Minor tremors of political news in the Pioneer Valley as District Attorney Mark Mastroianni finally received US Senate confirmation as a US District Court Judge. Meanwhile, the Springfield City Council advanced bonding authorization to clear out a deficit for the construction of the new Putnam
UPDATED 6/4/14 6:15PM: The Springfield City Council gave final approval to the Putnam Bonds after brief debate. The vote was 11-2. More details here. SPRINGFIELD—Facing an agenda laden with some heavy issues, for the first time in a while, the Council stayed in session late
SPRINGFIELD—Another light agenda greeted the City Council Monday night shortly after it city finance officials presented the budget for fiscal year 2015, which begins on July 1st. Few if any items engendered much discussion most had virtually no opposition ahead of the beginning of the Council’s
SPRINGFIELD—Despite the best efforts of the its finest inertia, the City Council finally agreed to dip its toe into social media while tackling a budget that was more complex than it appeared. A slew of financial measures ahead of the new fiscal year and a
SPRINGFIELD—Once again a light agenda confronted the City Council Monday evening. Even divisive and controversial concept like a Council Facebook page were not voted on that night. Most of the city and the region’s attention was focused a couple of miles away at Van Sickle
UPDATED 3/29/14 1:16PM: For grammar. SPRINGFIELD—The City Council’s brief meeting Monday night reflected well both the city broadly and the council’s difficult embracing technology and also the latter’s battle for respect as a branch of the city’s government. A light agenda greeted councilors including an
UPDATED 9:19PM: For response from Arise and news of McFarlin’s retirement and to reflect a correction. Barbieri is the third, not the second Police Commissioner of Springfield. SPRINGFIELD—Backing off from the conventional wisdom, Mayor Domenic Sarno announced the appointment of Deputy Police Chief John Barbieri
SPRINGFIELD—In a victory for organized labor, the City Council unanimously approved an arbitration award, securing a contract between the city and it’s the International Brother Hood of Police Officers, Local 364 through July 2016. Despite fears that the mayor’s office was maneuvering to kill the
UPDATED 3/3/14 6:03PM: To reflect additional reporting on alleged efforts by the mayor’s office to defeat the arbitration award. Not even a week after its release, the finding of the Joint Labor Management Committee award will go before the City Council where its fate may
This post is the first in a series on the debate over Management of the Police Department in Springfield. SPRINGFIELD—At a rescheduled committee meeting residents pled their case for a return of the Police Commission while a few representatives from Mayor Domenic Sarno’s administration vehemently