Best Practices
Videos: Public Safety Meeting of 10/4/10; Sienkiewicz Summarizes Case for Police Station Tax Override
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 10/4/10 meeting of Northampton’s Public Safety Committee. City Councilors Angela Plassmann, David Murphy (chair), Jesse Adams and Maureen Carney attended. The meeting included an update from Building Commissioner Louis Hasbrouck and a speech from Police Chief Russell Sienkiewicz on why a new downtown police station is needed. […]
Joel Russell Explains Resignation from Zoning Revisions Committee; Comments on King Street Rezoning
Joel Russell explains his recent resignation from the Zoning Revisions Committee. Download PDFs of his letter to the Planning Board and his comments on the Chamber of Commerce recommendations on the King Street zoning. September 22, 2010 To the Planning Board, Mayor, City Council, Office of Planning and Development, and Zoning Revisions Committee: I am attaching […]
Video: Public Safety Committee, September 7, 2010; Murphy, Adams, Carney Indicate Support for Police Station Tax Override
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 9/7/10 meeting of Northampton’s Public Safety Committee of the City Council. Councilors David Murphy, Jesse Adams and Maureen Carney attended. Councilor Angela Plassmann was unable to attend. (This meeting was not part of the committee’s original schedule.) The meeting (no votes on substantive matters were taken) is followed by an informal […]
City Solicitor Provides Guide to New Open Meeting Law
Northampton City Solicitor Elaine Reall last week circulated a 13-page memo to public officials to explain the new Open Meeting Law that went into effect on July 1. This memo has a bearing on a recent controversy where two city councilors were accused of violating the Open Meeting Law because they met together with the police chief […]
Videos: Charter Review Committee Debates Scope of Mission, How to Solicit Public Input
Here is a complete blip.tv video of last night’s organizational meeting of Northampton’s Charter Review Committee. The committee members include Councilor Jesse M. Adams, Councilor Marianne L. LaBarge, Councilor David A. Murphy, Colleen Currie, Alan Seewald, Margaret Striebel, and Samuel Welson (who was elected chair). The video is 2 hours 4 minutes long and was […]
Volunteers Wanted for Charter Review Committee
The Northampton City Council home page issues this call for volunteers: The City Council is seeking four volunteers to help conduct a review of the City Charter in accordance with Section 22-1(4) of the Northampton Code of Ordinances: “At least once in every 10 years, in every year ending in a zero, the City Council […]
Water Not Waste Press Release: “Northampton BPW Plans to Move Forward with Landfill Expansion Vote”
We received this press release yesterday from Water Not Waste: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENorthampton BPW Plans to Move Forward with Landfill Expansion VoteNorthampton, MA-January 12, 2010The Northampton Board of Public Works is about to take an historic vote on whether or not to expand the Northampton Regional landfill in a Water Supply Protection District even though […]
Sign Up Now for Northampton Cityschool
The Mayor’s office has issued this press release: Mayor Announces Second Run of Northampton cityschool12/18/09Contact: Mayor’s Office, 587-1249Mayor Higgins announced today the launch of the second session of Northampton cityschool, a ten-week program designed to introduce citizens to the workings of their City government. The goals are to encourage participation in the electoral and political […]
Ward 3: Your Next City Councilor, Angela Plassmann
Today’s Gazette reports: Angela D. Plassmann defeated incumbent Ward 3 City Councilor Robert C. Reckman Tuesday by 68 votes.Plassmann captured 576 votes to Reckman’s 508 votes, winning in both Ward 3 precincts. On her campaign website, Ms. Plassmann outlines her priorities as follows:As your Ward 3 City Councilor, I will represent your interests in these […]