[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6101174,"mediaKeyId","2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2","parentId",2809840,"title","Residents press council to strengthen sidewalk clearing and emergency snow response after ice storm","audioSeconds",1928,"startMs",736000,"endMs",2664000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2&start=736&end=2664","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2/thumbnail_736000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6101174/Massachusetts/Residents-press-council-to-strengthen-sidewalk-clearing-and-emergency-snow-response-after-ice-storm","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101174-0b3c23b336c1b6c84bf60da84b266df5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152074&Signature=VEyRqj-1Ac0p8jznHYLAqRXZH475VMFSHiMi0U5jrhNcq8jhQRtW5v-CS7wzpxeDDFT7HS0KFw~Ju9ntTd7ZOVjLOjKhBUtCZgR~ZVZryfC3PsoMEhiiPchepSkHTCvwviAwfurYyL3fnXheCbhz2c9YdtrQdeyEFd6fh8oPXK50dkL4T-2i4A3VdvpgML~E1oKgixdCfhTuDQGmWy9s8Sq-2x7yM-Cm03ImiGgrgYgPJ-~caIpE4Q9c8HNfFSo8DYUTQMpjS~8CZZfWY5KnwYTLBrcG64cFokiX-679pAFCyPfyFf8NKLhLChu~9lgRw5nmCZeKn3Do2UhlEYD~8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northampton City, MA","date","2025-02-20T00:00:00Z","article","Dozens of public commenters used the Northampton City Council's public comment period on Feb. 20 to praise the Department of Public Works for its work during a late‑winter ice storm and to urge city government to strengthen sidewalk‑clearing rules and emergency response protocols.

Several speakers described hazardous sidewalks and blocked curb cuts that left people in wheelchairs or with mobility challenges forced to use travel lanes. \"We plow the road so people in cars can get around. We should clear the sidewalk so people who are not in cars can get around,\" said Raymond Paquette, who urged the council to suspend rules and approve the school appropriation (he also advocated for clearing sidewalks).

Councilors and the mayor acknowledged the difficulty of the storm and thanked DPW workers for working around the clock. Councilor Rothenberg described challenges trying to obtain emergency assistance late at night and said the city's current restrictions on councilors' access to on‑duty staff complicated rapid question‑and‑answer exchanges during emergencies. She asked the administration to examine whether the city's charter and policies limit councilors's ability to get timely information for constituents during emergencies.

Mayor Gina Louis Sierra reminded property owners that state and local rules usually place liability for clearing adjacent sidewalks on property owners and that the city requires clearing within 24 hours of a storm's end when feasible, or treatment to remove slip hazards if full clearing is not possible. The mayor also posted DPW contact information and an after‑hours non‑emergency dispatch number for safety concerns.

The council did not take formal action on snow ordinance changes that night; several councilors asked staff to bring a scope and proposed remedies for future discussion, including clearer notification and enforcement mechanisms and an accessibility review of curb cuts and pedestrian ramps.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Northampton City Council | February 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents told the council Feb. 20 that the Feb. storm left sidewalks impassable for people with mobility needs and that the city's snow‑clearing ordinance and enforcement are inadequate; councilors and the mayor acknowledged the concerns and thanked DPW staff for their work during a difficult storm.","taxTitle","Northampton City, Hampshire County, Massachusetts","taxId",68541,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6101179,"Finance director says FY25 second‑quarter revenues roughly on track; investment income well above expectations, water/sewer down as Coca‑Cola reduces operations",827,5570000,6397000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2&start=5570&end=6397","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2/thumbnail_5570000.jpg","/articles/6101179/Massachusetts/Finance-director-says-FY25-secondquarter-revenues-roughly-on-track-investment-income-well-above-expectations-watersewer-down-as-CocaCola-reduces-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101179-87f4210a8e6d91a727f99e7beed49a1d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152074&Signature=C22uQ9KKyzdomrnSzgOijckqWQsyT3uzTjQz4nIFMC7jkzAeA4T3K2WTp7-XiKtw7gIzcpuvd07l~h7MPxqQ7twV4FfwNdjIXRFAxJ1Nu2Al0pihlHdQ4gwPx7LYdSbMixOQu0mnZiqi1lHZ44zDTDfrQh~7uZzywAzMJeVheFFFq~qSnMBWMuYyFdf773-d5emjCa18wCrH9X0ydYxQputGBXAFBR~vkmPjkaH54W2u05eETF4EJnYhxzwp4hEOdVEO-zB-aWElPmYR6itLXR~RX3UFoxt7uwpeG3LVeAORuoIl-FrxTTS0JkoDcVISw17bL7OWa1wlcb~~4luZdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director of Finance Charlene Nardi presented the city's FY25 second‑quarter financial report during the Feb. 20 council meeting, saying overall collections were close to the half‑year benchmark but that several lines diverged from projections.

Key points Nardi highlighted:
- Overall general fund revenue collection at quarter‑end stood at roughly 47.6% of the revised budget, close to the typical midyear target around 50%.
- Investment income: the city budgeted about $178,000 for interest on investments but had received about $1.5 million as of the second quarter. Nardi said that change stems from investment vehicles and higher interest rates and that the gain is a temporary boon that should be treated cautiously in multi‑year planning.
- Hotel/motel receipts and some lodging/meals taxes showed softness compared with the prior year; adult marijuana excise revenue was up about 31% versus the same period a year earlier.
- Building‑permit collections included a one‑time large permit (Smith College geothermal work) that boosts current year permit revenue but is not a recurring source.
- Water and sewer enterprise receipts were down compared with the same period last year; Nardi and councilors traced most of that decline to markedly lower industrial usage by the Coca‑Cola bottling plant, which has repeatedly signaled a phased reduction or exit. The administration raised rates last year to account for the expected Coca‑Cola departure; Nardi said collections are currently tracking at about 56% for water/sewer enterprise funds.

Nardi told the council enterprise funds were generally tracking as expected but urged caution in projecting investment income into future budgets. \"I'm pushing revenues where I think we can, but some of the things we are doing make me a little nervous,\" she said, noting that higher interest receipts this year reflect the current rate environment and available cash, not a permanent baseline.

Councilors pressed for follow‑up on several items: a clearer picture of expected free cash at fiscal year end; the timing of large permit receipts; details on the water/sewer rate model and how repeated messages from Coca‑Cola about leaving but not doing so would affect long‑term projections; and the consequences of relying on one‑time investment gains to balance multi‑year budgets.

Council President Alex Jarrah and others asked the finance director to provide updated projections and sensitivity scenarios at the next quarter briefing and requested water/sewer rate modeling with Director LaScaglia (DPW) present so the council can evaluate alternative paths if industrial usage continues to drop.

","Director Charlene Nardi told the council that overall FY25 collections were near projection at midyear, but investment income had far outpaced the budgeted estimate while water and sewer receipts lagged due to reduced industrial usage. The council asked for more granular forecasting ahead of FY26.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6101184,"Council refers $600,000 midyear school funding request to finance after weeks of public appeals",1783,9072000,10855000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2&start=9072&end=10855","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809840-df030adc2edd23ab6b058db6dca6aae2/thumbnail_9072000.jpg","/articles/6101184/Massachusetts/Council-refers-600000-midyear-school-funding-request-to-finance-after-weeks-of-public-appeals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101184-9980a0e5dec3f1f41377772fe75863ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152074&Signature=NcB3AALLjTLeN-Hc55VeYBGTbNF67Hw9uUFzx6RXmjPS6O5~pBDpDOWUk6ZdG1N1rG7G~oi4XB7dgkurPXpi40AmlFCVaciHGfn-CdpxxQ-oLVmJXVRI7guWTz67aLlfffEdBcJ~69vCUcnGPzPHgc4d8h2SVu0US3ckcZnJQFYItdTaCTyvNc4~jT6qA4j1u~j0A5UPBq412nhM1jVxEo8cuuKXmBsr-N~XdlUMzJ40D1BXSPlin~wJyW8asGwl6-EQ5GFeVcHaxDo3qozJM1pBMZ8wLNUYsYXMpiXKgxLKTaZONGinSHsInc418AJiwc2D9JdHxLhDy7x1M5nBJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Northampton City Council on Feb. 20 declined to approve a School Committee request for an immediate $600,000 midyear appropriation for Northampton Public Schools and instead voted to refer the matter to the council's finance committee for further study.

Public comment at the meeting was dominated by parents, school employees and advocates who described staffing shortfalls they said were harming students, particularly special‑education pupils. Speakers recounted resignations, unfulfilled IEPs and classroom injuries. “The crisis in our schools, particularly as related to special education, has reached emergency status,” said Lisa Modenos, a parent who addressed the council during the public comment period. Several speakers asked the council to suspend its rules and vote on the appropriation that night; that motion to suspend rules failed 3–5.

The appropriation request, filed by the Northampton School Committee and transmitted to the council by the mayor without recommendation, would transfer $600,000 from the city's Fiscal Stability (stabilization) Fund to the schools for the remainder of FY25. Superintendent Portia Bonner told the council the district had submitted the request after the school committee voted to ask the city for aid; the district has identified needs such as additional paraprofessionals, reading/math interventionists and special‑education teachers but had not provided an itemized line‑by‑line allocation at the council meeting.

Mayor Gina Louis Sierra cautioned that one‑time funding can quickly become recurring expense if positions are continued into subsequent years, and she urged the council to weigh sustainability. “If the only thing we can do will make the situation much worse very quickly, it is not a solution,” the mayor said, noting the city's recent budget and the fiscal uncertainty the administration is balancing.

Council discussion emphasized two practical constraints: (1) hiring and onboarding late in the school year reduces the pool of applicants for short‑term assignments, and (2) any positions added in the current year would increase the base budget if the district sought to retain them for FY26. Superintendent Bonner said hiring posts are normally advertised for about two weeks and that, if filled quickly, an employee could work for the remaining roughly 11 weeks of the school year; she also warned that benefits and other employer costs add to any base‑year cost if positions are carried forward.

Faced with those fiscal and operational unknowns, the council voted to refer the order to the finance committee for a focused review of (a) what precise positions would be funded, (b) the near‑term hiring feasibility, (c) the full recurring cost if positions were carried into FY26 (including benefits), and (d) options for short‑term interventions that do not create unsustainable recurring obligations. The referral passed 6 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention.

Votes at a glance

- 25.217 (Midyear appropriation to Northampton Public Schools, $600,000): Referred to Finance Committee for further analysis (6 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain). Item originated from the School Committee; mayor transmitted without recommendation.
- 24.211 (Appointment: Patricia “Patty” Healy to Northampton Housing Authority): Approved (6–1).
- Motion to suspend rules to allow an immediate council vote on the $600,000 appropriation: Failed (3–5).
- 25.219 & 25.220 (Statements of Interest to Massachusetts School Building Authority for JFK School roof repair and for heat‑pump conversion): Approved unanimously; council authorized filing statements of interest.
- 25.214 (Resolution supporting the Healthy Incentives Program): Approved unanimously.

What happens next

The finance committee will schedule a meeting in advance of the council's March budget schedule to take evidence from school staff, the superintendent and the mayor's finance office. Committee members asked the administration and school leadership to provide: a prioritized list of positions (with estimated salary + benefits), hiring timelines, the legal/contractual implications of short‑term hires (pink slips/termination obligations), and options for non‑recurring investments that reduce immediate risk to students.

Council President Alex Jarrah said the referral was intended to allow the council to make an informed decision and to give the community time for follow‑up; he urged participation at the finance meeting. The council did not adopt any appropriation that night.

","After two hours of public comment focused on special‑education staffing and school safety, the Northampton City Council voted 6–1–1 to send a School Committee request to appropriate $600,000 for Northampton Public Schools to the council's finance committee for further review.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press council to strengthen sidewalk clearing and emergency snow response after ice storm

Finance director says FY25 second‑quarter revenues roughly on track; investment income well above expectations, water/sewer down as Coca‑Cola reduces operations

Council refers $600,000 midyear school funding request to finance after weeks of public appeals