The Easthampton City Council met on Feb. 18 at 50 Payson Ave.
Photo credit: E-Media
EASTHAMPTON — At its Feb. 18 meeting, the Easthampton City Council dismissed the adoption of an act that would have allowed additional funding methods for the School Department, leading it to discuss possible adjustments to the city’s charter.
In discussing his desire to dismiss the act without prejudice, City Councilor Thomas Peake, chair of the Finance Committee, noted that the adoption of the act had “been bouncing around for a while” and stemmed from concerns about needs for adjusting funds for the school district. The act would have allowed the City Council, by a two-thirds vote, and following a two-thirds vote by the School Committee, to reallocate funds to increase the total amount of money in the school budget.
Peake explained that recent discussion of the act had made him aware of a “level of anxiety from the departments” about their own funding. “It was more divisive than I thought it was going to be,” said Peake.
After conversations with School Committee Chair Laura Scott and Mayor Salem Derby, it became clear to Peake that this was no longer a priority for the School Committee because it didn’t have the same concerns about funding with the current mayor.
However, Peake explained that these discussions led the Finance Committee to think there may be a “desire to revisit the checks and balances in the charter.” He noted that the charter was set 30 years ago and would likely benefit from an update now.
After the council voted to dismiss the act without prejudice, meaning it could be brought up again, Easthampton resident Daniel Gilbert spoke to what the Charter Commission process would look like. According to Gilbert, it would be initiated by a petition signed by 2,000 registered Easthampton voters. Then, on the next city ballot, voters would both vote on a ballot question to establish a commission and vote for nine commission members. That would then begin an 18-month process of reviewing the charter and making changes.
The mayor also provided several updates to items in the city.
He noted that a pipe had recently burst at the closed Pepin school, causing no real damage, but starting a conversation about how best to care for the building until it is repurposed. After discussions with the DPW, water and electricity were turned off in the building and the windows have been boarded up. Derby added that he’d had the opportunity to speak with the lieutenant governor and made sure that the schools are in the queue to be turned into housing.
Derby also offered more insight into the recent discussions to pause Cultural Chaos for this year. He said that organizers had explained that event has become increasingly difficult to run with fewer volunteers and an event that requires significant time and energy. Derby noted that there will be several cultural events this year, just on a smaller scale.
