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February 22, 2025
Holyoke City Council meeting ends in division,
with 64 items unresolved
Story source: MassLive
HOLYOKE - A Holyoke City Council meeting this week was abruptly adjourned after escalating tensions led to a shouting match and a five-minute recess.
Tuesday’s chaos wasn’t an exception. The council has struggled with issues of civility, power and procedure, this week leaving 64 agenda items unresolved until its next meeting.
Councilors say they want to see more mutual respect and better conduct. Some see improvements, while others point to ongoing conflicts and personal attacks.
Ward 5 City Councilor Linda Vacon said there is a lack of respect and decorum in council proceedings.
"I cannot speak to the intent or motivations of others, but I can say that there have been conflicting opinions and changed interpretation of rules in the past two years," Vacon said in an email, when asked about the issue.
Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia said passion is understandable, but respect and proper decorum are essential in public forums.
"The words of those in leadership positions have a significant impact on the public," he said.
Garcia said there is a level of collaboration and respect needed to get the work done for the people.
Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain at an earlier Holyoke City Council session. City Council President Tessa R. Murphy-Romboletti called for a five-minute recess Tuesday after a shouting match with Jourdain.
About an hour and 16 minutes into Tuesday’s meeting, City Council President Tessa R. Murphy-Romboletti called for a five-minute recess due to a shouting match with
Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain. They disagreed over a charter rule and a mostly technical issue - a memo from the law department about whether a first reading of an appropriation could
occur without a vote before moving to the second reading.
Councilor Patricia Devine originally sought legal help from city lawyer Michael D. Bissonnette on the vote to move forward with a transfer of funds for department head raises, delayed since October 2023.
"This is 100% censorship. … What are you going to do? Have the police come kick me out?" Jourdain shouted before the recess.
The recess led to three members - David Bartley, Linda Vacon and Carmen Ocasio - not returning to the meeting.
Voting in favor were councilors Meg Magrath-Smith, Murphy-Romboletti, Israel Rivera, Jenny Rivera, Juan Anderson-Burgos, Devine, and Kocayne S. Givner. Opposed were Michael J. Sullivan, Howard Greaney Jr. and Jourdain. Ocasio, Vacon, and Bartley were absent.
After the vote, Jourdain and Murphy-Romboletti argued again. This led Councilor Israel Rivera to call for a motion to adjourn that was supported by all.
Magrath-Smith said the main debate was whether to prioritize city needs or pay employees a living wage.
Negotiated contracts need funding, but some members were delaying the process, she said.
While historically the board has required votes on both a first and second reading, after reviewing practices in other cities, she found no other town follow this procedure, she said.
"The city solicitor also said the first read is when it is placed on the table and read out loud," Magrath-Smith said.
Effectively, approving all orders in one night through both readings requires a larger majority instead of a simple majority. "It makes it harder to pass anything," she said.
Magrath-Smith said she believes that some felt blindsided because they expected a clear voting process, and when it didn’t happen, they were shocked.
"Members were leaving as a form of protest," she said.
From her perspective, it felt like an achievement to get through two items the committee has been trying to address for a long time, she said.
"I understand the need to question and slow down for due diligence, but I believe there’s a balance to be struck," she said.
"There is a difference between due diligence and weaponizing procedures to prevent progress.
Vacon said disagreements have turned into personal attacks inside and outside the council chambers and on social media. "It is difficult to interest citizens in public service when there
is a lack of calm leadership and they see chaos on TV," she wrote.
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