Receiver Resigns After Nine Months
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Serving the city HOLYOKE since 1995 FREE the March 26, 2021 Local news. Local stories. Local advertisers. A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com [email protected] www.sun.turley.com Receiver resigns SPORTS RETURN TO HOLYOKE HIGH after nine months By Shelby Macri starting in-person learning Sep. [email protected] 14 for high need students. The Holyoke Public Schools HOLYOKE – Receiver/ also had different communica- Superintendent of Schools tion systems in place to connect Dr. Alberto Vázquez-Matos with parents about updates and announced his res- any help they needed ignation on March during these unique 19, after serving times. Vázquez-Matos the Holyoke Public was also working Schools for just nine with many city offi- months. cials like the Health Vázquez-Matos Director and city lead- has served the dis- ers to monitor case trict during a nation- numbers and patterns, al pandemic and was and to discuss the dis- able to accomplish a trict’s strategy to move timely start to schools Dr. Alberto forward. The schools with all the safety and Vázquez-Matos will return to in-per- health mitigation strat- son learning on Apr. 5. egies in place. The “I will be acting district was able to provide elec- receiver for as long as it takes the tronics and other assets for stu- The Holyoke High School boys basketball team is participating in the Fall 2 season, and took the court last week against Sabis. More photos are on page 7. Photo by Gregory A. Scibelli dents remote learning, as well as See RESIGNS, page 5 Morse’s time as mayor ends Panhandling issue By Gregory A. Scibelli to the city’s economy and for the first four-year term in [email protected] improve diversity and bring 2017, telling many it would comes back to council more people into the city. be his final term in office. He HOLYOKE – At the Morse was not without planned to be mayor for no By Gregory A. Scibelli raisers as when the fire depart- close of business on Friday, his controversies during his more than 10 years. [email protected] ment collects money with their March 26, Mayor Alex tenure. His final term includ- boot fundraiser. Morse’s tenure in the top seat He regularly clashed with ed a run last year for U.S. HOLYOKE – For several Panhandlers frequent high will come to a close. the Holyoke City Council on Rep. Richard Neal’s House years, the Holyoke City Council traffic areas, including the medi- Morse announced he was various issues, and used his of Representatives seat. His debated various versions of a ans around the Holyoke Mall. leaving office early, about veto power on a number of bid was unsuccessful, and panhandling ordinance in order Councilors have filed various nine months ahead of the end occasions. The council did included a scandal perpetrat- to respond to resident com- orders to try and put a stop to of his term after he secured a override him a few times. ed by the UMass Chapter of plaints of panhandling being in the issue, responding to resident job as the town administrator He also went through the College Democrats. The various parts of the city. complaints about it. for Provincetown, a town on a number of resignations in group alleged inappropriate Ward 2 Councilor Terence Murphy’s proposal, which the tip of Cape Cod. Morse the past few years, including behavior by Morse during Murphy filed a new order last has to be formally debated secured a position there for the city treasurer and other his time as an adjunct pro- year related to panhandling. by the Ordinance Committee, more than twice the yearly department heads. His man- fessor at the University of His order would make it a would put the responsibility on salary he made as mayor of agement of the police and fire Massachusetts-Amherst. “traffic violation” for a person the drivers who are giving pan- Holyoke. departments also came under Morse was later found to have to hand a panhandler money handlers money. Morse was not seek- scrutiny during his tenure, not violated any university while driving on city roads. Over time, panhandling has ing re-election and made but crime overall went down policies. Murphy’s proposed order been allowed to happen as an that announcement back during his tenure as mayor. For the time being, states: “Ordered that the expression of “free speech” and in December 2020, but Morse was opposed Council President Todd Ordinance Committee consid- the council order attempts are announced at the end of in successful in running for McGee will take over as act- er an ordinance which would criminalizing poverty by target- February he had secured re-election three times. In ing mayor, though he is look- create a penalty for any driver ing people’s First Amendment the position of town admin- 2015, city voters changed the ing for a different solution handing out anything from the rights. istrator. He took a couple of mayor’s term of office from as he does not believe he can car window as a traffic safety While panhandlers can be weeks to negotiate his con- two to four years. Morse won violation.” punished in some fashion if they tract with the Select Board in re-election that year and ran See MORSE, page 5 The panhandling debate leave the medians and block Provincetown before formally was quelled a few years ago traffic, it does not prevent them announcing his resignation. when the Department of Public from using the small areas in an This brings to the end a Works proposed installing some effort collect money. very eventful tenure for the shrubbery on roads with medi- Since the ordered had been longtime Holyoke resident. ans where panhandlers would filed, Councilor David Bartley Morse started out by regularly stand. filed one earlier this year seek- stunning the region when The council also added ing to repeal MGL Chapter he defeated Elaine Pluta to Chapter 85, Section 17A of state 85, Section 17A pursuant to a become mayor in 2012. He laws to its books. The law stip- letter from the American Civil was 22-years-old, the young- ulates that anyone who “signals Liberties Union. They sent est mayor in the city’s history. a moving vehicle on any public a letter detailing a Supreme He was also the first open- way or causes the stopping of a Judicial Court ruling the law to ly-gay mayor in the city’s his- vehicle thereon, or accosts any be unconstitutional. Thus, the tory. occupant of a vehicle stopped ACLU is requesting the city He made huge waves thereon.” Those people could be cease any enforcement of all early on when he fired a num- fined up to $50. ordinances related to the state ber of city employees in order The rule also allows for law. to make improvements in dif- non-profit organizations to seek The Ordinance Committee ferent areas. He went to work exemptions from the chief of will take up the issue at a future trying to make improvements Mayor Alex Morse will leave office on Friday, March 26. File photo police. These include such fund- meeting. ◗ In The News Wistariahurst Museum presents Ida Wells workshop HOLYOKE – On Wednesday, ing and voice changed the formance with Ms. Jordan- is administered through the Holyoke March 31 at 2 p.m., Wistariahurst will trajectory of Black life and Mendez. Participants will Office of Community Development and present Ida B. Wells: The Price of Resistance. While she is then be led through discus- has been planned in consultation with Resistance, an interactive performance marginally celebrated now, sion, writing, and sharing in the Holyoke Council on Aging. and workshop with Amina Jordan- in life she was often shunned a brave and reflective space To register for Ida B. Wells: The Mendez, performing and teaching art- and silenced. forwarding the conversation Price of Resistance, please visit www. ist with Enchanted Circle Theater. This In this workshop we will for equity and healing. Wistariahurst.org or contact Eileen live, virtual program will be presented explore integrity and self The program is also sup- Maginnis at the Holyoke Council on on Zoom. The program is free to attend, determination in the struggle ported through a Community Aging at [email protected]. but spaces are limited and pre-registra- for human rights and protec- Development Block Grant - If you have an idea for a topic you’d tion is required. tions. The program begins COVID-19 Grant to address, like to be considered for a future Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a vision- with a short film about Ida Ida B. prevent, and respond to the Wistariahurst session, please contact ary activist and journalist whose writ- B. Wells and a poetry per- Wells-Barnett COVID-19 Pandemic that [email protected]. COVID-19 testing at HCC Middle School students returning HOLYOKE – Students in Grades ty is on creating a safe environment; fam- 6-8 who selected to participate in school- ilies do need to ensure the student has a extended through June based Campus Learning Centers (CLCs) face covering/mask. Contact your school are scheduled to return on March 29. if you need a mask for your child. HOLYOKE – Even though infec- residents, and conducted on a first- Students will participate in CLCs at their If you haven’t done so already, tion rates have been dropping and come, first-serve basis. There are no regular school for 2 days/week. Schools please complete your child’s Return to vaccinations are becoming more read- appointments and no referral is nec- have been and will continue to reach out School Packet.