Pilot revenue committee backs Collins Center study, recommends DLS grant application

SPRINGFIELD CITY — The Springfield City pilot revenue committee voted unanimously to recommend that the mayor hire the Collins Center to design a policy and program for voluntary pilot agreements with tax‑exempt institutions, submit a Department of Labor and Services grant application to fund the work, and engage the Long Institute to study community benefits provided by health institutions.

The committee’s recommendation came after a presentation from Jay Latorre, a committee member, who said, "the proposal to contract and work with the Collins Center is for $30,000" and that the center’s work would take "about 7 months start to finish." Latorre described the Collins Center’s scope as data collection on existing pilot agreements, planning and negotiation‑strategy sessions with city staff and committee members, and a series of meetings to review findings.

The Collins Center proposal, as summarized at the meeting, includes initial planning meetings to set expectations, research and data collection on current pilot agreements, negotiation training sessions for city personnel, and a project team of municipal‑experienced professionals. Latorre said the proposal anticipates mostly virtual meetings with at least one in‑person strategy session and that the city would need to share information with the consultant to support the research.

Nut graf: Committee members said the work is aimed at creating an implementable, voluntary program for…