New fire station slated for former PC Telcom property

    Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department will be getting new digs on the West Denver Street property that formerly housed the cable TV operations of PC Telcom, Holyoke City Council announced at its Aug. 21 meeting.
    Mayor Orville Tonsing said the details of the project are still tentative, and the layout of the new station is still in the early stages of development.
    The PC Telcom purchase was approved at a special meeting of the council on July 26, and the purchase of a contiguous corner property was agreed upon at the Aug. 7 regular meeting. City Attorney Al Wall confirmed at last week’s meeting that the City has since closed on the properties, although the tenancy of a resident living in a trailer on the corner property is still under discussion.
    
City issuing public safety notices for water violation
    City Superintendent Mark Brown informed the council at last week’s meeting that Holyoke residents and businesses will be receiving a letter regarding a violation of backflow prevention regulations.
    Backflow refers to the unwanted flow of water in the opposite direction within a plumbing system. Backflow can pose serious risks to health and safety, especially when water comes into contact with chemicals or waste, and there are a variety of mechanisms and systems for controlling it.
    Different backflow conditions require the use of different backflow prevention devices and methods. While devices such as reduced pressure zone valves and double-check valves are testable, methods such as air gaps and atmospheric vacuum breakers are not.
    State regulations require the City to test all devices and inspect a certain percentage of methods each year. Inspection is less rigorous than testing, which requires certified personnel to measure the performance of a device.
    The City violated regulations by failing to inspect the required number of methods in 2017. As a result, they are required to issue a public safety notice, warning residents and businesses of the possibility of undetected backflow issues.
    Of the three tiers of violation that endanger water quality, the backflow violation belongs to the second most serious tier.
    There are no financial penalties associated with the violation. The water department later stated that the City is currently in compliance with inspection guidelines.
    
Recodification project ongoing
    Wall told the council that he wants to hold a work session with Holyoke Police Department before a review of the recodification project immediately following the council’s regular meeting Oct. 2.
    The City has been working with Municode on restructuring its municipal codes since last November, when they accepted a $9,450 bid for double column recodification.
    Wall later said the project could be finished before Christmas, although dates are still tentative.
    Tonsing stressed the importance of finishing the project and meeting to discuss revisions sooner rather than later.
    “Let’s get it done. We’ve been putzing around with this for quite a while,” he said.
    
New library hours a success
    Library board member Briar Bergner reported to the council that the library’s new operating hours have been well-received.
    The library began offering extended hours at the beginning of this month — Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Bergner also announced that the sidewalk around the library has been repaired, and an electrician has been contacted to provide a quote for replacing the building’s aging electrical system.
    Brown said Tom’s Plumbing will be dispatching a specialist to provide a quote on renovations to the library’s boiler system.
    Bids for snow removal and grounds maintenance are due Aug. 31. No bids were received for the painting project.
    The Friends of the Library Book Sale will take place Saturday, Sept. 8, and Friday, Sept. 14. Children’s Storytime will start Sept. 5.
    
Officials, rec director report
    Brown also informed the council that his department responded to one power outage in the 100 block of South Lewis Avenue on Aug. 18, which was caused by a bird on a transformer.
    Water crews finished setting up a water tap in the 800 block of East Gordon Street. They are currently working to unplug storm drains and install the alfalfa sprinkler system.
    Street crews have finished painting lines, and Brown said the asphalt on Southwest Interocean Drive will be removed and replaced with concrete within the next two months.
    Holyoke Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported that the department, including code enforcement, handled or generated 251 calls for service from Aug. 2-15. They made no arrests, wrote five citations and eight reports, and gave out 23 warnings. Code enforcement handled 10 animal complaints, six dogs at large and eight ordinance violations.
    Bergstrom said the City’s first National Night Out drew between 500-750 people and appeared to generate a strong, positive response from residents.
    “It seemed like one big block party. Everybody had a good time; everybody said thank you.”
    Recreation director Victoria Dunker added that 50 children showed up for the water balloon fight, for which they bought 5,000 balloons.
    Dunker reminded the council that flag football began the night of the meeting and will include 25 kids. She said that women’s volleyball teams are still being put together for September.
    
Other business
    In other business at the Aug. 21 meeting, the council:
    — Hired Kody Timm and Dylan Miles as flag football coaches for $700 each.
    — Agreed to reassign the lease for a hangar at Holyoke Municipal Airport from Ivan Wiebke to Joey Larrabee of Larrabee Farm.