UPDATED 7/18/13 12:29PM: To reflect a quote from Councilor Fenton. SPRINGFIELD—Returning to the chamber for one of two summer meetings on Monday, the Springfield City Council finally moved several issues long-festering on its docket bringing closure after months of indecision. Despite a substantial passage of
Twelve days after the Springfield City Council suddenly veered off course from an assured passage of common sense, if painfully realistic residency ordinance reform, how it happened should get as much attention as that it happened. The latest derailment of an agenda item came upon
SPRINGFIELD — Politics and its progeny populism were at play in Monday’s meeting which partially reignited an old debate while the other was just theater. An issue long ready to be put to bed was put off as last minute and uninformed objections led to
UPDATED 6/6/13 1:42 PM: For additional comments from DYS & the Atwater Park Civic Association. SPRINGFIELD—Once more the City Council faced another light agenda Monday as it made some final steps for ordinances affecting fees in the city and transferred funds within departments, a typical
SPRINGFIELD—The preliminary election is still four months away and nomination papers have another two months to be completed, but campaign kickoffs are already underway. For some it is a repeat act, but hopefully with differing results. Justin Hurst, an attorney and the scion of one
SPRINGFIELD—Reversing itself fully from a meeting just two weeks ago, the City Council killed an amendment to its historic foreclosure ordinance and with it a settlement to a lawsuit launched shortly after its passage. The rejection on Monday was arguably the most significant actions taken
For the first time since Springfield abolished its old system of government and ushered in a strong mayor-council government, and possibly ever, the city will hold a municipal election without the mayor on the ballot. Boston is the only other city in Massachusetts with more
UPDATED 3/8/13 12:56PM: Photograph of current Springfield Senior Center added. SPRINGFIELD—During a particularly policy-heavy evening, taking form in both ordinance and other measure, the City Council confronted a host of issue from finance to foreclosures to bonding. However, while some of the more substantive debate
UPDATED 8:56 PM: For, clarity, grammar, and inclusion of links. UPDATED 2/28/13 3:09PM: For accuracy. SPRINGFIELD—Among the powers of the City Council, few bring about more unpredictable results than the exercise of its permit-granting authority. For whatever reason, the special-permit granting authority of the city
SPRINGFIELD—As warming temperatures and city crews were finally and fully conquering last weekend’s snow fall, City Councilors were taking Department of Public Works officials to task for a recovery called inadequate and “dangerous.” DPW Chief Allan Chwalek faced withering criticism and probing questions even as