WESTFIELD – The Legislative and Ordinance Committee (L&O) will meet tonight to discuss six items in hopes of clearing some of its back-logged agenda before the City Council, which meets next Monday then goes on summer break.
One of those items is related to the temporary and permanent easements needed for the Route 187 reconstruction and improvement project which entails installation of a new stormwater drainage system and widening the shoulders, both of which require access to additional land, an issue being pushed by City Engineer Mark Cressotti so the project can be initiated this summer. If the council does not act on the easements next Monday, construction could be delayed until the fall.
The most controversial issue is the proposal submitted by the executive branch to adopt Chapter 40, Section 6A of the Massachusetts General Laws which reads:
Section 6A. A city or town which accepts the provisions of this section may appropriate annually a sum for the purpose of advertising its resources, advantages and attractions. The money so appropriated shall be expended under the direction of the mayor and city council of the city or the board of selectmen of the town. Two or more municipalities having resources, advantages or attractions in common may join in advertising the same hereunder.
The proposal was brought onto the floor of the City Council by the L&O at the June 20 session and was tabled because of concerns raised during discussion.
“There were a couple of different threads of contention,” L&O Chairman Christopher Keefe said this morning, “a couple of different agendas.”
“Some people are worried about spending city money on advertising the city instead of spending that money to fix potholes or for the schools,” Keefe said. “There was also concern about giving the administration a blanket approval to spend that money.”
Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell, a member of the L&O, said that there is justification for creating a municipal advertising account for certain activities under the purview of City Advancement Officer Jeff Daley.
O’Connell said that she supports advertising for the two industrial parks and Barnes Regional Airport, but that she has concerns about the authority that section gives the administration to enter into inter-municipal advertising agreements.
O’Connell said that she also has concerns that the council will lose control of advertising money after approving the appropriation.
“The Law Department said we have to do this, and it’s tough to argue with the Law Department on every issue,” O’Connell said, “but their boss is the mayor.”
“Do we really need this? I don’t know,” O’Connell said. “We’ll hash that out tonight.”
