Finance Committee Votes 3-0 for Divestment Measure

City Council · Meeting of October 14, 2026

Easthampton's Finance Committee voted 3-0 to send a divestment resolution to the full City Council. Councilor Schmidt, Councilor Dunham and Chair Peek unanimously backed the revised measure, which urges the city treasurer to ask fund managers to divest from companies complicit in human rights violations tied to Israel and Palestine. Ten people spoke during about 30 minutes of public comment, seven in support and three opposed.

Opponent Neil Brick said Northampton had to approve $75,000 for outside counsel after a similar resolution drew a lawsuit. Supporter Laurel Gardner said Easthampton holds $450,000 in weapons-related investments, asking "Why is that okay?" Councilor Dunham said he "cannot in good conscience support" companies "profiting off the killing of other people." A speaker said the full council is expected to vote October 21.

In the full story:

• Call to Order and Preliminary Business
• Background: The Resolution's Path to the Finance Committee
• Public Comment: Opposition
• Public Comment: Support
• Committee Deliberation: Legal Liability and the Solicitor's Revisions
• Committee Deliberation: Members' Positions
• Procedural Steps and Outcome
• Implications and What Is Next
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,045 words

Source: the City Council meeting of October 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.