Hurst alleges city clerk involved in potential corruption

Springfield At Large City Councilor Justin Hurst alleges City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez is involved in “potentially criminal” matters that “reeks of corruption.”
Photo credit: Focus Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — A run-of-the-mill City Council hearing on community preservation projects took a turn June 22 when At Large City Councilor Justin Hurst declared that he had “serious concerns” about one project that he said City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez was involved with. According to Hurst, it “reeks of corruption” and was “possibly criminal.”

Community Preservation Committee Chair Robert McCarroll presented the full list of 21 projects that the committee recommended to the council. Springfield uses a tax, under the Community Preservation Act, to fund projects related to housing, historical properties and open space or recreation. Among this year’s projects was the redevelopment of the former Brightwood Elementary School into the Bella Apartments. The applicant for the project, which would turn the 1889 school building into affordable housing and add a wing onto the building, is the preferred developer, MPZ NNCC Plainfield Street LLC.

Hurst pointed out that the company owns Brightwood Elderly Living Loving Assistance LLC, of which Oyola-Lopez is one of two listed managers. He said Brightwood Elderly Living Loving Assistance had requested a waiver from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Oyola-Lopez is also the president of the New North Citizens Council Board of Directors, and Hurst claimed the organization would “benefit directly” from the redevelopment of the city-owned property. Further, Hurst said that because the city clerk has a hand in creating the City Council agenda, with the input and oversight of the City Council president, Oyola-Lopez was able to exert influence on the matter.

Summing up, Hurst alleged that the clerk, as one of the managers of a subsidiary of the preferred developer, was “intimately entangled” with the project. He wondered aloud if Oyola-Lopez had declared a conflict of interest and said she should have recused herself from the meeting. “Were there inside dealings?” he asked. He motioned for the matter to be sent to committee for further examination. He also called for a legal opinion from City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti, adding, “I know our solicitor has gotten good at reporting things to the Ethics Commission.” This was a reference to a controversy this spring in which City Council President Tracye Whitfield partially oversaw the discussion of a matter that she and her son were financially involved in. Buoniconti had referred the matter to the state Ethics Commission.

“Through all the turmoil that this council has been through recently, nobody that I’m aware of has used the word that was just used now: corruption. Nobody has used that word here in this chamber,” said Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila, who had called for Whitfield to step down as council president in May. He chided his colleague, “You spit up in the air, and it will come back and hit you.”

At Large City Councilor Brian Santaniello said that criminal and corrupt are “strong words.” He took exception to Hurst making the declaration in an open meeting, broadcast on live TV. At Large City Councilor Kateri Walsh said Hurst’s comments were getting close to character assassination, and the City Council rules do not permit that.

Councilor after councilor, expressed full confidence in Oyola-Lopez but agreed that the matter should go to committee, “just to clear the air,” as Walsh put it. Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan said, “Questions need to be answered.”

At Large City Councilor Jose Delgado said, “These are serious allegations that we’re throwing here. And to being the president of a nonprofit organization or asked to be stepped in, I don’t know how someone would benefit that. I don’t know if you’re supposed to recuse or not, but that is one thing.” He continued, “I want to make sure that we do our proper vetting before we put this out publicly because… you’re essentially saying somebody did something.”

Hurst said, “I don’t take these things lightly… I’m also an attorney. I know something is wrong. I know it’s wrong. Now, to the depth of which it is wrong, I’m not sure. But at the very least, somebody’s got to look into it.”

Walsh asked to end discussion and vote on sending the matter to committee “before we all say things we regret and cannot take back.” With a unanimous vote, it was sent to the General Government Committee.

Throughout the entire discussion, Oyola-Lopez sat silently, recording the motions of the councilors. After the item was sent to committee, Whitfield asked if the clerk needed a break. She declined, and the council carried on with the city’s business.

Reminder Publishing reached out to Oyola-Lopez but did not hear back by press time.