WARD 5 RESIDENTS

ISSUES YOU ARE SHARED AT THE OPEN FORUMS
"We Met, You Spoke, I'm Listening!"
Thanks to all who came to the area Issues Forums with their feedback and suggestions.

February 25, 2010, Dino's Restaurant

Suggestions made or issues raised by those in attendance included:
  • When there is a lot of heavy snow, could the small city plow or private plowers help elderly who have a hard time clearing the end of the driveway after the large plows go by?
  • Ashley Road area curling to Mason has a line of evergreens on city property that need trimming or cutting
  • It was questioned if the loops at the Atlas Copco intersection are working. It was thought that the lights are now timed only
  • Publish a list in the paper of those who have not paid their taxes
  • Please place the speed monitor on Mountain Road. Speeding cars continue to be a problem
  • Could Holyoke look into setting up the automated wellness call program for elders such as the one in Amherst?
  • It was noted that a plow at one point after the last storm was plowing water rather than snow
  • a request to extend the sidewalk from Sunset to the reservoir while the road is being resurfaced
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ISSUES YOU ARE SHARING ON THE 2009 CAMPAIGN TRAIL
"We Met, You Spoke, I'm Listening!"
Thanks to all who came to the area Issues Forums with their feedback and suggestions.
  • Ward 5A Area
    • There was no need to threaten the closure of Homestead Fire Station. Keep Homestead station open at all times
    • Holyoke needs to be more business friendly. There needs to be one set of rules for all who are trying to open or expand a business here. Yankee Candle wanted to open here years ago and gave up and went to Deerfield and we all know how that turned out.
    • Make sure there is no sewer charge for people with septic systems who cannot hook into the sewer system
    • Keep our property taxes from increasing. Do not support any tax increases
    • Concern over water bill that is the same as last year with much lower water use on part of the homeowner. ? water rates and if meters are working properly
    • The Bender Hill area at Apremont and RockValley Road needs a yield or stop for those proceeding from Apremont on to Rock Valley (and Rock Valley on to Apremont). Now cars traveling on to Apremont from Rock Valley and cars proceeding down Apremont, continuing on Apremont both have the right of way with the high potential for a collision.
    • Want calls returned when concerns are put forth
    • Trees on city land between York and Westfield Road need to be trimmed or thinned. They are getting overgrown with vines.
    • Some curb damage needs to be repaired on Primrose
    • Sewer Fee Issue raised again: Do NOT charge sewer fees to residents who do not have and cannot obtain sewers unless the city will pay for septic pumping and compliance with Title V for those who have septic systems
    • Repave streets in the Berry Bowl. They are the original roads with patching that melts in the heat and gets tracked into homes on shoes.
    • Replace the blacktop sidewalks with concrete or at least resurface the sidewalks. There are many dips where water collects and many crumbling areas increasing the risk of falls for pedestrians.
    • Repair damaged areas of Apremont Road. It has deteriorated greatly in the last year.
    • Speeding on Southampton Road and Mountain Road has increased
    • Roads that intersect with Southampton Road are dangerous and stop signs are difficult to see. Bushes need trimming and there needs to be STOP AHEAD painted on the road, or signage warning of a stop in X number of feet.
    • Apremont road past the little store is in poor condition and needs repaving
    • Front yard of house floods with rain..The manhole needs to be opened
    • People are wondering what is going to happen to the old shooting range.

  • WARD 5B Area
    • Speeding cars at the end of Vermont Street (lower numbers) needs another speed hump
    • Sound barriers needed for I-91 noise
    • Sidewalk on Whiting Farms Road overgrown
    • Hole in road at driveway edge in neighborhood off of Whiting Farms Rd Lynch and Autumn area
    • The Director of Public Works should be required to live in Holyoke like all other department heads.
    • Concern regarding truck deliveries and noise at Lowes. Will there be enforcement of the noise ordinance?
    • If Lowes wants to be a good neighbor, they will use their political influence to get the sound and pollution barriers erected along I-91 that were promised in 2000.
    • The noise in this area has increased significantly over the last few years. We cannot keep our windows open due the high amount of noise from I-91 and now we will have even more coming from the Whitings Road area with truck deliveries to Lowes.
    • The noise from I 91. Noise and pollution barriers were promised in 2000 and never happened.
    • Speeding on Whiting Farms
    • Difficulty entering Whiting Farms Road from the neighborhood
    • Residents want promises kept
    • Concerns about traffic flow and traffic control with Lowes going in
    • Concerns about property values for home owners near Lowes
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ISSUES YOU ARE SHARING ON THE 2007 CAMPAIGN TRAIL
"We Met, You Spoke, I'm Listening!"
  • Ward 5A Area
    • No pay raise for the City Councilors
    • Look into merging the water and sewer bills for residents into a single bill
    • Before we didn�t want a speed bump here, but now we do because there is an increase in the number of people speeding on the street and there are more children in the neighborhood.
    • We want our Ward 5 Councilor to return calls
    • Roads here are 30+ years old and need repaving, not just patching
    • Please cut back the brush on Winterberry Circle on the city property. People dump branches there and it is becoming unsightly
    • Old tar sidewalks need fixing, trees on side streets need trimming, not happy with tar patching of roads as it does not hold up-
    • The 202 North hill going from Westfield toward Holyoke should be made into one lane like the other side of the hill. It is a race course with dangerous situations when the double lane ends. People cross into the down- hill lane when passing up the hill because they are going so fast.
    • Improve the timing on the lights at Westfield Road and Homestead-only three cars can go at a time
    • We feel forgotten out here in West Holyoke-show that someone cares
    • Street is torn up
    • A couple of street lights are out
    • No sewer fees we pay for private septic systems
    • House valuations keep going up -it is higher than my house is worth
    • Concerned about air and water quality -opposed to development around water sources, reservoirs
    • Zoning-any changes that cause more traffic
    • Traffic-keep neighborhood residential
    • Don't like the infighting on the city council-unite in the best interests of the city-increase professionalism-work for common good
    • Schools are a big problem
    • Families should not have to pay for lights at the High School for sports at Roberts field when city pays for all other fields
    • Respect laws of the road regarding giving way to horses on the road-people driving too fast on roads
    • Bad curve-need a sign to slow
    • Trim brush on Rock Valley-poor visibility on curves
    • Speeding on Southampton Road
    • Accidents on Southampton Road:
      • SUGGESTION: Paint "STOP SIGN AHEAD" on road for motorists who are not familiar with the area.
    • Safety Issue: Sidewalks needed near the County Road end of Southampton Road
    • Cell Tower: If $ will be coming into the city from the cell tower, then the money should be utilized to benefit local residents, e.g., hook up to water and/or sewer system

  • WARD 5B Area
    • It�s time for a change (in City Councilor)!
    • Concerned that water shut offs on sidewalk near the entrance to the Holiday Inn could cause someone to fall
    • We need the council on aging to provide help at home for the elderly at a reasonable cost.
    • Now that the speed hump is gone please get someone to remove the signs for the speed hump. Also, people are already speeding down the street!
    • Drag racing on the streets in the apartment complex is an ongoing issue throughout the year. It is hard to report license plates to the police because they race in the middle of the night. Please get something done to stop this!
    • Head of DPW Bill Fuqua needs to become a Holyoke resident
    • Wants services for the taxes that are paid: ie trash collection/trash is left on street
    • Don�t like Aquarion contract: what is going on with sale of company?
    • We should stop commercial traffic on Homestead Ave
    • Noise from I91: Past promises that barriers would be built have not been kept (X2)
    • Concern that Lowes is going in to Whitings Farm Road and the road will not be able to handle the traffic and residents will not be able to turn left onto Whiting Farms Road to go to town
    • Concern that property values will decrease with business development if Lowes is built
    • Hedge by sidewalk at old Atlas Copco on Homestead Ave. needs a trim - branches hit you while walking, riding a bike

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ISSUES YOU SHARED ON THE 2005 CAMPAIGN TRAIL
"We Met, You Spoke, I'm Listening!"
  • Ward 5A Area
    • Please limit the ATV's from cutting through properties in the middle of the night
    • Speeders on Mountain and Southampton Roads
    • Put a speed sign at lower Southampton Road near bus stop
    • Repair Southampton Road where the spring is coming up through the road
    • Repair Keyes Road ?water (?septic) is undermining the road
    • Wants the City Council to let people know what's going on
    • Trim the trees back on Pheasant Drive near the County end of the road
    • Please return calls with questions or concerns that are put forth
    • We pay our fair share of taxes and feel forgotten out here in Ward 5
    • Teach English as 1st language
    • We need a challenging curriculum for high achieving students
    • Can we have a bulk trash pick up as in the past?
    • Street sweeping on Southampton Road
    • Open up Ashley Reservoir for fishing
    • People cutting through neighborhoods at high speeds to avoid busy intersections
    • Keep brush trimmed back from the street on City owned lots
    • Don't like the Aquarion contract
    • No more commercial development in Ward 5, no "curb-cut" off of Homestead Ave. into Atlas Copco property
    • Don't want a special fee for septic users to pay for sewer costs
    • It's about time something got done to deal with the sewer issue
    • Credit Union doesn't fit in residential area
    • Wants the members of the council to behave in a more civilized manner
    • City should proceed with sewer contract
    • When is Rt. 202 & Homestead Ave. intersection going to be fixed?
    • Council members should look out for the people rather than themselves
    • Atlas Copco site:
      • concerned about increased traffic on Homestead
      • don't want a big box store like Walmart
      • keep manufacturing if possible
    • Better winter plowing that maintains two lanes on the street

  • WARD 5B Area
    • Trim the brush back and the tree branches-lower Meadowbrook Road
    • Need a stop light at Whitney and Bobala
    • Trim brush at Whitney and Bobala
    • Faster response time from police
    • Concerned about people hanging out near reservoir since the gate at Richard Eger Drive was moved
    • City Councilor needs to return calls
    • Improve downtown Holyoke
    • Don't widen Homestead Avenue
    • Would like to see bike patrols by police department back
    • Protect the Reservoirs
    • No more commercial development on Homestead Avenue
    • Trim trees
    • Get rid of speed humps on Vermont Street
    • People cutting through neighborhoods to avoid busy intersections
    • What ever happened with the I-91 sound barriers?
    • Re: development of land on Whiting Farms Road:
      • do not extend the Tokeneke apartments (no more low income housing)
      • a baseball park would be good
      • a business like the engraving business with landscaping would be OK
      • don't put a business on the land
      • would be good for the Catholic School
    • Better winter plowing - keep more than one lane open
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