IAmA Alex Morse, 25-year-old second term Mayor of Holyoke, Mass. AMA!

We have an AmA coming up in 30 mins from Don Berwick, one of the Democratic candidates for Governor of Massachusetts.

How do you feel about the gubernatorial race and have you come out to support a candidate? If so, why is he or she your choice?

I have endorsed Martha Coakley for Governor because she will continue the progress made by Governor Patrick and his administration. She has been a stellar Attorney General and I believe she is the most experienced and capable candidate running.

I'm also supporting Steve Kerrigan for LG, and Maura Healey for Attorney General!

How did you get into politics at such a young age?

I'm a political science major, went to law school for a year but I still feel like there's no place for me in politics.

It's so important that young people see themselves in politics. You probably feel like you have no place in politics because you don't see many millenials elected. Yet more and more continue to choose to run for office. I grew up here in Holyoke and fell in love with this City, like most of us do. I got involved in politics during high school, and studied urban studies at Brown, and chose to come back to Holyoke because I wanted other young people to have the same opportunities I had. If you ever want to chat about your political ambitions let me know, I would be happy to help.

Do you like Matt Damon?

Yes, I'm a big fan of Matt Damon, loved him in Good Will Hunting, and I'll leave it at that.

I'm a Holyoke resident and was saddened to hear that the library lost so many books to water damage while the library was being renovated. Is there a book drive or fundraising event in their future?

We were too, but the City was happy to make an investment for more books. The Friends of the Holyoke Public Library are currently planning their annual Fall cocktail party to benefit the library. Call my office for details: 413-322-5510

Holyoke has a reputation for violent crimes and murders. What can be done for residents and visitors to feel safe in your city?

That reputation is changing and I do not believe that such a belief is the first thing that comes to mind when people think Holyoke. So far this year, Holyoke has one homicide, which is one too many. Yet we have seen a decline in violent crime over the past 3 years. Like any urban community, we have our public safety challenges, but we do not allow such elements to taint our image or tarnish our work. We have implemented community policing - bike and foot patrol, new substations, the mobile community policing unit, the K-9 officers, and other efforts. People should also now that a vast majority of crime in our city is targeted, that is, rarely is there an act of crime on a random person or a visitor, it is mostly drug dealer on drug dealer or criminal on criminal.

Mayor, what do you think about the Holyoke Subreddit /r/Holyoke? What do you think we can do to improve it?

Not sure, but happy to discuss.

How difficult is it to get things accomplished when everyone seems to disagree on what's important and worth the time and money?

Before becoming Mayor I had hoped that a good idea would be a good idea, regardless of political influence. Obviously I've come to learn that nothing is that easy. Despite political polarization at times, we have been able to accomplish a great deal over the past few years. The things we have accomplished have been worth fighting for, thus doing the work we do is rewarding even if it is challenging or hard to see the immediate impact.

First off thanks so much for doing a reddit AMA. I think it's great to see this kind of accessibility from our politicians. I was curious about what you're doing to attract startups and young companies to Holyoke, because I believe that a strong entrepreneurial culture is one of the best ways to build a community. How do you get people to pick Holyoke for their startups, particularly in the tech industry?

Great question, and one that would require a lot of time to answer as we have so much going on around this effort. You should check out the Holyoke Innovation District and some of the new maker spaces we have recently attracted to Holyoke. We are focused on creating an economy around the arts, innovation, and technology. The people and businesses that come to Holyoke come here because they can utilize our competitive advantages (abundance of cheap, green energy, our location, our people, history, architecture, etc). One of the greatest things about Holyoke is that we are imperfect, we are not a finished product. New residents, new businesses, and entrepreneurs have an opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves - to really have an impact on turning our community around. We have seen this happening and we are confident it will continue.

Why should a tourist visit Holyoke? Where should one stop for a good meal?

There are many things to see in Holyoke: The Merry-Go-Round, Volleyball Hall of Fame, Children's Museum. Or choose to go to one of our beautiful reservoirs for a run, a walk, or a bike ride, or hike at Mt. Tom, or even check out Holyoke Rows along the Connecticut River and go kayaking. What is great about Holyoke too is our diversity - you can check out a great Puerto Rican restaurant downtown then head over to an Irish pub for a beer, sit back and read a book at the White Rose, or check out the Cottage for some Holyoke memorabilia.

How were your hydroelectric, solar, and fiber optic projects originally funded?

Combination of pubic and private dollars in collaboration with the Holyoke Gas & Electric.

What do you think of cities/towns that ban big box stores to protect mom & pop businesses? Do you think that is good policy?

I don't think anything in particular about those cities and towns, although I think that is a noble policy, although it's one that doesn't work or apply everywhere. In Holyoke, it would depend on the neighborhood and the current zoning. It is certainly a priority to protect mom & pop businesses, and also a priority to support the opening of new small businesses owned by a diverse group of individuals in the city.

Are you running for mayor again next election cycle?

Yes! I'm looking forward to it!

I am a recent graduate from UMASS and had the opportunity of asking you questions during your Q&A in State Rep. Vega’s class this past fall. That being said I have three specific questions for you I’d love to have answered.

Being located on the Connecticut River and having a large land area, do you think it is possible to incorporate more alternative energy use in Holyoke? The Holyoke Solar Cooperative is impressive in its energy production, as is the hydro-electric power being produced in the cities five operating hydroelectric plants. In addition to these already existing facilities, have you made any efforts with surrounding towns/cities or with the city government/energy department to continue this practice in order to lower energy prices while benefitting the environment?

What is your position on the usage of automated license plate readers by the Holyoke Police Department? Understandably it is an asset to the police in their work deterring crime, although it quite possibly crosses a line into invasion of privacy by constantly monitoring law abiding citizens. I know for a fact I would not want my whereabouts being monitored and stored for long periods of time, although I understand the merits of the equipments application. With New Hampshire virtually banning ALPRs, Maine setting a 21-day limit, and Massachusetts being in a statewide stalemate, what would you advocate for the technologies practice?

Finally do you have any plans with Mountain Park? As a student at UMASS from spring 2011 to spring 2014 I can tell you awareness of its existence is high, although acts worth traveling rarely perform making Northampton a much more suitable venue, especially with the park closing early in the fall. Are there any plans to modify the park or bring in big names in order to bring revenue to Holyoke from the Knowledge Corridor?

Good luck in your years in office and it’s great to see a local politician utilizing an AMA on reddit to directly correspond to citizens

1) 60% of our energy is currently powered by hydropower and 90% of our energy comes from non-carbon sources. We have an ambition to become the first "carbon neutral city" in Massachusetts. We also have one of the highest solar capacities of any communities in the state as well. Yes, we have many efforts in that regard, and we are also working to make Holyoke the green energy test-bed to test new products around renewable energy.

2) I haven't thought about this much, although I am certainly open to the idea. It has increased revenue for many other communities, although I would have to weigh this benefit with any concerns that come with this practice.

3) Eric Suher owns Mountain Park and has turned the space into a concert venue, attracting many big names including Willie Nelson and others.

Why did Hampshire Towing lose its contract with the city? How did they get it back?

There were concerns about their practices at the time. After learning more about their company I was impressed by their operation and their ability to provide good service to the residents of the City.

I believe I heard that there is a plan to build a passenger train station in Holyoke connecting to Boston and/or NYC. Can you shed some light onto this subject?

Project just went out to bid and we expect construction to begin this September. $2.5 million project to build platform on corner of Main & Dwight Streets. This will connect Holyoke south to NYC and north to Montreal, CA. We are very excited about this project!

Voting, and land owning Holyoke resident here.

In the press release for this AMA, you stated that:

"This is just another example of my administration’s focus on accountability and transparency. My favorite part of this job is getting to talk to people about what matters to them, and this Reddit AMA session will provide another opportunity to do that,”

In light of that statement of openness and transparency, how do you contrast that with the recent issue with the $45K of unexplainable money gone to Heather Egan in a severance package. (for non residents, http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/06/live_coverage_holyoke_councilo_1.html)

I am not asking you to explain the money I know you will not do that.

I want to know given all the recent strife that this has caused in the city; what changes to the system need to be made so that an open and transparent city government can be run and employees personal privacy can be respected. In parallel citizens can be reassured beyond the word of a single politician?

It seems to me that the this matter was not done within the checks and balances that are supposed to guide this great nation.

How do you as a mayor get the accountability that will protect yourself, the city, and its citizens?

Thanks for this question. As Mayor, I am the CEO of an organization with over 2,000 employees and a nearly $200 million dollar budget. Issues are bound to come up. In this case, I had to make the decision that was best for the City and move on. When I was confronted with a set of circumstances, I had to make the decision. It is easy for folks to criticize my business decisions when they aren't the ones having to make the tough choices. Given that, I completely understand that taxpayers expect transparency. I have attended multiple City Council meetings on the subject and have provided answers that I legally am able to. I do admit that I should have briefed the City Council before executing the settlement agreement with this former employee as to avoid issues of perception. Again, when faced with the decision to potentially spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in legals costs to fight frivolous lawsuits, or to execute a settlement agreement with funds that were already allocated in the budget, I chose the latter. Separation agreements are not uncommon in both the private and public sector. For those that question this decision, I ask them what they would do if they were Mayor? I am focused on ushering in many great things here in Holyoke and I refuse to allow negativity to stand in the way of achieving my vision for the City of Holyoke. That's what I was elected to do.

Mayor Morse,

Although I'm not a resident of Holyoke, I do live in the Pioneer Valley.

With the territory swap from Charter to Comcast, many of us will be going from a mediocre cable/ISP provider to a downright awful one.

What would it take to get the communities together and develop a regional fiber network, similar to what Chattanooga, TN has done? A network like this could make Western Mass a technological hotbed and bring jobs to our area.

Good question. As you may know, I recently signed a new 10-year contract with Comcast. In my opinion, Holyoke finally got what it deserved from the cable provider, that is up to 5% of GAR (gross annual revenue), plus over $600,000 in capital money to build out a community access station. We hope that throughout the duration of this new contract the City will be ready to provide municipal cable to residents through our fiber network with Holyoke Gas & Electric. This is definitely something we would like to pursue. HG&E already provides internet to businesses, and we have ambitions to only expand these offerings. We should chat more.

In an effort to make it self-sustaining would you consider having the station invest in its own property rather than having what is essentially the citizens of Holyoke's money (it is a surcharge on the bill) go to a private investor to the sum of a half a million dollars over 10 years? That money certainly would be better spent rehabbing an empty building - sustainability for the station could be had in such and investment too, because net neutrality and competition could make such contracts go away.

Depends on what is available in the community. I doubt the organization has the financial ability to invest $500,000 - $1,000,000 to purchase a building, rehab it, and make it ADA accessible. Looking forward to hear about your visits to locations this weekend.

I'm a new Holyoke homeowner and I would help to make the city flourish. However, after work and family I have limited free time. How would you suggest someone like me help/contribute?

There are so many ways to help. Just by purchasing a home here you have already helped. You can choose to volunteer at specific events that interest you, you can get involved in the public schools as a tutor or mentor, you can apply to be on a city board or commission, or if you have any ideas, we can make it work. Come visit and I'm happy to chat more. Thank you for choosing Holyoke and I hope you have had a great experience so far.

how careful do you have to be about "living your life"? do you still go out and party, and drink at bars with friends? do you still chug beers?

I don't think I've ever chugged a beer in my life. If you ask my friends, I'm not a big beer drinker, maybe a Corona on a hot day (I know, not real beer to some of you). I am very careful about my behavior as I represent the City of Holyoke. Some things are out of my control at times, as is the case with all people. I find a way to have a good time with my friends and family, even if it's not similar to other people my age.

What's your favorite book ? :D

Native Son by Richard Wright.

Do you have long term political ambitions beyond current term as Mayor?

My only ambition at this point is to make Holyoke the best possible city it can be, and I think we are well on our way.

Is being mayor more like The Wire or The West Wing?

Does a part of you feel like you've grown up too fast?

I've never seen the Wire, although I did start watching the West Wing when I was a kid (my parents thought I was crazy). I recognize that most 25 year olds don't find themselves in the position I am in, but young people here in Holyoke and young people all over the world are doing great things to make an impact on the lives of others. I happened to choose elected office and government as a means to that end, and I am proud of that choice. It has been a great experience and nothing I would ever change. What better than to be here in my hometown, with friends and family, where I can visit the schools and see teachers I had in elementary school still teaching - there is no greater honor than being able to move this great city in the right direction.

What are your thoughts on developing a large, possibly multi-day, music festival at Mountain Park? (yes, i know it is privately owned). I love the location and have enjoyed many single-act shows there. I am interested in seeing Holyoke's music scene grow.

What steps would need to take place between the organizer and the city in order to make this possible?

Great idea - something we can provide guidance on.

If you could choose to have any superpower, what would you pick?

Power to stop time so I can have more time to sleep and travel.

Do you support drug legalization? (I mean, it is a free country, right... why so many taboos on 'substances', especially when artifacts from pre-history show that humans were smoking DMT from pipes made from animal bones and fermentation of grain might have been the beginnings of agriculture?) All? Some?

I support the legalization of medical/recreational use of marijuana.

Thanks for doing this! What would you say your very best life advice is?

Also, anyone up there give you any guff for being so young?

Be true to who you are, don't let other people tell you what you can and cannot do, and surround yourself with supportive people who challenge you to be a better person.

does being gay skew how you approach your mayoral duties at all?

Not at all, I think it has only helped me be a better leader, as I think I have a greater ability to understand and fight inequality in its many forms. It's important to have people from diverse identities at the decision-making table at all levels, as the decisions made here have an impact on all of us.

Hey Alex! Great to see you on Reddit! I have lived in Holyoke most of my life and am a graduate of Holyoke High. What is your stance on the current state teachers in the US, and in particular Holyoke? How do you feel the administration (superintendent etc.) have been performing in Holyoke and their interactions with our schools? How do you feel about the recent march on Washington some Holyoke teachers and administrators recently took part in and their demands to keep schools outside the influence of private corporations among other things? Thanks again for being here.

I loved seeing local folks head down to DC for the demonstration. I remember taking a bus down to DC when I was 16 to protest George W. Bush's 2nd inauguration (sorry, didn't mean to make anyone feel old). On the subject, Holyoke Public Schools are blessed with amazing teachers. As you know, I'm a product of the Holyoke Public Schools and couldn't be more proud of that fact. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the education I received in the HPS. My nieces and nephews are current students in the system as well. I do not agree with any scapegoating of teachers when it comes the quality of our public schools. I think teachers should be more involved in turnaround plans, that is, they should be given a stronger voice when reform plans are crafted. We can't continue to demoralize the very folks we expect to educate our young people. I do think we need high expectations, and while I understand that poverty has impacted many of our student's lives, I do not believe that poverty or one's family make-up should be a determinant for the type of education they receive. In short, poverty can not be a constant excuse for low performance. We must acknowledge that it exists and do everything we can to level the playing field for all our kids.

What would you rather fight: a handsome robot or a pair of delivery guys from your local Dominoes Pizza?

A pair of delivery guys from local Dominoes, although I probably wouldn't be ordering Dominoes when we have Italian Friendly Pizza, or Capri, Pizza D Action, etc.

You've put a lot of focus into the creative economy during your time as mayor. Why do you think it's a good tool for growth in the city as opposed to other routes?

For many reasons. Focusing on the creative economy is an effective economic development tool. We are wrapping up an analysis of the impact local artists have on the Holyoke economy, and it is substantial. Artists themselves pump a lot of money into the community. We as a city government want to be more helpful in connecting people in the community, be it creating a business plan, accessing capital, or finding a good space in the city. Focusing on the arts is also an image booster for the City. We have so much activity happening Downtown these days due to the artists in our community, and many people come from outside Holyoke to visit and check out the myriad events. We have seen new artists move here to take advantage of our beautiful canvas that is the city, we have seen new maker spaces, and we have helped support pop-up restaurants, pop-up beer gardens, and a pop-up art shop.

How much political power do you actually have, as Mayor? And where do you see yourself going next?

As Mayor, I set the tone for many issues in the City. I have certain powers granted to me by the City Charter, but I also have the power of the bully pulpit. I think it is important for me to not only bring my message into the Council Chambers, but to also bring my message and my vision directly to the people of the City of Holyoke, who are our city's most important resource. I love my job, and as long as I love my job, I don't plan on going anywhere.

Why did you sign off on "no impact to the human environment" with the potential demolition of 167 units of public housing? Did you actually believe that there would be no impact?

It was a bureaucratic step necessary to have HUD do a review, and I believe I signed that document without knowing all of the information, given it was within my first month in office. I don't agree with the language provided by HUD. I didn't believe there would be no impact, and that's why I've aggressively pursued a plan to renovate Lyman Terrace. This project has been a priority of the Planning and Development office, in collaboration with the Holyoke Housing Authority. I'm looking forward to seeing the project move forward.

I'm curious; do you feel like your age and sexuality have ever had a negative influence on how seriously you are taken by those who you work with? I imagine such a thing might make your duties more challenging.

Also, since you are bilingual.. What's the other language you speak?

Hablo ingles y español. I speak english and spanish.

I do believe there are people in this community that don't support me because they think I am too young or because they don't like that I am gay. I don't lose sleep over that. If that is the reason they don't support me, then I'm sure there would find another reason not to support me.

I have never let this impede with my work, and I believe my youth has only helped us achieve our goals and infuse a new sense of energy in our community.

There were rumors that one or two people were influential in the "flip-flop" on your desire to have a casino in the city. When you decided to investigate a casino after campaigning as the "anti-casino candidate" was it your former campaign director and / or your current Director of Planning & Economic Development that were influential in changing your mind?

It was a combination of things that led me to explore the option, which as Mayor I am responsible to do. At the end of the day, I made the decision that I think is best for the City, and I was glad to see that 65% of Holyoke residents voted against casinos in last November.

I keep hearing these conflicting stories about economic development in the city. You say we're on the right path, and then I hear some councilors (mayoral candidates?) saying there's no development in the city, and that they're disappointed in the city's economic development. What's the truth? Do we really have economic development in our city? Where is it?

That's nothing more than a councilor trying to score political points and undermine the progress we are making in the City.

OK... then where is the development? Could you elaborate?

You should check out the extensive reporting on all of the economic development projects happening in the city via www.masslive.com, or check out the city website and the Economic Development page. I can't list every project here, as I have other questions to get to. There is a combination of public investments (CanalWalk, train platform, new parks, sidewalks, road improvements, trees) that have led to greater private investment (Holyoke Catholic, new maker spaces, Gateway City Arts, Brick, Steam Building, business expansions among manufacturers, the creative economy successes, just to name a few).

Hello Neighbor! What's your favorite thing to do in Chicopee? ps. We like Capri Pizza very much!

I recently checked out the reopened Collegian Court, it was great. I need to go back for prime-rib night on a Thursday.

what kind of software do you wish existed for city govt and how much do you think you can get the city to pay for it?

We have implemented some new software lately, include the mobile application called See Click Fix to report quality of life issues, which is usually effective. We have also implemented some project management software for various departments. I do want to have a 311 call center so that the City can more effectively respond to constituent concerns. I do think our investment in Everbridge was helpful, that is, the system in which I call residents about weather related events, as well as some community events. If the software will lead to greater efficiencies then it is an expense the city should incur, unless there are pots of grant money we can apply for to cover the costs.

It sounds like from the other comments, you've faced a lot of challenges already in your role as major. I am curious as to how you tackle them and how often you are faced with them? As in, is it only once in a while, or is everyday filled with things that urgently need your attention.

What are some of the better parts of your job? What are some of the worst?

Has becoming locally known (potentially to the extent of being a local celebrity) impacted how you live your life? I mean, do people down play it, or do people come up to you while you are out shopping, etc.

Finally, the big set of questions is if you were presented with a bunch of people barely past the voting age, what would you say to them if they were interested in changing the local government/enacting changes (either in the law or in drawing certain types of businesses to the area)?

I see challenges as nothing more than opportunities. I wouldn't have run for Mayor if I wasn't up for the challenge. Holyoke's challenges didn't appear overnight and they won't be overcome overnight. We must stay focused and committed to our vision.

As I've said, this job is great. Every day is different. My favorite part of the job is interacting with the great people of our community, from all walks of life. Worst part of job is the political part - witnessing people who don't enter politics for the greater good, but for a personal agenda.

People do come up to me often when I am out, but I do like talking to people and meeting new people. Although sometimes I do stay home and relax. I'm human, and can only handle so much conversation sometimes.

Young voters should get involved, run for office, attend council or town meetings, and make their voices heard. Democracy is reserved for those who show up.

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I didn't have all the answers when I first decided to run for Mayor, nor did I have all the answers the day I was sworn in as Mayor. Heck, I still don't have all the answers today. But what I do have is the judgement necessary to surround myself with good, honest, people who work together for the best of the city. As long as you have the drive, passion, and work ethic, you can accomplish almost anything.

During my campaign the first time, it was a choice between the status quo, or the belief that Holyoke could do better. We are doing better, and we know that we cannot resign ourselves to the status quo, and we can't let others go back in time, as some tried to this past November.

Thank you for your well wishes.

Thank you everyone for joining me this afternoon, I had a great time and looking forward to doing it again some other time. Have a great weekend!

How much strange do you tame because you're the mayor?

What?

We all know the you told the former solicitor to do something illegal, she reused, you fired her and she was going to sue. How can you sleep at night?

I walk to my bedroom, crawl into bed, put my head on my pillow, and usually fall asleep pretty quickly, especially after a long day. Then I wake up the next day just as excited to continue working hard on behalf of the City!

Is that after or before finding high school aged boys to join you in your hot tub. Sooner or later everything comes out .

Does that mean that, sooner or later, you will also come out?

So be honest, when you tell the women you are the mayor, does this help you get in their pants?

I'm gay, so no.