FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Contact: Farrah Smith/Rev. Talbert W. Swan, II, (413) 650-6154
Elected Officials and Local Clergy Call on Mayor Sarno to Honor
a Request to Brief Residents on Public Safety Strategies.
On September 2nd Bishop Talbert Swan, president, Greater Springfield NAACP and
pastor of the Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ renewed his request that Mayor
Domenic Sarno schedule a special briefing for community residents to address their
concerns regarding gun violence and to outline the citys strategy to address the issue
in the community. Swans communiqu was a follow up to a similar request made in
April, which the mayor agreed to accommodate. In light of recent shootings, including
one traced to the parking lot of the Dunbar Community Center, Swan once again
offered to host the briefing, one similar to a closed-door setting the mayor held with
administrators from Springfield College and American International College.
Mayor Sarno responded to Bishop Swans request by accusing the pastor of missing
community meetings and grandstanding. Shocked by the mayors response, Bishop
Swan noted that it was an irrational response to a reasonable request. Several
elected officials and clergy have echoed Swans sentiments and called on the mayor
to honor his commitment to hold a community briefing and urged his administration
to work with those desiring to make our city a safer place.
Elected officials signing off on the letter include:
E. Henry Twiggs
Springfield City Council, Ward 4
Michael Fenton
President, Springfield City Council, Ward 2
Justin Hurst
Springfield City Council, At Large


Zaida Luna
Springfield City Council, Ward 1
Melvin A. Edwards
Springfield City Council, Ward 3
Orlando Ramos
Springfield City Council, Ward 8
Barbara Gresham
Springfield School Committee, Wards 4&5
Jose F. Tosado
Massachusetts Representative, Ninth Hampden District
Clergy signing off on a separate letter include:
Reverend Mark A. Baymon, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Deliverance Center Ministries Church of God in Christ
Indian Orchard, MA
Reverend Jerry Carr, III
Senior Pastor, Gates of Heaven Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA
Reverend John P. Morgan, Jr.
Senior Pastor, Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA
Reverend Zachary M. Reynolds, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA
Reverend Aaron Roberson
Senior Pastor, New Mercies Church of God in Christ
West Springfield, MA (Springfield Resident)
Reverend Anthony D. Roberson, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Fresh Anointing Ministries Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA
Reverend Tanya Ward
Senior Pastor, Victory Temple Church of God in Christ
West Springfield, MA (Springfield Resident)

Reverend E. Maxine Moore

Senior Pastor, St. Marks CME Church
Springfield, MA
Reverend Peter Sylver
Senior Pastor, The Christian Church
Springfield, MA

The Honorable Domenic J. Sarno

Mayor, City of Springfield
36 Court Street
Springfield, MA 01103

September 8, 2015

Dear Mayor Sarno,

This past April, you, police commissioner Barbieri and others from your administration
briefed the presidents, public safety officers and staff of Springfield College and American
International College regarding public safety strategies in light of gun violence in close
proximity to their respective campuses. The purpose of the closed door City Hall meeting
according to a press release from your office was to attack and eradicate recent public
safety issues in the area.

In light of your desire to inform the colleges of the efforts of your administration to address
local violence, Bishop Talbert Swan, Auxiliary Bishop of the Greater Massachusetts
Jurisdiction, Church Of God In Christ, president of the Greater Springfield NAACP, and
pastor of the Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ, made a request that you afford faith
leaders, parishioners, and community residents the same courtesy given to the colleges by
providing a similar briefing at a meeting, hosted by Swan in the community. It is our
understanding that you agreed to this request. However, it was reported that after Bishop
Swan recently renewed his request that you accused the pastor of grandstanding and
refused to honor your previous commitment to hold a special meeting.

While we are aware of many of the citys efforts toward addressing public safety issues and
the various meetings and planning sessions held throughout the city, many residents are
either unaware of those efforts or unable to attend due to time constraints based on work
schedules, family and other commitments. Even as a special session was necessary to
address the concerns of college administrators regarding the safety of their faculty, staff
and students, it is a reasonable request that the same opportunity be provided for
community residents who live, work, an worship in areas most affected by violence and
gunplay.

At a time when our nation is so divided over the various issues and our city is reeling from
the negative effects of street violence, it is critical that we build partnerships with
community leaders and ensure our residents that we are working diligently to curtail
violence on our streets. We share Bishop Swans concerns regarding the proliferation of
gun violence in the neighborhood of his church and throughout the city and understand the
desire of residents to hear directly from the citys chief executive regarding their public
safety concerns. Therefore, we request that you honor the commitment to hold a
community briefing and urge your administration to work with those desiring to make our
city a safer place.

Respectfully,

E. Henry Twiggs
Springfield City Council, Ward 4

Michael Fenton
President, Springfield City Council, Ward 2

Justin Hurst
Springfield City Council, At Large

Zaida Luna
Springfield City Council, Ward 1

Melvin A. Edwards
Springfield City Council, Ward 3

Orlando Ramos
Springfield City Council, Ward 8

Barbara Gresham
Springfield School Committee, Wards 4&5

Jose F. Tosado
Massachusetts Representative, Ninth Hampden District

The Honorable Domenic J. Sarno

Mayor, City of Springfield
36 Court Street
Springfield, MA 01103

September 8, 2015

Dear Mayor Sarno,

This past April, you, police commissioner Barbieri and others from your
administration briefed the presidents, public safety officers and staff of Springfield
College and American International College regarding public safety strategies in
light of gun violence in close proximity to their respective campuses. The purpose of
the closed door City Hall meeting according to a press release from your office was
to attack and eradicate recent public safety issues in the area.

In light of your desire to inform the colleges of the efforts of your administration to
address local violence, Bishop Talbert Swan, Auxiliary Bishop of the Greater
Massachusetts Jurisdiction, Church Of God In Christ, president of the Greater
Springfield NAACP, and pastor of the Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ, made a
request that you afford faith leaders, parishioners, and community residents the
same courtesy given to the colleges by providing a similar briefing at a meeting,
hosted by Swan in the community. It is our understanding that you agreed to this
request. However, it was reported that after Bishop Swan recently renewed his
request that you accused the pastor of grandstanding and refused to honor your
previous commitment to hold a special meeting.

While we are aware of many of the citys efforts toward addressing public safety
issues and the various meetings and planning sessions held throughout the city,
many residents are either unaware of those efforts or unable to attend due to time
constraints based on work schedules, family and other commitments. Even as a
special session was necessary to address the concerns of college administrators
regarding the safety of their faculty, staff and students, it is a reasonable request
that the same opportunity be provided for community residents who live, work, an
worship in areas most affected by violence and gunplay.

As pastors of either churches located in high crime areas or residents who live
therein, we are concerned with your response to a reasonable request by one our
fellow clergy members. At a time when our nation is so divided over the various
issues and our city is reeling from the negative effects of street violence, it is critical
that we build partnerships with community leaders and ensure our residents that
we are working diligently to curtail violence on our streets. We share Bishop Swans
concerns regarding the proliferation of gun violence in the neighborhood of his
church and throughout the city and understand the desire of residents to hear
directly from the citys chief executive regarding their public safety concerns.
Therefore, we request that you honor the commitment to hold a community briefing

and urge your administration to work with those desiring to make our city a safer
place.

Respectfully,


Reverend Mark A. Baymon, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Deliverance Center Ministries Church of God in Christ
Indian Orchard, MA

Reverend Jerry Carr, III
Senior Pastor, Gates of Heaven Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA

Reverend John P. Morgan, Jr.
Senior Pastor, Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA

Reverend Zachary M. Reynolds, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA

Reverend Aaron Roberson
Senior Pastor, New Mercies Church of God in Christ
West Springfield, MA (Springfield Resident)

Reverend Anthony D. Roberson, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Fresh Anointing Ministries Church of God in Christ
Springfield, MA

Reverend Tanya Ward
Senior Pastor, Victory Temple Church of God in Christ
West Springfield, MA (Springfield Resident)

Reverend E. Maxine Moore
Senior Pastor, St. Marks CME Church
Springfield, MA

Reverend Peter Sylver
Senior Pastor, The Christian Church
Springfield, MA