The authority owes the city for insurance, retirement and utility costs.
HOLYOKE – Mayor Elaine A. Pluta wants to hold a closed-door meeting of the City Council to discuss possible litigation regarding the nearly $3 million owed to city agencies by the Holyoke Geriatric Authority.
But the plan for the meeting to be in executive session drew criticism Friday.
Mayoral candidate Daniel C. Boyle and Amanda L. Smith, an authority union representative, said employees, authority patients and the public in general deserve to witness such discussions.
Pluta said she hopes to call a special meeting of the City Council to discuss the authority's financial problems the week of July 18.
“My first priority is to the city and the taxpayers,” Pluta said.
She had hoped to have the council meet Tuesday but was unable to arrange that and will try for next week, she said. Only the mayor can call a special meeting of the City Council.
Because the dispute with the authority about unpaid bills could wind up in court, Pluta said, she wants a council meeting to be in closed-door session.
“Yes, because we’re going to talk about litigation strategy,’ Pluta said.
Boyle, a business consultant, said Pluta should resist the urge to prohibit the public and press from the discussion about the authority.
“Elected officials need to know it’s not their business, it’s the people’s business,” Boyle said.
Smith, a union steward and activity coordinator at the authority, said she will give Pluta a petition signed by 30 authority workers demanding access to the planned City Council meeting.
“We want to know what’s happening to our facility,” said Smith, a 19-year veteran.
Authority employees are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459.
Council President Joseph M. McGiverin said it is up to the 15-member council, not the mayor, whether the meeting will be in closed or open session.
The authority owes $1.2 million to the city as repayment for a 2007 purchase of 9.5 acres on Lower Westfield Road from the authority; more than $700,000 for health and life insurance for retired authority employees; more than $50,000 to the Holyoke Gas and Electric Department; nearly $340,000 to the Holyoke Contributory Retirement Board; and $60,000 as payment in lieu of taxes, Pluta and other officials said.
Authority officials dispute that, saying the debt is less than $1 million and they are trying to pay the outstanding bills.
The facility at 45 Lower Westfield Road is an 80-bed nursing home and a day-care program that serves another 80 senior citizens.
The authority is a quasi-official municipal agency. The council appoints three members of the board of directors, the mayor appoints three and those six then vote in a seventh member.