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METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=mu_VVbk8Ut8

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: mu_VVbk8Ut8):
- 00:00:00: City Council Meeting Call to Order and Roll Call
- 00:01:38: Pledge of Allegiance and Approval of Prior Minutes
- 00:03:22: Superintendent and School Committee: Band Achievements, Facilities
- 00:05:58: Enrollment Statistics, Electric Vehicle Chargers, Art Sculpture
- 00:09:35: Volunteer Policy, Development Day, Budget Presentation Overview
- 00:14:55: Mayor's Updates: Shelburne Road, Recycling, Beef Fest
- 00:19:09: Councilor Questions About Power Outage and School Budget
- 00:21:24: Councilor Questions About Sewer Overflow and Health Insurance
- 00:25:46: Public Comment Introduction and Rules
- 00:26:02: Public Comment: Allison Vanderverden, Police Budget Support
- 00:30:00: Public Comment: Mora Babino, Personal Police Support Story
- 00:33:56: Public Comment: Eli Jarvis, Supporting Public Safety Budgets
- 00:37:45: Public Comment: Empress, Request Removal of Human Rights Member
- 00:41:17: Public Comment: Alan Constantine, Opposing Rent Control
- 00:45:06: Public Comment: Madden Aaliyah, Supporting Rent Stabilization
- 00:48:37: Public Comment: Al Norman, Advocating for Rent Stabilization
- 00:52:27: Public Comment: Mark Zakio, Opposing Rental Registry
- 00:56:12: Public Comment: Cat Miller, Sharing Her Rent Increase Story
- 00:59:49: Public Comment: EJ Baker, Supporting Rent Control Resolution
- 01:01:43: Public Comment: Ella Condan, Supporting Rent Control, Schools
- 01:04:04: Public Comment: Adriana Panidosi, Supporting Rent Resolutions
- 01:06:29: Public Comment: Dion Kasanova, Statewide Rent Stabilization Lead
- 01:09:45: Public Comment: Susan Warft, Housing Greenfield Initiatives
- 01:13:02: Public Comment: Pamela Goodwin, Housing, Fire Department Issues
- 01:16:34: Public Comment: Mike Love, Supporting Rent Control Ballot
- 01:18:34: Public Comment: Jordy Herald, Sharing Landlord Perspective
- 01:23:01: Public Comment: Dawn B, Questioning Rent Control Repeal
- 01:24:47: Public Comment: Ramona Latronica, Supporting Rent Stabilization
- 01:27:00: Public Comment: David Muscertolo, Discussing Public Safety Commission
- 01:30:44: Public Comment: Thomas Power, Union Support for Rent Control
- 01:33:10: Hannah Rexen: Downtown Policing Program Vital for Greenfield
- 01:36:53: Anna Bono: Library Safety Relies on Downtown Substation
- 01:40:00: Molly Merritt: Rent Control and Recck Room Funding
- 01:42:11: Andy Newman: Rent Control Combats Poverty and Displacement
- 01:43:34: Yavon Mumbo: Dispatch Budget Concerns and Staffing Shortages
- 01:46:43: Martha Rolman: Banning Rodenticides on Public Property
- 01:50:02: John Schuster: Wildlife Harmed by Second Generation Rodenticides
- 01:52:45: Cassandra Klast: Importance of Adequate Dispatch Staffing
- 01:55:18: Cindy Hunter: Supporting Greenfield's Emergency Communications Budget
- 01:58:28: Jorge Nano: Police and Dispatchers Saved My Life
- 02:00:43: Amy Mblin: Sustainable Rodent Control and Wildlife Support
- 02:03:29: Public Hearing and Second Reading Introduction
- 02:03:45: Public Hearing: DPW Funding and Budget Items
- 02:16:25: Motions, Orders, and Resolutions Introduction
- 02:16:42: Open Meeting Law Complaint Filed By Stephanie Dlo
- 02:21:20: Amending Zoning Ordinance: Dimensional Provisions and Fences
- 02:27:10: Appointments to Franklin County Technical School Committee
- 02:28:46: Banning Rodenticides on Municipal-Owned Property
- 02:33:19: Resolution Supporting Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection
- 02:52:09: Valley Health Regional Collaborative Revolving Account
- 02:56:44: DPW: Accepting Chapter 90 Funding for Roadwork
- 02:57:36: Transferring Funds for Legal Expenses
- 02:58:29: Repurposing Funds from Anorobic Digester
- 02:59:11: Repurposing Funds from Ryden Woods Pump Station
- 03:00:11: FY27 Capital Budget: Abercrombie Drive Reclamation & Paving
- 03:01:04: FY27 Capital Budget: Academy of Early Learning Gutters
- 03:01:45: FY27 Capital Budget: Basketball Court and Equinox
- 03:02:44: FY27 Capital Budget: Cross Connection Survey and Dump Truck
- 03:03:56: FY27 Capital Budget: Green River Pump Station Updates
- 03:04:45: FY27 Capital Budget: Guard Rail Replacement and Highway Fund
- 03:05:57: FY27 Capital Budget: Highway Truck and Inflow Repairs
- 03:07:06: FY27 Capital Budget: Lime Silo, Well Rehabilitation
- 03:08:50: FY27 Capital Budget: Nitrogen Removal and Wiring Upgrade
- 03:10:21: FY27 Capital Budget: Oak Hill Valves and Place Terrace
- 03:11:31: FY27 Capital Budget: Data Acquisition System and Ford F250
- 03:12:24: FY27 Capital Budget: Sidewalk Replacement and Track
- 03:13:03: FY27 Capital Budget: Transfer Station Bathroom Remodel
- 03:14:17: FY27 Capital Budget: Trash Truck and Water Update
- 03:15:09: FY27 Capital Budget: Electrical Upgrade and Screen Replacement
- 03:15:44: Concluding Remarks and Committee Reports
- 03:18:14: New Business: Fiscal Year 2026 Community Preservation Budget


Part: 1

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Greenfield City Council meeting edition May it's today the 20th. All right. So, thank you all for being here. If you're interested in public comment, the sign-in sheet is over here. You'll have three minutes. Um, and if I

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could have the folks in the back just quiet down a little bit so we can hear. Thank you. If you do public comment, when you come up, you push the button and you you just have to state your name and where you live for the public record. And if you

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don't, I'm going to remind you. So, I appreciate everybody for being here this evening. This meeting is being recorded by the city council and the Greenfield Community Television GCTV9. If any other persons present are doing the same, you must notify the

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chairperson at this time. All right, our new reporter. Glad you're here. All right. So, now we're going to do roll call of members. Councelor Golum. >> Yes. >> Sorry. Councelor Gordon >> here.

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>> Councelor Dilmath >> here. >> Councelor Bottomley is absent. Councelor Bulock is absent. Councelor Williams >> here. >> Councelor Bulldook >> here. >> Councelor Webb >> here. Councelor Brown >> here.

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>> Vice President Garrett >> here. >> Councelor Menhos >> here. >> Councelor Ciban >> here. >> President Wandelowski >> here. >> You have a quorum. >> Thank you so much. All right. Our first order of business is the pledge of

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allegiance which is voluntary. I aliance to the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all.

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All right. Our next order is to approve the minutes from February 25th, March 18th, and April 21st. I'll take a motion, and that's on page eight. So moved. >> Second. >> Read it.

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>> You read it for me, please. Max on page eight. I move to approve the February 25th, 2026 regular meeting minutes of the Greenfield City Council and the March 18th and the April 21st minutes.

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>> Second. Thank you. All in favor say I. Any abstensions? Opposed? All right. Thank you. All right. So, first up is our communications from the superintendent of schools and the school committee. So, welcome superintendent.

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Hi, good evening folks. Hope you're doing good. Uh we've got a few cool highlights uh to report and then some updates for you. So uh this is back on May 8th, but our GHS band earned a gold medal at the Great East Festival down at

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the Springfield Mass Mutual Center and our middle school won the silver. So congratulations are in order to our band. They are phenomenal. They're doing the great work. Uh we also had a concert last week. It was our ghs concert. Uh they were great. I hope you were able to

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catch them. Um and then starting tomorrow uh every Thursday for the next three weeks, each of our elementary schools will also be doing their individual band concerts. So if you got kiddos, go check them out. They're real cute. Uh and they do great stuff. Uh we also want to recognize and honor

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one of our GHS students, Jane Schaeffield. Um worked with Quabin mediation uh active bystander training and developing the skills and won the 2026 Peacemaker award uh with them. So congratulations to our student. Um and then last from me, I want to promote to

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you all that we uh school committee formed a long-term facilities use advisory committee. It's a mouthful, but the intent of that committee is actually to work and partner with uh with you all with also other community members, parents, staff members to really think

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about what our facilities are looking like uh long term for the schools and to do the necessary planning work and diligent like researchbased planning work that we need to do to make sure that our facilities are meeting the needs of the town and of our students. Um to that end, we are getting ready to

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start finalizing our recruitment materials for that. So soon you might see advertising asking you to submit your interest to be on that advisory committee. And again, this is open to members of the public. This is open to parents. This is open to staff. This is

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open to you. Uh and we will be doing some targeted recruitment to make sure we've got people representing planning and other, you know, important uh boards that have stuff to do with city buildings. Um but I wanted to make sure that people knew that that was happening, that that exists. uh and that

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we'll be um doing work between now and next May to get a plan together. So, if you're interested in that, be on the lookout for information. I'll turn it to Dr. >> Thank you. Uh you have in front of you our enrollment statistics um as of the beginning of May, which really would

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have ended obviously at the end of April. They down four students. Um we're working on our our school committee did just ask last week where did those four students go? So, we will find we told them we will get them the answer. We do know where they went. Um, but I don't have that for you tonight. But we we

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always know where people go. They either move, right, or unfortunately they come in, they come out during the course of the school year. So that does happen. But you can kind of see the trends pretty steady for the most part over the course of the year. Um, we've had a few things going on as well. Um, Chair Ston mentioned a bunch of those and we're

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really proud of our students. Our baseball and softball teams are competing in the Western Mass tournament and one either LA the other night, last night I think and will be playing tomorrow night. I believe both are in the semi-finals for that. So,

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congratulations to them and good luck. We presented last month or last week to our school committee about electric vehicle chargers. Some of you may have caught some of that. Um kind of an initial topic of conversation for then there are grants out there for

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public buildings and m municipal buildings. Um so, we had a presentation. They're getting some more information for us. No decisions were made last week, but the possibility would exist where we potentially at the six schools if so chosen to do could put in up to two level two I'm not I don't know much

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about electric vehicles so forgive my ignorance on that but level two chargers I guess they're not the super fast ones but they charge your car in that sense and you could make a you know you could make some money off of that but they would go in for free up to $50,000 per

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site. So, um if you look at our packet of materials from last week, you can see some of the locations that they're talking about and um still to be discussed with the school committee, but something that is out there because who doesn't like anything for free, right? Um in that sense, given what you're

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going to be going through obviously with budgets, we all know that and what we're going through as well. Um, want to let you know that we jokingly we found a lost sculpture and it may not really have been lost, but this is a sculpture called the birth of an idea given to the

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Greenfield public schools in the city of Greenfield by Homer Gun who is an art who was an artist unfortunately is deceased and who lived in Greenfield. two students went here in this two sons went here in the 70s and get presented the sculpture to the old now old

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Greenfield High School and then it was I guess it was never permanently fixed um so I received a phone call over the winter we received an email that I actually spoke with the gentleman James phototopolis I don't want to say it wrong but he is Greenville High School class of 54

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and recalls this sculpture being picked up and moved throughout but a pretty big one about six feet by six feet around. Um was it it was brass, not bronze, it's brass, but um it was moved. So eventually I guess it

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is in storage. We know where it is. It is in city storage. We have found it. Um and we presented pictures to the school committee last week talked about it um possibly in the future applying for a community preservation grant to maybe get a base for it and have it some

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permanently installed. But if you ever look up Homer Gun, you'll notice that he has actually given other sculptures to the city of Greenfield. Um, one is, as I'm coming down Maine, taking a left on Federal, right at the bank, there's >> whale, >> a whale tail, I call it. Um, you might

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see it right there. Um, over the war war memorial. There's a few in there that are by him as well, too. So, you know, just thanks to Jim for bringing that to our attention and hopefully getting that back somewhere where the public can, you know, observe that and and honor what he

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gave to the city for that. And his wife actually taught in Greenfield as well, too during the time there. So, just wanted to bring that up to you. Uh, you may have heard at times, I know we've had people talk about our volunteer policy with the Greenfield public schools and it may be too stringent. Um,

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sometimes I'm not too sure if it's ever too stringent, but we're Sometimes in this day and age it's a we have to cover ourselves a lot and really protect our students, right? They're our most valuable assets in that sense. What's made it difficult on people is that when we have to do fingerprinting and some of

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you may have to do it in life for jobs um or if you ever wanted to get TSA pre-check etc. There used to be a facility at Staples in Greenfield where you could go and there a little section of it that closed last summer fallish.

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There was one in Athel. The Athl one just closed about a week ago. So there residents have to go to Westfield at this point. We did get notice that they are looking to place one back in Greenfield. This is in Dento. It's a national service for the federal

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government. Uh that being said, I do think there are times we've looked at it. We've talked with our some of our subcommittees with the school committee. There are times where I don't think people need fingerprinting. It's definitely still Corey. if they were coming in, for example, maybe you were coming in to

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read to a classroom. You're going to sign in. Somebody's going to walk you down the hallway. You're going to sit in front of 20 students with a teacher, maybe a pair of professional. You're going to read for 15 minutes, and then you're going to get walked back out the door. Definitely, we would still corey

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check you on that and do that, but we will be relaxing fingerprinting for times when we don't believe people have, you know, alone time with students. So, we'll be understand that because we have heard that loud and clear from people. We want people in our schools, but we

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want people safe as well, right? And our students safe. So, we'll f we'll get that happy median on that. But if yeah, if you were still going on a field trip with a student, you would still need a core and fingerprinting for that. But it would be for the quick hits where people are running in and out of the building.

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Our teachers have their final professional development day this Friday. So, it is a half day for students to all those parents and students out there. And tomorrow, our Federal Street School has girls on the run. Some of you may have heard about this program. It's where um we have some

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staff members who are working with young ladies, young women running, building up their endurance, and they're running three miles tomorrow at the high school track after school. It's kind of their finality for that. So, I'll head over there and see that. It's always great to support obviously people being athletic,

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moving, running three miles. I will not be joining them in the three mile run. and I will be cheering on the sidelines for that. So, congratulations to them. And just a reminder that we will have extended school year, summer school this year as we have in the past. And I do want to briefly touch and it's going to

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be brief. Um we spent some time last night with your ways and means subcommittee if it's a subcommittee I believe. Um I don't want to misrepresent anything and presented a our version of a budget which we have and we are appreciative of the mayor's budget. The

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mayor's budget did add some funds to the school this year, but there was still a delta, right? There's still a difference from what it would take to run everything we're running this year and transplant that into next year, which would equal no staff lost due to budget and no program reductions. We're able to

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make some moves within our own budgets. We've heard you loud and clear, not just you, but our our own school committee members, the public, about using revolving accounts, um excess money, excess and deficiencies. some of those things, vacancy savings from this year. So, last night I was happy to say I mean

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that we would did not ask for any additional funds from the mayor's budget or from the city council. So, I know you still have a lot more work to do and I know that other departments still have their time coming up, but we're I think we're proud of the fact that we're not

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putting you in a a bind this this year, right? And we're not we're not providing every year in the future. We know that that there'll be some tough years, but if we can help out, we've heard it loud and clear that we should help out and and thanks to the school committee, uh we did. We think we did anyway. So

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hopefully the rest of your meetings and deliberations coming through the final budget passing next month are a little easier as a result of that. And that is all I have. >> Thank you. And just thank you for a

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really thorough um presentation of the budget. I watched while I was making devild eggs last night for the school tonight. Oh, did you make it over to the >> No, devil eggs. >> But anyway, really appreciate that you you all listened and were really clear

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in your presentation. So, thank you. Um, I want to open up uh any questions from counselors. Dang, that was easy you all. Good job. Thank you for all your hard work. Really appreciate it. And we only have you for another month, right? >> Okay.

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>> All right. We'll keep grilling you. Thank you. >> All right. At this point, I'd like to invite up the mayor and anyone else she wants to bring up with her. hi everybody. Um just going to tell you first about um

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Shelurn Road. Um our staff has been looking at options for fixing Shelurn Road since the Calbertt washed out in April. Um the reality is that the whole road is crumbling. I went up there a

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week ago. Um and another large chunk of the road had fallen away. So a repair would require much more than just fixing one culbert. Our estimate is around 20 million to get the road reopened.

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And a project of that scale is actually beyond the city's means right now. We're staying in touch with residents on the Shelurn road side of the wash out. They understand that the road will remain closed for the foreseeable future. We've

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made arrangements so that our partners in Shelurn will respond for emergency services. Greenfield will still respond, but Shelurn's agencies will dispatch to ensure that help arrives quickly. Um, we're making sure that the residents

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continue to receive trash and recycling collection and we are working on them to re to address some of the other headaches. Both residents have been absolutely lovely to work with and I want to thank them for their resilience and understanding during this difficult time.

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Recycling. Um, I'm happy to announce that our new recycling system is finally in action. We'll be ironing out some of the wrinkles over the coming weeks, but I'm hopeful that this change will increase efficiency and reduce injuries among our staff. I also think the

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recycling carts are a nice upgrade for most residents. Collection with the new trucks is off to a good start. Most residents are following the guidelines for um cart placement and our staff are adjusting quickly to the new equipment.

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We know that some homes were missed on the initial round of cart deliveries. DPW is working hard to deliver those remaining carts. Residents who not who did not get a cart should complete the form that's linked on the city website and we will deliver to them as quickly

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as possible. I want to thank our DPW staff for all their hard work over the past few weeks. This transition has been a huge undertaking and they deserve our appreciation for making it happen. budget meetings. Well, the budget

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meetings are still ongoing. We've heard from DPW, public safety, and the schools, and I want to thank the Ways and Means members for spending lots of nights um night after night, and we're working together to get this budget passed. Um,

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Beef Fest, we had a lovely Beef Fest on Saturday. The weather was perfect and there was a great turnout. I went down to Energy Park and heard some of the music for Mr. Mrs. G as well as twice as smart student singers. I love that event and it continues to grow. I want to

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thank the 45 volunteers who made this year's beef fest possible. And also want to recognize Sandy Thomas who is stepping down from organizing the beef fest. She founded this event 16 years ago and has nurtured it and also gave me

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a set of antenna. She's a wonderful person and um introduced this whole thing into the community. Thank you to Sandy. That's all I have. I'll take any questions. >> Thank you, Mayor. Questions for the mayor.

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Councelor Gordon. >> Good evening, Mayor. Uh thanks for being here and for all the updates as always, particularly in the middle of this very challenging budget season. Um, first I want to also echo the thanks to DPW and everyone that was involved with getting the recycle carts out there because even

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just waking up on Tuesday morning and seeing all the blue carts out on my street was more exciting than I actually thought it would be. It was it was really great. Um, and I know a lot of work has gone into it over a long time. Um, I have a question that's unrelated

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to to any of the things that that you mentioned, but um, I have Eversource electricity and yesterday or possibly Monday, there was an outage that I think affected about uh 1,700 people if I understand correctly. And I called

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Eversource and was told that it was actually an outage that was due to an official request from the city that had something to do with public safety. Um and I I think it's a rare thing. They didn't know exactly, you know, the reason for the request. Um, and I'm sure

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that there was a very good reason, but I just wondered if you can offer any more information if that's something the public is can be privy to. >> I can't. So, I'm just going to look back and see if anybody else knows more about that.

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>> All right. >> Well, um, you can see from my face that didn't come from us that that was a request. I And I actually had heard that that many people were without. And that's what Eversource says. I'll track it down and find out, but I

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I actually can't imagine what that would have been for. So, thank you for letting me know. >> Yeah. Thank you. And it may have just been miscommunication. It may not. And they did say it was a public safety request. Um he said it was from the city, but that might have also been a mistake on their part. But yeah, if you find anything out, I'd be curious to

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know. Thank you, >> Councilw. >> Hi, Mayor. Um, I just wanted to say in front of everybody that um I wanted to thank you that we don't have to have a budget where we're cutting unnecessary things from schools

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and we're cutting um you know, we're not cutting people. We're also not voting on a Prop 2 and a half. and I see our neighbors in the south doing that as well as cutting after school programs and extracurriculars and we're not dealing with that. So despite how

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troubling it has been like that is a huge relief and thank you so much mayor. I have two questions. No one else has anything. Um the first with the sewer overflow discharge the other day.

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Just wanted to get a sense of how we're going to make sure that those don't happen and kind of what the process will be to write that ship. So on that one, I think I probably would

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defer to to Paul Newell, but in general, a lot of the sanitary overflows um have been, you know, during heavy rains. This was not related to that. I I think it was things that were just stuck. And

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I don't know how it got there. If you need a better explanation of that, maybe Paul could explain it. Um I actually went down. I saw them working the next day. Um, and they were still sucking stuff up out of there. And I don't know why it goes in there. Do you want me to

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ask Paul? I think he's here to come up. >> I actually worked at a wastewater treatment plant in the chemistry part in high school and college. And you were right. Stuff gets stuck. I remember hearing those stories. That's what I heard. >> We don't want to talk about because that gets gross. But

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>> okay, fair enough. Uh but you know as we're moving into an era with a lot more torrential rain, you know, it's something that we I think is important to be looking at our climate resilience and how we have the the right

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infrastructure to not have sewer overflows, >> right? So what you even spend on I ini every year which you just voted to approve I believe um you know we're looking at that because we're putting when it rains

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far too much gets in there and that that leads to more of the overflow. So that has been improving slowly but I always have my fingers crossed when it when we have a heavy rainstorm. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um my second question is is

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just give you a chance to give an update. Um I know we are all proud that we were able to switch our health insurance um and work with you to get onto the GIC. How is that moving along? Are we all set? Well, yes, we just got the second thing

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back signed today. So, um we should be sending that in by July 1. And I'd like to thank all the union representatives as well and and one of our retirees that made sure that that all got around for the second set of signatures. But um

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that was just sent to Stephen today. So um that is huge news that everybody agreed and then we had to finalize the last draft and to get that signed by everybody and have it handed in. today we'll be able to get that in a timely

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fashion because it needs to be in by July 1 for us to make the transition to on January 1st. It will be an an inordinate amount of work for our HR department and also for folks at the school making the transition to get

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everybody over to that. So I keep going in and thanking them in advance. what will it like most things it's not just one person it's a lot of people that get together to to have something happen people working together and it's coming

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together nicely thank you mayor any other questions for the mayor all right well we've I know you've been to a lot of budget meetings and a lot of late nights so I'm happy to turn you loose early thank

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Great. So, next we're coming to public comment and we'll take both online as well as uh folks who've signed up here. Um and I'm gonna kind of bump back and forth between online and in the room. So, first person we have um as Allison

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Vanderweldon. >> Yeah. And just a reminder, you've got three minutes name and where you live. And we're going to take people who live in Greenfield first. So, if anybody's not from Greenfield, we'll come back around. Thank you. Okay. Sorry. Thank you. Okay. Um,

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so my name is Allison Vanderveden. I'm at 81 High Street uh in Greenfield. I use she her pronouns. And I wanted to comment on the um excuse me, proposed uh or discuss cuts to police budget. I'm going to try to talk fast because I've

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got two hats that I wear in this conversation. Um the first one I want to just breeze through and and invite any follow-up questions from anybody. later. Um I run the community health center of Franklin County. Um it's a $20 million organization providing healthcare to

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anybody who needs it. Um we are located on Main Street and I have to say that practically speaking it has been very very helpful having excuse me having um our downtown business officers there to

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assist. um they have rapport with a lot of the folks that we sometimes need to move along if they're not conducting themselves properly um or if they're making other folks uncomfortable. We don't really have our own resources necessarily.

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And um just having folks who have these relationships uh already in place has been just very helpful for my my staff and my team um in and making it so that

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they're less nervous to ask for help when we need it in order to make everybody feel safe. We really want everybody to be welcome there. Um, and so it's been um it's been pretty uh critical and helpful. The other hat that

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I wear is I am actually a spouse of one of those officers. And I want to just preface this by saying I'm not concerned at all for like uh her job security or anything like that. Um, but I do get a

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perspective that I think is really um not commonly uh uh received just because I've had a chance to sort of see firsthand the work that the that the police and especially in Greenfield are doing, which is not

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exactly what's happening in other places. We're really really lucky here. Um I consider myself a progressive. Um, but I do have concerns about cuts that could impact the most like useful progressive portions of that

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budget. Um, I think the the the last thing to go is the, you know, like 911 response sort of thing. Um, and I think that there's always a lot of privilege at the table when we're talking about budgets. And I know for myself until I

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had a little firsthand experience learning and listening, I did not realize how many marginalized folks depend on these services and whose lives are made better. Um I'm going to have no time, but I want to just um one quick

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example knowing the person there, you know, a regular downtown who um am I finished this thought or you want me to cut it? Okay. Um I don't know how serious we are about our three minutes but uh having a relationship and having rapport with an

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individual um allows when something escalates right some things happen and there there needs to be uh police intervention it means that those officers can arrive with um some benefit of the doubt because they have they know

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right an individual isn't likely to have a weapon or anything like that or or they do this regularly Um, so anyway, I just wanted to emphasize that it's any cuts should just really know what your what the impact

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will be. So, >> thank you. >> Sorry for going over. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mora Babino. Yep. Um, my name is Mora Babino. I live at 111 Beach Street in Greenfield. Um, I wanted to thank the city council for the

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opportunity to speak this evening. Um, I want to speak on behalf of the Greenfield Police Department. Our has always held our local police force in high regard. Um, looking back over the years, most of our interactions with the police department has been in a first responder capacity. For approximately 10

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years, my husband and I took care of my dad, whom suffered from vascular dementia and Parkinson's. These conditions severely impacted his mobility and his ability to care for himself. Over the years, as his conditions worsened, we needed to make several calls to 911 for medical

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assistance. It was on almost every occasion that officers from our local police department responded first. Their diligence and quick response was most comforting and helpful in our time of need. It was during this speedy police response that medical guidance was often

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provided to us with instructions on how to best help my father as we would await the arrival of EMTs. The most frequent reason for our 911 calls was due to episodes of syncopy or passing out. Um, it was one of our great local officers

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that showed me how to properly prop my dad's hat, my dad's head up by holding under his jaw and supporting his chin to ensure his airway stayed open while we awaited EMTs. While uncon um at the time, the support and guidance that the department provided was invaluable. It still is

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till this day. We strongly believe that the quick and consistent response helped us keep my dad at home with us and he was able to enjoy his final years at home as he wished. Currently, my husband, Michael, right here, is recovering from a critical illness. Um, he was hospitalized for a month in March

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and is now home recuping. Um, recently we decided to venture out to Denny's for breakfast. Um, and we thought the time was right to make his first posthos outing as he had been doing well. Um, things were seemingly fine until suddenly they were not. Um, my husband

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looked at me, said he felt his blood pressure dropping and he was gone. Um, the staff at Denny's was amazing. They promptly assisted in calling 911. Several patrons were concerned and offered to help as well. Within a minute, literally a minute of our call

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for help, an officer working a detail across the street kindly responded. Um, he was there in the blink of an eye getting pertinent information from me and offering whatever reassurance he could that help was on the way. Fortunately, my husband is okay. The incident at Denny's led to an overnight

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hospital stay where it was discovered that my husband's blood pressure was getting dangerously low, which was causing him to pass out. We continue to be thankful for the police response that day and feel that having a fully staffed and fully funded police department is essential for our city. Our residents

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deserve this coverage. We want to stress how lucky we feel the citizens of Greenfield are, how lucky we are that our police force is always able to respond without hesitation in our time of need. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you so much.

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Eli Jarvis. Hello everybody. I'm at Jarvis 76 Plantation Circle, Greenfield pres uh precinct 1. I just like to take a moment to thank everybody for for your time and your dedication to the city. I sat in those seats. Uh so I know what the the

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hot seat that you're in. Um I was a deputy deputy fire chief of the city of Greenfield and now I'm the public safety chair person. So um just like to say um that our men and our women and our folks that are that provide our public service

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to this city do a wonderful job. Um, I I can guarantee you that these folks don't go to work every day thinking, you know, to give somebody a hard time to arrest somebody, to give somebody a ticket. Yeah. I mean, these these these folks

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are dedicated and I think they go I know that they go to work and want to at the end of the day make a difference, a positive difference in somebody's life life and walk away with the gratitude that they have done. So, um, so I'd like

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like you to keep that in mind that that I know I did for 30 years go to work and and wanted wanted to make a difference, a positive difference in everybody's life that I touched. Um, so I'm on behalf here saying please don't cut these these budgets already thin as they

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are. Um, I heard that the school department had made leaps and bounds in in trying in in digging down in the coffers and doing what their their part that they could do to save save budgets. Just a quick re um recap of the last 24 hours of of the fire department. Now,

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keep in mind that that when the fire department response, most of the time it's a multi- aent agency response that that you get police and fire along. the last 20 the last 24 hours um the fire department went on did 10 to 10 10 to 12 primary ambulance calls. They had a

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gazebo fire at GCC today. They had a motor motor vehicle into a telephone pole. They had a motor vehicle accident with enttrapment. Um they had over 20 EMS calls that they went on. We we responded to we had

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multiple um mutual aid ambulances in the city because we weren't able to handle our what we had for ambulance calls and neither were AMR. So we had mutual aid coming in. Um if you stood there and waited for a mutual aid ambulance while

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somebody was in pain like I did for 30 minutes one night out on in the meadows a gentleman with a broken hip waited 30 minutes for an ambulance to come mutual aid. It's pain pretty painstaking just to watch that person and you can't do nothing for them. You're helpless. So So

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we need to we need to keep our budgets intact. We need to keep our men and women and our all of our folks working and and and keep them funded. U we've we've cut the budget. There's no place else to cut it. If money's taken away, it's going to mean delayed responses.

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Maybe they don't get the help that they want want. And I just I just wish I I hope and I always looked at it when I sat in your seats that yes, I was from precinct one, but I had to keep in mind the whole city. There's 17,000 voters in

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this town. So even though I had 50 emails from precinct one, I had to think of what everybody else wanted in the city of Green for the 17,000. Thank you. I know my time's up. I heard it. Thank you very much for your time.

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>> Next, I have Empress Hello. Good evening. First, I want to apologize before I get started. I'm about to say some things. A lot of you guys probably never heard me talk this way, but I'm pissed off. Okay. >> I just need your name and address. Sorry. >> I'm sorry. Empress 911 Main Street, Greenville, Massachusetts. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. This is regarding

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statements from the um April 13th human um rights commission meeting. Um at 102, Paul stated teachers of color should be leading the anti-racism anti-racism bullying coalition, but there isn't any, not one seriously throughout the whole

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school system, and there's no vision to have teachers of color. Throughout that conversation, he laughed at least three to four times. Then he went on to say, "I know nothing about the black community except for Gloria Matlock and her work, but and I'm stressing but it's

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not a coordinated community." Well, well, well. We have a job to do. Greenfield, I am calling on the mayor's office, city council, teachers, teachers union, school committee, PTO members, all public officials, and all community members regardless of party affiliation

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to come together and remove this individual from the human rights commission. We don't have a large representation of educators of color. That is true. However, we do have educators of color who educates our children. By stating his comments, he single-handedly undermines the work they

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do in our schools. Or to be fair, he's so underconnected or ill-informed about our educators that he stated a falsehood and is lacking facts, which means he needs to shut his face and get re-educated. Second, there's so much to say here,

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ladies and gentlemen. If you are confused on what passive aggressive racism looks like, to say the black community has no coordination in Greenfield is a great starting point. We may be small, yes, but we are mighty. And the same black community he took the time to degrade is the same person of

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that community who's sitting before you tonight. Now, let me tell you the work that I've done for the black community and the community at large for Greenfield. I worked the past two with the past two superintendents to combat racism in schools and develop programming for youth in our community.

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In 2025, I partnered with David Messing and the civil rights department and the superintendent's office and share programming with him to assist our staff and young people on ways to combat racism and bullying. Also in 2025, David Messing and I started planning on going

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to Light and Woods Oak Courts and Greenfield Gardens and we will be going there next month together um to speak directly to families who feel their voices has not been heard. And that starts in June. And this is going to be an ongoing collaboration where we're going out and meeting with these

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families. In closing, once again, he needs to be removed. Individuals like him, especially with an official title, are poison to our community. I'm not going to stand by and allow him to destroy us. Let's stand together in strength and unity to let him like him

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know enough is enough. Yes, there is freedom of speech, but there is not freedom of consequences. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'm going to go to online. Um, my first person is Alan Constantine.

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So, Alan, feel free to unmute yourself and name and address, please. Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. Yes, we can. >> Well, thank you. My name is Alan Constantine

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and I'm a 50-year owner of apartments in Greenfield and the president of the Landlords Business Association. Okay. I live in Gil Mass. Now, I'd like to talk about the proposed

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initiative to limit rental increases. And I have two big problems with it. One is, of course, the inability for building owners to raise the rent is necessary. The other is it will stifle

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rehabs of older rental property in the town of Greenfield. Okay. If this proposal goes in, landlords will will have to raise their rent yearly because they're not sure what's going to happen again. Since I've been doing this for 50 years, I've never raised the rent

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every year. But now, since I don't know what's going to happen the year after, I'm going to have to. In many years past, I've had tenants who have had problems financially or medically, and I wouldn't raise the rent for a very long time just to help them out, knowing that eventually they'd move and I'd be able

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to recap the rent with a proper amount at that time. Now, that can't happen. So, I can't be a nice guy anymore. And that's wrong because people in my position should be able to help people as necessary. There have been years I hadn't raised

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the rent for uh for a tenants for the longest time because I just didn't have to. But now this proposal says I'm going to have to. Okay. Now, as for the rehab in Greenfield, if you look around the town of Greenfield, you'll

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find many, many older houses that have been rehabbed and have a great job done to them. People put a lot of money in knowing that they're going to be able to get their money back in rents in the future. As this goes in, if I buy an

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older house with lower rents, I can't raise the rent back to where it needs to be for me to be able to put any money in it. And this is going to stop rehabs. The only thing that's going to happen is people will be able to buy a building that's not uh an apartment house of any type and

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put apartments in it and then they can pick the rent they want. Now, that's ludicrously unfair. So, you know, that that that will really hurt the town of Greenfield a lot because now we're going to have a lot of derelict apartment houses that need work that people just won't put that money

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into them. So anyway, if this proposal goes in, you're going to hurt a lot of landlords who are not going to make enough money and people like me who I've worked full-time and this is just a part-time thing for me and I've done it for years and I'm now retired and I just have a

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couple houses and I do it. It's going to hurt the town of Greenfield because all those houses that need work, people just they're not going to they're not going to work on it. they're just going to be left alone. It's going to hurt the town of Greenfield because there's going to be less buildings out there that you're

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going to be able to tax and you're going to have lower revenue. So, I I really think we we need to vote against this proposal. It is not good for the community in any way. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. Next, I've got Madden

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Aaliyah. Hi, I'm Madam Malia. Um, I'm a homeowner in Greenfield. I live on Pine Street and I'm also a business owner down in Hampshire County. Um, I enjoy living in my house. I love living in Greenfield and I also see my house as an asset and

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I want to see it increase in value over time and I'm very aware also of how much of my taxes and income go to social services and welfare in the state and municipally. Um, I really want the city to do well and I want there to be less

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of a dependence that Greenfield has on welfare and social services and I want to see less need for crisis intervention especially for homelessness and addiction and we know statistically that those are things that are tied directly to housing stability and a lot of money

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goes into those here. Um, the financial situation of renters affects me directly and affects homeowners and our property values because Greenfield needs to be a city where people can afford to live and start businesses and spend their money at businesses and because a healthy

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economy isn't stagnant, right? That's like the JFK thing is that a rising tide lifts all the boats. If you want to tell me we have a thriving economy in Greenfield or a thriving job market in Greenfield, then we should walk down Main Street together because I don't see that to be true. And I think the problem

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with an unregulated housing market is that it benefits a really small group of people which is property investors. And furthermore, the investors actually if they have multiple properties have tax incentives to raise rents and keep them empty to offset earned income on other properties.

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Also, the economy we have just isn't stable enough for an unregulated housing market to work successfully because we don't have movement on all fronts. We don't have the wages or jobs increasing at the same time as we have a really really in rapidly increasing cost of

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living and inflation. I want to make a case for nonstabilization for a more affordable housing market that benefits all of us because it allows more money to circulate in our community and I think that our community really needs more circulation economically. I also think

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that providing more affordable housing and rent stabilization provides an earlier intervention for problems that are way harder and more expensive to solve at later stages, which is where we lend where we end up with when we're looking at homelessness, we're looking at addiction. I think I don't want to

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see the city fall into this like more conservative trap of refusing to provide resources upfront because it's like communist, which it is not, and then having to spend way more money later on, which I think is the status quo in a lot of communities like ours. I also think that the threats that landlords are

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making that they say will happen if there's rent stabilization are already happening, right? Rents are already increasing. Landlords are already not making repairs. the market is really out of control because it is a limited commodity. And I push back against the

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idea that all of these things are going to suddenly pop up when we have any type of um stabilization. And I also think landlords coming and saying that an a regulated housing market would take away their ability to be a nice guy is exactly why we need a regulated housing

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market because whether or not you get to live in a house that is safe and have shelter and that doesn't gouge you year by year should not just be dependent on someone's mood. >> Thank you. >> I'm going to move back to the room. Um

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and next I have up is El Norman. Uh, counselors, my name is Al Norman, Grenell Street. I'm here this evening to uh repeat what I said last October of 2025 when I wrote a column in the recorder supporting rent control, rent

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stabilization, whatever is the vogue word now. um for the very simple reason that I have spent many years of my life trying to see affordable housing in Greenfield. Whether it was lobbying Ted Kennedy's office for the Weldon to be converted

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into housing or the Milhouse with Sylvio Kanti, I worked hard to see that we would have enough housing that could be affordable to people. Now, there's a difference between I've been told that the key to this was to just create a

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flood of h new housing in Greenfield and then the rents would come down. Um, I want to tell you that there's a there's a house that's been recently uh put up on the market on Conway Street. It's a duplex uh from a upand cominging

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developer in our area. And the advertised rent was $3,200 a month. Uh I don't believe that you know without rent stabilization the addition of new housing units is not going to mean a drop in rents. We have

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to have something that's clear and fair both to the landlords and to the tenants. And I think this is the idea that the rents uh the the national the the state level uh language in is is uh actually I think very generous to the

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landlords. You can have a uh you know a limit of 5% on the rent, but you can you can increase your rent 5% and the starting point is is the end of January of 2026. So in other words, there's no leveling up. You're already if you're already

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charging a very high rent, it's going to stay 5% higher. So it's not doing it's not doing any uh harm to those landlords. And if you if you brought a unit on in the last 10 years, you're not even covered by this new law. You have to have been a landlord at least 10

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years. And the small the small mom and pop landlord that that has a couple of units in their house or one unit for rent, they're not covered either. So, I think that rent stabilization is fair. I think that we have to do something to deal with uh the the uh the folks who

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are at 80% or less of the area median income, the so-called low income. Those folks are the ones who have been getting screwed by the housing problems. It's not the middle income and it's not the upper income people who come in here from out of the area and buy a six or

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$700,000 house. That market is still going. That market is fine for those people. They don't need our help. It's the lower income people. That's whenever I So, whenever I hear market rent, I rent I cringe a little bit because my focus has always been on let's try to

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help people who don't have the resources uh to to be able to afford the houses. and I I live next to a group home, so I know what it's like. These people can and not afford a $3,200 a month rent. So, I'm urging you to vote later this

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evening for both parts of the emotion on the state ballot uh issue and on the two bills that you've been asked to support and I and I hope you will do that unanimously. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mark Saku. Hello. Thanks for uh thanks for hearing

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me. Um my name is Mark Zakio. I live at 13 Highland Avenue. Um I I sent in a letter opposing the rental registry um and inspection ordinance. I just wanted to read that out loud. Um

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sure. I'm writing to respectfully express my concerns regarding the proposed rental registry and inspection ordinance. While I appreciate and support the goal of ensuring safe, well-maintained housing in Greenfield, I believe the ordinance as drafted as drafted may

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unintentionally burden responsible landlords while offering limited improvement over existing systems. Existing systems already address unsafe housing. Greenfield already has effective mechanisms to address substandard housing conditions,

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including state sanitary codes, uh, compliant based inspections, building and fire code enforcement, and strong tenant protections under Massachusetts law. The ordinance even itself acknowledges that complaints must be investigated within 30 days um, through the board of

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health. Strengthening these existing tools may be more efficient and less disruptive than creating a new regulator. structure. The ordinance places new burdens on responsible landlords. The proposal applies

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uh uniformly to all landlords regardless of their compliance history. Many property owners already maintain their buildings to high standards and have no record of violations. Subjecting these owners to the same level of oversight as problematic landlords may not be the

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best use of city resources and could create unnecessary administrative and financial strain. Um, the ordinance uh that I read um introduces several new obligations

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including a $30 annual registration fee per unit. Um $75 inspection fee for a unit every five years. Um self inspection checklists that most responsible landlords already do um in

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order to rent their spaces. um posting permits and inspection forms um and then um followup inspections and fines. Um for me, just the administrative

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effect of of having to register every single apartment that you have and and going through this inspection process as well as the cost is significant. Um

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I I believe that a targeted approach would be more effective. A broad uniform oversight system may not be necessary and and we don't think it is. Many landlords already maintain their properties responsibly. Um let's use a more focused strategy, one that

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directs enforcement towards genuinely problematic properties and dissuades irresponsible investors. This would better protect tenants while allowing the majority of respectful law-abiding landlords to continue managing their properties. Right.

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>> Great. Thank you so much. >> Next, I'd like to invite Cat Miller. Hello and good evening. My name is Cat and I've lived in Greenfield all 43 years of my life. I've had exactly four addresses. The one I have now, a duplex in which I rent, one half, has been mine

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for over 16 years, approximately 40% of my life. My cat, who died back in September, lived her entire life in this home. I see her in every corner room and comfy blanket thrown about. I cannot imagine ever leaving this home, leaving behind the physical reminders of my

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beloved companion. My story started with a text message from my landlord back in November. Your rent is going up 20% on January 1st. In the state of Massachusetts, a text message is not a legal form of notification for rental increase. So, I asked him to send a letter at his

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convenience. Then, I asked again and again and a fourth time and a tenth time. Months went by. I continue to pay my rent at the rate I had been paying it. MidFebruary. Quote, I put a letter in your mailbox today. Great, I thought. Finally, I

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retrieved the letter and I ripped it open, reading slowly. Your rent is going up 40% on April 1st. Did I read that correctly? Did my r landlord raise my rent again before I had even agreed to the first rental increase? Surely that was a mistake.

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After 16 years of rental history, all of it impeccable, I started to research my rights, and that's when I found the East Hampton Tenants Union. They taught me all about tenant rights, what my landlord can and cannot do, and how to protect myself. I drafted a letter

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asking my landlord to negotiate. I hoped he'd be reasonable, as he had once been. When I first moved into my home, it was meant to be temporary. I had just gone through a breakup, and since it was mid- November, I needed somewhere to settle for the winter. My landlord and I agreed on a rate that felt comfortable for me.

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Quote, "I care more about having a good tenant than charging top dollar." He said almost those exact words to me. My landlord had won the lottery years prior. He could be flexible, he said. Back to my negotiation. He ignored my

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request. I was told to expect that, but I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was. In early April, my landlord left a notice to quit in my mailbox. But then I had already started to organize Greenfield's very first tenant union. We had our first meeting on May 11th and we had almost hundred people show up. Our

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city desperately needs help. And my story is not unique. There are thousands of Massachusetts renters who have landlords just like mine. Landlords are going to continue to try to raise our rents to pad their pockets to buy their fifth, 10th, 20th home while we

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struggle to pay for groceries and put gas in our vehicles. The lawyer helping me with my soon-to-be eviction case told me that the amount of inquiries he gets regarding unjust rental increases has almost doubled in the last year. Landlords are grasping at straws, attempting to raise rents to

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astronomical heights before we vote on rent control. They're scared. And I say, "Good. Let them be scared because I am also scared. I'm scared of being pushed into poverty. Scared of leaving the place where I rebuilt my life from the ground up. I'm scared of leaving my

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girls nose prints on the windows. Scared of losing my life, my security, my home. Landlords are scared of losing money. There is no equating the two. Massachusetts and Greenfield Council sitting in front of me. We need to bring rent control back and we cannot wait another minute to do so. Thank you.

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>> Thank you. >> Thank you. I want to go to the folks online. Um EJ Baker Wait. >> You're not a hologram. Okay. >> Hello. Um, my name is EJ Baker. I live

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in precinct 6. Um, first of all, I would like to briefly reiterate my support for prioritizing funding for the public schools um and the rec room position. And also to reiterate my concern for what I see as a lack of clarity and transparency in the proposed police budget. However, the main focus of my

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comment tonight is to voice my support for the resolution in support of statewide rent control bills and b and ballot initiative. I moved here three years ago from Somerville. And while I love living in Greenfield, I also loved my neighborhood in Somerville where I lived for close to a decade until I

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could no longer afford to do so. Many people my age, and I'm I'm not so young. I'm in my mid-30s. Um, and younger find themselves unable to imagine a stable future in the communities that they love because of skyrocketing housing costs. Rent control could change that.

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Affordable, stable communities both attract new residents and make it possible for people to put down roots in the community where they already live. When people feel like they can grow where they're planted, they're more invested in civic life and communities flourish. Both of my next door neighbors here in

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Greenfield are owner occupier landlords with close relationships with their tenants. The proposed ballot initiative supported by the resolution before the council tonight would not affect them. Rather, it aims to prevent large corporate entities like the one that owned my apartment in Somerville from

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making exorbitant increases in rent for aging units. Ask me how much I was paying for an apartment full of black mold. I urge the council to vote in favor of this resolution in the interest of supporting affordable, livable communities in Greenfield and across the state. Thank you.

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>> Thank you. >> Ella Condan, you can unmute yourself and just state your name and address. Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Ella Condan, precinct 6. Um, I have several things I would like to say.

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Um, one is I'd like council to support the rent control resolution and shout out to Cat Miller. It's very cool that you are doing that and leading that. I also want to um rebuttal the person who said that we don't need a rental

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registry. Um, there are a lot of tenants in Greenfield who don't report the abysmal conditions of their apartment because they would rather live with a shoddy roof over their head than no roof. And that really needs to stop. Um,

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I'd also like uh for the mayor to fund the recck room position and just support our schools in general. And I also of course uh urged council and the mayor to be more

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critical of the police department budget. Um the police department continues to fearmonger about everything under the sun whenever they are faced with budget cuts. um it causes people to be highly

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uncritical of their budget whereas many other departments and specifically the school department is scrutinized to no end regarding their budgets. Um I specifically think of a few years ago

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when the police budget was cut and then several months later they presented the cops grant. uh it was sloppy, it was last minute, uh they fear-mongered and it was passed uncritically and now we

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have a four-year financial commitment. Um whereas the DPW when they presented their grant for getting new recycling trucks, I think it took almost a year for them to get approval for city council to approve that grant. Um, I

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just really wish the police department face the same scrutinization. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, Adriana Pantidosa. >> Hi. Yes. Uh, my name is Adriana

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Pantadosi. Sorry, let me get settled here. I was moving around. Um, my name is Adriana Panidosi. I'm in precinct 6 at 74 High Street. Um I've lived in Western Mass for over two decades across Hampshire, Hampton, and now Franklin County. I'm a new

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Greenfield resident as of this month. And I'm thrilled to be joining this community and I'd like to voice my voice my support for the rental resolutions, an act enabling cities and towns to stabilize rents and protect tenants and an initiative petition to protect tenants by limiting rent increases. As a renter for my entire life, I've experienced housing discrimination,

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landlord property neglect, and illegal actions. As an example, as a child, I experienced a landlord attempting to evict my mother and myself when we requested that fire code repairs be made. I've also been lucky enough to have a positive relationship with a few landlords, but that is the rare exception and not the rule. With

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increased gentrification and market trends, as well as property management companies swooping in to purchase and barely maintain properties, so many renters simply cannot afford to live here. And if they manage it, the quality of their homes are subpar. I am not able to afford to live here as a working-class person on my own. I work

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multiple jobs and I'm also pursuing my master's degree at Smith School for Social Work. When I was first looking at apartments in Greenfield this year, I was disheartened to see the prices and the quality of housing. I hear landlord concerns about being able to charge what they need to repair the buildings and rents for one and two bedrooms are at

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and above 1,600, 1,800, 2,000 already and more. If landlords are not budgeting appropriately to maintain their properties, that shouldn't be on the backs of tenants who are paying paying more than their fair share. wages are not responding to the inflation and astronomically rising rental costs that simply do not reflect the quality of

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living that people deserve at a baseline to maintain our health, dignity, and safety. I question the state sanitary codes discussed earlier when apartments I viewed in Greenfield had what appeared to be visible mold growing on ceilings as well as fecal matter smeared on unwashed bathroom walls, torn and filthy

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carpets, and more. This is the quality of housing currently available at multiple properties in our community, and it's unacceptable. And the sad reality is renters don't have the mobility or leverage to demand safe, clean, affordable, quality housing. I want to thank city council for bringing forth these resolutions and to the other

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folks like Madden and many others who are speaking in support of affordable housing in their public comments. Um I want to urge city council to please vote in favor of these resolutions that will protect tenants and improve the accessibility and well-being of our community. Thank you for your time and consideration.

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>> Thank you. I'm gonna come back to the room and I have Dion Kasanova. >> Hello everyone. Thanks for having me. I'm Dion Kasanova. Um I'm the Franklin County lead for the statewide um rent

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stabilization ballot question. And I grew up in Greenfield. I lived in Conway Street, Latin Woods, Griefful Gardens, Deerfoot Street, and even Hope Street with some friends when we were couch surfing. Um, I graduated from Greenfield High School in 2019, and I have a college degree. Um, I recently had to

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move away from Greenfield because of the rental increase that I was facing. I um didn't want to exper experience housing insecurity. So, now I have roommates. And along with everyone that I graduated college with and some folks that didn't go to college, um we all have roommates and we're all in the same age group and

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no one can afford to live on their own um because of the insane prices that um landlords are charging and also the lack of high paying jobs in the area. So I support Control because I want to establish community. We really like Greenfield. We all were Greenfield Green

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Wave athletes. Like I love the city. I love coming here. I love supporting local businesses. I just can't afford it. So, I would I look forward to a future where I can raise children here and have a family here and be happy in a place like Greenfield. I just don't know how we could do that without something like rent civilization so people are

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able to break the chain of struggle that they've been experiencing for so long. Um I heard someone talk earlier about not being able to be a nice guy as a landlord anymore with rent stabilization being um in effect. This is not an attack on small landlords. This is

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simply just a cap on how much rent can go up every single year. So, in between tenants, the rent can still go up 5% um and it's a 5% increase every single year. So, if people haven't raised their rent in two decades, um this is not going to hurt them at all.

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Although I work for the state campaign for rent control and I no longer live in Greenfield, I really do admire the resolution that is being proposed to the city. Um, as someone who has a polyside degree and is like nerdy, I'll try to keep this short and brief, but basically a quarter

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of the city earns less than 28% I mean $28,000 a year. And close to 40% of renters in Greenfield are living in cost burden environments, which means they're paying more than a third of their income on rent. Um, I think that's outrageous.

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About 62% of all the households in Greenfield qualify for some kind of federal assistance. Um, that's that's a very high number for such a small town. So, I don't want to like bore everybody. I just really urge the city council to vote in favor of the rent stabilization. And I think that um

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I'm open to having conversations with all of you in the future. Thanks for your time. >> Thank you, Susan Warft. Good evening. My name is Susan Warft. I live at 45 Forest Avenue in Greenfield and I'm a member of the coordination

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team of housing green fields. Uh thank you for allowing me to speak. For the last year, councelor Garrett and I have been working to develop the rental registry ordinance. During that time, we have spoken with the health director, the assessor, landlords, and relevant officials to ensure that we are putting

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together that is useful, valuable, and doable. The concept for this ordinance came from initial idea from housing Greenfield. We wanted to ensure that all tenants in Greenfield, excuse me, had an understanding of their rights. We went to various agencies in the city and

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found that no one had a complete list of the rental units in the city. The health department, the building inspectors, the assessor, the fire department, and the police all had lists that they used, but there was no common list list which included all concerns or violations or

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just basic information like how many rooms an apartment had. This was more than a cause for confusion. It meant that the city as a whole did not have a full understanding of the number and types of rental units within city limits. To begin to get a handle on this

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information, Housing Greenfield applied and re for and received a small grant which allowed us to do a door-to-d dooror survey of several key downtown areas which had concentrations of rental properties. Using the list provided by the assessor's office, we learned that

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there were rental pro properties that were not on the assessor's list. We identified those properties looking through uh looking at the multiple mailboxes and also multiple um electric meters. We also discovered that

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the condition of some of the rental prop properties was questionable and should be checked for safety. Our present system of dealing with health and safety concerns was to wait for a complaint to come to the health department, the building inspector or the police. There was no proactive system to ensure that

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rental housing in Greenfield was generally safe. We then researched what other towns and cities were doing on this issue. We looked at large cities like Boston and Los Angeles and communities closer to homes such as Ammerst, Hadley, and Northampton.

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The docu document that you will have for your next month is a culmination of that research. Our goal is that the rental housing in Greenfield be safe for everyone who lives within it and that all relevant city agencies have a common understanding of where those rep rental

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properties are and that they meet a common standard. On the question of rent control, I'd like to say that the rent control referendum that is slated to be on the ballot is not the legislation I would have chosen. My first uh choice would be

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a local option with the possibility of a rent control board that would would work to ensure that renters and landlords have an opportunity to respond to issues. That being said, we have no we've had no rent control since 1994, and that has not prevented the housing

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crisis we were in, and it only puts renters in a more precarious financial situation. Please support all the rent stabilization options, including the rent control referendum. As limited as it may be, things need to change. Thank you.

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>> Thank you, Pamela Goodwin. Good evening, councilors. Pamela Goodwin, 54 High Street. Um, as a member of Housing Greenfield, I um and in favor of the um rent stabilization. I ran

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around getting tons of signatures. I guess western Mass um was better than the central part of the state and the eastern part of the state which was shocking to me because we did a a good job and it did protect landlords. I read it very carefully. We had landlords sign

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in favor of it. Secondly, I also am in favor of the rental registrate that Miss Rogopic just talked about. Um, and we've worked hard on that and I know that councelor Garrett and Susan and other people um, and there's a huge need for

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that. And as everybody knows, you know, I I never can figure out why this has become such a battle about we want businesses or do we want housing or do we need parking or do we need housing? I don't understand why we can't

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have it all. And that's the way I look at things and it's become such a contentious, divisive thing in the in the city that is annoying me. Secondly, we are the center for Franklin County. We get people and I have a heart for the

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unhoused and the homeless people. I've taken care of many of them on a regular basis. But when we have no houses for sale for a family to even come in here because that group home and this group home and this shelter and this over

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here, you know, that's a big problem. We're looking for people to find even if they want to come to Greenfield and live here and commute to go to work, that's a problem. And I have a problem with how much of these services are used. I would

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love to see a shelter that requires not drugs and alcohol, but that would require them to take care of that and get onto a different drug and then get off of that drug and then get some rehab going on. Um, I want to compliment

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counselor Gulla because I watch Ano and boy has she been training all the new city counselors in great depth. She has spent an inordinate amount of time ways and means has bent over backwards with meeting after meeting. So people should read those or study them or see them

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after the fact because if you're unaware, we have a barebones fire department. We have five and only five. And when the ambulance goes out, which we heard how often that is, there's two to three firemen that get on that

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ambulance because AMR is already out. I drive up and down High Street and the other day there were six ambulances. You can't fit six there. They were lined up waiting to get into that ER. So, tying into that, this is the elephant in the

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room that has nothing to do with this. But I'm gonna see if this shows up on camera because I've been working really hard with Suzanne Love, my daughter-in-law's predium over at that hospital and we should really support these people because that's going to

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even and it's bare bones over there. Believe me, you wait for hours in that ER and they have very few people on board. So support your local nurses. Thank you. >> Thank you. Right,

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I'm gonna move back to online and I've got Mike Love up next. >> Hi. Uh, Mike Love it, Precinct 5. Um, I want to uh advocate for the support of the rent control ballot. I think

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anything that is going to protect working people from levers that the ultra wealthy can take advantage of is something that Greenfield should stand for. Uh this is a housing crisis and this is going to be one of many things that need to be done in order to make

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sure that people can afford to live in their home and stay there and and keep communities intact. So, I co-sign so much of what people have said and uh I guess just want to like underline the importance of Greenfield as a community

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standing for that and you know sending a message to other towns out there to stand for something like this too and to protect their own community. And I hope, you know, for folks that uh are opposed

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to this, like I I hope there is the recognition that people are being squeezed everywhere and there's got to be some sort of relief. It does not seem like that is on the horizon. So, um I hope you're as fervent as in advocating for a minimum wage increase or something

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else to help people keep pace, but otherwise it's really putting so many people in jeopardy. So, I'm glad that the city council is taking it on and I hope they adopt it and I hope Greenfield can kind of be an example for everyone else to do the same. Thanks.

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>> Thank you. >> Uh Jordy Herald. >> Hi, and thanks for giving me the uh opportunity to speak. Um my name is Jordy Harold. I own property on Bank Row in Greenfield. I live in Northampton. I've been involved with the Greenfield

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community for uh the last uh 17 years or so now. And I'm not the landlord for very many apartments at all in Greenfield. We have uh six units, but

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uh I'm I'm mindful of the many things that the the proponents for the rent control ordinance have been speaking about and I I understand those. Uh I

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know that in our own practice uh our rents for existing tenants are minimal fall below the threshold. Um that said, one of my problems with the statewide ordinance and as I as I

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believe would be reflected in Greenfield is that uh there's no provision for landlords to increase a rent in between tenencies. And that's problematic when we're in a situation of where our rent increases

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may be only uh I'm I'm picking a number out of the air, but you know 25 or $30 a year. Uh and then we are keeping a long-term tenant at at little or no rent increase. And then when we get to a point in

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between tenencies, uh there is no chance by the way the ordinance is written to make an adjustment. Um I would say that the units that at least that I have are all units that were newly created in

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Greenfield that is they were derelict buildings that we took on at the very town center on bank row and uh created places not just where there are businesses that hadn't existed like uh you know Kaba Coffee and Magpie and Mana House Korean and the soon to reopen

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Bear's Den. Uh but we created apartments where there weren't apartments and added to the housing stock uh and the actual rents of those were uh very related to to market. uh but at the same time

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there needs to be uh some some kind of flexibility for landlords and I don't you know believe in you know the those scare tactics or whatever well you know the heat only has to be like this much but we allow unregulated heat or you know that that kind of thing I mean those those those are I don't know

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misplaced in the conversation but there are real numbers that uh impact landlords our insurance went up 27% on the buildings in Greenfield 25 2025 to 2026 and 100% over the course of the

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time that we've owned the buildings. And so as a as a landlord, you still need to service everything that's related to the buildings. You know, the electric is up 13% year-over-year.

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The gas, and these are all included services that are included within the rent, is up 19% year-over-year. And so I'm not saying what the exact answer is, but there also has to be uh an ed an educated look at this that is more than

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just an usm situation. So, you know, and um I like to think of our properties as legacy properties that are going to stay stay with the family and we're not going to, you know, just sell to the the next

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possible owner, but we do have to have a uh a a vi a a viable path. Uh I think people also talked about uh are throwing around the 5% increase quite a bit and that's actually not the way the statute the

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statue is written to a maximum of 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever that is. So, you have a 2% year and you have $1,000 rent and the rent goes up $20, but the gas for that apartment has gone up $1,000. So, over the course of the

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year, so what do we what do we do? So, I'm not here with an answer. I'm not here to be oppositional, but I'm here to say that we have to really look at what the situation that >> Thank you.

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>> find ourselves in. >> Thank you. >> Next, I have Dawn B. >> Hello. Um, I'm Don. I'm in preceding Slicks in um Greenfield Chaplain Street.

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And I just wanted to talk about the what everyone's calling rent control. Um so back in the 70s and 80s um Massachusetts already started this. Um they did it and

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in 1994 it was repealed. Um I don't know how many people know that or why it was repealed. They can look that up. So my question is um sorry I'm with my son. Um

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my question is um what's different now with this proposal that will make sure everything works as opposed to what happened in the 70s and 80s because in 1994 they nixed it. They said it wasn't

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working for all the reasons. You know you can look that up. Um I just guess like this was recent history and it's repeating itself and I I I don't I don't know I don't think maybe many people know that. Um

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so anyways that's why I called in and um unrelated um Empress if you hear this I I hear you. I hear you and I hope others hear you too. Um God bless and good night. >> Thank you.

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Ramona Latron Latronica. >> Hi there. Can you hear me? >> Yes, >> we can hear you. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Um my name is Ramona Electronica. I live at 8 Prospect in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Um I have

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lived here for going on five years now. um where as before that I was living in the Boston area for about 10 to 12 years um through school and my first career and everything like that. Um during

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those nine years where I was living in Boston, I lived in about six different apartments. Um and some I had really good landlords and some I had some not as great landlords. Um, I'm really happy to have

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found kind of a home in Greenfield, but I am still a renter. Um, and I'm calling in just to echo everything our fellow friends have said tonight with the rent control. Um, I think Greenfield,

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voting in that resolution to support rent stabilization and rent control would be a huge win for our community and for our state. um you know, everyone's trying to kind of get by and work and you know, I have

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a good job and a stable job and that doesn't mean that things aren't tough or aren't difficult. And I think um having a little bit of control, knowing what my finances will be like as a renter, um

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just allows me some peace of mind and some dignity as a member of this community. And so I really urge the city council to vote through that resolution. Thank you. >> Thank you. Going to come back to the room. I have

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David Muscertolo. >> Thank you. Good evening folks. Good to see you. It's been a while. Um I want to um talk a little bit about public safety. Seeing them on the public safety commission. Um,

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>> I don't think I got your name and address. >> David Moscow, 43 Country Club Road, Greenfield. Um, this is my second term on the public safety commission. It's been a whole bunch of years. Um, and I'm proud of the changes that we've made.

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Um, when I started public safety, there was two public safety commissioners four years ago, and it was quite rocky. Today, we have seven. And I know I've had this conversation with councelor Gordon, councelor Brown, and others. I think we have a pretty good and pretty diverse public safety commission. So,

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I'm proud of that. Um, I don't think that there's a cop or a fire personnel that would ever want the school budget cut. I can almost guarantee that's a fact. Um,

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but I think what we need to do is we need to make sure that things are done fairly and things aren't done because of any type of political agendas or personal goals. Um,

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people have talked about fearongering. This is, you know, I've been through um lots of um budget reviews and lots of people come up here and talk either for or against different departments and different things. But I think facts are really important and every time I've

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come up here, I've talked about facts. You can look these facts up. They're public knowledge. You can ask Todd, you can ask the police department. Um within the last 24 hours, we had 45 911 calls. We have four offices on per shift. So

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that's about two 911 calls. You know, that's that's a lot of 911 calls in 24 hours. Um you can do the math. Um we know that um when

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we had a change with the mayorship, uh Todd came on board and we started to see lots of great changes. Todd's office door is open. Um, he takes calls. Any public safety commissioner, any seven of

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us call him, he calls right back. It's not a day later. It's not five days later. It's not three weeks later. It's within five minutes. His door is open in his transparency. Um, I don't think anybody

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can't say that things haven't improved and things haven't changed in our community. Um, we have a downtown police officer. Um we have um community resource officer. These are things that we didn't have before.

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Um the police serve the homeless. They regulate traffic and keep us safe. I mean, if Todd had a dollar for every time I said, "Give more tickets out for the speeders in Greenfield." And he said, "No, we're all about education."

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Um he he he will tell you I badger him about that all the time. Um but he says that's not the answer. Um I just ask you to be fair and I ask you to look at the history and look at the facts and please try to put

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political agendas aside. I appreciate your time and your hard work. Thank you. >> Thank you Thomas Power. Hello everyone. My name is Tom Power. I live at 41 Solar Way and um I'm a union

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representative and uh a member of the executive board of the Western Mass Area Labor Federation. Although my comments tonight are are my own opinions, do not necessarily reflect the organizations that I'm affiliated with. And I'm here

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to speak in support of the rent control ballot measure. Um because while now I do own my own home, I was renting just a few years ago. And when I was a renter, I lived in fear um because the rent was

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too high and it was going up too fast and there was nothing I could do about it. And so this measure simply puts a cap on excessive rent increases with carveouts for small landlords. And that is good.

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Um but I think this measure is fair. Now, you may have gotten some emails with some very scary statistics. Um, but look, anyone who's been a part of a union organizing drive knows that the

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employer will say anything to get the workers to vote against the union. and their tactics are fear, division, doubt, uncertainty, anything to sap people's confidence and

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get them to just throw up their hands and say, "There's nothing I can do about it. Nothing's going to change. Might as well vote no." And that's exactly the sort of thing that I see when I read documents like from the Center for State Policy

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Analysis. um like where are they coming up with these numbers? Seriously, because uh if you read the methodology section, it's not exactly comprehensive. I don't believe it anyway. So that's why I'm asking you to have the political

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courage to um vote yes on this um because I think that it's fair. And thank you. >> Thank you, Hannah. And while you're coming up, congrats on a great beef fest.

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>> Thank you. >> I'm going to try not to talk too loud because I got really excited, but I have something to read. Um, Hannah Rexen, 400 Adams Road. Uh, thank you all so much for the opportunity to speak. I really appreciate it. Um, my name is Hannah

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Rexen. I'm the executive director of the Greenfield Business Association. I'm a Greenfield resident. Um, I'm deeply involved in many community-f facing organizations, committees, and initiatives throughout the city. Um, I'm also in my final year pursuing a master's degree in mental health

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counseling because I wasn't busy enough. Uh, tonight I want to speak specifically about the value of human- centered community policing in our downtown and the impact I have personally witnessed it have. It is our understanding

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that the downtown community leasing program is at risk due to budget constraints. That's what we've been told. Far from being more important than any other needs in Greenfield, it is a same vital part of the revitalization effort that so many of us are actively a

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part of and that our city's overall economic health depends on. I'm not here to debate the institution of policing in America as a whole. Happy to do that later. My concern is our downtown, our business districts, and the personnel I interact with on a daily basis. I also

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want to be clear about the limits of what I'm saying tonight. We do not claim to speak for every business owner or organizational leader in Greenfield. We know that perspectives on policing vary widely and I can only speak from what we at the GBA experience every day in the

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downtown core. Through our direct interaction with business owners, with workers, residents, visitors, and people in crisis. Over the last year, we have witnessed firsthand the impact of preventative relationship building, compassionate

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engagement, and skilled deescalation practices through officers like Officer Smith, Officer Cludier, and Officer Mloud from the sheriff from the sheriff's department. Their presence has demonstrated that true public safety is not created through reactive enforcement

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after a situation has already escalated. It is created quietly through trust, familiarity, communication, visibility, and capable intervention. We do not want a downtown where officers remain in their cruisers, disconnected from the

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daily life of the community, only appearing once something has gone wrong. We have seen the difference that approachable, relationship-based policing can make in a district where people live, work, celebrate, struggle, seek help, and build community every

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single day. While we continue advocating for the removal of the one-way mirror film on the downtown police substation windows, we also will not ignore what we have observed there firsthand. People regularly approach that space for

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directions, for assistance, support, and help in moments of vulnerability, and that matters to us. During Beef Fest this year, which brought more than 1,800 people downtown, I witnessed something that deeply reinforced this perspective

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for me personally near Ice Cream Alley and Sparkle Cave. Oh, shoot. An altercation involving three individuals began to unfold in the middle of the festival. Can Will will you? I promise I'll talk so fast. Um, as the event organizer, the last thing I would have

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wanted was a cruiser arriving with lights blazing immediately, drawing fear, attention, and alarm for families and festival goers. Oh, >> um, officer, >> we're happy to have you send in. >> I did. >> Okay, great. I did. >> Thank you.

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>> Yes. Thank you so much. >> I'm sorry. I hate being the bad person, y'all. Um, >> okay. Anna Begnalio. Is this on? I think it is. They're different in the library. Good evening everyone. Uh, Anna Bono. I am a

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Greenfield resident, precinct 4, uh, Hastings Street. Um, but I'm also the director of our public library, your public library. and I'm here this evening to put in a good word. It's perfect timing following Hannah about our downtown substation. Um my job in

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the library is to ensure that every person who walks through our door has a safe space to be in and our job is hard. We are not social workers. We are librarians. We are not experts in deescalation even

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though we've done many many trainings on that. It's not our calling. It's not our job. And yet, public libraries, I'm sure you've heard it in the news and everywhere else. We have taken on a role to support society. Every single person.

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We don't call the police often, but when we do, they come and they are helpful and they're kind. They do regular walkthroughs in the library. We are so appreciative. We're trying to build community. We're a small enough community and our downtown officers are

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wonderful, kind, and empathetic people. We often reach out to them when we're concerned about a patron. Elderly folks with memory issues who can't find their car, we call them. They come and they help. An unhoused person that we haven't seen

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in a while, we call and we say, "Hey, have you seen so and so?" And they go and they check and they let us know. They're concerned. We're concerned we can't do our job without their support. So, I just wanted to come and

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say that. Um, and I think that our downtown officers have done a wonderful job building relationships in our community. Just as Hannah said, uh, I'm taking probably a $20,000 cut to my budget this year, which is significant for the library, but I am happy to do

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that if it allows us to continue to maintain our relationship with our downtown sub station and and our officers. So, I'll be seeing you all at Ways and Means or some of you at Ways and Means. and I'm happy at any time to talk about safety in the library and how

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the collaborations work with um our community. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks so much. All right, I'm going to hop back online and I've got Molly Merritt. Hi. I'm so sorry. Molly Merritt. Um,

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Precinct 7, Greenfield. Um, I am here to speak in favor of the rent control resolution. Um, I am actually a homeowner in Greenfield. I moved to Greenfield six years ago. Um, and my experience has

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been that my living costs have remained relatively flat in those six years. Um, before I moved up to Greenfield, I was renting in East Hampton and rented in the valley for 20 years. Um, and I know

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that if I had been renting these last six years, my uh, housing costs would have gone up exponentially. Um, and I think a lot of people who've been homeowners for a long time don't understand the exponential cost of rents um, in our area, especially in the last

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10 years. Um, I think it's even escalated a lot in the last five years. Um, so rent control is absolutely critical. Um, I appreciate the resolution that you all are considering uh to support the bill and the ballot

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initiative. Um, and then, you know, I just want to reiterate um that I hope we can uh re refund the recck room, middle school recck room

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position. Um, that's really important. A lot of people are talking about public safety. Um, giving kids giving our kids stuff to do is preventative public safety. Um, so I really hope we can find funding for that rec room position. And um, also just want to thank the city

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council um, for the incredible work you all are doing. I know it's a lot of work during budget season and I really appreciate um, the the workaround that seems to be figured out to level service fund the schools this year. Um, and I just want to advocate for prioritizing

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funding of schools in our budgets um, for years going forward um, that our kids are the most important thing in our city. Thank you. >> Thank you. Andy Newman. >> Hi, my name is Andy Newman. I'm a

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resident at 24 Pine Street in Greenfield. I'm also here to speak in favor of rent control. Uh although I'm currently a homeowner in Greenfield, I have been a renter for many years and I'm deeply familiar with the ways in which landlords neglect their duties and are not held responsible by the law regardless of the amount of rent that

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one is paying. Uh rent control is proven to combat poverty poverty, housing insecurity, and tenant displace displacement. Um I believe that it will help people stay in Greenfield and remain here where they want to be. Um I'm not interested in laws that help landlords make a return on their

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investment. housing which is a human right is not an arena which someone should control for profit. Um so thank you for bringing this to the city council. Thank you. >> Thank you. So we've gotten a chance to hear from everybody who mostly lives in

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Greenfield or at least that's what they wrote down. Um, so we're going to come back around to online to folks who are from outside of Greenfield and then I'm gonna f the last word will be from the folks uh in the room who don't live in

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Greenfield. So that is the process this evening. Um, so I'm looping back around and I have Yavon Mumbo online. Hi there.

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My name is Ivonne. I am a dispatcher for the city of Greenfield. I live in Orange. I have been a dispatcher for the city of Greenfield for the last three years and I currently have a concern about the dispatch budget

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or we may potentially lose one of our dispatchers. This job brings me a lot of fulfillment and I take pride in the job that I do. Since I started here, we've had a hard time maintaining what we consider full staffing. Um,

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more so because the job is just not for everyone and until they start the training process, they don't know that. Uh, the job is mentally and physically taxing. Multitasking is a must, as well as compassion and patience. We take our vacations and personal days so as not to

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wear ourselves out because burnout can happen quickly in this profession. Uh full staff for us is 10 dispatchers which is three on dayshift, three on each shift, three on night shift with a rotating schedule along with one vacation relief and our supervisor who

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covers the desk as well. Our 10th spot is vital for us to have because they don't work a set schedule and they get moved around when one of us is on vacation to cover that vacancy without creating overtime. Um, unfortunately

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disasters are unpredictable and dispatch is just there and ready whenever you may need us. Um, whether or not we have that tenth spot or not, all of our shifts must be filled with a minimum of two dispatchers on duty for each shift. Eliminating our 10th position would

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potentially increase costs due to overtime incurred when dispatchers are out. Uh dispatch doesn't only dispatch for police. We do fire and medical as well as handling walk-ins, business lines, and monitoring all businesses in

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the city who have burglar and fire alarm systems. We also work alongside countywide and state dispatch when it's necessary. Uh most people don't know what it takes to be a dispatcher. And if you'd like to know what that looks like, take the time

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to talk to one of us. Uh maybe request to come in and see our dispatch center and meet the real faces behind the phone calls. Since December, I personally have assisted in life-saving measures of at least five of our residents of Greenfield, all of whom have survived their emergencies. I know all of my

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co-workers have also handled their own share of life-threatening emergencies as well. Response time is vital for the increased chance of survival. This job can take a mental toll on all of us, especially when we are short staffed. Burnout happens quickly when you are being forced in or forced over to cover

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shifts when our co-workers are sick or out on vacation. We may not be the ones that respond to the calls, but we care. We gather any and all info as accurately and quickly as possible to ensure the safety of our responders as well as the residents of the city. Without adequate

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dispatch staffing, the city risks slowing down response times to emergencies, which is the last thing we as dispatchers would want to see happen. We finally have an amazing group of competent dispatchers, and losing any one of them would be devastating. Thank you.

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>> Thank you. And thank you for sharing your experience. >> I next have Martha Rolman. >> Hi, can you hear me? we can. >> Uh this is Martha Roman uh Pratt Hollow Road in Northfield. I appreciate your

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taking my comment and I really appreciated hearing all the compelling comments about rent control and stabilization and the housing crisis that so many mostly young people are in. I can't think of anything more important

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than that. Um, and I wanted to talk about a different kind of crisis that is uh facing wildlife. Um, I'm with the I'm with the Rescue Franklin County Wildlife Group which was launched last year and

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as part of a statewide effort to raise awareness about this problem and um and introduce uh legislation. Um and I I want to speak and I want to speak on the proposed ordinance to ban

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rodenicides on public property. Um I in case anyone is not aware of the u second generation anti-coagulant rodenticide. Uh it's the bait boxes that you see everywhere. Those black boxes all around

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foundations have escars, second generation anti-coagulant or denticides in them. They basically cause anything that ingests them, whether it's pets or wildlife to um fatally hemorrhage

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slowly. um and they are just really everywhere and the use of rodenticides um is just not consistent with sustainability. And I I really commend the Greenfield

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Sustainability Committee for helping to move things in the right direction and hopefully eventually banning these extremely toxic um tox uh pesticides on public property. Um many communities across the state

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like bowl are doing this and it can be done. Um I just wanted to mention uh we did a tableabling event recently in Keen because we're involved in um efforts in New Hampshire as well and the Keen

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recycling facility which is huge has not been using odenticides for quite some time and they have been able to do it successfully and if anybody wants me to wants me to put in you in touch with the facility manager there I'd be glad to do

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do it. I know that a lot of farmers and um other people have been having good results with the with the rodent uh birth control products and other things. But um there are ways to do it. There are better and safer ways to control

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rodents. And I just want to finally just thank uh councelor Brown and um Web for their efforts on this issue. Thank you. >> Thank you, John Schustster. Hi, can you hear me? Okay,

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>> we can. >> Hi, thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak as well. My name is John Schuster, also 29 Pratt Hollow Road in Northfield. Martha and I are husband and wife, and we're both involved with

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the uh Rescue Franklin County Wildlife Group along with Sarah Brown, Max Webb, and Jonah Keane. So, I just want to add to what Martha said uh and give a shout out to Sarah, Max, and Jonah for the work that they've been doing both on the

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city council and on the sustainable green field implement implementation committee. So, yes, I'm also speaking in in favor of the proposed ban on rodenticides on city property. And I

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just want to add that um most people just have no idea of the extent of the harm that's being done to wildlife by these especially these second generation anti-coagulant rodenocides.

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Um wildlife is very important. I know it's very important to many many members of the Greenfield community community and all across Franklin County. So, um

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if Greenfield is able to take this first step, um I think it's it I think it's important. It will make a difference for wildlife in Greenfield. It's also a leadership uh step that will be noticed uh countywide.

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And just one one really important point that I want to make because a lot of people be concerned that um if they you know don't have the use of these rodenocides that we're going to have a worse mouse and rat problem. And it's

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it's very important to understand that the long-term effect of of using these bait boxes with the poisons out there indefinitely in the environment, you you're actually making the problem worse because you're harming you're eliminating the natural predators which

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are by far the most effective rodent control. So, you're not only harming wildlife, but in the long run, you're really not solving the problem. So, um I just applaud uh your efforts

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for considering this ban. I hope that the ban will pass. We are very much in favor of it. And um thank you again for giving giving me an opportunity to uh make a public comment.

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Thank you. >> Uh Cassandra Klast. >> Hi. Can you hear me? Okay, >> we can. >> Perfect. Uh my name is Cassandra. I am a dispatcher for Greenfield Police and Fire. Um I am a resident of Southampton

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and I would just like to take a moment and um echo my coworker Yvon's thoughts on the dispatch budget. Um, dispatch is such a critical service that not many people understand until they sit in the room and work it. Um, we take every

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call, whether it's a life-saving emergency, somebody having the worst day of their life, or somebody concerned because there's a strange looking animal in their backyard. We take every call and treat it with the same importance as any other. Um, we are already,

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it's staffing is an issue in dispatch across the board nationwide. It can be hard to retain dispatchers. It could be even hard to find more and train them. Uh, any loss to our dispatch budget would be detrimental. It would mean increased overtime. Uh, a large mental

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strain on all of our dispatchers who are civilians who already work day in day out to serve the community. I haven't been with Greenfield for very long, but I've come to love this community and I take extreme pride in getting to come to work every day to protect this

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community. And seeing the proposed cuts to dispatch as well as any other department is very disheartening because this is a position that really can't be understated. Um, nobody knows how much they need a service like this until they

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need it. Everyone thinks that they will never have a situation which they need to call and need resources as quickly as possible until they do. I am proud to work along so many first responders who care so much about this community and I would hate to see that be

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affected. We have some really incredible officers who serve this community as well as firefighters and dispatchers and nobody really understands the importance until they sit in the room and have something going on that they need to do. I have incredible co-workers that I've worked alongside with for many critical

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incidents and I'm very proud of them and I would hate to see our budget be affected by that. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, back to the room. Uh Cindy Hunter, thank you for allowing me to speak. My

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name is Cindy Hunter. I live in Gil, Massachusetts. Uh, but I am the dispatch supervisor for Greenfield Police and Fire Dispatch. Uh, so I'd like to thank the mayor, the city council members, Ways and Means. I had the opportunity to sit in front of them recently. Uh, and the citizens of Greenfield for allowing

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us uh for all of your hard work in relation to the budgets. I know it's not easy. As a supervisor of Greenfield's 911 Dispatch Center, I'm here to support the proposed emergency communications budget for the upcoming fiscal year. I understand and appreciate the difficult financial decisions facing the city this

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year. Every department within our city government serves an important purpose and provides valuable services to the residents of Greenfield. Uh from the public public works, schools and the library to health services, recreation, administration, public safety, and each department contributes to the overall

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well-being and quality of life within our community. I recognize that this budget season requires difficult choices and careful consideration of all city needs. Uh at the same time, I respectfully ask that the city council continue to prioritize funding for emergency communications as our dispatch

410
01:56:20.639 --> 01:56:35.840
center serves as a critical link between the public and the police department and fire departments. Our emergency dispatchers are often referred to as the quote first responders. Uh they are the first voice a caller hears during some of the most frightening and traumatic moments of their lives. Every day, our dispatchers

411
01:56:35.840 --> 01:56:51.440
answer calls involving medical emergencies, overdoses, domestic violence, fires, motor vehicle crashes, mental health crisises, and threats to life and safety. They have to remain calm under intense pressure while gathering critical information, coordinating resources, dispatching

412
01:56:51.440 --> 01:57:08.639
police, fire, and EMS personnel, and often providing life-saving instructions before responders even arrive on scene. The work performed in our community, our communication center directly supports the effectiveness and safety of every emergency first every emergency response agency. Police officers rely on

413
01:57:08.639 --> 01:57:23.920
dispatchers for critical information and coordination during dangerous and rapidly evolving incidents. Firefighters depend on accurate and timely dispatching during structure fires, rescues, hazardous conditions, and medical emergencies. EMS personnel rely on dispatchers to quickly gather information, provide pre-arrival

414
01:57:23.920 --> 01:57:39.360
instructions, and ensure the fastest possible response to patients in need. Emergency communications is not separate from public safety operations, and it is essential part of them. I'd like to give you an example of what one of the types of calls that our dispatchers took recently uh and the

415
01:57:39.360 --> 01:57:55.199
impact that they had on because of that call. On May 3rd, 2026, dispatcher Chelsea Reynolds and Mallerie Brunette were working a call that came in for a 5-year-old child that was not breathing and turning blue. The dispatchers immediately transferred the call to AMR ambulance service and dispatched both

416
01:57:55.199 --> 01:58:10.480
police and fire responders. The first officer arrived on scene within 1 minute and 10 seconds. On arrival, the officer confirmed that the child was not breathing. During the call, our contracted ambulance service was not available. The dispatchers coordinated getting every available responder on

417
01:58:10.480 --> 01:58:28.719
duty to this call, as well as a recall of firefighters for the fire station. Due the quick actions of these two dispatchers, help arrived and the child thankfully was able to be resuscitated and a young life was saved. >> Quick, >> thank you.

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01:58:28.719 --> 01:59:02.880
>> Thank you. Jorge. I hope you understand the way I speak. Maybe this is not great. I'm here to >> just have to I'm sorry. your name and address. >> My name is Jorge Nano.

419
01:59:02.880 --> 01:59:22.080
I live in Tunis Falls in Mano. Um I'm here to talk about the police and also the dispatchers because thanks for them I'm able to be here to you. Last months

420
01:59:22.080 --> 01:59:38.880
uh I was in my shop. I own a business here in Greenfield. I was stabbed. I was dying. I called 911 and thank you for them. In less than one minute,

421
01:59:38.880 --> 01:59:54.560
the officers were there. Little bit after the ambulance came, but they the police the what they do is just calm me down, you know. It was I was losing so much blood. I was losing I

422
01:59:54.560 --> 02:00:10.000
was fainting. I was dying you know without the quick respond I will not be here so please consider the fire for them it's not just for me it's for the safety of the whole entire city the people who lives

423
02:00:10.000 --> 02:00:25.520
it's like people say you may be not thinking about needing right now but when you need it they are there for you this is from my heart thanks for

424
02:00:25.520 --> 02:00:43.360
responders and the officers and also the ambulance people. Thank you. Have a good night. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing. We have one last person online.

425
02:00:43.360 --> 02:01:01.920
Uh Amy Mblin. Okay. Hello folks. Um, thank you. Um, want to thank um, Councelor Brown for Oopsie. Let's try to get >> need your name and address. Sorry. >> Okay. Yeah, sure. Amy Neblin, 23 Mill

426
02:01:01.920 --> 02:01:18.639
Street in Greenfield. And, um, I'm trying to get There we are. Okay. I um, want to thanks uh, councelor Sarah Brown for um, alerting me to this meeting. I used to work for Mass Ottabbon and have also worked with the um uh integrated

427
02:01:18.639 --> 02:01:34.880
pest management um uh board uh with the state um in the past when I lived in the Boston area. And my feeling is that um it's really really critical that we here

428
02:01:34.880 --> 02:01:53.520
adopt wise, sustainable and honorable practices of controlling rodents. And I thought that I wanted to support earlier the previous some uh folks in Gil I believe it was who were speaking about how it's uh contraindicated to be using those bait

429
02:01:53.520 --> 02:02:12.320
boxes and why. And I'm thinking that there are probably a number of municipalities worldwide that have successfully managed to adopt um safer, wiser, more um humane

430
02:02:12.320 --> 02:02:29.840
methods of uh banning uh using red or banning redicides in support of um wildlife who are really struggling. we know they are and so let's just I mean you know we went through that in the many decades ago with almost killing off

431
02:02:29.840 --> 02:02:46.639
our national the bald eagle with DDT and so let's just you know my feeling is like wise up and we can do this and there are other replicable models I'm sure so thank you folks for really looking hard and working hard to you

432
02:02:46.639 --> 02:03:02.800
know adopt safer smarter methods thanks folks >> thank you. Thank you everybody for who's still here for showing up for speaking. Um, and it's really important. So, really

433
02:03:02.800 --> 02:03:29.599
appreciate all the voices in the room and all the voices from the ether out there. We're going to take a 10-minute break so everybody can stretch, get some water, whatever you need. We'll be back. It's 8:48

434
02:03:29.599 --> 02:03:45.840
and I know I don't want to be here all night. So, let's get going everybody. Um, we're going to go to the public hearing and second reading which is on page 50 and councelor Williams take us away.

435
02:03:45.840 --> 02:04:03.520
Public hearing. In accordance with homemade chart of the Greenfield City Council, we hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 20th, 20126 at 6:30 at Joan Zong Community Center, 35 Pleasant Street and Zoom.

436
02:04:03.520 --> 02:04:25.320
Approve Department of Public Works to accept Chapter 9D funding in the amount of what? I don't see that >> in >> I said I said that already, didn't I? >> Yes, I did.

437
02:04:26.719 --> 02:04:45.040
>> Thank you, Kathy. Now, we'll proceed one. Approve Department of Public Works to accept Chapter 90 funding in the amount of $960,3854 for roadwork and repairs. Approved

438
02:04:45.040 --> 02:05:06.639
transfer of $173,611.75 from general fund bond premiums to general fund legal expenses number 5302 for 10,740.91 and general fund short-term interest number 5925

439
02:05:06.639 --> 02:05:25.760
for $162,8704. Repurpose funds from anorobic digesttor appropriation for 15,000 to cover increase of cost in the water meter replacement appropriation. Repurpose funds from Widenwood's pump

440
02:05:25.760 --> 02:05:43.920
station appropriation for $41,731.82 to cover increase of cost in water meter replacement appropriation. Fiscal year 2027 capital budget 28 items

441
02:05:43.920 --> 02:06:02.080
approve $130,000 from borrower for rec reclamation and repaving of ani drive approve $15,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to replace gutter at academy of early

442
02:06:02.080 --> 02:06:20.159
learning approve 36,000 from capital stabilization Account 8402 to resurface basketball court at swimming area. Approve $25,000 from sewer retained earnings to purchase Chevrolet Equinox

443
02:06:20.159 --> 02:06:36.639
to replace cart number 10. Approve $100,000 from borrowing for cross connection survey for water department. Approve $317,000 from water retained earnings to purchase

444
02:06:36.639 --> 02:06:54.000
dump truck number 40. Approves $70,000 from water retained earnings to update donor door update door window and heat for Green River pump station. Approve $40,000 from capital stabilization

445
02:06:54.000 --> 02:07:08.960
account 8402 to replace guard rail. Approve $200,000 from capital stabilization account 4802 for highway fund. Approve $158,000

446
02:07:08.960 --> 02:07:26.000
from capital stabilization account 4802 to replace highway truck number 45. Approve $600,000 from borrowing for repairs to inflow and infiltration systems. Approve $35,000

447
02:07:26.000 --> 02:07:44.400
from water retained earnings to relocate Lime SL silo ladder to Adam's Tower. Approve $45,000 from water retained earnings for rehabilitation of Nobrook Well number two. Approve $150,000

448
02:07:44.400 --> 02:08:01.119
from water retained earnings for engineering and design of redevelopment to nobrook well number one. Approve $100,000 from sewer retained earnings for engineering the upgraded nitrogen removal.

449
02:08:01.119 --> 02:08:16.079
Approve $65,000 from water retained earnings to upgrade wiring at Oak Hill Building. Approve $85,000 from borrowing for Oakhill Flow valves

450
02:08:16.079 --> 02:08:32.320
and structure. Approve $700,000 from borrowing to replace to replace place terrace water main. Approve $50,000 from sewer retained earnings for press supervisory control

451
02:08:32.320 --> 02:08:48.560
and data acquisition system development. Approve $90,000 from high school building account 4312 to purchase Ford F250 for Greenfield Public Schools. Approve $200,000 from capital

452
02:08:48.560 --> 02:09:05.440
stabilization account 8402 for sidewalk replacement program. Approve $50,000 from highway school building account 4312 for track maintenance at Greenfield High School. Approve $40,000 from

453
02:09:05.440 --> 02:09:21.760
capital stabilization account 8402 to remodel bathroom at transfer station. Approve $80,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to replace breakroom at transfer station. Approve

454
02:09:21.760 --> 02:09:36.000
$370,000 from borrowing to replace trash truck number 197. Approve $80,000 from water retained earnings to update water systems

455
02:09:36.000 --> 02:09:53.840
modeling. Approve $100,000 from sewer retained earnings to upgrade electrical to water pollution control plant. Approve $315,000 from sewer retained earnings to replace screen number one at water pollution

456
02:09:53.840 --> 02:10:09.599
control plant. Continue on. The city council may consider the same on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 at 6:30 at John Z Community Center, 35 Pleasant

457
02:10:09.599 --> 02:10:38.119
Street in Zoom. City Council second reading May 20th, 2026. Whoa. Just uh noting that it is 8:55 and um we're closing the public hearing or opening the public hearing.

458
02:10:39.280 --> 02:10:55.199
And now we read the second reading. Thank you. City Council second reading May 20th, 2026. Approve Department of Public Works to accept Chapter 90 funding in the amount of 960

459
02:10:55.199 --> 02:11:12.639
38.54 for road working repairs. Approved transfer $173,611.75 from general fund bond premiums to general legal

460
02:11:12.639 --> 02:11:32.000
to general fund legal expenses number 5302 for $10,740.91 and general fund short-term interest number 5925 for $162,87084. 4 cents. Repurpose funds from the

461
02:11:32.000 --> 02:11:49.000
anorobic digtor appropriation for 15,000 to cover increase in costs in the water meter replacement appropriation. Repurpose funds from Ryden Wood's pump station appropriation for $41,731.82

462
02:11:50.239 --> 02:12:06.000
to cover increase of cost in water meter replacement appropriation. Fiscal year 2027 capital budget items. Approve 130,000 from borrowing for reclamation and repaving of Abberromi

463
02:12:06.000 --> 02:12:26.639
Drive. Approve $15,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to replace gutter at Academy of Early Learning. Approved $36,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to resurface

464
02:12:26.639 --> 02:12:41.440
basketball court at swimming area. Approve $25,000 from sewer retained earnings to purchase Chevrolet Equinox to replace car number 10. Approve $100,000 from borrowing for cross

465
02:12:41.440 --> 02:12:57.119
connection survey for water department. Approve $317,000 from water retained earnings to purchase dump truck number 40. Approve $70,000 from water retained earnings to update

466
02:12:57.119 --> 02:13:13.599
door, window, and heat for Green River pump station. Approve $40,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to replace guard rail. Approve $200,000 from capital stabilization account 8402

467
02:13:13.599 --> 02:13:30.960
for highway fund. Approve $158,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to replace highway truck number 45. Approve $600,000 from borrowing for repairs to inflow and infiltration

468
02:13:30.960 --> 02:13:47.840
systems. Approve $35,000 from water retained earnings to relocate silo ladder to Adam's Tower. Approve $45,000 from water retained earnings for rehabilitation of Norbrook well number

469
02:13:47.840 --> 02:14:05.440
two. Approve $150,000 from water retained earnings for engineering and design of redevelopment of Milbrook well number one. Approve $100,000 from sewer retained earnings for engineering the upgraded nitrogen

470
02:14:05.440 --> 02:14:23.599
removal. Approve $65,000 from water retuned earnings to update wiring at Oakhill Building. Approve $85,000 from borrowing for Oak Hill flow valves and structure. Approve $700,000 from

471
02:14:23.599 --> 02:14:40.480
borrowing to replace place terrace water man. Approve $50,000 from sewer retained earnings for press supervisory control and data acquisition system development. Approve $90,000

472
02:14:40.480 --> 02:14:57.599
from high school building account 4312 to purchase Ford F250 for Greenerfield Public Schools. Approve $200,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 for sidewalk replacement

473
02:14:57.599 --> 02:15:13.040
program. Approve $50,000 from highway school building account 4312 for track maintenance at Greenfield High School. Approve $40,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to remodel

474
02:15:13.040 --> 02:15:31.760
bathroom at transfer station. Approve $80,000 from capital stabilization account 8402 to replace break room at transfer station. Approve $370,000 from borrowing to replace trash truck

475
02:15:31.760 --> 02:15:48.800
number 197. Approve $80,000 from water retained earnings to update water system modeling. Approve $100,000 from sewer retained earnings to upgrade electrical to water pollution control plant.

476
02:15:48.800 --> 02:16:09.679
Approve $315,000 from sewer retained earnings to replace screen number one at water pollution control plant. >> Can we have a round of applause? So, thank you to Councelor Williams for

477
02:16:09.679 --> 02:16:25.520
a pinch hitting tonight. Um, and I don't have anybody signed in for the public hearing. It is 9:01 and we're closing the public hearing. Everyone take a breath and we'll move on

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to the motions, orders, and resolutions. Um, so the first order is open meeting law complaint uh on page 53 and Should I ask uh Vice President Garrett to read that for me? Thank you.

479
02:16:42.479 --> 02:16:58.479
>> Order number FY26146. The city council moved that it be ordered that the Greenfield City Council votes to authorize city clerk Katherine J. Scott to file a response to the open meeting law violation complaint filed against city council president Laura Wendelowski and Mayor Virginia Disorder

480
02:16:58.479 --> 02:17:13.120
and received by the city clerk's office on April 15, 2026 from Stephanie Dlo. Majority votes. Vote required. >> Have a second. Second. Thank you. Uh, clerk Scott, if I could have you speak

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02:17:13.120 --> 02:17:35.599
to this. Thank you. Um, uh, Stephanie Duclo filed an open meeting law complaint in the city clerk's office towards President Wandowski and mayor disorder on April 15th of this year. The complaint

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alleges, well, it states the city council agenda agendant item on April 13th at 9:40 a.m. This was two days before the city council meeting. The agenda item was an addition of Mass General Law chapter

483
02:17:51.439 --> 02:18:10.080
32B. The motion to adopt was accompanied by 15 pages of review that a citizen or a counselor less than 48 hours to digest and respond while the city budget is also being presented.

484
02:18:10.080 --> 02:18:28.719
Uh it's impossible to fully vet and speak at the meetings when the city agenda is continually being changed. It would require daily checking of the agenda. So, the April council meeting

485
02:18:28.719 --> 02:18:46.000
did have an updated agenda posted out to the counselors and the public on the website on the morning of April 13, 2026. However, that was posted in accordance with the open meeting law 48 hours prior

486
02:18:46.000 --> 02:19:01.200
to the council meeting. Um, we contend that there was no open meeting violation there. Um, the complaint also mentions that the five-day rule should have been adhered to. The fiveday rule in the

487
02:19:01.200 --> 02:19:16.160
council rules of procedure requires the information to be at the council office prior to the committee chair's agenda at the beginning of the month. The motions that were submitted to the council, there were two of them that the mayor

488
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submitted for the chapter 32B, two various sections. Um, so the five-day rule was adhered to. The reason the meeting agenda was amended was that a counselor requested

489
02:19:32.080 --> 02:19:47.439
one of those two sections be put back on the city council agenda. Um it had been removed. So, in my experience and my review of the complaint and the items that were

490
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posted, we contend that there was no violation of the open meeting law and that there was no violation of the open meeting uh excuse me, the city council 5-day rule. Um, but we also appreciate the

491
02:20:05.439 --> 02:20:20.960
public keeping an eye on what boards and commissions do to make sure that we don't violate any of these rules and laws. Um, and we do expect to respond to

492
02:20:20.960 --> 02:20:48.000
Miss Dlo by Friday at 5. The council did request an extension through open meeting law. We were granted that extension and here we are councilors. Any discussion questions? Thank you. I since this was something

493
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that had been on the agenda and ca came off and then came back on that that is why I felt very comfortable putting putting that on even though it is complicated. So thank you all. Um we will just take a voice vote on this. So

494
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everyone in favor say I. >> I. Any abstensions? Thank you. Uh, next up is uh amend zoning ordinance sections 200. Um, and I'm guessing that

495
02:21:20.640 --> 02:21:37.439
is councelor Garrett. >> Okay. Order number FY26135. The city council move that it be ordered that the city council of Greenfield amend the voting ordinance chapter 200 section 200-5.3 additional me dimensional provisions in

496
02:21:37.439 --> 02:21:53.760
section 6.2 accessory uses and structures as follows. Section 200 uh-5.3 additional dimensional provisions target the provision to one two and three unit residences and remove reference to the central commercial district uh section B residences and

497
02:21:53.760 --> 02:22:09.280
non-residential districts one family two family and three family dwelling units permitted in the uh oh my god LCGCO and GI districts must comply with requirements of the RA district section 200-6.2 Two, accessory units and

498
02:22:09.280 --> 02:22:24.800
structures. Remove the reference to the front yard and spell out the existing requirements for fences. Section E2, fences shall not exceed 4T in height along the front lot line and that portion of the side lot lines front lot line and the front of the primary

499
02:22:24.800 --> 02:22:41.040
building or before the front lot line and 25 ft from the front line, whichever is lesser. Benches shall not exceed six feet in height along the portion of side lot lines between the minimum front setback line and rear lot line and along the rear lot line and further amends the table of contents and index of the code

500
02:22:41.040 --> 02:22:58.880
infer the non-substantial change to the numbering of the ordinance be permitted in order to be in compliance with numbering format of the code of the city of Greenfield majority vote required uh seven >> vice president Garrett if you can tell us what happened in EDC. Y absolutely.

501
02:22:58.880 --> 02:23:13.680
So this came out of EDC with a positive unanimous recommendation. We had four people and all four voted in favor of sending a positive recommendation to council. Um this also um at the joint meeting with the planning board. The planning board voted on it and they gave

502
02:23:13.680 --> 02:23:29.600
a unanimous positive as well. Essentially what this does is it is uh kind of a cleanup of the code as it exists. Last year we not was it last? Yeah, last year we passed a change of the height restriction in the central commercial district. This section of the

503
02:23:29.600 --> 02:23:46.160
code was missed. Our new planning director um managed to discover this before the RFP for goes out for the hope street law and other projects. And what this essentially does, what the co this section before this amendment would do

504
02:23:46.160 --> 02:24:02.880
is any multifamily building would have to adhere to the height restrictions in the RA district which is most the downtown kind of area of the city. That is 35 ft. We raised it to 70 80 feet I think it was 80 feet in the central commercial. Um, so essentially this is

505
02:24:02.880 --> 02:24:18.960
not a change to the zoning code, but it's a removal of a conflict, a conflict between two provisions of it. And so that's section 200-5.3. So nothing is changing as far as the height. You know, if developer came in, they could have pointed to one section of the code and then there would have

506
02:24:18.960 --> 02:24:35.200
been a lawsuit and that, you know, so this prevents basically trouble for the city uh by going through this. In addition, um, because it says one family, two family and three family units, if you to build a single family house in the central commercial district, you couldn't build one that's

507
02:24:35.200 --> 02:24:51.920
80 feet tall, which would be sort of ridiculous, although I don't know, like somebody might like that, I guess. Um, and so again, it just kind of cleans up the code. The second section was found, I believe it was the building inspector mentioned this, and this is kind of an

508
02:24:51.920 --> 02:25:07.439
unrelated provision, but it was noticed in kind of the review that was made. This prevents on the sidewalks in the central commercial district a sixoot fence. There are no setback lines in central commercial. And so if you could imagine a kind of dangerous situation like downtown, if you had a lot there

509
02:25:07.439 --> 02:25:23.520
and there's a six foot fence and you remove line of sight, that is not something the code intended to provide for. And so this is a second unrelated but related to the central commercial kind of cleanup of the code. So it's kind of the long and the short.

510
02:25:23.520 --> 02:25:40.720
>> Thank you. That's really helpful. Uh any discussion or comments? Menus, >> the only thing I was wondering was I remember when we had our meeting a uh constituent talked about how their

511
02:25:40.720 --> 02:25:58.080
plants were being considered like a fence. Um >> yeah. >> Yeah. And I was wondering if you know I'm all about plants and bushes and such. So is there any like addition we can make to this section or perhaps is there like

512
02:25:58.080 --> 02:26:14.880
section that deals with like what is a fence and if we could exclude plants from that >> I uh I remember that conversation where we can't now that the public hearing has happened make a substantial change unless we narrow the scope of this although I actually that story from that

513
02:26:14.880 --> 02:26:31.280
constituent was resonated with me and I was considering sending them seeds partially because I really it bothered me to hear that they have these beautiful sunflowers they were told it was a fence and they weren't allowed to have them and they would get fined some ridiculous summer Um, I am very, we should talk about this

514
02:26:31.280 --> 02:26:52.479
again in the future. I'm very open to that myself, but I don't think we can do it today, unfortunately. If we could, I would be absolutely happy to, but I don't see anything else. So, um, all in favor say I. I.

515
02:26:52.479 --> 02:27:10.399
>> Opposed extensions. Okay, the M motion passes. Thank you. Okay. So, we will go to ANO and councelor Goolu. >> Order number fiscal year 26133. The city council moved that it be

516
02:27:10.399 --> 02:27:27.840
ordered that the Greenfield City Council pursuant to charter section 210 affirms the following appointments by the mayor. Franklin County Technical School Committee Russ Calbrris term to expire December 31st, 2026

517
02:27:27.840 --> 02:27:43.680
to fill the remainder of term of George Vandelver deceased March 15, 2026. Greenfield Community Television GCTV board of directors Susan Mayorana

518
02:27:43.680 --> 02:28:01.319
term to expire December 31st 2026 to fill remainder of term of Jonathan Weber resigned April 7th 2026 majority vote required. >> Is there a second? >> Second

519
02:28:01.840 --> 02:28:19.600
unanimous from the committee. So, thank you again to citizens who are willing to step up and serve on committees. There are what is it 51? So, it's a lot of people who run the city behind the scenes. So, appreciate all of the folks who are willing to do that.

520
02:28:19.600 --> 02:28:46.000
Any other comments? All right. All in favor say I. Okay. No. No opposed or abstensions. >> Oh, sorry. I didn't catch your eye. Thank you. So, so noted. Okay. Um, next uh order council

521
02:28:46.000 --> 02:29:02.560
>> order number fiscal year 26143. The city council moved that it be ordered that the Greenfield City Council amends the code of the city of Greenfield by adding chapter 354 ban the use of second generation anti-coagulant

522
02:29:02.560 --> 02:29:19.280
rodenticides escar on municipalowned and managed property as attached here to and further amends a table of contents and index of contents of the code and further that nonsubstantive changes to the numbering of the ordinance beed in that it be

523
02:29:19.280 --> 02:29:35.200
compiance with the numbering format of the code of the city of Greenfield. Majority vote required and this also received a positive unanimous uh recommendation from the committee with a lot of gratitude to

524
02:29:35.200 --> 02:29:50.720
council web for bringing this forward. >> Thank you. Any comments, discussion? Okay. Speak with it. >> I guess that's a comment. So yes, councelor web please.

525
02:29:50.720 --> 02:30:08.080
>> Um yeah, so I had been working with Mass Audabon on the escar ban before I was considering being a counselor. Um the all of Mass Massab Massud is currently

526
02:30:08.080 --> 02:30:24.399
um charged with getting a statewide ban on the second generation anti-coagulant rodenticides. Um, so us passing it on municipal owned land further pushes that fight. Um, there is in, if I can remember

527
02:30:24.399 --> 02:30:40.399
correctly, I think now in the House Senate, it's now an amendment as part of the big omnibus bill um to make it easier to do a home rule petition so that in the future we may be able to ban it on private property. That being said, I wanted to talk about why we would want

528
02:30:40.399 --> 02:30:56.640
to ban this. Um, the purpose is that when you're using escars, it goes into the bigger food web and creates a toxic cycle. So, not only do these rodents and whoever goes into these boxes, they get poisoned, they go back out into the

529
02:30:56.640 --> 02:31:12.960
world where foxes and bobcats and eagles and owls and everybody else eats them. And not only do the rodents suffer, but these animals then suffer, which then perpetuates the cycle of not having animals that kill the rodents that are a

530
02:31:12.960 --> 02:31:29.200
problem for us. Uh, and I'm grateful that Martha spoke on the um transfer station in Keen. Um, the mass DP has been working with our transfer station to work on ina integrated pest management practices including closing early, sealing up buildings, um, and

531
02:31:29.200 --> 02:31:44.560
keeping things generally cleaner and all without the use of escars. Um, and then the last thing I wanted to say was that as I continue to work with the sustainable green field implementation committee um, and the open space task

532
02:31:44.560 --> 02:32:02.000
force, they're working on a lot of really cool maps. If you went to the function yesterday, you would have seen them. But one of the maps I'm really excited about is a wildlife corridors map. And I'm hoping to team up and use this to show where our wildlife are moving and how we can

533
02:32:02.000 --> 02:32:24.000
keep them happy and keep their corridors happy. Thank you, councelor Webb, and thank you for bringing this to the council. So I think Unless there's any other Oh, call for citizens. >> Uh yeah, I just wanted to clarify that

534
02:32:24.000 --> 02:32:41.760
as I understand it, the DPW had already stopped using these um anti-coagulant rodenticide. So that's this is really just to um kind of officially ban them and that they were happy to to do so.

535
02:32:41.760 --> 02:32:59.319
That's my understanding. Yeah, I spoke to DPW. I spoke to central maintenance. I spoke to the health director. I spoke to Michael Budro before he left at the schools. So, I got my bases covered. Everyone's happy and ready to roll.

536
02:33:00.160 --> 02:33:20.080
Sounds good. So, all in favor say I. No abstensions or opposed. Great. Motion passes. All right. Um so next we go to resolution in support of um stabilizing rent. So councelor Brown

537
02:33:20.080 --> 02:33:36.240
>> order number fiscal year 26134. The city council moved that it be ordered that the Greenfield City Council approves the attached resolution titled a resolution in support of an act enabling cities and towns to stabilize rents and protect tenants and and an

538
02:33:36.240 --> 02:33:55.840
initiative petition to protect tenants by limiting rent increases. Majority vote required. Counselors conversation comments. Uh is a recommendation from the community relations committee?

539
02:33:55.840 --> 02:34:12.960
>> Yes. Um of the four present, we were three positive and one abstension. >> Thank you. >> I'm happy to comment. >> Sure. Um, we've received an influx of pro- rent control, anti- rent control.

540
02:34:12.960 --> 02:34:30.319
Um, I last summer worked on the campaign to get rent control put onto the ballot. Um, and I did that while I was also campaigning to run for city council. So, I do have it on good authority that I did get a lot of precinct 9 people to sign in support of putting rent control

541
02:34:30.319 --> 02:34:45.680
onto the ballot. I think the purpose of us voting on this resolution tonight is more so to push Massachusetts as a state to uh put the bill forward as opposed to a blanket ban. I think what Susan was

542
02:34:45.680 --> 02:35:02.080
saying earlier about a local opt-in option would be ideal, but the statewide has not moved and people are hurting. I did the math on my own rent. Um, and even if my landlords get a 20% increase in their property taxes, 5%

543
02:35:02.080 --> 02:35:17.200
increase on my rent still covers what they need to pay. Um, I also think there should be other safeguards for landlords. If we're going to treat landlord and um, housing like a business, they need to have access to business things like we can use our CPA

544
02:35:17.200 --> 02:35:38.479
funds to um, help repair our age housing stock that's all overund years old. We can there are other things we can do in addition to keeping rent affordable. And I will be voting in favor. Councelor Gordon.

545
02:35:38.479 --> 02:35:55.120
>> Thank you, Councelor Brown, for putting this forward. Um, I will admit that I was struggling a little bit with this. I'm struggling with it less now after all of the emails that we received and the many people who came out and gave supportive public comment tonight, which I really appreciate. Um, I really hate

546
02:35:55.120 --> 02:36:10.640
legislating by ballot initiative. I think most of us do. Um, I wish we had a legislature that would frankly do its job so we didn't have to rely on such a blunt instrument um and have, you know, a big blanket question um that will be

547
02:36:10.640 --> 02:36:25.760
on on the ballot for all of us. And I will say that the legislature has a chance to to still do its job um as councelor webb pointed out um and others said tonight. So, I I really do hope that they'll do that because I would really like us to be able to be responsive to the concerns that the, you

548
02:36:25.760 --> 02:36:42.560
know, local landlords have raised and to, you know, be able to legislate around the particular uh economic landscape and and renter landscape in Greenfield and not just have to do, you know, what everyone in the state is doing. Um, but you know, as we heard so

549
02:36:42.560 --> 02:36:58.880
much tonight, renters are suffering and we have to do something. And it's only because the the big real estate interests have spent literally decades, as Susan was saying, you know, fighting every possible measure that we're in a situation where now it's like desperate

550
02:36:58.880 --> 02:37:15.359
and it didn't have to be this way. And it's not because renters have been doing anything wrong, right? Um, so I'm I'm happy to support this. Um, again, it's, you know, as hopefully the public all all recognizes this is just a resolution there. That's all we can do right now.

551
02:37:15.359 --> 02:37:31.680
This, you know, if we pass this, it doesn't actually change anything about how we're doing anything in Greenfield right now. Um, but hopefully it does send a message that that we need the legislature to act on this and and that um, you know, we we want renters to have some relief. So,

552
02:37:31.680 --> 02:37:50.160
uh, thanks for putting this forward and and I'll be voting yes. Council Williams. >> Yeah. I just want to say uh when I was a single mother raising my son, uh Rent Control allowed me to raise him in Brooklyn,

553
02:37:50.160 --> 02:38:05.760
which was a wonderful community that had an excellent education system. So, uh rent control really does enable people to access resources that in some cases they wouldn't be able to access. So I am

554
02:38:05.760 --> 02:38:23.760
in full support of this. Thank you, >> Councilman Hus. >> So I understand the concerns that people have when it comes to financial viability of owning a property.

555
02:38:23.760 --> 02:38:40.319
But I think what's beautiful about this measure is that it doesn't actually target the small family landlords. I I don't even want to call them landlords because I think Honestly, what they're just doing is trying to cut their costs and and make their own housing live um

556
02:38:40.319 --> 02:38:56.399
be affordable. And so they're housing other people in their own units. Um what we're dealing with right now when it comes to the housing market is a vast corporate takeover by multinational corporations, by people who have never

557
02:38:56.399 --> 02:39:12.319
stepped foot in the communities in which they own these properties. If we don't regulate our housing market here in Greenfield, and this doesn't do it, this is just a hey, we would like to, but if we don't do it, what what I'm

558
02:39:12.319 --> 02:39:30.080
fearful of is opening Greenfield up as speculative markets in in the eastern part of the state become harder and harder to access. uh that we are going to turn into this slop festive where you have all these giant companies like Black Rockck and Vanguard coming into

559
02:39:30.080 --> 02:39:46.000
our towns and taking over properties and gutting out local communities and the landlords that are actually operational right now who are in support of the so-called market and the the status quo are going to be the first ones to be

560
02:39:46.000 --> 02:40:01.920
replaced. They're going to be the ones who are going to be gone and replaced by these corporations. So increased measures for you know average folks for for retaining the right to just live under a roof I think

561
02:40:01.920 --> 02:40:23.200
is just basic humanity. Uh but also it's making sure that our community isn't just left up to the whims of the mark. So, I support this. >> Councelor Duth, >> um I was the abstaining vote at the community relations committee. So, I

562
02:40:23.200 --> 02:40:40.960
just wanted to speak to that. Um I know this it's a very complicated issue and that the data shows that past rent control ordinances and programs in past decades have had mixed results and some negative impacts. But after looking closer into the data and hearing from

563
02:40:40.960 --> 02:40:56.479
local housing advocates and hearing from the public tonight, I feel a lot more comfortable in voting yes on this. Um, looking more into the data, the outcomes are very uncertain and extremely context dependent. So, it's very hard to say that there will absolutely be negative

564
02:40:56.479 --> 02:41:14.080
consequences. Um, I saw the tough study with the alarming numbers about the potential uh sharp decreases in municipal revenue, but then I've also seen the response to that that goes into the methodology that was used and I agree that the methodology seems very

565
02:41:14.080 --> 02:41:30.399
questionable. And so I doubt those numbers. And again, just hearing from the public tonight and um the immediacy of the issue right now, it seems very clear that we need to do something. And even though it may not be the perfect solution, it is a step in the right direction. So again, I will be

566
02:41:30.399 --> 02:41:51.920
supporting the resolution council. When I was um on the committee meeting the other night, I voted in favor, but I actually struggled with that decision as well because I wasn't sure how a blanket would do for various communities around the Commonwealth. Um and having listened

567
02:41:51.920 --> 02:42:07.120
to this, similar listening to the comments and and researching the studies as well. One of the things I also did was pull up that ballot from 1994 that actually uh canled rent control. Um, and one of the lines I thought was very interesting. Um, and if you know me, I

568
02:42:07.120 --> 02:42:24.800
really love my history. So, it says, "Cities and towns would be authorized to adopt rent control for a six-month period on housing units that have a fair market rent of $400 or less." I don't think that that has been anyone's rent since before I was born.

569
02:42:24.800 --> 02:42:42.319
Um, and I think that bringing back those conditions from the 70s and the 80s, we're we're finding out a lot of repercussions from those decisions of that time. And granted, the decisions that we're going to make today will have mixed consequences. But I think very similarly to those

570
02:42:42.319 --> 02:42:58.720
conversations we had with the unions that Greenfield really is a community where we are all working together. And I would be willing to sit at a table across from the landlords of this city and be like, let's talk about this together because whatever happens with this ballot initiative, what we're doing right now is saying this is a problem

571
02:42:58.720 --> 02:43:14.640
for everyone. If there are landlords saying we can't afford this, if there were renters saying we can't afford this, unanimously we all have the same problem of unaffordability and that's not something that we can fix at a local level. So we have to basically send a

572
02:43:14.640 --> 02:43:30.960
message to the state and if it's a blunt tool then it's a tool that will have to be refined through committee just like a process here and I think what we're going to have to do now is very similarly Max you had this you said this line I hate to steal your line but we have to have that act of trust in one

573
02:43:30.960 --> 02:43:45.920
another right now and that's really scary and so I really want to thank Sarah for bringing this forward and kind of opening my eyes a little bit on on the whole issue and thanks Thank you again to the public for actually speaking on this as well. Um because it

574
02:43:45.920 --> 02:44:04.960
really woke me up as well. So, thank you all. >> Yeah, I was a little bit nervous when I came in here tonight. I represent precinct one, which is the north corner of the town, and I am a tenant and I

575
02:44:04.960 --> 02:44:20.479
have always been a tenant. And so, my immediate uh for me Not a question personally, but most of my constituents are homeowners and I wasn't sure how people felt on

576
02:44:20.479 --> 02:44:36.800
this issue. Um, and I've gotten two emails from people in the precinct. One voted, one wanted me to vote for it, one didn't want me to vote for it. But I really appreciate um Ed Jarvis who was who held my seat. he resigned and I was

577
02:44:36.800 --> 02:44:52.880
initially appointed to uh to hold the seat and then elected and he said, you know, we have to be responsible for representing our precinct and we also have to represent the entire community. And so when I look at the emails that

578
02:44:52.880 --> 02:45:08.000
we've received from the entire community, there was one one constituent saying they didn't want me to do it and one other person from the rest of the community saying not to do it. the rest of the rest of the things that I that I've seen. I've read all of them. I may be missing something, but I don't think

579
02:45:08.000 --> 02:45:25.439
that I am. The rest the I I may be missing something. I didn't count specifically, but the vast vast vast majority are reflected by the the public comment tonight with the vast majority of this community is asking us to do this. And we haven't actually

580
02:45:25.439 --> 02:45:40.399
received scary numbers uh opposing this. we've received scary headlines and when I try to uh debunk those headlines that are posing it, I find the numbers that demonstrate that the responsible thing

581
02:45:40.399 --> 02:45:56.880
is to vote yes for this. Um, and so and for my constituent who voted who asked me to vote against it, I'd be happy. I already responded, but I'd be also happy um or to any other constituents happy to share new new numbers and talk this

582
02:45:56.880 --> 02:46:14.319
through more because I think this is a really important issue. So, thank you, >> Councelor G. I um I also deeply struggled with this before this council meeting and several of my colleagues know that because I talked to them because I was concerned

583
02:46:14.319 --> 02:46:29.840
about what to do. Um including councelor Brown who spent 45 minutes on the phone listening to just my anxieties about this subject and the potential unintended consequences of it. I'm also really grateful to the public for their testimony about this. And I think one of

584
02:46:29.840 --> 02:46:46.080
the things that really framed it for me probably the best was the fact that this is a solution and not a piece of legislation. And you know, I I've been looking at this, you know, from the lens of I need to do more research. I need to find out more about this. I have 21 tabs open. I need to find out, you know,

585
02:46:46.080 --> 02:47:02.080
what's the best way to do rent control. And in the end, what we're doing is making a statement that this is something that matters to people. And so, I just want to appreciate the folks that talked to me through this and listened. And, you know, similar to what I think councelor

586
02:47:02.080 --> 02:47:18.319
Baldwick was saying, this is not an easy thing like there's a lot a lot of studies showing that this is potentially you know going to reduce housing production or maintenance and I am confident that there are ways to do this correctly and in ways that don't have greater economic harm and I think we

587
02:47:18.319 --> 02:47:36.800
need to get there but I will be voting yes and I'm glad to get to that point. Council Brown. >> Um I just wanted to voice appreciation for members of the public as well as um folks on the council who I think really

588
02:47:36.800 --> 02:47:52.800
weighed this decision extremely carefully and did a lot of research and got a lot of feedback from from people and read studies and yeah I think it's it's really important that we um take these decisions with a lot of care and consideration of lots of different

589
02:47:52.800 --> 02:48:08.319
perspectives and future impacts. And I think that that's what people have done, which I appreciate. Um, and I also just wanted to mention that the it's currently in committee and the bill and we'll find out in six weeks we'll hear a

590
02:48:08.319 --> 02:48:25.680
report back on how that is going. So, I think by supporting this tonight, we're sending a strong message and it's somewhat um sending a really strong message to hopefully force the hand of the state legislature to hopefully pass the bill because that would allow for more nuance compared to the ballot. Um

591
02:48:25.680 --> 02:48:41.279
and then more details can be worked out in the legislative process and a local rent control board and and those types of options. Even with the ballot initiative, there would be further um regulations developed with the attorney general. So, it's not just completely

592
02:48:41.279 --> 02:48:58.160
cut and dry. Like, of course, there will still be nuance regardless, but I think that this is sending a the point of this is to send a message that um that there is a housing crisis and we need to act. >> Thank you. And I just want to thank

593
02:48:58.160 --> 02:49:14.080
Councelor Brown for your work on this. Um and thank you for everyone who spoke tonight. Um, I think it's easy for folks who are homeowners, um, because your mortgage maybe hasn't gone up a lot. Your property taxes probably have.

594
02:49:14.080 --> 02:49:29.840
Absolutely. Um, but you can be insulated from seeing what people are seeing, which are 20%, 30, 40, 50% increases. Uh, I moved here from DC. Um, and we did

595
02:49:29.840 --> 02:49:46.000
have some caps there. And I I know that they actually were allowed to increase rent a lot if if the apartment turned over. So like when I moved here, they doubled the rent. Like the people who moved into my apartment, I wouldn't

596
02:49:46.000 --> 02:50:03.120
have been able to afford the apartment I had been in when I moved up here. Um, for sure. It seemed really cheap up here, honestly, when I first got here from DC. But this is really important and as everybody has said the the ballot initiative is is is a blunt instrument.

597
02:50:03.120 --> 02:50:20.080
Um and I hope the legislature will do their job and do the nuance to make this a better more workable for cities and towns than it is on what's going on the ballot. But it's also important that we

598
02:50:20.080 --> 02:50:36.640
get these costs under control for renters. Um because we have such a low vacancy rate in Greenfield, people are have no choice but really expensive apartments. Um and some of them are really in bad shape and you're paying a lot of money for for terrible living

599
02:50:36.640 --> 02:50:55.040
conditions. Um and that's not okay. So, I'm glad there's carveouts for our local landlords, for folks who are, you know, small family, two families. Um, that's really important because that's a lot. I'm in precinct 8. Most of my

600
02:50:55.040 --> 02:51:12.640
constituents are renters and it's a lot of people and two families that won't be affected by this. So, I'm happy to vote yes. So, I think I'm going to take a roll call because I think I want constituents

601
02:51:12.640 --> 02:51:33.840
to know where we are. >> Councelor Gol, >> yes. >> Councelor Gordon, >> yes. >> Councelor Gilmouth, >> yes. >> Councelor Williams, >> yes. >> Councelor Baldo, >> yes. >> Councelor Webb,

602
02:51:33.840 --> 02:51:50.000
>> yes. Council Brown, >> yes. >> Vice President Garrett, >> yes. >> Council Menhos, >> yes. >> Councelor Civ, >> yes. >> Does the president want to vote? >> Yes. And yes,

603
02:51:50.000 --> 02:52:09.840
>> the motion passes unanimously. >> Thank you. >> All righty. There. That's what we needed. It's what? 9:30 p.m. Okay. All right, we're moving back to um Councelor Williams for Valley Health

604
02:52:09.840 --> 02:52:38.000
Regional. >> Do we do or is that councelor web page? Do you want my page? Order number fiscal year 26131. Uh the city council moved that it be ordered that the city of Greenfield

605
02:52:38.000 --> 02:52:53.359
authorize the establishment of a revolving account for the fees associated with the operations of the Greenfield Health Department of Health and the Valley Health Regional Collaborative. The account will be funded solely from revenue generated by partnership with the Greenfield Health

606
02:52:53.359 --> 02:53:11.040
Department of Health and the Valley Health Regional Collaborative and expenses will be incurred solely to support the partnership act activity. Now, therefore, pursuant to mass general laws chapter 44, section 53E and a half,

607
02:53:11.040 --> 02:53:28.240
the Greenfield Health Department of Health requests that the city council establish this account in which funds shall be carried over from year to year. Twothirds vote required. Who's my second, please? >> Thank you.

608
02:53:28.240 --> 02:53:45.680
>> I can talk about it. >> H that would be fantastic. Thank you. Uh yeah. Um this is crazy. I'm I'm new here. Uh we voted on this in ways and means. >> We voted on this in ways and means and

609
02:53:45.680 --> 02:54:01.520
it received a positive unanimous. Um we spoke to the mayor and to the finance director about this decision and they weighed in on which type of revolving fund would be most appropriate for the board of health to be using. Um it's my understanding that the health director

610
02:54:01.520 --> 02:54:19.040
and board of health brought this forward um as a best practice tool and we are following through with that. Um yeah it's a revolving fund so what goes in goes out stays there just for health.

611
02:54:19.040 --> 02:54:32.720
>> Is that a hand up counselor? Yeah, usually my spelling is absolutely horrible, but I did find a few like spelling errors in here. No. Uh, regional, unless I'm going blind, is

612
02:54:32.720 --> 02:55:00.640
spelled R E G instead of E, it's F after uh Valley Health Regional. One, two, three, four. the fifth line in and partnership activity. Um, is activity is that like a fancy way of saying activity or

613
02:55:00.640 --> 02:55:25.279
>> it's British. >> Oh, okay. Okay. So, we we will get all of the spelling errors. Any other discussion, Council Gordon? >> Um, this is just a very quick glance at

614
02:55:25.279 --> 02:55:40.880
MGL, but I don't see a section 53E and a half. So, we might just want to double check that that specific part actually exists. There's a 53E and a 53F. There does not appear to be anything in

615
02:55:40.880 --> 02:56:22.479
between. councilors. Any discussion or questions beyond that? It's the platform 9 and a half Okay. All those in favor of the

616
02:56:22.479 --> 02:56:44.399
version that is all correct say I. I. Anyone opposed abstaining. All right. Thank you. All right. Public works. Order number fiscal year 26-083.

617
02:56:44.399 --> 02:57:00.880
The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Disorger move that it be ordered that the city council approve the department of public works to accept chapter 90 funding in the amount of $960,3854 to be used for the road works and

618
02:57:00.880 --> 02:57:18.560
repairs. Majority vote required. >> Thank you. And what was the report out of? >> Positive. Unanimous for all of the DPW things. >> Great. Any comments? All in favor say I.

619
02:57:18.560 --> 02:57:36.080
Okay. Unanimous. Thank you. All right. Next one. Order number fiscal year 26-084. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Disorger moved that it be ordered that the city approves the trans approves to transfer a total of

620
02:57:36.080 --> 02:58:07.080
$173,611.75 from general fund bond premiums to general fund legal expenses 01007005302 the amount of $10,740.91 and to general fund short-term interest 01075205925 with the amount of 162,87084

621
02:58:07.359 --> 02:58:29.359
majority vote required. I have a second unanimous. Okay, any comments? >> All in favor say I. >> Thank you. All right. Right. Anorobic digesttor.

622
02:58:29.359 --> 02:58:47.279
>> Order number fiscal year 26-085. The city council upon the recommendation of Mayor Sorger move that it be ordered that the city approves repurposed funds from anorobic digtor fiscal year 19-104 in the amount of 15,000 to cover the

623
02:58:47.279 --> 02:59:11.520
increase in the cost and water meter replacement FY19-112. Majority vote required. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Next order. Order number of fiscal year

624
02:59:11.520 --> 02:59:27.800
26-086. City Council, upon recommendation of Mayor Dora, move that it be ordered that the city approves repurposed funds from Leiden Woods Pump Station FY19-113 in the amount of $41,731.82

625
02:59:28.560 --> 02:59:48.000
to cover the increase in the cost of water meter replacement FY19-112. Majority of vote required. All in favor say I. I. All right, everybody breathe.

626
02:59:48.000 --> 03:00:11.520
On to the capital. Order number fiscal year 20. All of the capital budget was approved unanimously. >> And is there a motion in that? >> I'm about to Okay.

627
03:00:11.520 --> 03:00:28.560
Order number fiscal year 26-090. City council upon recommendation of Mayor Disorger move that it be ordered that the city council approves the borrowing of $130,000 for the reclamation and repaving of Abber Abberrombie Drive which is

628
03:00:28.560 --> 03:00:43.840
unrecognized by chapter 90 as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Majority vote required. >> All in favor say I. Oh, second. >> We had a second over there. Thank you.

629
03:00:43.840 --> 03:01:04.399
All right. Now, anybody who's in favor say I. Thank you. Order number fiscal year 26091. The city council upon recommendation of mayor disorder move that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of 15,000 for the replacement

630
03:01:04.399 --> 03:01:22.640
of the gutters at the academy of early learning as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the capital stabilization account number8402 with a balance of $819,495.37. Majority vote required. >> Second.

631
03:01:22.640 --> 03:01:45.760
All in favor? Hi. Order number fiscal year 2692. The city council upon recommendation of mayor disorder moved that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of 36,000 for the resurfacing of the basketball court at the swimming area as part of the capital budget for

632
03:01:45.760 --> 03:02:06.880
fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the capital stabilization account number 8402 with a balance of $819,495.37 cents. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor say I. I. Thank you.

633
03:02:06.880 --> 03:02:23.439
Order number fiscal year 26-093. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorgan move that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of $25,000 for the purchase of a Chevrolet Equinox to replace car number 10 as part of the capital budget

634
03:02:23.439 --> 03:02:44.080
for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield Sewer Department. Majority vote required. All in favor? I order number fiscal year 26-094.

635
03:02:44.080 --> 03:03:00.160
The city council upon recommendation of mayor disorder moved that it be ordered that the city council approved the borrowing of $100,000 a cross connection survey for the Greenfield Water Department as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027.

636
03:03:00.160 --> 03:03:19.600
Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor? Order number fiscal year 26-095. The city council upon recommendation of mayor disorder move that it be ordered that the city council approve the

637
03:03:19.600 --> 03:03:37.560
transfer of 317,000 with the purchase of dump truck number 40 for the green flood water department as part of the capital budget for the school year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the green flood water department. Majority vote required. second.

638
03:03:37.840 --> 03:03:55.000
It makes me want to question dump truck number 40 and how that gets designated, but it's 10 minutes to 10. So, all in favor say I. >> I thank you. Okay.

639
03:03:56.960 --> 03:04:13.200
>> Oh, okay. >> Got it. I can say they know every single one of them very personally. >> We've talked about it at length at Ways and Means. >> Any of you watch like Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy and all the Okay, thank

640
03:04:13.200 --> 03:04:30.640
you. Okay, go ahead. Order number fiscal year 26-096. The city council upon recommendation of mayor disorder moved that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of $70,000 for Green River pump station door window and heat update as

641
03:04:30.640 --> 03:04:45.120
part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield water department. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor? I. Great.

642
03:04:45.120 --> 03:05:02.160
Order number fiscal year 26-097. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approved the transfer of $40,000 for guardrail replacement as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Blending will be from the capital stabilization

643
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account number8402 with a balance of $819,495.37. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor? I. Order number fiscal year 26-098. The city council upon recommendation of

644
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Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approves $200,000 for the highway fund as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the capital stabilization account number 8402 with a

645
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balance of $819,495.37. Majority vote required. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Thank you. >> Order number fiscal year 26-099.

646
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The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger moved that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of 158,000 for the replacement of highway truck number 45 as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the capital

647
03:06:12.640 --> 03:06:33.680
stabilization account number8402 with a balance of $819,495.37 majority vote required. Second. All in favor? >> I. Order number fiscal year 26-100. The city council upon recommendation of

648
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Mayor Dorger moved that it be ordered that the city council approve the borrowing of 600,000 for repairs to the inflow and infiltration systems as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield Sewer Department. Majority vote required.

649
03:06:48.880 --> 03:07:06.399
>> Second. >> All in favor? Order number fiscal year 26-101. The city council upon recommendation of mayor disorder move that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of $35,000 relocation of the

650
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lime silo ladder to Adams Tower as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield Water Department. Majority vote required. >> Second. What is a lime silo ladder? >> I don't know.

651
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>> Okay. All in favor? Order number. We're gonna leave you on suspense. Actually, number >> sleep. You want to answer that question? So for the public it they changed the

652
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chemical treatment and so are moving the ladder from one place to another. Thank you. All right. Next order. Order number fiscal year 26102. The city council upon recommendation of

653
03:08:18.640 --> 03:08:33.840
Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of $45,000 for the rehabilitation of Milbrook well number two as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield

654
03:08:33.840 --> 03:08:50.240
Water Department. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor? >> Thank you. Order number fiscal year 26103. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger moved that it be ordered

655
03:08:50.240 --> 03:09:06.240
that the city council approved the transfer of $150,000 for the engineering and design for the redevelopment of Milb Brick Wall number one as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield water department. Majority vote required.

656
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Second. >> All in favor? Order number fiscal year 26-104. City council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger move that the move that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of $100,000 for the engineering of for the upgraded nitrogen

657
03:09:25.680 --> 03:09:45.920
removal as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield sewer department. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor? Order number fiscal year 26-105.

658
03:09:45.920 --> 03:10:01.200
The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger moved that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of $65,000 for the Oakhill building wiring update as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding from the retain funding will be

659
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from the retained earnings of the Greenfield Water Department. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor? >> Order number for school year 26-106. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approves the

660
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borrowing of $85,000 for the Oakill blow valves and structure as part of capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor? Order number fiscal year 26-107. The city council upon recommendation of

661
03:10:40.800 --> 03:10:55.840
Mayor Sorger move that it be ordered that the city council approves the borrowing of 700,000 for the place terrace water main replacement as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor?

662
03:10:55.840 --> 03:11:12.720
Order number fiscal year 26-108. City Council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of $50,000 for the press supervisory control and data acquisition system development as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027.

663
03:11:12.720 --> 03:11:31.040
Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Green Sewer Department. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor? Order number fiscal year 26-109. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorgan move that it be ordered that the city council approve the

664
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transfer of $90,000 to transfer of $90,000 the purchase of a Ford F250 with a low for the with a plow for the Greenfield public schools as part of the capital budget

665
03:11:47.040 --> 03:12:08.399
for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the high school building account number 4312 with a balance of $166,549. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor. Order number of fiscal year 26-11.

666
03:12:08.399 --> 03:12:24.720
City Council upon recommendation of mayor Sorer move that it be ordered that the city council approves $200,000 for the sidewalk replacement program as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the capital stabilization account number8402 with a

667
03:12:24.720 --> 03:12:45.920
balance of $819,495.37. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor number the school year 26-111 city council upon recommendation of mayor disorgan move that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of $50,000 for track

668
03:12:45.920 --> 03:13:03.640
maintenance at Greenfield High School as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the high school building account number 4312 the balance of $166,400 or $549. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor?

669
03:13:03.760 --> 03:13:20.080
>> Order number fiscal year 26-112. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of $40,000 for the remodeling of the bathroom at the transfer station as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the

670
03:13:20.080 --> 03:13:40.960
capital stabilization account number8402 with a balance of $819,495.37. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor. >> Order number fiscal year 26-113. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorgo moved that it be ordered

671
03:13:40.960 --> 03:13:59.520
that the city council approve the transfer of $80,000 for the replacement of the break room at the transfer station as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the capital stabilization account number8402 with a balance of $819,495.37. Majority vote required. Second. All in

672
03:13:59.520 --> 03:14:17.520
favor? >> Order number fiscal year 26-114. The city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorgo move that it be ordered that the city council approve the borrowing of 370,000 for the replacement of trash truck number 197. Majority vote required.

673
03:14:17.520 --> 03:14:36.399
>> Second. All in favor. >> Order number fiscal year 26-115. City Council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger move that it be ordered that the city council approve the transfer of $80,000 for the water system modeling update as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding

674
03:14:36.399 --> 03:14:52.399
will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield Water Department. Majority vote required. >> Second. All in favor. Order number fiscal year 26-116. to the city council upon recommendation of Mayor Dorger moved that it be ordered that the city council approves a

675
03:14:52.399 --> 03:15:09.040
transfer of $100,000 electrical upgrades to the water pollution control plan as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Green Sewer Department majority vote required. Second. All in favor?

676
03:15:09.040 --> 03:15:24.800
Order number fiscal year 26-117. City council upon recommendation of Mayor Dylan move that it be ordered that the city council approves the transfer of $315,000 for the replacement of screen number one at the water pollution control plant as part of the capital budget for fiscal

677
03:15:24.800 --> 03:15:44.000
year 2027. Funding will be from the retained earnings of the Greenfield sewer department. Majority vote required. Second. All in favor? Okay, I think we got everybody. So, I just want to comment, thank you on the capital budget. Thank you to councelor

678
03:15:44.000 --> 03:16:00.800
Webb for reading it through. I know we talked earlier about the sewer overflow. Um, from these capital investments, you can see that we're making investments in our infrastructure here in Greenfield, and that's really, really important, especially as we're building new

679
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housing. um bringing in new businesses and all that's that's to come in Greenfield. So, thank you for making these investments. Um it's really important. So, I appreciate everybody. I know we're all really tired. I can see

680
03:16:17.200 --> 03:16:33.920
everybody's lagging a little bit. So, we don't have any presentation of petitions or similar papers. No reports from committees that anybody wants to comment on tonight. I don't have any unfinished business. um or old business and there

681
03:16:33.920 --> 03:16:51.760
may be new business >> um as for reports from committee. I just this is very quick but um we are blessed to have the Hannah Richen from the GBA and Amy Kalain come to our meetings and they gave great presentations just kind of some cool stuff happening in

682
03:16:51.760 --> 03:17:08.239
Greenfield and I don't want to extend our time any further but it is worth seeing if you are interested in economic development and there's a lot of really good news so just one quick thing the uh first national bank there is a developer who's looking at that who asked for an

683
03:17:08.239 --> 03:17:23.920
extension of the RFP That's right on Bank Row, the big building there. So, there's a real chance that something could happen, which would be amazing. So, I wanted to present that. Um, as far as new business is concerned, Clerk Scott reminded me of a tradition we have on the council of people with long

684
03:17:23.920 --> 03:17:39.359
histories of service to the city having a blank page dedicated to them after they passed. And so, I would like to request for consent without objection. A page in tonight's minutes be dedicated to former deputy police chief Joseph Leance, who recently passed away. He was

685
03:17:39.359 --> 03:17:57.239
on the police force for many years and also was a member of the Triad Sheriff's Office and the city of Greenfield constable. >> So approved. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. And thank you for honoring

686
03:17:57.439 --> 03:18:14.319
somebody who we've lost. So appreciate that. Great. All right. On to new business and first readings. Um, and we've got the fiscal year 2026 community preservation budget. Who doesn't feel like they've gotten a

687
03:18:14.319 --> 03:18:36.439
chance to read a lot tonight? Are you sure? Thank you. City Council first reading May 20th, 2026. Fiscal year 2026 community preservation budget appropriate $243,330

688
03:18:36.560 --> 03:18:52.720
for the fiscal year 2027 operations of the community preservation committee appropriate 800 sorry appropriate $8,730 from community preservation act funding to Greenfield recreation department for beacon field enhancements appropriate

689
03:18:52.720 --> 03:19:08.080
$20,000 from CPA funding to Greenfield conservation commission for the greenfield conservation fund appropriate $20,000 from the CPA funding to Greenfield Department of Planning for Miller's Meadow Project appropriate $24,600

690
03:19:08.080 --> 03:19:26.000
from the uh CPA funding to Greenfield Tap and die historic paintings preservation project. Appropriate $30,000 from the CPA funding to Greenfield City Clerk for preservation of historic city documents. Appropriate $30,000 from the CPA act or CPA fundings

691
03:19:26.000 --> 03:19:43.120
to Greenfield Housing Authority for Security Deposit and Rental Assistance Fund. Appropriate $50,000 from the CPA funding to Rural Development, Inc. for 100 for 176 Main Street Affordable Housing Project. Appropriate $60,000

692
03:19:43.120 --> 03:19:59.520
from CPA funding to Franklin Community Cooperative for former Wilson's Building Facade Restoration. Fiscal year Do I need to read the rest of it? Fiscal year 2027 operating budget appropriate 70,000 or sorry 70

693
03:19:59.520 --> 03:20:23.920
million24,736 for fiscal year 2027 general fund budget appropriate 2,815,181 for fiscal year 2027 water enterprise fund appropriate 3,895,664 for fiscal year 2027 7 sewer enterprise

694
03:20:23.920 --> 03:20:43.120
fund appropriate $2,22,21 for the fiscal year 2027 Greenfield Community Energy and Technology or GET Enterprise Fund. Establish budgets for revolving funds pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44

695
03:20:43.120 --> 03:21:04.560
section 53E and a half. >> That does not exist. Okay. I don't know whose computer we should listen to, but and those. Thank you, Councelor Webb, for stepping

696
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in and doing a lot of reading tonight. Much appreciated. Do we have any motions for reconsideration? I'll take a motion to adjourn. >> All in favor? >> Yes. >> I It was councelor Gordon. Second.

697
03:21:20.000 --> 03:21:33.080
>> Oh, sorry. Thank you. All right. Uh, it's 10:06 and we are ajourned. Thank you everyone for your participation.