The Holyoke City Finance Committee on Oct. 27 accepted a package of supplemental budget actions and donations that the mayor's office submitted for FY2026, including two resilience grants and several traffic‑safety and departmental adjustments.

City Auditor Tanya said the supplemental as submitted shows "a $1,400,000 surplus in our total, supplemental budget." The committee in most cases approved individual items but temporarily tabled a full walkthrough of the mayor's supplemental pending presentations from the mayor and affected departments.

Key approvals and donations the committee accepted included:

- A $390,000 municipal vulnerability preparedness (MVP) grant to fund a wastewater system vulnerability assessment, climate adaptation planning and associated community engagement and green‑infrastructure design. The grant requires a 10% in‑kind match to be met largely through staff time and consultant work the city will track. Mira, a project lead on the effort, said the grant's "primary purpose is to meet our NPDES requirement to do a vulnerability assessment of the wastewater collection system, pump stations, [and] wastewater treatment plant." The motion to accept passed.

- A $250,000 design and permit grant for damaged seawall/dam repairs with a 10% match. The work will advance permit and design documents for pump stations and structural repairs; committee discussion noted safety and electrical switchgear deficiencies identified in prior Army Corps assessments. The committee approved the grant acceptance along with a related $25,000 workers'-comp line transfer to cover the local match.

- Acceptance of a MassDOT donation of poles and signs valued at $73,615 to install multiple four‑way stops at specified intersections. DPW staff said MassDOT provides the hardware and the city will install the signs and poles once supplies arrive.

- Acceptance of two MassDOT rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) pedestrian crosswalk assemblies (estimated value $13,250). DPW will install the units within the program's 90‑day window.

- HEDIC (the Holyoke Economic Development Industrial Corporation) offered $30,000 to support Brownfield consulting; the mayor's office and the planning director intend to match that amount from the general fund contracted services appropriation at a later date. Mike Sullivan (HEDIC) said the money will be used for Brownfield consultants to assess needed remediation and advise private owners on compliance and next steps.

Other, smaller supplemental changes approved on consent included $10,000 for ongoing Munis/Tyler ERP consultant support in the auditor's office and procurement to ease the city's move to paperless financial workflows, and a $2,603 increase to the War Memorial repair line to address warped accessible doors.

Several items led to follow‑up assignments rather than immediate final transfers: the council tabled a full presentation of the mayor's supplemental until the mayor and relevant department heads can attend, and the HEDIC matching commitment will require a later appropriation or transfer to formalize the city match.

Votes at a glance (finance committee actions Oct. 27, 2025):

- Accepted MVP wastewater vulnerability grant ($390,000, 10% in‑kind match): approved.

- Accepted Dam/Seawall design and permit grant ($250,000, 10% match) and associated $25,000 workers' comp transfer for match: approved.

- Accepted MassDOT donation for multiple four‑way stop sign/pole assemblies (value $73,615): approved.

- Accepted two MassDOT RRFB pedestrian crosswalk assemblies (estimated $13,250): approved.

- Accepted HEDIC donation ($30,000) with city to provide a future match through general‑fund contracted services: approved (match to be appropriated later).

- Added $10,000 for Munis/Tyler ERP consultant support and procurement consulting: approved.

Committee members emphasized that while the committee approved individual grant acceptances and donations, several supplemental transfers and appropriations remain to be finalized once the mayor's office and departmental staff present the full supplemental packet.

"If they're not able to [match], that's okay as well," City Auditor Tanya said of the HEDIC match plan, adding that the incoming $30,000 can still be used for the consulting work even if the match is delayed.

The committee also voted to request that the outside auditor provide an update, in writing or in person, on the status of the city's 2023 and 2024 audits.