Holyoke City Council moves into executive session to discuss Wage Act issue and police, fire bargaining
November 26, 2025 | Holyoke City, Hampden County, Massachusetts
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The Holyoke City Council met in executive session Tuesday, Nov. 25, at City Hall to discuss a potential Wage Act issue and collective bargaining proposals for the city’s police and fire unions. The meeting opened at 5:34 p.m., and the presiding official said the session was being recorded locally.
The presiding official read the agenda and emphasized the meeting’s closed status: "And just as a reminder, because this is an executive session meeting, we will not be taking any votes," the presiding official said while reading the agenda. Item 1 was described as a "potential Wage Act issue" to be discussed for strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting could harm the public body's bargaining or litigating position. Item 2 was listed as collective bargaining proposals for the fire and police unions under the same statutory exception, the presiding official said.
A motion to enter executive session was made and seconded; the presiding official called the roll and recorded affirmative responses from Councilors Anderson Burgos, Devine, Murphy Rambolletti, Ocasio, Isreal Rivera, Jenny Rivera, Sullivan and Bacon. Several councilors named during roll call did not give an audible response in the public record. The chair declared that an open meeting could have a detrimental effect on the public body's negotiating or litigating position, which the chair cited as the basis for the closed session.
No substantive debate on the Wage Act matter or the bargaining proposals was recorded in the public transcript beyond the agenda readings and the roll call. The council entered executive session; the meeting record indicates the body planned to wait briefly for colleagues from Holyoke before proceeding.
Because the discussion took place in executive session, no further public details about bargaining positions, proposed contract terms, or legal strategy were provided in the transcript. Any formal votes or actions on these items, if taken, were not conducted in the public portion of the meeting.
The presiding official read the agenda and emphasized the meeting’s closed status: "And just as a reminder, because this is an executive session meeting, we will not be taking any votes," the presiding official said while reading the agenda. Item 1 was described as a "potential Wage Act issue" to be discussed for strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting could harm the public body's bargaining or litigating position. Item 2 was listed as collective bargaining proposals for the fire and police unions under the same statutory exception, the presiding official said.
A motion to enter executive session was made and seconded; the presiding official called the roll and recorded affirmative responses from Councilors Anderson Burgos, Devine, Murphy Rambolletti, Ocasio, Isreal Rivera, Jenny Rivera, Sullivan and Bacon. Several councilors named during roll call did not give an audible response in the public record. The chair declared that an open meeting could have a detrimental effect on the public body's negotiating or litigating position, which the chair cited as the basis for the closed session.
No substantive debate on the Wage Act matter or the bargaining proposals was recorded in the public transcript beyond the agenda readings and the roll call. The council entered executive session; the meeting record indicates the body planned to wait briefly for colleagues from Holyoke before proceeding.
Because the discussion took place in executive session, no further public details about bargaining positions, proposed contract terms, or legal strategy were provided in the transcript. Any formal votes or actions on these items, if taken, were not conducted in the public portion of the meeting.
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