City Council - Utilities Committee

CHICOPEE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE & UTILITIES JOINT COMMITTEE APPROVED 3-8-2022 FINANCE MEMBERS UTILITIES MEMBERS Shane Brooks, Chairman Derek Dobosz, Chairman Frank Laflamme, Vice Chairman Bill Courchesne, Vice Chairman Fred Krampits Joel McAuliffe Gary Labrie Robert J. Zygarowski James Tillotson Jerry Roy Jerry Roy Robert J. Zygarowski MINUTES December 16, 2021 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Auditorium, 2nd Floor/zoom, City Hall, 17 Springfield Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Members Present Brooks, Laflamme, Krampits, Labrie, Tillotson, Roy, Zygarowski, Dobosz, McAuliffe (zoom), Zygarowski, Roy Absent Courchesne Also Present Daniel Garvey (Associate City Solicitor) The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM In compliance with the Open Meeting Law the Chairman asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting. Hearing none the meeting continued. ITEM 1 BE IT ORDERED THAT the Mayor be authorized to negotiate with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for compensation and carbon credits in exchange for placing City owned land into Article 97 protection. Councilor Dobosz stated that he spoke with the Environmental Protection Agency and they told him the carbon credits are sold to the private sector. He stated it’s measured in metric tons for 2.5 acres. A metric ton earns one carbon credit. He stated a fifty year untouched forest generates fifteen tons per acre. If this passed and we chose carbon credits, the Burnett Road land that he filed would create between ten and twenty thousand per year in carbon credits. He stated that he does not know how the State measures the carbon credits. He stated the other option is to sell the land. There are two parcels; the smaller parcel is valued at $350,000 and the other is valued at $2.1 million. He stated he’s only proposing half of that be placed in permanent conservation rate. He 1 stated that the Mayor would have the option of placing it in the carbon credit program or selling the land. He stated that if his order does not pass WMBC still has to pay us for this land otherwise we’re giving away a major city asset for nothing. Councilor Tillotson stated if you want to negotiate, you would not want to give up the land until you know what the negotiation was. He stated that he has no opposition with it being parkland. He stated that we should try to get a sale of the property rather than carbon credits because you need thousands of acres. He stated we will need a surveyor for the land if the Mayor is on board. Councilor Tillotson stated neither one can go anywhere without the Mayor’s support. If there is something that needs to be taken care of it can be filed next year. Councilor Dobosz can meet with the Mayor and find out what his thoughts are. Public Input Mary Hayner, 145 Slate Road asked what city strategy on land management is. Councilor Brooks stated that the Mayor needs to initiate the expedition of any land. Attorney Garvey stated that if something is in committee it actually terminates when the new Board members are sworn in. This particular order would die and have to be refiled in January. Councilor Brooks stated that ultimately Councilor Dobosz if he reaches an agreement with the Mayor will be refiling an order that will be prolonged at least through April of next year. He stated it will take that long to do the requisite work to meet all state standards and statues. Councilor Tillotson 2nd the motion to defeat Finance Committee vote favorable unfavorable Laflamme Brooks Krampits Zygarowski Labrie Roy Tillotson Council McAuliffe motion to approve Utilities Committee vote favorable unfavorable McAuliffe Roy . Dobosz Zygarowski ITEM 2 BE IT ORDERED THAT the City of Chicopee hereby dedicates two parcels of land in Chicopee as Open Parkland. One of the parcels is identified by Assessor’s parcel number 0294-00003 and is 6.27 acres as depicted on the attached plan. The second parcel is approximately 24 acres and is part of the Assessor’s parcel number 0322-00041 as depicted on the attached plan. This order is intended to have the effect of rendering this parkland subject to the protection of Article 97 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution. 2 Councilor Dobosz stated that it is self-explanatory. Councilor Tillotson motion to defeat Finance Committee vote favorable unfavorable Krampits Brooks Labrie Zygarowski Roy Laflamme Tillotson Council McAuliffe motion to approve Utilities Committee vote favorable unfavorable McAuliffe Roy . Dobosz Zygarowski Meeting adjourned at 7:12 PM. 3