Page 37 - Local Services News Today

Holyoke City Council pushes for greater accountability related to grants Updated Jan 13, 2021; On Tuesday, the City Auditor introduced proposed accounting and tracking procedures, especially with problem grant funds. The order, filed by Councilors David Bartley and Linda Vacon, called for drafting “internal controls on how city grants are to be administered, so that future governments (city taxpayers) are not faced with paying for administrative shortfalls.” Councilor Joseph McGiverin, who...

The Area Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, December 7. All of our Guest Speakers were from King County: Department of Local Services (DLS) Director, John Taylor; his Roads Division Director, Tricia Davis; and his Permitting Division Product Line Manager, Ty Peterson. Also, guests included: King County Road Engineer, Joann Kosai-Eng; DLS External Communications Manager, David Daw; King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) Manager, Ivan Miller; Roads Division Business Support, Kim W...

Markey says aid to states may be pushed to Biden era Matt Murphy BOSTON -- Congress would be making "a billion-dollar mistake" if it settles on a stimulus package that excludes relief for state and municipal governments, U.S. Senate Ed Markey said Thursday, but he suggested he would back such a deal knowing that President-elect Joe Biden offers hope for a second package early next year. Like other Democrats, Markey blamed Senate Majority Mitch McConnell for trying to "save a few pennies" at the...

Print Plans to demolish aging Cardiff Elementary School classrooms and rebuild much of the campus can move forward despite a legal battle over a school parkland area, the Encinitas Planning Commission has decided. The vote Thursday, April 18, to support the school district’s coastal development permit request was 3-0, with Commissioner Bruce Ehlers absent and Commissioner Brett Farrow recusing himself because he lives near the Montgomery Avenue school site. Commission approval can be appealed...

FRAMINGHAM — The state has rejected a plan to push off filling a $2.5 million hole in Framingham’s water and sewer enterprise funds that was meant to buy time for city councilors to fix structural issues leading to the deficit. The enterprise funds, which pay to run the city’s water and sewer services used by every Framingham resident, went deep in the red when businesses — which pay the largest share of fees — stopped using as much water amid pandemic-related shutdowns and restrict...

ShowTable of Contents The ATB’s decisions, particularly Forrestall Enterprises, Inc. v. Board of Assessors of the Town of Westborough in 2014, reversed the way Clause 45 was interpreted for years by municipal officials and the DOR. 156 The ATB’s reading of this statutory exemption exposes a loophole that allows commercial solar facilities to avoid paying personal property taxes on their equipment. Although the ATB decisions apply only to the towns involved in the abatement cases (Westboro...