Candidates debate Municipal Modernization Act and a chief financial officer at Holyoke forum
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Summary
Candidates discussed the Municipal Modernization Act and restructuring city finance functions; some said structural change is needed to reconcile the city’s books, others urged caution and argued for appointing a qualified treasurer first.
Candidates at a bilingual forum for Holyoke city council addressed the Municipal Modernization Act and proposals to restructure city finance operations, including establishing a chief financial officer or reorganizing treasurer and collector functions.
Meg McGrath Smith, Ward 7 city councilor, described months of ordinance work to create a new finance department and said structural change is needed to fix long-standing accounting problems. “We have 3 years, we have not been able to reconcile our books, but there are issues back to 02/2007,” McGrath Smith said. “We don't have clear lines of accountability, and things don't actually function the way that they should.”
Linda Bacon, Ward 5 city councilor, said the modernization act has changed during committee review and expressed concern that it adds layers without showing how efficiencies will occur. Bacon urged appointing a qualified treasurer and noted the mayor already convenes department heads. “The first order of business is to appoint a qualified treasurer,” Bacon said.
Ward 3 Councilor David Bartley said he opposed the act as written and recounted extensive amendment work at ordinance meetings, but he raised concerns about communication from financial offices and disputed an assertion that Moody's had taken action on the city's bond rating. "At the very last finance meeting, the city treasurer said on the microphone that, yes, I forward to you the city council via communication that the bond rating for the city of Holyoke has been obliterated by Moody's. Now, that was a complete and total fabrication," Bartley said.
The conversation reflected differing approaches: some candidates argued for a structural solution to centralize financial accountability, while others urged initial steps such as appointing a qualified treasurer and improving interdepartmental coordination. The forum did not produce any vote or formal city action; candidates framed positions for voters ahead of the Nov. 4 election.