is this the place to put it? ... No one puts a transfer station on Main Street USA."

She adds: "I definitely sympathize with [Lemay] on a few points—there's a lot of misunderstanding about what a transfer station is. But it's his responsibility to communicate with residents and make clear his proposal."

That, Lemay says, is what he was doing at a public hearing last month on the special permit and moratorium proposals. (That heavily attended hearing was continued to Feb 26, at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall.) At the hearing, Lemay spoke out against a special permit, which he says is redundant, given the numerous requirements already imposed at multiple levels: The state Department of Environmental Protection has an extensive review process for such projects, and UWM would also need the OK of several city bodies, including the Board of Health and the Building and Fire Departments. "There already is a very well-detailed, scrutinized process," Lemay says.

UWM, he adds, is willing to work with the city to address public concerns. "We want this project to create benefits for the community," Lemay says. "To the extent that an issue comes up that we feel needs to be compromised, we're open to discussion. ...

"We intend to have a very, very open process. We're proud of the things that we do. We want the people to have the information," adds Lemay, whose company details its proposal on a website: www.uwmholyoke.com.
Lemay believes city residents are starting to feel more comfortable with the project. "We're starting to open people's eyes," he says. "I think people that weren't that receptive in the past are starting to talk about the issues more, as opposed to just being against it."

But not everyone is ready to get on board with the project—starting with Diosdado Lopez. In addition to the special permit and moratorium proposals, he's also looking into other ways the city might stop the project, such as refusing UWM an easement to the property. He's also working with HOPE to consider other recourses, including raising money for a legal fight. "I'm hoping we don't let this guy go in without a fight to the end, even if we have to go to court," Lopez says. The group is also considering splashier tactics, such as picketing outside Lemay's home in eastern Mass., the councilor adds.

"This is a big project for the neighborhood, and I haven't found any support in the neighborhood," Lopez says. "With this project, we're going back 20 years."

—mturner@valleyadvocate.com

South Holyoke forum lists ways to improve

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:11:00 +0000

/click to view redevelopment plan

Friday, February 01, 2008
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - Removing vacant buildings, creating cleaner parks and reducing the amount of vandalism were just some of the issues raised by South Holyoke residents yesterday at a meeting about ways to improve the neighborhood.

"Hopefully, we'll develop a common vision," said Rudy Perkins, project manager for HAP Inc., a housing agency serving the region and one of the groups involved in the project.

The South Holyoke Revitalization Coordinating Committee organized the meeting, which was attended by more than 100 people at Morgan Elementary School. Similar meetings were held last year. A survey was also sent to residents in South Holyoke, which runs from Cabot Street to Interstate 391 and Race Street to the Connecticut River.

Now, such results will be compiled into a report by The Cecil Group, a Boston-based company hired to assist with gathering the information. The report is slated to be completed in March, according to Dale. H. Allen, director of institutional strategy at The Cecil Group.

But that's just the beginning. Once the report is completed, Allen said residents need to stay involved with the project. "You can't rely on the city to do all this," Allen said. "Many of you have to take an active role."

Last night and at past meetings, residents have stressed the importance of certain issues. Some of them include:

Removing vacant buildings.

Improving the neighborhood's street lighting and maintenance.

Increasing the police presence here.

Improving housing and parks.

Offering more youth programs.

Creating more opportunities for home ownership.

Before Allen's presentation, South Holyoke resident Ivette Ortiz said vandalism and illegal drug dealing are a problem in her neighborhood. She also said she wished there was a nearby laundromat.

"There's so many problems," Ortiz said.

But she added she was glad such meetings are being held.

Several city officials agreed. Four members of the City Council attended yesterday's meeting: Elaine A. Pluta, Rebecca Lisi, Diosdado Lopez and Timothy W. Purington.

"This is great," Lopez said. "I think it's good to come to the neighborhood and see what we can do."

©2008 The Republican
© 2008 MassLive.com All Rights Reserved.

/South%20Holyoke%20Revitalization%20Strategy%20013108%20final.pdf

Holyoke officials sworn in

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:49:00 +0000

Tuesday, January 08, 2008
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - City Council President Joseph M. McGiverin was yesterday unanimously re-elected council president after elected city officials were sworn in for two-year terms.

"It's always a special day," McGiverin said, referring to inauguration day.

The City Council, School Committee and Mayor Michael J. Sullivan were sworn in yesterday at a ceremony in the Holyoke High School auditorium. Afterward, the City Council reconvened in the City Council chambers in City Hall to re-elect McGiverin as council president.

A large crowd of residents and some students attended yesterday's swearing in ceremony. Holyoke High School's Madrigal Choir sang several songs during the ceremony. Members of Dean Tech Air Force Jr. ROTC Color Guard also led officials down the aisle at the start of the ceremony and formed a reception line along the auditorium's aisle as people exited the building after the ceremony.

Including McGiverin, 12 incumbents and three newcomers were sworn into office by City Clerk Susan M. Egan. The three new Holyoke City Councilors are At-large member Rebecca Lisi, Ward 3 Councilor Anthony Martin Keane and Ward 4 Councilor Timothy W. Purington.

As for the School Committee, seven incumbents and one new member were sworn in on the 10 member board. The new member is At-large School Committee member Howard B. Greaney Jr.

Mayor Sullivan also serves on the committee. The other committee member - At-large School Committee member Mary S. Signet - was not up for re-election.

The three new City Councilors were enthusiastic about beginning their first terms on the council.

"It's very exciting," Purington said. "It's exciting to think I have more of a voice in the future of the city."

"It feels great right now," Keane said. "We'll see what the position brings."

"I think we have a good team on the council," Lisi said. "It's time to move forward on a lot of issues for the council."

McGiverin outlined some of the issues he hopes the council will address this year. In particular, McGiverin said he believes the council needs to address concerns raised in a recent state Department of Revenue report analyzing the city's financial management.

"We need to look at the current financial management particulars of the city," McGiverin said, adding, "We need to look at those recommendations ... without specific people in mind."

The council also needs to be concerned with the school district's budget for next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The School Committee decides the actual budget. But the council ultimately approves it as part of the entire city budget.

And next fiscal year, the school district will face budget constraints due to an anticipated drop in state aid related to a charter school in the city.

©2008 The Republican
© 2008 MassLive.com All Rights Reserved.

2 upsets mark Holyoke voting

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:25:00 +0000

from The Republican; Wednesday, November 07, 2007
By KEN ROSS kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - Political newcomer Timothy W. Purington defeated incumbent John P. Lecca, pulling off one of two upsets in yesterday's low-key municipal election.

"I'm thrilled by the results," Purington said.

The other upset was staged by Howard B. Greaney Jr., who defeated incumbent Michael J. Moriarty for an At-Large School Committee seat by a vote of 2,829 to 2,785.

"We just worked and worked and worked and we got our message out," Greaney said.

And the newest At-Large City Council member is Rebecca Lisi, who beat out three challengers for the seat vacated by Raymond H. Feyre, who did not run for re-election.

"I find it to be a great honor," Lisi said. "I'm glad the citizens of Holyoke are trusting me with this responsibility."

All the other political races were won by incumbents, including Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, who ran unopposed.Along with the political races, residents also favored a nonbinding ballot question to reduce the size of the 15-member City Council by a tally of 2,783 to 2,338.

Voter turnout was relatively low. A total of 31.8 percent or 6,147 of the city's 19,613 registered voters cast ballots in the election, according to City Clerk Susan M. Egan.

"I thought it (voter turnout) would be a little higher," Egan said yesterday. "I think this morning's rain really turned off a lot of people."

Along with Lisi, seven At-Large City Council members were re-elected. Elaine A. Pluta captured the most votes. The other six in order of the number of votes received were Joseph M. McGiverin, Peter R. Tallman, James M. Leahy, Patricia C. Devine, Kevin A. Jourdain and John E. Whelihan.

As for the ward City Council races, Purington pulled off the only upset, defeating Lecca by a vote of 365 to 301. Purington credited his win to his hard work as a campaigner.

"I feel like I really put a lot of work into understanding the ward," Purington said. "I worked really hard. I listened to people. My platform was really based on what constituents wanted and they rewarded me."

Lecca could not be reached yesterday for comment.

As for the other ward City Council races, Ward 1 incumbent Donald R. Welch defeated M. Jeanne R. Forget.

In the Ward 3 City Council race, Anthony Martin Keane outpaced Richard P. Purcell for the post currently held by Helen F. Norris, who did not seek re-election.

In Ward 5, incumbent John P. Brunelle defeated Linda L. Vacon.

There were also contested races for two, ward School Committee seats. In Ward 6, incumbent William R. Collamore beat Daniel C. Burns. In Ward 7, incumbent Margaret M. Boulais survived a challenge by Nicole S. Muller.

In the School Committee At Large race, Greaney, a retired teacher, ousted Moriarty. Greaney attributed his win to a strong grassroots campaign. He also referred to a Moriarty as a formidable candidate.

Moriarty thanked Greaney for a clean campaign. "We both made a case for why we should be on the School Committee. The results weren't what I wanted but it was the will of the voters," Moriarty said. Moriarty said he will ask for a recount since he lost by less than 1 percent of the vote.

©2007 The Republican

Lisi Wins At-Large Seat on Holyoke City Council!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:17:00 +0000

Voting on Election Day, November 6, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 01:41:00 +0000

Polling Places for each Ward

Polls are open Tuesday, November 6, from 8:00am- 7:00pm.

WARD ONE

Precinct A - Kelly School, 216 West Street

Precinct B - Prospect Heights Community Room, 41 Chestnut Street

WARD TWO

Precinct A - Morgan School Gym

Precinct B - Falcetti Towers, 475 Maple St.

WARD THREE

Precinct A - Elmwood Engine House, South Street

Precinct B - Knights of Columbus Hall, Westfield Road

WARD FOUR

Precinct A - St. Paul's Church Parish House, Appleton Street

Precinct B - St. Paul's Church Parish House, Appleton Street

WARD FIVE

Precinct A - Lt. Elmer J. McMahon School Gym

Precinct B - Maurice A. Donahue School Gym

WARD SIX

Precinct A - Rodphey Sholom Synagogue, 1800 Northampton Street

Precinct B - Rodphey Sholom Synagogue, 1800 Northampton Street

WARD SEVEN

Precinct A - E.N. White School Gym, 1 Jefferson Street

Precinct B - E.N. White School Gym, 1 Jefferson Street

At-Large Candidate Lisi Gains Endorsements

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 05:42:00 +0000

press release, October 26, 2007

HOLYOKE- Rebecca Lisi, City Council Candidate At-Large, gained endorsements from Clean Water Action Alliance of MA, Neighbor to Neighbor MA, as well as the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

“It’s important and exciting to get these endorsements”, said Lisi. “I am grateful that each organization recognizes my leadership and that I am trusted to represent diverse issues with evenness and an open mind.”

Clean Water Action Alliance of MA is a national organization of diverse people and groups working together for clean water, protecting health, creating jobs, and making democracy work. Clean Water Action sent a questionnaire to the At-Large candidates regarding an number of environment issues concerning Holyoke such as, the Construction and Demolition Transfer Station sited for the Springdale neighborhood, the use of safer cleaning products in schools, and support for state funding to restore drinking water infrastructure.

“Clean Water Action is very excited to endorse Rebecca Lisi for Holyoke City Council At-Large", said Chris Bathurst, Political Director for CWA. "We know from first-hand experience that Rebecca Lisi will work hard to protect the health and environment for all the people in Holyoke".

The Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, is a voluntary federation of 70 local labor unions with 35,000 members across the southern Pioneer Valley, whose mission is to organize within communities towards justice for working families. Lisi requested an interview with the PVCLC and asked to be considered for an endorsement.

“We believe that Rebecca will be a good fit for the Holyoke City Council,” said Rick Brown, President of the PVCLC, AFL-CIO. “She will be a strong voice for working families in Holyoke, and will put the needs of families before politics”.

Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts builds power in low-income and working class communities around economic justice issues. Their members held a candidates’ forum at Jarvis Heights Community Room earlier this month and made several endorsements based on the candidates’ responses to questions regarding jobs and job training, opportunities for youth, and Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) reform. Neighbor to Neighbor is prioritizing Getting-Out-the-Vote for Lisi’s campaign.

"The population of Holyoke is young, and we need someone who will advocate for the needs of the youth," commented Veronica Bermudez, Neighbor to Neighbor member. “Rebecca has the energy to bring new ideas to the table and that will be necessary to make positive changes for Holyoke”.

For more information about Rebecca Lisi’s At-Large campaign for city council visit: www.votelisi.com

Upcoming Event: Municipal Candidates' Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:03:00 +0000

Wednesday, October 24 from 6:30- 9:00pm, the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and the Holyoke Taxpayers Association are hosting a Municipal Candidates' Forum at Holyoke High School.

All are welcome.

Lisi Attends Candidates' Forum at COA

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lisi) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 03:52:00 +0000

Rebecca Lisi attended the Seniors Club Candidates' Forum at the Council on Aging, on Wednesday, October 17th.