SOUTH HADLEY — Town officials on Tuesday questioned Hampshire Council of Governments Executive Director Todd Ford about where South Hadley “fits into” the current landscape at the organization.
Town Administrator Mike Sullivan aired the town’s concerns with the agency in his regularly issued report. The Hampshire COG “has been hyper focused on energy,” he wrote, and since the town already has a municipal light board it has nothing to gain from energy services.
“I’ve said all along that the Hampshire Council of Governments didn’t always exactly fit our needs and we’re trying to make sure that we articulate to them what our needs are in a more focused and profound way,” Sullivan said during the meeting.
Sullivan also said he takes issue with repeated requests from the agency to pitch in for costly repairs to the old courthouse in Northampton, where the Hampshire COG’s offices are. He says “sending money upriver” when there are old buildings decaying “right here in South Hadley” would not sit well with the town.
He said he believes in regional government and would like to see the Hampshire COG help coordinate more shared resources, like animal control services, election work, financial oversight and inspectional services.
Select Board member Ira Brezinksy said it surprises him “how little is being done” with sharing of services, especially considering how many small towns in the area are so “strapped” for cash.
“It’s talked about way more than it’s acted upon,” he said.
Ford said he agreed with Brezinsky, and that it’s a point of “continual frustration.”
“We need to come together as one body,” Ford said, adding he’d like to see more collaboration between his agency and others like it in the area.
The conversation comes as Belchertown leaders consider a Town Meeting article asking voters if they’d like to withdraw from the council. And last week Hadley officials raised red flags about the financial health of the organization. Belchertown, Hadley and South Hadley are three of the four member towns with the highest populations.
Sullivan called it a mistake for Massachusetts to have dissolved county government, calling it “our opportunity” to come together and “bridge the gaps between some of the communities.”
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.