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Chicopee City Council tables mayor’s financial orders to Oct. 7 pending nine-vote requirement
Summary
Council members postponed consideration of a series of mayoral appropriations — covering travel expenses, personnel medical exams, indemnifications, equipment, wastewater services and a $2 million street program — citing a charter requirement for nine votes on financial matters.
The Chicopee City Council on Wednesday voted to table all of the mayor’s financial orders until the council’s Oct. 7 meeting, saying the items require nine affirmative votes to pass and that the chamber did not have the necessary number present.
The postponed items include multiple small appropriations to cover late bills from the previous fiscal year as well as larger transfers to cover ongoing public works and emergency-management needs. The orders placed on hold listed a total of about $2.12 million in appropriations, including a $2,000,000 DPW highway special account request for a citywide ward road program and smaller appropriations to human resources and indemnification accounts.
Council President LeFlame said the charter requires nine votes for financial orders and that the council did not have nine members present who could vote on budget matters that evening, so the council would delay consideration until Oct. 7. “On the mayor’s orders for all these finances this evening, we’re not gonna be able to pass them. We need nine votes,” the president said during the meeting.
Why it matters: The items would use stabilization funds or require front funding pending reimbursement, and postponement delays reimbursable projects and short-term contract work.
Key items tabled - Mayor’s Order 1: $174.90 to the Assessor’s expense account for travel (late filing for conference travel). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 2: $851.69 to City Hall maintenance (repairs to buildings $630.50; gas $221.19). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 3: $1,030 to Human Resources expense for employee medical exams (late purchase order). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Orders 4 & 5: $5,857.03 and $11,759.68 to HR special accounts for indemnifications for police and fire (medical reimbursements). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 6: $15,000 to Emergency Management special account for grant spending and disaster relief (for a tethered drone tied to a state grant). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 7: $30,000 to Wastewater expense account for special services to support industrial pretreatment compliance while the city hires/trains staff (consultant: Woodard & Curran). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 8: $90,000 to DPW Highway special account for signal maintenance tied to sewer separation work and related change orders. Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 9: $2,000,000 to DPW Highway special account for a citywide ward road program (project already submitted under Chapter 90 for reimbursement; the city must front fund). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. - Mayor’s Order 10: Acceptance of a $6,941 donation to the Chicopee Senior Center for senior meals (accepted under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 44, §53A). Status: tabled to Oct. 7, 2025.
Discussion and context City staff and department representatives briefly explained several items before the tabling motions. Carla Barrasso of human resources described the $1,030 order as covering late purchase orders for employee medical exams. Elizabeth Tester, director of public works, described the $30,000 wastewater appropriation as a stopgap to ensure compliance with the industrial pretreatment program after a laboratory retirement; the city plans to use a consultant while training or hiring internally.
Emergency-management staff explained the $15,000 request was tied to grant spending to acquire a tethered drone that can stay aloft longer than battery-powered craft and extend surveillance capability during incidents; the presenter said grant funds would reimburse some of the cost once awarded.
Council procedure: council members repeatedly moved to table the mayor’s orders because the charter or council practice requires nine affirmative votes for certain finance actions and the council did not have enough votes that evening. Where motions to table were made and seconded the council took roll-call votes to send the items to the Oct. 7 meeting rather than put them in committee.
What’s next: The orders will return to the full council on Oct. 7 for further consideration. Projects that require front funding and Chapter 90 reimbursement, such as the $2 million ward road program, will remain on hold until the council votes.
