Keep Holyoke Affordable For ALL

06/17/2026

Will Mayor Garcia Veto the Data Center Ban?

Governor Maura Healey supports the expansion of data centers as essential for the state's artificial intelligence and innovation economy, but she requires these facilities to be self-powered and environmentally friendly to protect ratepayers. She strongly opposes statewide bans on such infrastructure.Core Policies & StanceNo Moratoriums: Unlike counterparts in neighboring states, Healey refuses to support bans on data center development, arguing that such measures would hinder the state's economic future.Strict Energy Requirements: She has drawn bright lines stating that any new data centers must power themselves and minimize community or ratepayer impact.Tax Incentives: She signed the Mass Leads Act into law, which provides qualified data centers with sales and use tax exemptions on equipment, construction costs, and electricity.State AI Hub & InfrastructureHealey is heavily pushing Massachusetts as a global leader in applied AI. A focal point of this initiative is the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) located in Holyoke. The administration selected technology partners to build out the Artificial Intelligence Compute Resources (AICR) environment at the Holyoke facility, establishing it as the backbone of the state's AI network.Current Regulatory ProgressWhile Healey is a proponent of the technology, the exact rules and guidelines governing the siting, environmental impacts, and final tax break allocations are still being finalized through Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) and energy committees to balance corporate expansion with environmental justice.

06/14/2026

Corrupt politics. What does the Mayor get in return from Councilors he paid mailings for? Rubber Stamps. Rubber stamp politics leads to more corruption. It is the cycle of life and culture for future corruption at City Hall in all its ugly forms. Just remember if you're not a recipient of the corruption, you're the payer.

Holyoke Mayor Garcia’s campaign was fined $1,000 for failing to timely report mailers supporting council candidates. Garcia said the spending was legal but missed a reporting deadline amid changes to campaign finance law.

06/12/2026

Well, Well, Well!
See letter below posted on Office of Campaign Finance website.
Mayor Garcia fined $1,000.00 for his back room support - thousands of dollars in mailers -to help his 8 rubber stamp city councilors get elected. Do you remember the postcards for Mimi Panitch, Ann Thalheimer, Israel Rivera, Richard Purcell, Jenny Rivera, Patti Devine & Tessa Romboletti? So much for transparency & following our laws while calling out others=no trust

06/05/2026

One more meeting: Item #1=Public Comment City Council Budget Hearing June 10, 2026 6:00 pm City Hall Holyoke
536 Dwight St, Holyoke 01040

Agenda
Contact Information
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025,
notice is hereby given of a
Holyoke City Council Budget Hearing

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

6:00 PM

Meeting will take place at Holyoke City Hall
536 Dwight St
and can also be accessed remotely via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86874214137?pwd=1askfP04xlZOKrAjmPaFPEWrsmUMZR.1
Meeting ID: 868 7421 4137 Meeting Passcode: 646098 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with same Meeting ID and Passcode

Agenda

Public Comment
Building
Weights and Measures
Retirement Board
Conservation
Library
Planning
Community Development
Police Department

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06/05/2026

ZOOM Planning Board Meeting
5:30 pm Remote ZOOM Information
PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 @ 5:30 P.M.

Zoom.com – Meeting 836 3939 8493: OR CALL IN: 1 646 558 8656
(all meetings are being recorded)

Special Permit (Sec 4.6.3.2) Exceed Fence Height – Rafael & Sheila Rivera, 230-232 Beech Street (SP 2026-7)
Special Permit (Sec 6.4.6.4) Increase in Sign Size & Multiple – Stack ~ Holyoke & Main LLC, 679 & 689 Main Street (SP 2026-8)
Zone Change, Irfan Raheel, 172 Sargeant Street (060-06-001), BG to DR (ZC 2026—6)
Zone Change (1/20/26 PANITCH)
Comprehensive Plan Revisions Pkg, Ph1 Orders #1- #41, (04/14/2026, 05/12, 05/27) (ZC 2026 -5), Items PLANNING BOARD

PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 @ 5:30 P.M.

Zoom.com – Meeting 836 3939 8493: OR CALL IN: 1 646 558 8656

(all meetings are being recorded)



ZONE CHANGE / SITE PLAN REVIEW/ SUBDIVISION/SPECIAL PERMIT



Special Permit (Sec 4.6.3.2) Exceed Fence Height – Rafael & Sheila Rivera, 230-232 Beech Street (SP 2026-7)
Special Permit (Sec 6.4.6.4) Increase in Sign Size & Multiple – Stack ~ Holyoke & Main LLC, 679 & 689 Main Street (SP 2026-8)
Zone Change, Irfan Raheel, 172 Sargeant Street (060-06-001), BG to DR (ZC 2026-6)
Zone Change (1/20/26 PANITCH) Comprehensive Plan Revisions Pkg, Ph1 Orders #1- #41, Items #1-5


PLANNING BOARD BUSINESS



Executive Session
a.) Topics related to an Open Meeting Law (OML) Complaint dated May 30, 2026, received June 1, 2026. To discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or to discuss the discipline or

dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual.



Project Updates/Old Business/New Business
a.) Section 7.10 Ma*****na Facilities, ma*****na review ( #2), Riverside Cannabis, 1 Cabot Street



3.) Meeting Schedule (tentative):

June 23, 2026 – SP Sec 6.4.6.4 Schermerhorn’s; SP Sec 6.4.6.4 Holyoke Mall Co, LLP, Pyramid; SP Sec 4.6.3.2, 187 W Franklin; ZC Cont. Comp Pln Rev Pkg, Ph1, Orders #1- #41 (ZC 2025-5)

July 14, 2026 – no meeting

July 28, 2026 – ZC Signs, BG;

Aug 11, 2026 – tbd



4.) Other Business:

a.)



Minutes: (tabled from 05/26) 2/24/26 PH ZC Data Centers; 4/14/26 Planning Meeting, PH SP Holyoke Community Charter School Pylon Sign, PH SP Sign Dicks Sporting Goods, PH ZC Establish Operating Times for Cannabis Dispensaries, PH ZC Comprehensive Plan Revisions Package 1; 4/28/26 Planning Meeting, PH ZC Native Plants; 5/12/26 PH ZC Comprehensive Plan Revisions Package; (new from 05/27) 8/27/24 Planning Meeting, PH SPR 209 South St, PH SPR N’ton Street Dev, PH SPR South Holyoke Homes, ZC Short term Rental, Executive Session; 9/24/24 ZC Group Homes, PH SP Lighthouse, PH SPR Self Storage, SPR BESS, Planning Meeting; 3/25/25 SPR Florence Bank, PH SP Multiple Principal Florence Bank, ZC Short Term; 4/8/25 SPR PH Holyoke Landing BESS; 5/13/25 SPR PH Holyoke Landing BESS; 7/8/25 SPR PH MIFA Victory Theater, SP PH MIFA Victory Theater Parking, SP PH MIFA Victory Theater Signs, SP PH MIFA Victory Theater Temp Fence; 8/12/25 Planning Board Meeting; 12/2/25 Planning Meeting; 12/16/25 Planning Meeting, PH SPR MIFA, PH SP Parking MIFA, PH SP Sign MIFA, PH ZTC Tiny Homes, Executive Session; 5/26/26 ZC Comprehensive Plan, ZC Native Plants, SP PH Florence Bank Sign, Planning Board Meeting.

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06/05/2026

With Garcia, it is never break even.

Update to some positions in the FY27 Budget Estimate for the financial re-org-before the modernization act passed in February:

Then: Auditor 100,000 Now 111, 608
Then CAFO 150,000 Now 165,000-187,500 to start -estimate +30,000
Then Comptroller 100,000 Now 115,000 in budget
Then Procurement 90000 Now 91,807 in budget
Then Revenue Collections Specialist (2)one new position added) 92,616 Now 95,135 (for 2)
Then Treasurer Collector 110,000 Now 116,000 in budget for Collector
Then Director of Technical Assistance 100,000 Now in budget 130,000

Revised bottom line:
Then 2,549,411 Now est. 2,643,826 (additional estimated expense of 94,000 -not break-even

06/04/2026

Data Center? What do you think? Our current data center is approx. 10-megawatts-there have been no complaints filed re: noise etc.
Questions?
Can we generate enough power to support a 20-megawatt data center?
Will residents & existing businesses be protected from rate increases?
Will it result in lower taxes for residents?

See article below:

Proposed data center sparks controversy in Holyoke

Concerns with proposed data center in Holyoke
By Patrick Fergus and Mark Gardyna
Published: Jun. 3, 2026 at 4:13 PM EDT|Updated: 17 hours ago
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HOLYOKE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Data centers are popping up across the country. Now, a new proposal in Holyoke is already sparking pushback from residents concerned about the environment, noise, and strain on local resources.

Standing in front of what used to be the Hampden Paper Complex on Water Street could possibly be the future home of a new 20-megawatt data center. The new proposal would break ground on a new data center on 100 Water Street in the industrial flats neighborhood of Holyoke, it’s projected to cost $200 million.

The project developers, Chestnut River Power and Infrastructure, have compared the proposed size to the current Green High Performance Computer Center, which is also located in the city. Their representative said it’s a chance for the area to be revitalized, “this is an industrial area. Every single property on Water Street is industrial or just vacant land, it’s not straining our resources,” said Zaisha Robert.

The developers plan to use the existing infrastructure of Hamden Papers, which closed in 2020, and said that’s a main reason behind the selection of this property.

Data centers across the nation have been criticized by local residents for causing pollution, using large amounts of water resources, raising electric bills and the extreme noise some need to operate, “I think everywhere that they’ve already been, there’s been a lot of environmental issues and a lot of decline,” said Holyoke neighbor Janelle Finnegan, “water usage, air pollution, all of the above.”

The potential environmental impact is something at the forefront of questions surrounding the development for the city council, “it’s more or less around the nuances, around environmental dangers that could possibly happen, noise issues, and other different issues that may arise due to data centers” said Holyoke City Councilor Israel Rivera.

While this data center is not on the scale of some of the mega projects in other areas, its power will certainly have an impact on a smaller city like Holyoke.

20 megawatts, which to put into context, is enough to power around 15,000 homes, which is about equal to the number of occupied homes in Holyoke itself according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Holyoke Gas and Electric noted during the peak of summer, they generate approximately 75 megawatts.

Mayor Garcia said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that he understands residents’ concerns, but also that he believes that this project can be managed responsibly to benefit the city.

Copyright 2026 Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.

05/27/2026

Maybe Mayor Garcia is seeking a new career path? Taxpayers need a break!

05/25/2026

Next Budget Hearing
June 1st 6PM
in city council chambers or on zoom

05/23/2026

While you were working
to pay your taxes-the Planning Board was in the back room for two years-
making zone change proposals. What could go wrong for property owners?