EASTHAMPTON — At its Sept. 3 meeting, the Easthampton City Council voted to move forward with funding on several renovation and reconstruction projects that will improve the city for its residents.
The largest of these funding approvals, at $699,985, will go toward the design aspect of reconstructing Main Street.
According to Department of Public Works Director Greg Nuttleman, this funding will unlock an additional $9 million in funding to complete the project. The renovation is scheduled for 2028 and will follow a similar pathway and plan as the Union Street reconstruction project. The Main Street work will include water and sewer line upgrades, as well as increased safety measures. Nuttleman explained that, as the design stands now, it will also focus on preserving the character of the area.
The council also approved allocating $264,500 in Community Preservation Act funds to renovate and improve the Nonotuck Spray Park. The improvements would focus on capturing and reusing the water from the park as a way to conserve water and provide significant savings to the city. John Mason, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, explained that these funds are part of a matching grant that has been approved by the state and is currently awaiting federal approval. If the federal approval fails, then the department will look at other funding sources, according to Mason.
Several residents, including children, spoke out in favor of the council’s approval of $250,000 towards the building of the Easthampton Skate Park/All Wheels Park, a project that has been in the works since 2019. Councilor Thomas Peake, chair of the Finance Committee, noted that he has seen various proposals for the park come before the council many times, and he commended the people who have been involved since the project’s inception. Mason added that these funds will hopefully be combined with a PARC grant from the state and funds from Friends of the Skate Park. Organizers hope to start construction in the spring or summer of 2026.
Councilors also approved a change to the city charter, which will now be sent to the state legislature for approval. This would require changes to the mayoral salary to be discussed only in the third year of the four-year term and not take effect until the following term.
A resolution in support of the Constitution, sponsored by council President James Kwiecinski, brought out some angry concern from two residents. Resident Darlene Orvieto said she was “embarrassed” for the council to bring about the resolution and claimed they did so from “ignorance” and “lack of education.” A resident who spoke remotely and didn’t give their name frequently interrupted the proceedings to claim they “didn’t even understand” what they were talking about.
The Resolution in Support of Democracy and A Call for the Return to the Constitutional Principles that are the Foundation of our Republic began by celebrating the upcoming 236th anniversary of the Constitution and went on to recognize “unconstitutional and unlawful actions of President [Donald] Trump and his appointees” among other concerns about the current administration. Residents also noted that it had been added to the agenda just the day before the meeting, and people did not have time to vet it. Kwiecinski explained that he wanted to have the resolution in place before the anniversary, but that any councilor could ask to have it sent to committee, which Councilor Jason Tirrell did.
The resolution was sent to the Rules and Government Relations Committee for review.
