Holyoke City Councilors vie for acting mayor job, Home Rule Petition awaits governor’s signature
Updated 12:28 PM;
HOLYOKE – City Councilors Peter Tallman and Terence Murphy will vie for the acting mayor role once the governor signs a home rule petition.
State Rep. Patricia Duffy (D-Holyoke) said the Massachusetts Legislature passed the Holyoke’s Home Rule Petition on Monday. The document awaits Gov. Charlie Baker’s signature, a final step in the process.
Besides eliminating a costly special election and a likely special runoff, the petition would allow any city councilor to be appointed acting mayor while maintaining their city council seat.
Holyoke s bid to avoid special mayoral election sent back to Statehouse
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Holyoke City Council meets next week to review Home Rule Petition
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Soldiers’ Home bill gets hearing 2 weeks before deadline
An ambulance arrives at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke March 31, 2020. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING
Published: 3/16/2021 8:54:59 PM
The deadly COVID-19 outbreak that swept through the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home last year underscored the need to reconstruct the long-term care facility with modern improvements, state officials and community members said Tuesday.
With federal funds at stake, Gov. Charlie Baker is pushing the Legislature to pass a bill (H 64) by April 1 authorizing $400 million for construction of a new veterans’ home in Holyoke, and the project faces an even greater spotlight amid the pandemic.
Secretary of Veterans’ Services Cheryl Poppe told lawmakers that the public health emergency brought new attention to HVAC and airflow issues in the facility. It also prompted additional interest in a “small home” concept with a majority of private rooms, a change Poppe said could not be achieved solely thro