Zakim Wants to Bridge Gaps He Sees in Secretary of State’s Office…
BOSTON—When the Central Artery came down, an old truss bridge that carried I-91 over the Charles joined it in the scrap heap. In its place rose a new structure that has become synonymous with the Hub....
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Hail to the Chief Diversity Officer…
SPRINGFIELD—Amid a flurry of financial orders for the closing fiscal year, the City Council acted on several items Monday night, many it had considered recently. Most notably, it advanced the chief...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Eight Is the Loneliest Number since the Number 9…
UPDATED 9:39PM: To add statements from Councilor Williams. The Springfield City Council, during a special meeting Wednesday night, failed to override Mayor Domenic Sarno’s veto of the chief diversity...
View ArticleEndorsements on Parade: Effective Council in Springfield 2017…
Springfield has a unique opportunity with so many open seats, all at-large, in this year’s election. It represents a paradigm shift away from the pre-ward representation Council. With nearly all of the...
View ArticleTake My Council Please: To the Riverfront of the Line…
UPDATE 11/21/17 1:21AM: The Springfield City Council approved the bond 12-0 on Monday November 20. SPRINGFIELD—Fresh from elections that returned all incumbents seeking another term, the City Council...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: But Will They Notice Me…?
SPRINGFIELD—The skimpiness of the evening’s agenda was no impediment for a lengthy and at times Byzantine City Council meeting. Though subjects like tax rates, snow removal and parking bans are...
View ArticlePolitics as Usual or Broader Shift in Ramos Assignments…?
SPRINGFIELD—Eight days after beginning his second term as Council President, Ward 8 Councilor Orlando Ramos made clear 2018 would be different. Some councilors were uprooted from longtime committee...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: The Show That Never Ends…
SPRINGFIELD—The City Council’s first February meeting, lasting about four hours, made up for the meager agenda at the last regular meeting. The stage was set for breaking the logjam on the district...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: It’s Fun to Vote for the Y-M-C-A…
SPRINGFIELD—The same night the City Council enacted a new rules for tax incentives, it turned one proposed break back. The moves on tax incremental financing (TIF) were unrelated and yet inextricably...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Don’t Stop Thinking about Ordinances…
SPRINGFIELD—A bevy of ordinances and several financial items greeted the City Council Monday night. The broad range of the policies under consideration ranged from rules for signs to outdoor dining....
View ArticleZakim Wants to Bridge Gaps He Sees in Secretary of State’s Office…
BOSTON—When the Central Artery came down, an old truss bridge that carried I-91 over the Charles joined it in the scrap heap. In its place rose a new structure that has become synonymous with the Hub....
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Hail to the Chief Diversity Officer…
SPRINGFIELD—Amid a flurry of financial orders for the closing fiscal year, the City Council acted on several items Monday night, many it had considered recently. Most notably, it advanced the chief...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Eight Is the Loneliest Number since the Number 9…
UPDATED 9:39PM: To add statements from Councilor Williams. The Springfield City Council, during a special meeting Wednesday night, failed to override Mayor Domenic Sarno’s veto of the chief diversity...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Tarry Ye in the City of Springfield until Endued...
SPRINGFIELD—Returning from its summer lull, the City Council faced an agenda that stretched their Monday meeting into midnight. Although the body notched some wins, the laborious agenda and procedural...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Turkeys & a Civics Smorgasbord…
SPRINGFIELD—Days before Thanksgiving, the City Council ingested parts of its massive agenda Monday night while leaving some leftovers for later. Although the sprawling to-do list included myriad...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: Lifting Lamps and a Golden Door…
SPRINGFIELD—After nearly two hours of debate, City Councilors nudged Springfield closer toward new rules that would keep the city away from immigration enforcement. The Welcoming Communities Trust...
View ArticleTake My Council, Please: In Those Days Caesar Domenicus Decreed…
SPRINGFIELD—It is possible 2018 may go down as one of the most legislatively active years for the City Council in recent memory. Though not all efforts succeeded, the body aggressively moved multiple...
View ArticleAs Year Ends, Hurst Prepares to Lead City Council in 2019…
SPRINGFIELD—Earlier this month, at-large city councilor Justin Hurst announced he had the votes to become City Council President in 2019. The news was widely expected and Hurst had no serious behind...
View ArticleThe Year in Springfield 2018…
In Springfield 2018 may go down as a key year for the city. The Council, Springfield’s congressman, and even activism itself had a good year. But even if there was some small-d and large-D democratic...
View ArticleBriefings: Hurst Takes Council Helm Noting City’s Complications…
In a late-morning ceremony Monday, at-large City Councilor Justin Hurst took the oath of office as President of the Springfield City Council. Five years after joining the body, the significance goes...
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