February 11th, 2011 - “As a child I went to Forest Park Middle School and I know how desperately this school needs to be supported. Projects like The Forest Park Middle School Renovation come along once in a generation but if we are going to move forward, it should be done correctly for our children, our community and our city,” said Ward 6 Councilor Amaad I. Rivera.
Councilor Rivera recently took a bold step to ensure that the city and community thoroughly reviewed the proposed project after several issues were identified and concerns were raised.
The current proposed project design had only been revealed to the public as well as the City Council on February 7th, 2011. In addition, the last meeting that was held in the community was June 1st of last year, 9 months ago. Since then, the current plan has undergone drastic changes that have not received substantial community feedback or been reviewed by the City Council. During that time neither the City Council nor the community at-large has received any alternative design plans, or options.
“It is my goal as a councilor and steward of the city to ensure that any project before the city, regardless of whether it is a school or a large corporation, follows appropriate protocols, is comprehensively reviewed and the community has a voice in the process” said Councilor Rivera.
While eminent domain can often be difficult, when it is done well even those who may need to relocate their home or business are willing participate, particularly for an altruistic cause such as school development. Yet, several owners of buildings and a business have reported that they have been unfairly compensated based on market factors. In particular, a local business named Sam’s Pizza that has been in the Forest Park neighborhood for seven years continues to experience difficulty in negotiating with the city.
“I understand the community’s need for the school, but I have invested in this neighborhood and my business for over 7 years. Through this business I support my family and myself. I cannot understand how the city expects me to give up my business for nearly half of its assessed value. That is devastating to me and my family, all I want is a fair deal if I have to leave my business,” said Sadia Usman, owner of Sam’s Pizza.
The last eminent domain case that involved a business became a controversy for the City of Springfield. During the Albano administration, the city attempted to use eminent domain to build a baseball stadium that would have displaced two major businesses. In February 2000, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge condemned the project, its process and revoked the city’s eminent domain.
“In an effort to create a win-win solution for the community and people involved, I have proposed an increase in the allocated amount for the project. This small increase, approximately $150,000 which is less than 1% increase for the overall project budget of $43.4 million, would allow the city to better compensate the parties involved. This would prevent potential lawsuits and save the city money in the long run,” said Councilor Rivera.
According to the city’s law department, the only way to increase the total amount allocated is through a mayoral request. The city council can then vote upon the new request.
This procedure would not affect the overall deadline for the receipt of the reimbursement. While the deadline was originally scheduled for the end of the month, staff continued request to expedient any process has in part been due to the vacation schedule of one of the city’s staff person that is involved with the project.
“I am committed to supporting Forest Park Middle School, supporting this community and supporting this city. I am trying to ensure that Springfield is protected from legal liabilities, and develops comprehensive protocols for financial stewardship and community involvement that has often been a struggle for our city. Only by developing policies that uplift our entire community can this city reach its full potential,” said Ward 6 City Councilor Amaad I. Rivera.
