There are two committees in West Springfield studying issues relative to casinos.
West Springfield Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger, left, is seen with city councilors George D. Condon III and Brian J. Griffin, right.
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger has removed the two city councilors from his mayor’s casino advisory committee in what appears to be the latest chapter in the feud between him and the Town Council.
Councilor Brian J. Griffin, who was taken off the committee along with Town Councilor George D. Condon III, said Wednesday that the mayor told him he removed them from the committee because he does not trust town councilors.
“The mayor has decided not to have councilors on the committee. It’s a day in the life of what is going on in West Springfield. It is unfortunate,” said Griffin, who is considering a bid for mayor.
Neffinger disputed Griffin’s version the development, calling him “combative.”
The mayor said he removed himself, Griffin and Condon from the committee to create a smaller group that could be more effective. A fourth person will probably be removed as well, Neffinger said.
He said Town Council President Kathleen A. Bourque had earlier agreed to disband the council casino committee but later change her mind.
On another matter, the mayor also said Griffin did not come to his office to request financial information. Neffinger said he has required council votes to request financial information to discourage frivolous requests.
The mayor and the council have been at odds recently over the release of financial information from Neffinger’s office. Neffinger has required a vote of the council before releasing financial information. However, the mayor has said all councilors really have to do to get information is come to his office.
The council on Monday voted to seek various financial records from the mayor in writing after seeking advice from the state attorney general’s office.
However, Griffin said he did go to Neffinger’s office and was not given financial records.
On Tuesday, the mayor issued a statement saying that “after more careful consideration,” he has revised the make-up of the committee from nine to five members.
Neffinger created the committee shortly after the Eastern States Exposition and Hard Rock International announced in mid-January that they want to build a $700 million to $800 million resort casino project on the exposition’s fairgrounds. Neffinger announced in the press release that he expects the exposition and Hard Rock Casino & Entertainment will do the “heavy lifting” on the project.
“If the project is meant to succeed in West Springfield, it will demand hard work, investigation, and much scrutiny by the committee, elected officials, and the residents,” the mayor stated. “I will not use the manpower or financial resources of the city for this project.”
Neffinger also announced that the times, dates and agendas for the committee will be posted, and all its meetings will be public.
Griffin said Neffinger had agreed to merge the council’s ad hoc casino mitigation committee with the mayoral committee, but has since changed his mind.
The councilor, who chairs the mitigation committee, said it will continue to meet.
The mayor last month asked the following people to be on his committee: Griffin, Condon, Edward Sullivan, John P. Weiss, Michael Lefebvre, Harry Kalamarakis, Diane Crowell and Todd Newhouse.
The members of the council committee are: Griffin, Weiss, Sullivan, Crowell, Town Councilor John R. Sweeney and Town Councilor Angus M. Rushlow.
The mayor’s term, his first, has been marked by conflict.
Friction between the mayor and Planning and Construction Committee continued to simmer recently as committee members complained about the way the mayor treated them while choosing an architect to design the public library project.
And after Neffinger decided he would not reappoint David J. Partridge to the Planning and Construction Committee, the Town Council unanimously rejected his choice of a local businessman to fill Partridge’s slot.
In October, Christopher Keefe, the city’s former principal assessor, filed a wrongful termination suit against the city over his dismissal Feb. 8 by the mayor.
Although West Springfield is classified as a city by the state based on its council-mayor form of government, West Springfield's charter refers to the council as a Town Council.