City Council

® _;.-= I \It D Minutes from the Special City Council Meeting on Monday November 4, 2024, at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Auditorium are as follows: 2024 DEC I O AM fl: 4 I ('IT \ J "_ Laflamme, Frank N., President At-Large Councilor Present ;.. q 1)... n~,'-;..lf_N (; L • • I ~I Roy, Gerard (Jerry) A. At-Large Councilor Present \ Wagner, Timothy Joseph At-Large Councilor Present Zygarowski, Robert J. At-Large Councilor Present Arriaga, Abigail Ward 1 Councilor Present Brooks, Shane D. Ward 2 Councilor Present via Zoom Goff, Susan M. Ward 3 Councilor Present Balakier, George A. Ward 4 Councilor Present Krampits, Fred T. Ward 5 Councilor Present Shumsky, Samuel Robert Ward 6 Councilor Present Courchesne, William C. Ward 7 Councilor Present Labrie, Gary R. Ward 8 Councilor Present Pniak-Costello, Mary Elizabeth Ward 9 Councilor Present President Laflamme called the meeting to order. Clerk Rattell read the purpose of the meeting. Public Input-Lisa Bienvenue, 34 Everett Street, luckily saw this. Assuming you are hoping for a tax increase. Would have been nice if the Mayor posted this on a night other than the night before a highly contested political race. Think of what you are using this money for. We have things in this city that need beautification. Need to think about what you're doing and where your tax dollars are being spent. --Motion made by Councilor Labrie to close public input. Motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote. --Motion made by Councilor Wagner to open public input. Motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote. Sue Nimchick, 362 James Street, saw that a special meeting was posted . What are the exact reasons for the tax increase? What are you going to be doing with a tax increase? When individuals bring up to councilors is it just voted down, would be a plus. Comes out of the blue. --Motion made by Councilor Zygarowski to close public input. Motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote. Meeting was turned over to Laura McCarthy, Chair of the Board of Assessors. Laura went through a handout with the councilors. Laura stated the value of the assessed property allocated between residential/commercial. There has been less commercial new growth. Councilor Wagner stated proportional~y per capita how does it stack up commercially? Comparing the rate isn't the way to compare. Councilor Shumsky asked is there a way to make the tax bills quarterly? Answer is yes, it would take 1-2 years to switch the system. Councilor Courchesne stated looks like an additional six and a half million over last year. Based on the budget and spending to date the money has already been spent. Councilor Labrie stated on the tax rate, we need to set the tax rate to get our budget. We need this to fund our operating budget. Councilor Goff stated explain real and personal growth. Laura stated comparison, stable on the number of single family homes, adding a garage, notes are on the bottom of the reference page. Councilor Pniak-Costello stated commercial property amount of money has decreased. Laura stated new growth has gone down. Councilor Pniak-Costello asked the property at Cabotville and Uniroyal, was that commercial or residential?  Appears to be used as residential, not industrial, does that affect the commercial growth? Laura stated Cabotville would still be commercial or industrial. We do have some residential properties that have been proposed. Encourage commercial growth. Councilor Arriaga stated burden non falling on the taxpayers. Taxes go up we need things. So quick to rebuild things, need to be more business friendly. Councilor Brooks asked Laura are there underdeveloped parcels in the city? Reluctant to develop parcels to get the burden off the taxpayer. Laura stated off East Main Street, there is property there. Councilor Brooks stated frustrating to know there are companies that want to come in and some portions of the city don't want it. Councilor Laflamme stated looking at page 4 of the handout burden on the residential side. Big part of this. Personal property. Have to start looking at this. Don't have a lot of land left. Industry and business don't use the school system. Thirty million is a big drop. Try to bring business into the city. Councilor Wagner stated goes to the comment at the last meeting, represent the entire city, frustrating to see a statute voted in that prohibits new business. Councilor Labrie stated normally shift 175% to business. Most towns do the maximum shift. Do we lose business because of this? Laura stated most property has access to Chicopee Electric Light which is huge. --Motion made by Councilor Balakierto set the residential factor at 0.8133. Motion passed through all stages by a unanimous roll call vote. Adjournment:--Motion made by Councilor Shumsky to adjourn at 7:22. Motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote. ATTEST: Keith W. Rattell, City Clerk