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Chicopee council approves $60,000 to secure large Cabotville building after owner fails to pay
Summary
The City Council approved a $60,000 appropriation from stabilization funds to pay security and related work at the long-vacant Cabotville property after the owner stopped complying with a court order; debate focused on who should pay and how to recoup city costs.
The Chicopee City Council on Jan. 21 approved a $60,000 appropriation from the stabilization fund to pay for emergency security and related measures at the vacant Cabotville property after the owner stopped paying for court-ordered security.
The mayor told the council the city’s building department had exhausted its emergency demolition fund and “the city is obligated to secure that neglected property,” and said the city intends to place a lien on the property and “when it closes, we'd recoup the funds in closing.”
Why it matters: the former factory complex spans roughly three-quarters of a million square feet and has been judged a safety risk by city officials. Council debate highlighted a split between members who said public safety required the city to keep paying to secure the site and members who opposed using tax dollars to protect an apparently delinquent private owner.
Councilor Tim Wagner said he would vote no because "this developer has been nothing but malicious and antagonistic towards the city," and argued the owner, not taxpayers, should fund long-term security. Several other councilors said the building poses a safety risk and that the city has limited tools to force payment; an attorney advising the council said the practical remedy was to lien the property and wait for a sale.
Councilor (title) Shumsky warned of the public-safety consequences of inaction, saying a major fire at the property could become "a regional disaster" because of the size and condition of the structure. Councilor Roy told the chamber that interior materials were oil-soaked and could ignite quickly.
Council members discussed alternatives: one councilor said the city already had three bids to board up the building for an initial cost estimated around $95,000; the council considered whether boarding the building first would reduce ongoing 24/7 security costs. The mayor indicated city staff would explore boarding as a cost-saving measure but sought the immediate appropriation to maintain current security levels while negotiations with a prospective buyer continue.
The motion to appropriate $60,000 passed on a roll call (tally recorded in the official minutes). The mayor said the city would recover money through a lien when the property sells and stressed the action was intended to prevent an accident or catastrophe while a sale or transfer is pursued.
Ending: Councilors said they expect the city to continue pressing for recovery of its expenses through liens and closing proceeds and asked staff to present updates on boarding options and the status of any prospective buyer at future meetings.
