The Easthampton City Council met on Feb. 4 for a swift 30-minute meeting.
Photo credit: E-Media
EASTHAMPTON — At its meeting on Feb. 4, the Easthampton City Council made moves on city housing issues, appropriated funds for a new dog park and listened to public safety updates.
The council voted to move a resolution in support of creating the Easthampton Housing Crisis Task Force to the rules subcommittee.
Two residents spoke in support of the resolution during public comment time noting that the Easthampton Tenants Union has been discussing issues of negative landlord behavior and the costs of rent in the city. They also encouraged the council to ensure that renters will be on the task force.
After Councilor Thomas Peake, chair of the finance committee, provided an update on the dog park, the council voted to approve a Community Preservation Act supplemental appropriation of $23,500 to design a new dog park. Peake noted that plans for the dog park have been ongoing for roughly the last decade, and the group is now in a place to move forward with a design. After the design is completed, then the Friends of the Easthampton Dog Park will need to raise funds for the actual construction.
Councilor Amanda Newton, chair of the public safety subcommittee, shared information that Police Chief Chad Alexander recently provided for the subcommittee. She noted that the Police Department is well aware of view obstructions on Cottage Street caused by the high snowbanks and are ensuring that there are more patrols in the area.
He also let the subcommittee know that any issues of sidewalks not being shoveled should be brought to the attention of the Police Department by calling their non-emergency line. Newton noted that they had also discussed Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city. According to Newton, Alexander explained to the subcommittee that the Police Department doesn’t work with ICE and isn’t notified of ICE operations. He added that the department wouldn’t hold someone in custody at the request of ICE, and that the department has a duty to intervene if there were violent situations.
