City Officials Address Bond Questions at Special City Council Meeting
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Sullivan addresses Special City Residents brought signs in lieu of public participation. (Photo by City Solicitor Susan C. Phillips answers lawsuit Council meeting on Tuesday. (Photo by Amy Porter) Amy Porter) questions. (Photo by Amy Porter) City officials address bond questions at Special City Council meeting By AMY PORTER said he brought with him Law, Water, mately $80 per year for a four person house- Correspondent Purchasing, Treasurer, Collector, DPW, hold, and will cover the bond request. He WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian P. Sullivan Water Commissioners and his office to said as far as why residents are paying, his and staff from the Water and Law depart- answer questions, along with representatives goal is “not to have that happen.” ments answered a barrage of questions about from Tighe & Bond and CDM Smith, who “We have sued three manufacturers of the $13 million bond for water filtration at a did most of the engineering and preparation fire-fighting foam. It’s a lengthy process,” he special meeting of the City Council Tuesday for the work to be done on city wells. said, later adding that the suit is for $50 mil- evening. A packed gallery came with signs Sullivan said another question he has been lion. He said it took the city two years to get and listened quietly, as no public participa- asked is why the city is moving so quickly on the information together for Kennedy and tion was included on the agenda. the project. “In my world, it’s been a two Madonna, the law firm that is representing The majority of the questions came from year process to get where we’re at,” he said. them. “We feel confident that it won’t hap- the City Councilors who defeated the bond He added that yesterday he signed a contract pen tomorrow,” he said. measure at the March 15 meeting, citing at with Calgon for the temporary filtration sys- Sullivan said they have also filed a tort Ward 3 City Councilor Andrew Surprise. the time a lack of financial information and tem for Well 2, which he expects to be com- claim with the Department of Defense for questions they had regarding the legal pro- pleted by the end of July. $46.8 million. “The projects are in various stages of design cess for the city to recoup the money from Sullivan emphasized that this was a tem- Sullivan said he would want any settle- and bidding. Finalized costs won’t be known the Department of Defense. At-large porary solution to get through the summer. ment dollars to go to pay down the bond. “I until contracts are signed,” Cain said, then Councilor Dave Flaherty, one of those who He said they planned to work through the need a vote of nine of you to pass a bond,” reminded them that Tighe & Bond, and CDM had voted down the bond, responded to the winter on a pumping station for Wells 7 and Sullivan concluded. Smith representatives were available to answer call for questions, sending a list of more than 8, to get them running early next year, and Beltrandi then asked DPW Assistant more detailed questions. forty to the Mayor’s office before the meet- then begin work on the station for Wells 1 Director Francis Cain and Systems Engineer In response to a question about the status of the ing. and 2. Heather Miller to answer questions about the city’s water tanks, repair and replacement of City Council president John J. Beltrandi, Another question Sullivan said he has project. DPW Director David Billips is out which is included in the bond, Cain said the East III thanked everyone for coming, and asked been asked is why the city is so over budget on medical leave until April. Mountain Road tank is in dire need of replace- the Mayor to come to the podium to begin on the initial $5 million bond. “That was At-large Councilor Matthew Emmershy, ment. He said the deteriorated dome has been the meeting. based on what we wanted to do. Got into who serves on the Finance Committee, said replaced once or twice, and leaking water had Sullivan said the city’s focus has been on this, and realized it wasn’t what we needed at their meeting on March 8, they were given been repaired over the years. bringing clean drinking water back to the to do, “Sullivan said, adding that they were little financial information on the $13 mil- Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise asked residents of the north side. He also said he learning as they went, including the fact that lion bond, and no breakdown on the $5 mil- about the system failure at the Northwest Water hoped to get a motion for resubmission of they needed full bench-scale testing to be lion bond. The Mayor responded that Miller’s Tank last year. Miller said after the tank dropped the $13 million bond at the meeting. done. “The cost was higher than $5 million,” report, which was on the Council shared last year, they took a look at it and found a valve “Some have asked what is the difference he said. drive, had a financial breakdown in it. He that had been improperly installed. She said it has in the motion tonight – financially and He said the increase voted in water rates printed it out, and gave copies to the council- mechanically, nothing,” Sullivan said. He over a two-year period will come to approxi- ors. See Special City Council, Page 7 L&O to study real estate tax exemption and deferments for seniors By AMY PORTER months, or be foreclosed on. Correspondent “My understanding is you can change that 8% inter- WESTFIELD – A motion from Councilors Ralph J. est,” Figy said. Figy and Cindy C. Harris, first raised a year ago to Johnson said a person has to be 65, an owner solely examine the real estate tax exemptions for seniors or jointly, in which case an individual can only defer was held in committee at Monday’s Legislative & his or her share. She said currently gross income can’t Ordinance Committee meeting at Figy’s request, in surpass $20,000, but that can be increased to the order to first look at tax deferments being offered by Circuit Breaker amount, which she said is around the City of Westfield to eligible residents 65 and $55,000. older. “I think some people don’t realize there is an inter- Figy, who chairs L&O, had requested Assessor est rate associated with it,” Kane said. Robin Johnson and Treasurer Meghan Kane to come Johnson agreed, saying when the Council brought it to the meeting to discuss the tax deferments, first up last year, nobody applied. “When we said lien, raised in a motion in 2017 by Councilors Stephen nobody wanted it,” she said. Dondley and Brent B. Bean, II, who asked to phase in Figy asked if they thought the $20,000 income limit a higher qualifying income than $20,000 a year to was a deterrent. Kane said even qualified individuals qualify residents. may not want the lien, which they have only six Kane said the tax deferral can defer payment of real months to pay. estate taxes until the sale of a home or death of the Figy also asked if there was an ability on the part of owner, at which time the taxes due are charged 8% interest. If theProf. city is not George paid, the amount Michael due reverts L&O met in City Council chambers on Monday, where the sub-committee See L&O, Page 2 to a 16% interestWSU rate, Terrorismand must be paid Expert within six meeting was televised on Channel 15. RADIO FOR THE WESTFIELD MASSES THE WESTFIELD FOR RADIO The Westfield News Radio Show Community gives input Thursday Line-Up on North Pond jet ski use 6am-8am By GREG FITZpaTRICK on whether or not personal water- Correspondent craft is allowed on the North Pond SOUTHWICK – Several peo- section of Congamond Lake. On This Thursday... ple attended the personal water- May 18, 2017, Southwick Police craft informational session at the Chief David Ricardi released a 6am-8am: town hall on Tuesday night. With statement indicating that personal 6am-8am: the Select Board, police, and town watercraft would be allowed on Town officials were present for the meeting to have a BOB McKEAN counsel all present, the purpose of North Pond. dialogue with the community. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) SaveExecutive St. Director Mary’s Stanley High Park the meeting was to give people When receiving clarification clarification on what the Select from the Environmental Police, though North Pond is 50 acres, since Congamond MarkSchool Boardman Supporters & Jennifer Gruzska Board is intending to do with this Ricardi was informed that a spe- Lake was determined as a “great pond” consisting of Westfield Rotary Club issue.