At Large City Councilor Justin Hurst says he is under investigation at a City Council meeting on Sept. 21.
Photo credit: Focus Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — After a months-long controversy regarding At Large City Councilor Justin Hurst’s objections to funding for property redevelopment connected to City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez, the City Council voted to approve the $100,000 in community preservation funding. Where Hurst smelled smoke, his colleagues said there was no fire.
When the annual slate of community preservation projects came before the council in June, it included the redevelopment of the former Brightwood Elementary School into the Bella Apartments by MPZ NNCC Plainfield Street LLC. Hurst said Oyola-Lopez had not declared a conflict of interest related to the fact that she is the manager of a subsidiary of MPZ NNCC Plainfield Street LLC and the president of the New North Citizens Council Board of Directors. The citizens council owns the LLC. Further, Hurst said that the city clerk is involved in creating the council’s agendas and, therefore, had undue influence. He alleged that the situation “reeks of corruption” and was possibly “criminal.” At the Sept. 21 meeting, Hurst said that his concern with the issue before the council is that $100,000 of taxpayer money would go to a for-profit company that City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez manages. He said the situation creates the appearance of preferential treatment being given to a person hired by the City Council.
Hurst then informed the rest of the council that he was under investigation by the city’s Human Resources Department. To avoid a conflict of interest, independent counsel was obtained to perform the investigation. Citing the investigation, Hurst, who sought a finding from the state Ethics Commission on the Brightwood School redevelopment matter, said he could not share that finding with the rest of the council because he was given legal advice not to turn over any documents. Reminder Publishing was unable to independently verify the investigation with the city by press time.
While Hurst would not share specific information about the investigation, he said he believed the city was trying to silence him. If the councilors chose to vote on the matter, Hurst speculated that they might also be investigated, “depending on what side of the aisle you’re on.”
Several councilors reflected on the information provided to them at a subcommittee meeting by the attorney for New North Citizens Council, as well as the legal opinion from City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti. “What I heard, there’s not an ethical issue,” Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan said. Noting that Oyola-Lopez’s position with the citizens’ council is voluntary, At Large City Councilor Brian Santanillo said the clerk will not benefit financially.
At Large City Councilor Jose Delgado said that Oyola-Lopez is not a voting member of the council, nor does she control the agenda, and therefore, was not required to disclose anything. “This has been a big distraction for the city,” he said, adding that the council should get back to “regular business.”
City Council President Tracye Whitfield handed the gavel to Delgado so that she could make a comment. She said, “This is regular City Council business.” It is part of the council’s duties to review community preservation projects, “no matter how long it takes.”
At Large City Councilor Kateri Walsh agreed that it is not unusual for the City Council to question the details around grants. However, she said the matter had made everyone “uncomfortable.”
Whitfield said, “I have nothing personal against the city clerk.” She added that she has a good working relationship with Oyola-Lopez. “It’s not personal. It’s our job.” She said she would not vote for the funding because she does not trust the Law Department or the attorney for New North Citizens Council. She also said the Law Department did not cite any laws in its opinion.
Govan said, “It sounds like the opinions we got, some people don’t like, so we’re looking for other opinions.”
Addressing his colleagues, Hurst said, “Vote your conscience.” He again made the case that there was a conflict, reiterating that Oyola-Lopez manages a subsidiary of the LLC created by New North Citizens Council. “We would never have known that,” he said, adding that it was “a problem” if that did not bother councilors.
Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards remarked, “Just because something is said repeatedly, and often, and loudly, does not make it true.”
The City Council approved the community preservation funding for the Bella Apartments. The vote was 10 in favor, with Hurst and Whitfield against. Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez, who formerly worked for the New North Citizen’s Council abstained from the vote, and Ward 4 City Councilor Malo Brown was absent.
