Councilor Rosemarie Mazza Moriarty Tells Control Board to "stop making decisions behind closed doors"

Editor's Note: Below is the full text of a letter sent to the Springfield Control Board from City Council Rosemarie Mazza Moriarty.

Dear Control Board Members:

The City of Springfield started this fiscal year facing a large deficit. Since the first of July the city has received a control board, and executive director at a salary of $130,000 per year, a Boston law firm to handle contract negotiations, additional finance positions and many other distressing changes. However, to date there has been minimal communication and even less hope of a bright future and the employees, and retirees have taken all of the blows.

In my role as an elected official I had a cautiously optimistic outlook on the impact of the control board. To date the only real changes that I have seen is the control board making changes on the backs of the employees of the City and the retirees, who over the last few years have been subjected to a wage freeze and furloughs. I can only wonder what the business and residents will face as we approach the tax rate setting time of year.

I do not believe that the control board is taking care of its’ primary task of balancing the fiscal budget for fiscal year 2005. The measure’s that the control board has taken to this point, and the speculation of what is to come only negatively impact the employees and the retirees.

As we move forward, we need to balance the budget, but not on the backs of the employees. Let’s go after what the City of Springfield deserves from the State. Let’s continue the aggressive tax collection. Let’s fix the operations that have not been working properly in the City of Springfield, but let us also recognize and remember what and who has been working hard, our teachers, police officers, firefighters, and administrative city employees. We must realize the changes we make today will directly impact the quality of life for our children and grandchildren.

I recently called a sub committee meeting to help open the lines of communication. I was told in a letter from the executive director of the control board that public discussions of possible changes was not going to happen, and he would be happy to share information after the changes had been made. It’s ironic that on the same day of the letter there was an article in the Republican about a decision that had been made about the health insurance and co-pays for the City of Springfield employees and retirees. I must say what great lines of communication. The first moment that I heard about these changes was in the article.

I have since cancelled the meeting out of frustration and the expectation that I may be the only person at the meeting, as other city managers were instructed not to discuss reorganization efforts. How does this help the city? Is this not a public government?

I ask ALL the members of the control board to stop making decisions that affect us all behind closed doors. Let the people of Springfield and the employees hear what is being considered. I would also request that as discussed at the inception of the control board that an advisory board of city residents and employees be created to allow people to have a voice in their future.

This government was created by the people for the people. The employees, retirees and residents of Springfield did not create the current situation and they should not be used as the only solution to the problems.

Sincerely,
Rosemarie Mazza Moriarty