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Holyoke, Mass. charter change approved by voters, altering how city treasurers are picked

FILE - Rory Casey, City Treasurer for the city of Holyoke, was among the officials on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, who explained what's at stake come Jan. 28, when voters decide on a charter change that could convert the treasurer's role from an elected one to one appointed by the city council.
James Paleologopoulos
/
WAMC
Rory Casey, City Treasurer for the city of Holyoke, was among the officials Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, who explained what's at stake come Jan. 28, when voters decide on a charter change that could convert the treasurer's role from an elected one to one appointed by the city council.

A move to alter the city charter in Holyoke, Massachusetts was approved in a special election Tuesday.

Turnout was low as residents opted to make the city's treasurer role a city council-appointed one, rather that one decided by election.

According to unofficial results, 67 percent of voters picked "Yes" on Question 1. 843 ballots were cast - 2.7 percent of the city's 30,702 regular voters.

Current City Treasurer Rory Casey spelled out what will happen next during a press conference carried by Holyoke Media earlier this month.

"The elected treasurer, me, would remain in office until the end of the term," he said. "It actually, I think, says the first Monday in February of 2026. At that point, the city council will appoint a treasurer in accordance with the charter the way it's written, so, the same way [as] the tax collector, the assessor and the auditor."

Casey has said he has no interest in being appointed treasurer again.

He and other city officials had sought to have the council appoint treasurers going forward, following multiple incidents caught by auditors and four of the last five treasurers departing the role early.