The hostility started early and escalated when the Council voted to eliminate the salary for the mayor's chief of staff
Chicopee City Hall.CHICOPEE – The City Council’s budget meeting disintegrated Thursday night with members and the mayor shouting at each after the board cut funding for his office.
The hostility started early and escalated when the City Council voted 7-6 to eliminate the $47,299 salary for the mayor’s chief of staff and the $28,114 salary of his administrative assistant.
The council also reduced the full-time $75,000 salary for the city solicitor to a part-time $47,000 pay and made some smaller cuts.
The City Council approved the $158 million budget for fiscal year 2012, which starts July 1, in a 7-6 vote.
“This is a shameless, political act,” Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette shouted as the City Council finished making a series of small cuts, including reducing his travel budget from $7,500 to $5,000.
Bissonnette called the cuts “an attack on my office” and an act of revenge for his attempts to cut the city clerk’s staff from the existing six positions to three.
Michael BissonnetteIn his original draft budget, Bissonnette proposed reducing the city clerk’s office by half and transferring the three other clerks to the law department, the city clerk’s office and the registrar of voters office.
At the City Council’s request, Bissonnette did file a supplemental budget and restored all three positions to the clerk’s office.
The cutting of the mayor’s staff even confused some councilors, including President William M. Zaskey, who said he was surprised because the mayor did everything he asked of him.
But the seven councilors who voted to cut the two positions, denied the move was an act of revenge.
“No way it is about the clerk’s office,” Councilor Dino A. Brunetti said.
Councilor Timothy S. McLellan said during an earlier budget hearing the mayor said he did not need his entire staff, but added they are simply there to serve the public.
“We are trying to level-fund the budget,” he said, questioning the members who did not support the cuts.
Several councilors chastised other members. Councilor James K. Tillotson reminded members that the city council once cut then-Mayor Richard J. Kos’ budget and it turned into an embarrassment for the city.
“I can’t believe what is happening tonight,” Councilor Jean J. Croteau said. “This is unbelievable. This is disgusting.”
Bissonnette also questioned if the meeting violated the state’s Open Meeting Law and said he would file a complaint with the state attorney general’s office on two counts. He questioned if the seven members discussed issues outside the meeting, which would be illegal. The proposed cuts were also not listed on the agenda, which is a violation.