Chicopee names priority sites

By Holly Angelo

05/07/2008- The Republican

CHICOPEE - The Board of Aldermen last night adopted a state law that will establish two priority development sites and make the city eligible for up to $100,000 in grant money.

Chapter 43D of Massachusetts General Law requires the city to guarantee permitting within 180 days on the two priority development sites, which have been identified as Westover Airpark West and Chicopee River Business Park. The city usually expedites permitting in less than 180 days.

"We're getting money for something we already do," At-large Alderman Jean J. Croteau Jr. said.

The city's Planning Department plans on spending the grant money on permit-tracking computer software.

In exchange for adopting 43D, the state will help with marketing, land preparation, permitting and infrastructure improvements at the two priority development sites. Chicopee River Business Park is owned by the nonprofit Westmass Area Development Corp.; Westover Airport West is owned by the nonprofit Westover Metropolitan Development Corp.

In addition, the aldermen approved taking $2.5 million from the stabilization fund, which will be repaid from bond proceeds, to pay for the first phase of the flood control maintenance project along riverfront in the city. Taking the money temporarily from stabilization will allow the project to get started sooner.

The work involves the removal of vegetation from a total of seven miles of riverfront on the Connecticut and Chicopee rivers. The work was ordered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The aldermen also approved using $800,000 in Chapter 90 state aid to pay for roadway improvements on Irene Street, from Route 33 to Cyran; Jamrog Drive, from Route 33 to Asselin; and James Street, Prospect Street intersection. The city can now contract with the lowest bidder, Gomes Construction of Ludlow.

The board also approved taking $656,571 from free cash to pay for snow and ice removal costs from this winter. The city budgeted $100,000, but spent a total of $756,571.

Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette had been expected to file several orders for big-ticket bonding projects last night, but told the board in a briefing that he expects to call a special meeting of the aldermen for next week to present those items. The mayor is proposing borrowing up to $9 million to build a new senior center behind Szetela Early Childhood Center on Macek Drive. He is also proposing to borrow up to $6 million to acquire and renovate the former Rock-Tenn Corp. plant on Champion Drive to create a consolidated Department of Public Works operations center.

Other projects will also be discussed at that meeting, the time and date of which should be announced this week.