HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3726        FILED ON: 3/18/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3329

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Aaron Vega

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act Reducing the Size of the City Council of the City of Holyoke.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

3/18/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3726        FILED ON: 3/18/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3329

By Mr. Vega of Holyoke, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3329) of Aaron Vega (with the approval of the mayor and city council) that the city of Holyoke be authorized to change the composition of the city council for said city.  Municipalities and Regional Government.  [Local Approval Received.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act Reducing the Size of the City Council of the City of Holyoke.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1:  The City Council of the City of Holyoke shall be composed of thirteen (13) members, one (1) member elected from each ward and six (6) members elected from the city at large. The councilors elected in the year 2015 shall continue to hold office until the qualifications of their successors elected in accordance with this section.

SECTION 2: So much of Chapter 438 of the Acts of the year 1896, as appearing in Chapter 189 of the Acts of the year 1992, and any acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, as are inconsistent with this act, are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3: This act shall be submitted for acceptance to the qualified voters of the City of Holyoke by the City Clerk placing the following question on the official ballot to be used in the City of Holyoke at the regular municipal election to be held in the year 2015:

“Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year 2015 entitled, ‘An Act Reducing the Size of the City Council of the City of Holyoke’ be accepted?”

If a majority of the votes in answer to said question is in the affirmative, this act shall take effect forthwith for all purposes relating to the municipal election to be held in said city in the year 2017 and shall take full effect beginning with said election but not otherwise.

SECTION 4: The city solicitor shall prepare a fair, concise summary and purpose of the law to appear with the question no later than 60 days before the election in accordance with section 58A of chapter 54 of the General Laws.

SECTION 5: The General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the Mayor and City Council approve amendments before enactment by the General Court. The Mayor and City Council are hereby authorized to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition.

SECTION 6: This act shall take effect upon its passage.