Springfield, Massachusetts
'
 C
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Springfield is a city near the southern border of Massacusetts. It is the largest city on the Connecticut River and has a population of 153,060.[1]. It is the county seat for Hampden County, Massachusetts.
[edit] Website evaluation
[edit] The good
- Budget information for FY 2010 are posted. The site also includes a financial plan for 2012 to 2015. [2] Prior years' budgets are available via search.
- Independent Audits are available between 2005 and 2009. [3] The city's website so features a fraud hotline. The most recent (September 1, 2011) internal audit is also available online. [4]
- A calendar for council meetings is posted, [5] as are minutes from meetings from 2007.[6].
- The names and contact information of the city council members are available online. [7].
- Building permits and zoning information are available. [8]
- Bids for the city are available online. [9]
- Citizens can pay taxes online. [10] Tax revenue and details are available in the budget. [11]
[edit] The bad
- Occasionally administrative officials' names are given, but contact information or emails are rarely available for them.
- Contact information is not available for the mayor or any of his staff.
- Lobbying information is not posted.
- Public records are not available online, nor is the public records law for the city.
[edit] Elected Officials
Springfield is governed by a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor%E2%80%93council_government#Strong-mayor_form strong mayor-council} government. This system features a largely independent mayor who facilitates administrative tasks and a city council who creates legislation.
[edit] City Council
The Springfield City Council thirteen seats. Five of the members are elected at-large, along with the mayor, every odd numbered year. Eight more are elected from different districts and are deemed "wards." The City Council passes the budget, authorizes bond sales, holds hearings, creates departments and commissions, and amends zoning laws. The city council elects a president. The current members of the Springfield City Council are:
- Thomas A. Ashe, at-large
- James J. Ferrera, III, at-large
- Timothy J. Rooke, at, large
- Jose Tosadp, at-large, president
- Kateria Walsh, at-large
- Zadia Luna, Ward 1
- Michael A. Fenton, Ward 2
- Melvin A. Edwards, Ward 3
- E. Henry Twiggs, Ward 4, vice president
- Clodo Concepcion, Ward 5
- Amaad I. Rivera, Ward 6
- Timothy C. Allen, Ward 7
- John A. Lyask, Ward 8
[edit] Mayor
The mayor presents the budget, appoints commissioners and department heads, and performs administration of the city.
The current mayor of Springfield Domenic J. Sarno. He was elected November 6, 2007 by a margin of 52.54% to 47.18% against incumbent Charles Ryan. He took office in January, 2008. In November 2009, Sarno won reelection.
Mayor Sarno currently earns $95,000 per year as mayor. [12]
[edit] Administrative Officials
Administrative officials are hired, rather than elected. Despite this, they can have a large effect on policies that affect citizens. They can also be a large drain on cities' budgets.
| Department | First Name | Last Name | Description | 2006 Earnings |
| Administrators | Joseph P | Burke | Superintendent of Schools | $195912 |
| Police Dept Reg | Edward A | Flynn | Police Commissioner | $159096 |
| Fire Dept | Gary G | Cassanelli | Fire Chief | $146340 |
| Police Dept Reg | Gerald | Foley | Police Captain | $141129 |
| Police Dept Reg | William J | Fitchet | Police Chief, Deputy | $130199 |
| Fire Dept | Vincent J | Neffinger | District Fire Chief** | $128261 |
| Fire Dept | Richard P | Stevens | District Fire Chief**/Commande | $126386 |
| Police Dept Reg | Robert C | Browne | Police Officer | $125957 |
| Police Dept Reg | Robert | McFarlin | Police Captain | $125869 |
| Fire Dept | Philip W | Costello Jr | District Fire Chief** | $123709 |
City Departments of Springfield, MA [14]
- Audit (Internal)
- Budget
- Building Code Enforcement
- City Clerk
- Collector/Treasurer
- City Comptroller
- DPW - Public Works
- Economic Dev. (Planning)
- Elections Office
- Facilities Management
- Finance
- Fire Department
- Health & Human Services
- Parking Authority
- Parks & Recreation
- Permits and Inspections
- Police Dept
- Water and Sewer
- Zoning
[edit] Spending
| Classficiation | Adopted FY 09 Fund | Actual FY09 Fund | Adopted FY 10 fund | Projected FY 10 fund | Adopted FY11 Fund | ' |
| NON-MAYORAL | 822,380 (3,110) | 8 07,558 | 1 ,340,241 | 1,150,526.00 | 1 ,337,131 | 1 ,337,131 |
| GENERAL GOVERNMENT | 2,985,643.00 | 3,674,824.00 | 2,692,366.00 | 2,703,510.00 | 2,784,908.00 | 92,542.00 |
| ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE | 18,035,765.00 | 14,989,708.00 | 18,019,897.00 | 16,733,398.00 | 13,651,033.00 | (4,368,864.00) |
| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 3,204,007.00 | 2 ,830,414 | 3 ,114,378 | 2 ,846,285 | 3 ,398,437 | 2 84,059 |
| PUBLIC SAFETY | 5 9,707,007 | 5 6,230,235 | 5 7,847,873 | 5 4,679,936 | 5 7,749,845 | (98,028) |
| HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | 8,871,296.00 | 8,487,743.00 | 8,348,392.00 | 8,182,371.00 | 8,524,684.00 | 176,292.00 |
| PARKS & FACILITIES | 19,539,663.00 | 18,549,191.00 | 21,109,701.00 | 21,109,701.00 | 20,320,840.00 | (788,861.00) |
| HEALTH INSURANCE - CITY | 24,084,282.00 | 24,084,282.00 | 23,961,561.00 | 21,788,713.00 | 22,243,813.00 | (1,717,748.00) |
| CONTRIBUTION RETIREMENT PENSION | 20,654,860.00 | 20,654,860.00 | 22,191,730.00 | 22,191,730.00 | 24,297,185.00 | 2,105,455.00 |
| DEBT SERVICE | 37,979,894.00 | 39,005,185.00 | 38,556,818.00 | 38,556,818.00 | 39,376,879.00 | 820,061.00 |
The above table is a budget summary. Spending for the city of Springfield is accounted for well in the budget documents.
[edit] Lobbying
According to Open Secrets, a website dedicated to open government, Springfield has not spent any money on lobbying in the past ten years. They are recorded, however, as having "hired" a public relations firm Philip W Johnston Assoc, yet there is no money recorded as paid there. [16]
[edit] External links
- See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard
- Masschusetts on State Budget Solutions
[edit] References
- ↑ http://2010.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php#.TmHJRl3XahA
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. Budget
- ↑ City of Springfield, Mass. Finance::internal audit
- ↑ Superintendent Review (pdf)
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. City Calendar
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. City Council Archives
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. City Council
- ↑ Forms & Applications
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. bids.
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. Collector
- ↑ Springfield, Mass. Finance
- ↑ '22 news' "22 News reveals officials' salaries,' 23 April 2009, Accessed 8 September 2011.
- ↑ 'The Boston Herald' "Your Tax Dollars at Work: 2007 Springfield Payroll" Accessed 8 September 2011.
- ↑ Springfield, Massachusetts, Departments
- ↑ 'City of Springfield, MA,' "Fiscal Year 2011 Adopted budget." Available Online
- ↑ Open Secrets: City of Springfield, Massacusetts.
