Donate for Life Ceremony Honors Susan Sanders
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TONIGHT Light Rain. Low of 28. Search for The Westfield News The WestfieldNews “... THE TSearchRUE forNEIGHBOR The Westfield News TODAY IN WESTFIELD Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews WILL RISK HIS POSITION, HISTORY: Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns HIS PRESTIGE“TIME AND IS EVENTHE ONLY WEATHER 1947: First 104th HIS LIFECRITIC FOR WITHOUTTHE TONIGHT National Guard plane WELFARE OF OTHERSAMBITION.” .” (P-47 Thunderbolt) flies Partly Cloudy. - MARTINSearch LUTHER for The KI JOHNWestfieldNG JR.STEINBECK News Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. into BarnesThe Airport. www.thewestfieldnews.comWestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER VOL. 87VOL. NO. 86 80 NO. 151 WEDNESDAY,TUESDAY, APRIL JUNE 4, 2018 27, 2017 CRITIC75 Cents WITHOUT 75 cents TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com City Council Sen. Warren’s VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents preview staff holds meetings on WSAA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2018 April 5, 2018 By AMY PORTER Westfield WSAA elects Correspondent WESTFIELD – The City Council water issues will meet on Thursday, April 5 at 7 By AMY PORTER new Executive p.m. in City Council chambers. On Correspondent the agenda will be the first reading WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian P. for the $13 million bond for the water Sullivan met with several members of Board filtration project, which received a Senator Elizabeth Warren’s staff on WESTFIELD – The Westfield positive recommendation from the Monday, to discuss the water issues fac- Spanish American Association Legislative and Ordinance sub-com- Councilors Ralph J. Figy and William Onyski at the L&O ing Westfield. (WSAA), celebrat ing their 23rd year, mittee at Tuesday’s meeting. Committee Tuesday. “They reached out to us, and also went has elected new board members. Requests from Mayor Brian P. to the Air National Guard, to open the President: Josh Sotolongo; Vice Sullivan include immediate consider- lines of communication,” Sullivan said on President: Wil Rodriguez; Secretary: ation of a gift for $6,179.60 to the More water questions Tuesday. He said the three from the Carmen Marquez; Treasurer: Aidelisa Westfield Police Department’s office, include Warren’s state policy regu- Lopez-Carrasco and Sergeant of Domestic Violence Gift account from lations director Ashley L. Coulombe, let Arms: Maria Pantoja-Sotolongo. the Crippled Old Busted Bikers answered at L&O meeting him know that they are paying attention. Since 1995, WSAA has empow- Sullivan said the city has been in direct (C.O.B.B.) of River Valley. By AMY PORTER ered the Latino community in the touch with Sen. Warren’s office, but they The Mayor is also submitting two Correspondent wanted him to know that they are paying Greater Westfield Area to come resolutions, one for an intermunicipal WESTFIELD – More questions on the $13 million bond for together and create a visible presence attention to the meetings. “Obviously, agreement between Westfield, West water filtration were asked and answered by Mayor Brian P. they are there to help,” he said, adding, in the local community. With this Springfield and Holyoke for a Carbon Sullivan and his staff in the Law, Water, Treasurer and Purchasing presence, the Westfield community “It’s good to confirm the strong support Credit Consulting Service Agreement. departments at Tuesday’s Legislative and Ordinance Committee. that Sen. Warren is giving us.” He said it has ben efitted from the Latino cul- City Council president John J. Chair Ralph J. Figy and Ward 6 Councilor William J. Onyski was good to put a face to the calls that ture, art, language, music, and history Beltrandi, III said the agreement has thanked everyone for coming, and opened the meeting to public have been made. of a vastly diverse people. Our contri- to do with Westfield’s trees, which participation. L&O member Nicholas J. Morganelli, Jr. was not Sullivan said Warren sits on some bution to the growth and richness of count as carbon credits for the Green present. strong sub-committees, such as the our community stems from our hard Communities Act. At-large Councilor Matthew Emmershy came forward to say Committee on Armed Services, where work and family values. The other resolution is an intermu- that he had a sent a list of 30 questions to Figy on Monday eve- they go over military procedures. He said We promote education and sup- nicipal agreement to allow Westfield’s ning, that he hoped would be answered. Figy responded they had he was told that the Senator was having porting scholarships through the electrical inspector to perform until 7 p.m., when the Planning Board would start. “I don’t want discussions on Westfield’s behalf, and Westfield Citizens’ Scholarship Fund. inspections for the town of Southwick. it to be said that I cut off, shut off, or people were not allowed to added that information on any avenue of The WSAA Latino Fund has been set The Mayor is also submitting the ask questions,” he said. assistance was helpful. up with the Westfield Boys and Girls Emmershy added that he had found the perfect spot on In addition to meeting separately with reappointments of Grace Sullivan as Holyoke Road to put a temporary filter on Well 1, and the home- Club to assist Latino children particu- a member of the Board of Assessors the ANG, Warren’s staff also reached out larly teens in accessing the services owner had agreed. to Kristen Mello of WRAFT (Westfield and Kathleen Deviny as a member of Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise also came forward dur- provided by the club. WSAA is look- the Historical Commission. Residents Advocating for Themselves), ing to get more involved in the com- ing public participation, and thanked Figy for inviting them to who brought with her Mary Jones of the City Clerk Karen J. Fanion is sub- come. He said his two main questions were concerning the munity and its events. If you have Toxic Action Center and former Ward 4 mitting a series of annual license CERCLA, or Superfund process with the National Guard Councilor Mary O’Connell for an after- any upcoming events and would like renewals for more than twenty retail bureau, and why the city has not taken steps until now to install us to assist in any matter, please feel noon meeting with them in Springfield. establishments; two of which have temporary filtration on Wells 1 and 2. Mello said she has been speaking with free to contact Josh Sotolongo, failed to submit renewals, including Former Ward 3 Councilor Brian Hoose also came forward to [email protected]. Jessica Wong, Warren’s Western Mass Rosewood and Fresh Look Interiors. speak. He said as he walks around town, people still approach staff person “on and off for a few months Under Petitions and Remonstrances, him with questions, telling him that the water issue is more now.” She said last week, Wong called Planning Board member John Bowen important than money for the roads. “My concern is, if we’re not back and asked if she would like to meet. is submitting a disclosure as a non- trying to get Guard money, the city will end up paying for it,” “I was really encouraged by the whole Lieutenant elected municipal employee relative Hoose said. He said he was also concerned that what is being thing. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be to a financial interest. said publicly about the water issues will save the case for 3M an open door, or an (attempt) to squash position to be At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty versus the city. us. They listened to our concerns, and will also present the City Charter and Figy invited treasurer Megan Kane to answer questions about asked for documentation,” Mello said. posted soon Rules related to the roles of various the funding for both bonds. Mello also said, since the members of committees with regards to bonds. Kane said that to date only $950,000 has been borrowed from WRAFT had their attention, they asked By GREG FITZPATRICK City Planner Jay Vinskey is sub- the original $5 million bond request. She also said the $13 mil- Warren’s office how to get the Air Force lion bond allowed the city to borrow up to that amount. Correspondent mitting an advisory opinion from the to set up and bring in remediation for SOUTHWICK – During Tuesday Purchasing director Tammy Tefft said the projected costs Westfield, including bottled water and Planning Board recommending that given to the City Council for the bonds were their “best guess,” night’s meeting, the Select Board no changes be made to the abutter filters. continued their discussion about the adding that they wouldn’t have firm numbers until everything The group also asked that Westfield be notification ordinance. Vinskey said was fully engineered and out to bid. “Based on estimates I’ve Southwick Police Department’s that the proposed changes increasing considered for the list of communities to seen from engineers, they’re looking pretty good,” Tefft said do blood testing and health studies of Lieutenant vacancy. the area of abutters to be notified Looking at the job description for about the numbers. PFAS-epsosure. Mello said Warren was were considered “too onerous” by the Figy also asked City Solicitor Susan C. Phillips to answer one of the senators that put some money the position, the Select Board noted Planning Board. The Zoning, that they would be looking to hire more questions. Going down the list, Phillips said that the city is for the study in the National Defense Planning and Development commit- not pursuing private claims. As to how they reached the total Authorization Act, although only eight internally within the department.