The Chicopee City Council met on Thursday evening, June 29, 2017 to vote on the City of Chicopee Budget for FY 2018.  The Council voted 12 to 0 to approve the budget with the only change being a denial of a request from the DPW of $60,000 for a new vehicle.

The approved budget included the City Council approval of a request from Mayor Richard Kos to allocate $1.25 million in the budget again this year for the Chicopee Public Schools. The additional funding coupled with cost saving measures will prevent any teacher layoffs.

The budget will see a 3.1% increase in spending, or an additional $5,627,141.27 in comparison with the 2017 fiscal year. The budget increases were mainly attributed to increased health insurance costs, the City’s contribution to education, public safety, water and sewer bonding, sanitation, and pension costs.

“This budget allows us to maintain the excellent level of services for our residents,” said City Council President John Vieau. “I thank the Mayor for a seamless budget process and look forward to what we can accomplish in the next fiscal year.”

“Working together we have addressed the needs of our City by continuing to provide the services our residents have come to expect, while preventing any teachers from being laid off,” said Mayor Kos. “I want to thank President Vieau and his colleagues for their support of this budget.”

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