Member Spotlight 

Holyoke News

CONSERVATION LAND SOLD 

HOLYOKE - In concert with the City's efforts to divest itself of tax-title properties, the City of Holyoke is in the process of selling a 6.8 acre section of land located on the former estate of Edna Williams on East Mountain, between Wyckoff Country Club and the Log Cabin, to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.  The land to be sold is prime open space and rare species habitat with limited or no development potential, due to the fact that they are landlocked and contain existing wetlands.

Mayor Alex Morse worked with Ward 7 Councilor Gordon Alexander to obtain City Council support for selling these two properties for Conservation purposes.  In June and in September of 2013, the City Council gave unanimous support for the sale, pending a favorable appraisal. 

The land itself was targeted for a land preservation partnership with MassWildlife due to the known location of rare species, the limited development possibility of the land, and the adjacency of existing permanently protected properties on this portion of East Mountain.  Preservation of these parcels will help to permanently protect key tourist destinations, such as the New England Scenic Trail and views of Mount Tom.

"Preserving these properties is a clear demonstration that the City is serious about disposing of tax-title properties and protecting open space, where it makes sense," said Mayor Morse.  He continued, noting that preserving existing forested areas on the Mountain Range is consistent with the City's overall development strategy of promoting economic development while preserving key natural areas.  

"When we completed the Open Space and Recreation Plan in 2012," Mayor Morse said, "seventy-three percent of the community wanted to see economic development targeted for downtown Holyoke - at the same time 98% of survey respondents told us that they valued the City's scenic resources - conserving this property will allow us to work to address two of the core desires that were expressed when we developed the OSRP."

Andrew Smith, the City's Conservation Director, noted that the acquisition process is on-track.  "The appraisal dollar value came in at $14,000 for two landlocked backlots that are inholdings of existing MassWildlife properties," he said, noting that the final steps for signing the contract had been completed at press time.  He noted that the appraisal estimated the highest and best use of the land and reflected the combination of lack of access and limited development options for these parcels. 

"Altogether, it's a great opportunity to generate some revenue for the City while remaining committed to preserving some of the most critical components of the City's and the region's natural landscape," Smith said.

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Members from HFD and HPD recognized for participation in "Ride to Remember"

Mayor Morse presented Mayoral proclamations to members of the Holyoke Police Department and the Holyoke Fire Department that participated in last month's first annual "Ride-to-Remember", sponsored by the Springfield Fire Department.   The presentation  took place in the Holyoke Mayor's Office on Wednesday, October 23 at 10AM.

The "Ride-to-Remember" was held last September to honor fallen police officers, and of the several hundred participants who biked from Springfield to Boston, there were two officers from the Holyoke Police Department and eight firefighters from the Holyoke Fire Department, listed below:

Holyoke Fire Department:  Deputy Chief Jeff Przekopowski, Captain Tony Cerutti, Lieutenant Alan Pinsonneault, Lieutenant Kevin McDonnell, Firefighter Mike Boucher, Firefighter Maria Pelchar, Firefighter Andrew Barsalou,  and Firefighter Patrick Clayton.  Holyoke Police Department: Sgt John Hart and Officer Keith Holbrook.

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Holyoke Announces Mobile Application for Residents to Report Quality of Life Issues and Services

HOLYOKE -Mayor Alex Morse will be joined by various Department Heads to announce a new program that will allow residents to report quality-of-life issues and request City of Holyoke services through an online and mobile interface.
The announcement will take place on Thursday, October 24 at 11AM in the Mayor's Office. Powered by SeeClickFix, the place-based reporting platform allows residents to document neighborhood concerns and improvements alike, ranging from litter and graffiti, to damaged sidewalks and malfunctioning traffic signals.

"I could not be more excited about launching this new initiative," Mayor Alex Morse said. "This mobile application will not only ensure clear communication between the City of Holyoke and its taxpayers, but it will also encourage residents to take ownership of their community."

With the online and mobile reporting platform, residents can report quality-of-life concerns through service request categories via the City of Holyoke website, mobile applications (iPhone, Android), Facebook App, and SeeClickFix.com. When submitting issues via mobile app, for example, residents can provide locational, descriptive, and photographic information as they see the issue in real time. Once the resident submits an issue, the reporter, officials from City of Holyoke, and anyone 'watching' the area will receive an alert. The City of Holyoke can then acknowledge the service request, route it to the proper department, and update the request-and residents following the issue-once it's been resolved.

The partnership allows residents to report community issues, as well as view, comment on, and vote to fix problems submitted by their neighbors. Citizens can even create their own "watch areas" to receive notifications about all issues reported in their community, enabling them to follow the progress of all service requests---not just the ones they report.

"We are optimistic that this mobile application will not only benefit the residents of Holyoke, but also the Departments that serve them," said DPW Superintendent William Fuqua. "This will allow for greater accountability, and will provide an easier way to manage the many requests our departments receive on a daily basis."

 About SeeClickFix
  SeeClickFix allows citizens anywhere in the world to report and monitor non-emergency community issues ranging from potholes and planted trees to garbage and graffiti. Launched in 2008, it empowers citizens, community groups, media organizations, and governments to work together and improve their neighborhoods. Through mobile web, web, iPhone and Android apps, the SeeClickFix platform is the most widely distributed citizen-reporting tool in the country. SeeClickFix supports the Open311 standard that promotes improved communication between local municipalities and the citizens they serve. The platform is fun and easy to use for citizens while being inexpensive and easily adaptable for governments. Over 60 percent of issues reported on SeeClickFix are ultimately resolved. For more information or to report an issue, visit www.seeclickfix.com.

 

 

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National Take Back Initiative Collection(s) Site Search Result

 

Turn in your unused or expired medication this Saturday at the Holyoke Police Department Lobby at

138 Appleton Street from 10 am. to 2 p.m.

  

GIRL COUTS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS SEEKS BOARD MEMBERS

October 16, 2013

For Immediate Release:  Girl Scouts Seek B.O.D. Members

Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) is seeking innovative, dynamic and thoughtful leaders to serve on its Board of Directors. This is a two year term commitment beginning in April of 2014.

GSCWM Board of Directors is a vital, engaged group of volunteers who routinely open doors and make major decisions on behalf of the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts. Members possess the ability to see the big picture, the willingness to promote the mission of Girl Scouts, and the capability to serve GSCWM with their time, talent, resources, and enthusiasm. The Girl Scouts strive to build a diverse board, representing all girls that bring its vast knowledge and experience to the table to fulfill the organization's mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

A referral form can be found on the website www.yourtimewellspent.org or you can contact GSCWM CEO Pattie Hallberg at phallberg@gscwm.org who is happy to provide more information about the organization, the duties and responsibilities of our Board Members, Board Development Committee members or other governance volunteers. Candidates need not have experience with the Girl Scouts to volunteer.

Referrals for qualified prospects are welcome.  Deadline for applications is December 1.

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AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARY

This award-winning documentary is presented FREE by: The Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Holyoke Visiting Nurse Association / Hospice Life Care, Holyoke Community College, and the George G. Clarke Holyoke VFW Post 801.

 
FREE ADMISSION. SEATING IS LIMITED. Online reservation by going to http://www.tugg.com/events5101.

Music and light food will be served prior to the movie. Please come to help welcome and thank our Guests of Honor -- our World War II and Korean War Veterans!...

Honor Flight is a heartwarming documentary about four living World War II veterans and a Midwest community coming together to give them the trip of a lifetime. Volunteers race against the clock to fly thousands of WWII veterans to Washington, DC to see the memorial constructed for them in 2004, nearly 60 years after their epic struggle.

The trips are called "Honor Flights" and for the veterans, who are in their late 80s and early 90s, it's often the first time they've been thanked and the last trip of their lives. The 24-hour journey is full of surprises that deeply move all who are involved. It's uncommon for World War II veterans to talk about the War, but the Honor Flight experience brings their stories out. Many veterans say, with the exception of their wedding day and the birth of their children, the trip is the best day of their life.

Applications will be available to WWII and Korean War Veterans, who wish to participate in Honor Flight New England, and travel to Washington DC for a day to see our national monuments, including the WWII and Korean War memorials. This is FREE for WWII and Korean War Veterans.

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The Holyoke Rotary Club will hold the 8th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Fundraiser "Turning Wine into Water" on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 5 p.m. at Loomis Village, 246 North Main Street, South Hadley, MA. The event is part of an ongoing initiative to raise funds to purchase water purification filters for families living in remote villages of Latin America.

 Major funding for the event will be provided by Holyoke Community College. "Holyoke Community College is proud to work closely with the Holyoke Rotary in support of this initiative," said Erica Broman, Vice President of Institutional Development. "Not only have many of our students, staff and alumni been members of the Holyoke Rotary, but we are pleased to partner with an organization that does so much good. The Holyoke Rotary has a well-deserved reputation for serving our local community as well as those thousands of miles away. We wish them much success with this November event"

Wine, vodka, and beer selections will be offered at this event, coordinated with the assistance of Brennan's Place; the event will also feature chocolate desserts and hors d'oeuvres.

Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased in advance or at the door by contacting Brittney Kelleher at (413) 572-4278 or bkelleher@westfieldbank.com.   To learn about the Holyoke Rotary Club and the Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Fundraiser, visit www.holyokerotary.com.

 
ROTARY --AN ORGANIZATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERS . UNITED WORLDWIDE . 1.2 MILLION MEMBERS . MORE THAN 200 COUNTRIES AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS . PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN SERVICE . BUILDING GOODWILL AND PEACE IN THE WORLD --ROTARY CLUB OF HOLYOKE, PO Box 1369, Holyoke, MA 01040

 in HOLYOKE

Candidate Debates

City of Holyoke

Mayor and School Committee 

Networking

Stop by every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on High Street in front of City Hall.

The market offers fruit, vegetables, meat and eggs from local farmers and vendors and runs every Thursday through October.

Springfield Symphony Pops Presents "Frankenstein"

  Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Symphony Hall, Springfield 
  $22 to $65
For more info call (413) 733-2291 or visit www.springfieldsymphony.org

Diabetics and their families are invited to attend this program on diabetes self management. The program offers a team approach to helping participants make better judgments about their care and to promote independence. Sessions will focus on what diabetes is, medication, diet, and the role exercise plays. This program is held five times a year, the first Thursday of the month during January, March, May, September and November.

Date: November 7, 2013
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: Fran Como Conference Room

To Register: please call (413) 534-2789 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Slainte in Holyoke will be serving a Harvest Wine Dinner on Nov. 6. Scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., the evening will feature a four-course menu with appropriate wine pairings from Mineral Hills Winery of Northampton.

A creamy roasted parsnip soup will start things off, with an arugula and dandelion green salad to follow.

Herbed roasted duck leg with green lentils is planned for the main course, and dessert is to be a pumpkin chai panna cotta with walnut brittle and ginger whipped cream.

The event is a benefit on behalf of the Therapeutic Equestrian Center of Holyoke, an organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding for children with special needs. Half of the proceeds from the dinner will go to support the Center's programs and mission. Tickets, which are $70, can be purchased by calling (413) 534-4000.

Western Mass Council Boy Scouts of America Proudly present the

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