Town Council reorganizes post-election, discusses creating health partnership

July 10, 2019 | Sarah Heinonen
sarah@thereminder.com

EAST LONGMEADOW –  The first order of business at East Longmeadow’s July 2 Town Council meeting was to address reorganization of the Council, as it was the first meeting since the new members, R. Patrick Henry, Jr. and Ralph Page, were elected.

Counselor Donald Anderson made a motion to reappoint the Council President Kathleen G Hill and Council Vice President Michael J Kane to their seats with the condition that going forward the positions would be limited to two terms. Though the motion has to go through the rules committee, it was approved by the counselors.

When the new councilors were being welcomed, Henry took the opportunity to address the Council.

“I understand the residents desire for more service and less cost, meaning more efficiencies, more streamlining,” but he went on to say it involves more than just cutting the budget. It means new ways to approach town spending and working collaboratively, as well as, eliminating red tape and duplication. Henry pushed for efficiency changes and redirecting funds to where they were “vital.”

Director of Health Aimee Petrosky and Chair of the Board of Health Dr. Sarah Perez McAdoo updated the Council on the proposed East Longmeadow/Longmeadow Health Partnership. In light of the findings of the state government’s commission on local and Regional Public Health Resources that cross-divisional maximizes the taxpayers’ investment, East Longmeadow and Longmeadow are working out a partnership.

“We would be ahead of the game by being able to pursue this work with Longmeadow,” Perez McAdoo said. “We wanted to be at the forefront of the movement to take advantage of the funds that would be available for early adopters,” Perez McAdoo said.

“We really feel strongly that this is physically responsible, it expands the services that we’re going to be able to provide our residence, and it’s a sustainable opportunity that provides for flexibility in the years to come,” said Petrosky. She said each community would maintain their own rights to regulations and procedures but would see increases in efficiency for both communities.

The Board of Health recently received a $54,000 grant from the  state to work on a health needs assessment, incorporating data from the community on what the needs are. Petrosky also said this will provide measurable data to see how residents’ expectations and experiences improve.

Counselor Thomas C. O’Connor said that he didn’t want to vote on something for which he had just received the documents. He also asked for a pro-con list for the project as required by the Council.

The vote was tabled until the August 6 Town Council meeting to allow time for Perez McAdoo and Petrosky to furnish the Council with a complete documents package, including a list of pros and cons and the cost of the town.

Hill provided an update on the Town Council’s licensing committee. The committee is developing a list of what constitutes a violation of an alcohol license and a list of potential penalties.

She also addressed an official complaint that had been filed regarding a fire truck disposed of in late 2017. The office of the Inspector General found that the town was in compliance with procurement practices.

Though the Council discussed the Planning Matters Subcommittee’s recommendation that the Town Council vote against a zoning change to allow ground-mounted solar arrays on Pease Road, the issue was set aside until a public hearing could be scheduled for September.

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