Bidwell Advisors
April 15, 2019
To neighbors and friends, Ward 2 and elsewhere,

I want to thank the many of you who have offered thanks and other kind remarks in the wake of my announcement that I won't be seeking reelection as your Ward 2 City Councilor.

I'll still be in office for another 8 ½ months, however, and there's much to be done! I'm in the middle of many fascinating projects and issues.
Read on for information on some of them:
I look forward to hearing from you with any suggestions, questions or concerns you might have.

Sincerely,

Dennis Bidwell
[email protected]
Hampshire HOPE opioid addiction and Narcan training workshopshope
Our region of the state has been experiencing an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths at a time when such deaths are declining in the rest of the state. It really is a crisis in our community.

Fortunately, we have in our midst the outstanding work of Hampshire HOPE. Operating out of Northampton's Public Health Department, Hampshire HOPE is a coalition of many organizations working together to: prevent heroin and prescription drug misuse and addiction; prevent overdose from prescription drugs and heroin; and help more people get treatment and recover from heroin and prescription drug addiction.

I recently sat in on a Hampshire HOPE workshop on addiction and Narcan for city employees. (Narcan [naloxone] is a medicine, administered as a nasal spray, which can stop an overdose from opioids. It will help the person wake up and keep them breathing until emergency responders are on the scene.)

I was very impressed with the workshop, and encouraged Cherry Sullivan, the collaborative's director, to present these workshops to the public.

I am very pleased to be co-sponsoring, with Hampshire HOPE, these "Saving Lives in Hampshire County" workshops:
  • May 3, Noon to 1:00 pm, at Forbes Library, Community Room
  • May 14, 7:00 to 8:00 pm, at Hampshire Regional YMCA
Please try to attend, and please spread the word. Please print and post/distribute this flyer.
 
Town Hall Budget Meetingsbudget
Last week the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School Board of Trustees and the Northampton School Committee both submitted approved budgets to the Mayor. The Mayor will submit his overall City budget, incorporating the two School budgets, to the City Council by mid-May. Leading up to that, the Mayor will be holding Town Hall Budget Meetings which offer residents an opportunity to learn about the budget and provide input. Dates and locations are as follows:
  • Tuesday April 23, 7:00 pm, Leeds Elementary School - Cafeteria, 20 Florence Street, Leeds
  • Wednesday April 24, 2019, 7:00 pm, JFK Middle School - Community Room, 100 Bridge Road, Florence
  • Monday April 29, 2019, 7:00 pm, Northampton Senior Center - Great Room, 67 Conz Street, Northampton
This is your opportunity for input before the FY2020 budget is submitted to the City Council. Please bring your questions and suggestions.
Paving and Potholeshole
The DPW's pothole-filling crews are out and about, signaling the DPW's shifting of gears from snowplowing to road repair. The City is committing more funds to paving projects of various sorts this year than ever before. Still, as we all know, many roads will not get the attention we would like.

This year's roadway improvement plan has been laid out in a memo from DPW Director Donna LaScaleia. 

The City encourages you to report potholes in need of attention, using this on-line form.
Seeking appointees to the City Council's Select Committee on Pesticide Reductionseeking
The City Council recently approved the establishment of a Select Committee on Pesticide Reduction in the City. This committee has been tasked with researching and recommending ways that Northampton can reduce its use of pesticides (including herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and other chemicals) on city-owned property. The Committee will meet first on May 1 and will submit its report and recommendations to the full Council by October 1.

The Committee will consist of two City Councilors and up to eight other city residents, to be appointed by the City Council President, from a pool of interested applicants.
The Committee should include a variety of views and backgrounds. Especially important will be applicants with some level of expertise and experience in the fields of gardening, agriculture, recreation, forestry, turf management, organic and/or integrated pest management land care, conservation, public health, or other related fields.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, April 16, noon. Interested individuals can apply by sending a letter of interest to: [email protected] that includes address and phone number, as well as a brief description of t relevant background and the reason for applying.

Here is the resolution establishing the Select Committee .
ValleyBike Share celebrations in Northamptonbike
The ValleyBike Share bikes are out and about! 

Thanks to Smith College Landscape students, there will be demonstrations, free trial rides and membership sign up options at these stations and dates and times:
  • April 19 3:00 pm  Hampshire YMCA
  • April 27 2:00 pm  Village Hill
Dennis Bidwell City Council Ward 2
  413-584-2732 | [email protected]
19 Forbes Avenue
Northampton, MA 01060

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