SPRINGFIELD – After the City Council aired grievances with the “rushed” Elm Street Housing vote in March, the council approved the first step for a new ordinance that requires 30-day notice for any project seeking the appropriation of $1 million from free cash or the stabilization fund during their May 16 meeting.
City Councilor At-Large Kateri Walsh crafted the ordinance after consulting other members of the City Council. In unveiling the ordinance, Walsh explained that the proposal follows “the frustration many of us felt” about the project’s process.
“Not having information at a timely manner, being forced to take a vote that we weren’t comfortable with, having to take the blame if we didn’t do that for the project were to fail…we need to be treated as an equal partner in many of these projects. I think this ordinance will go a long way for creating those opportunities, having us all work together,” said Walsh.
Walsh said she initially constructed the ordinance with economic development projects in mind, but soon expanded its scope after a similar process occurred with the pension bond discussion. The councilor stressed that the ordinance will allow the council to make “more informed discussions.”
“We don’t want these projects coming to us at the last minute, which has happened many times…I think we all feel we want to have some input from the public and we want to make sure we’re making informed discussions,” said Walsh.
After Walsh read the ordinance to the council, members of the council expressed support for the ordinance. City Councilor At-Large Tracye Whitfield appreciated Walsh’s “swift” response to the Elm Street Housing Project vote.
“Thank you for acting so swiftly. It is needed…We should be partners in this. We shouldn’t be shocked by anything that comes across the City Council agenda,” said Whitfield.
City Councilor At-Large Justin Hurst said the ordinance was “desperately needed.” Hurst expressed that the ordinance allows the council to keep the public informed while also improving the council’s relationship with Mayor Domenic Sarno’s administration.
“At the end of the day, this is going to allow for a much better relationship between the council and the administration. It won’t be this tug-of-war that has occurred previously,” said Hurst.
After Ward 2 City Councilor Michael Fenton posed some questions about the ordinance, Ward 3 Councilor Melvin Edwards suggested that the council discuss the ordinance further in the General Government subcommittee. City Councilor At-Large Jesse Lederman agreed, viewing the subcommittee as a way for the council to ensure there are no “legal holes” in the ordinance.
Ultimately, the City Council approved the first step vote for the ordinance in a unanimous vote. After the council discusses the ordinance in the General Government subcommittee, a final vote will occur in a future City Council meeting.
