At Large Springfield City Councilor Justin Hurst addresses city Attorney Ken Shea during a discussion on obtaining outside counsel.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
SPRINGFIELD — In a reflection of the split nature of the Springfield City Council, the question of whether to obtain independent legal advice regarding City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez and the redevelopment of city property was voted down 4-5. Undeterred, At Large Councilor Justin Hurst, who introduced the measure at the July 27 City Council meeting, said he would seek a legal opinion on his own and share the results with his colleagues.
The matter first came up at the June 22 council meeting when Hurst publicly stated that he had concerns about Oyola-Lopez’s connection to the development of a property recommended to receive community preservation funds. MPZ NNCC Plainfield Street LLC had applied for $100,000 in community preservation funding to help redevelop the former Brightwood Elementary School, a city-owned property, into apartments. Hurst pointed out that MPZ NNCC Plainfield Street LLC owns Brightwood Elderly Living Loving Assistance LLC, of which Oyola-Lopez is one of two listed managers. Oyola-Lopez is also the president of the board of directors for New North Citizens Council, the “NNCC” in the developer’s name. Hurst claimed the organization would “benefit directly” from the redevelopment of the city-owned property.
At the June meeting, Hurst said the situation “reeks of corruption” and was “possibly criminal.”
On June 30, Oyola-Lopez wrote a letter to Springfield Human Resources Director William Mahoney stating that the situation with Hurst has caused “mental anguish, loss of appetite and sleep and concern regarding my ability to safely and effectively perform my official duties.” She asked the city to investigate the issue and “take reasonable immediate interim measures to prevent further harassment or retaliation during the investigation.”
At a July 23 press conference, Oyola-Lopez’s attorney, Zachary Vargo, said his Hurst has undertaken a “campaign of harassment” against Oyola-Lopez since, in her role as elections commissioner, she reported to the state complaints she received that alleged Hurst offered compensation for votes in the 2023 mayoral election.
Hurst sought City Council approval to hire an independent lawyer to issue a legal opinion after City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti declined to issue one. In his response to Hurst, Buoniconti said Hurst’s request could be seen as a witness “intimidation tactic,” due to her being a witness in the attorney general’s investigation. Hurst has maintained that he is questioning Oyola-Lopez’s actions in his capacity as a city councilor and working on behalf of his constituents.
Before discussion began at the July meeting, Attorney Ken Shea with the city’s Law Department said the discussion should be conducted in executive session because it pertains to the reputation of a city employee.
“Why is it that the Law Department is trying to shut down discussion on this issue as well as prevent us from getting outside counsel?” Hurst asked his fellow councilors. He said the agenda item only asks for outside counsel in reference to the approval of Community Preservation Act funding. He also said the City Council is entitled to its own legal counsel and has obtained it in the past and is not requesting funding from the city to do so. “I’m not going to let the Law Department silence me,” Hurst said.
Shea responded that the Law Department has no issue with outside council and was only advising that the discussion not take place in open session. Hurst responded, “It came to us in open session and we’ll discuss it in open session.” He added, “You work for the [city] administration. Until we get an independent attorney, there’s no way I can take what you say at face value.”
City Council President Tracye Whitfield also commented on the matter. She recalled a controversy that occurred in May after she failed to recuse herself from a matter with which she had familial and financial ties. The incident resulted in a failed vote of no confidence to remove her from the office of president. Whitfield said her reputation was discussed in open session “several times” and the councilors did not “give me the respect to go into executive session.” She called is a “shameful… double standard” and said she would not vote to enter executive session.
“We cannot continue accusing each other,” said Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez. She favored independent counsel because the body needed direction and answers for its constituents, she said.
The vote on whether to obtain independent counsel was narrowly split, with Hurst, Whitfield, Perez and Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan voting in favor, while Ward 7 City Councilor Gerry Martin, Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila, Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards and At Large City Councilors Brian Santaniello and Jose Delgado voted against it.
After the meeting, Vargo released a statement reiterating that Oyola-Lopez is an unpaid volunteer on the New North Citizen’s Council board. He also stated, “She has never held, and does not hold, any ownership interest or financial stake in either New North Citizens’ Council or the brightwood redevelopment project. Likewise, she has not received, and will not receive, any city funds allocated to that project.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Domenic Sarno expressed his faith in Oyola-Lopez, stating that she is “an exemplary city employee, a trusted cabinet head and one of the hardest working individuals I know, who deeply cares for our city and community. She has a proven track record that is above reproach and her integrity is second-to-none. I have the utmost confidence in our City Clerk and Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola-Lopez.”
