City Nurse Position Remains Unfilled by PETER CURRIER Week and the Salary Is Capped Not Afford the Starting Salary Staff Writer at $35 Per Hour
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The Westfield News Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents $1.00 MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2020 VOL. 89 NO. 011 Residents could incur rising recycling costs By PETER CURRIER tion as a result of the increased options are being pursued, Rouse said that they may be for the residents to incur the keep track of when they recy- Staff Writer costs. including a facility in choose not to accept certain cost of the price increases. cle. WESTFIELD — The Board “We may have to change Wilbraham which would likely recyclable materials at the “Maybe the residents need “The packaging has sur- of Health Jan. 8 addressed the pricing. We may have policy cost $90 a ton for recycling, transfer station if it begins to to incur the cost, and maybe passed what we are able to rise in recycling costs expected changes that include not taking which is still considered cost too much. that is what will get them to handle to recycle,” said to hit the city July 1. a lot of the stuff that we used to expensive. “It’s a hard decision to make, affect change somehow,” said Rouse. The increase of single stream take if it is going to cost that Rouse brought up the idea of what do you do?,” said Rouse, Rouse. “When you realize He added that companies recycling costs is expected to much to get rid of it,” said incinerators to dispose of some “I mean, now the only real your solid waste management should start coming up with go from $0 to $150 a ton in Public Health Director Joseph trash and recycling materials. incentive to recycle when we bill is now going to have to go more consistent packaging Westfield, costing the city at Rouse, “There is zero option of “There are countries in this get to this sort of pricing is up $30 a year to cover that that can be recycled. In a lot of least $500,000 a year, without putting it in the trash. It’s a world that get rid of their trash because it is the right thing to $500,000, it may get you to cases now, Rouse said, the factoring in the cost of trash banned material.” exclusively with incinerators do.” say ‘why?’.” cost of using brand new mate- removal. The increase in recycling that are cleaner than anything,” He then complained that the Doody noted that many rial is cheaper than to use The Health Department, costs is dependent on whether said Rouse. increased cost is coming with people do not recycle correct- recycled material. which is responsible for the the city chooses to sign a three- Board of Health member little time to prepare, saying ly anyway. Rouse responded Early last week, local lead- Twiss Street Transfer Station, year contract with the Margaret Doody expressed that there is not enough time to by saying that there are too ers gathered in city hall to may have to make policy Massachusetts Recycling interest in the city purchasing find a good alternative. He many different materials that address their concerns about changes surrounding the sta- Facility in Springfield. Cheaper an incinerator. lamented that the solution may look the same for people to the impending costs. City nurse position remains unfilled By PETER CURRIER week and the salary is capped not afford the starting salary Staff Writer at $35 per hour. He stressed an RN may require. WESTFIELD — The that those who applied are “It’s not only about the Health Department continues qualified, but that due to the qualifications. We have a very to struggle to fill a vacant relatively high turnover of the close-knit group of people nurse position, said Public position, they want to be more who all need to help and work Health Director Joseph Rouse thorough in their search. together and we can’t have during the Board of Health “It’s really hard to get that disrupted,” said Rouse, meeting Jan. 8. someone in here and have “It’s going to be really hard to Rouse said that they had them stay for just two, three, find that person that is just qualified applicants, but the four years,” said Rouse. going to meld right into pool of applicants was not Rouse echoed what everything.” large enough. In two months, Supervising Public Health Rouse suggested that they they have only received six Nurse Debra Mulvenna had should try to expand the applicants. said last month when she application pool to include “The advertising for that is brought this subject up: that Licensed Practical Nurses ongoing and will still be certain aspects of her job have (LPN) with the caveat that an ongoing until filled,” said had to be put on the back LPN that is hired must get Rouse. burner while she lacks an their RN within a certain peri- Rouse noted that they additional nurse. od of time of being hired. selected a nurse, but that per- In that same meeting in Rouse said that he hopes to son declined the position December, Rouse floated the have another nurse hired and Debra Mulvenna, a registered nurse and member of the Westfield Health Department, because of the starting salary. idea of not having a Registered sitting in on the next Board of applies a bandage to the arm of William Sowa, of Westfield, after he received his flu shot at The position is 35 hours per Nurse (RN) at all if they can- Health meeting in February. the Westfield Senior Center in this file photo. Westfield woman receives VFW Teacher of the Year award By AMY PORTER Staff Writer WESTFIELD — Veterans of Foreign Wars District 7 Commander Troy Henke, state Rep. John C. Velis, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and Social Studies Supervisor Jason Taylor, along with other dis- trict administrators, gathered at Westfield Middle School Jan. 9 to surprise eighth grade social studies teacher Jennifer Johnson-Corwin with a VFW Smart/Maher Teacher of the Year award. The VFW Smart/Maher Teacher of the Year award recognizes teachers for their outstanding commitment to teaching Americanism and patriotism to their students. Johnson-Corwin took the lead on Student Voice during the last two elections, giving Westfield students the oppor- tunity to learn about the elec- toral process and cast votes in local and state elections at each voting location in the city. “Jenn was nominated for her tireless efforts to consis- tently provide students with See Teacher, Page 3 Jennifer Johnson-Corwin’s and her 8th grade history class at the presentation. (Photo by Amy Porter) PAGE 2 - MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2020 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Hike to Sanderson Brook Falls with Western Mass Hilltown Hikers By AMY PORTER the ground,” writes Elizabeth Hike to Staff Writer Massa of Western Mass Sanderson CHESTER – Need to take Hilltown Hikers in her Brook Falls a hike? Join the Western Mass description. Jan. 18 with Hilltown Hikers Jan. 18 at 10 Parking is at Sanderson Western Mass a.m. at Sanderson Brook Falls Brook Falls parking lot across Hilltown (GPS Location: 42.2562N, from Bannish Lumber on Hikers. 72.9468W) for a 1.25 mile Route 20 in Chester. Hikers (Photo hike, rated easy with some should meet in the parking lot submitted) slopes. where the trail begins. The 60-foot cascade at Participants should plan for Sanderson Brook Falls is part two hours hike time. Maps of the Chester-Blandford and bottle water will be pro- State Forest, which also vided. Full hike details are on includes remnants of small Facebook and the website, mining operations and is which note that dogs are wel- managed by the Department come. No registration is of Conservation and required for this free hike, Recreation. however, Hilltown Hikers The state forest was estab- accepts donations. lished in 1924 when local The Western Mass Hilltown lumber companies sold the Hikers was created for those land to the state. The Civilian who love the outdoors, to get Conservation Corps. was together and get out there. active in the forest from 1934 “We were once three friends to 1940. During that time, the who hiked every weekend to Corps. constructed a camp- a different destination, each ground, pavilions, trails, ski week more friends joined us, runs, and the road and bridges then friends of friends and so that lead to Sanderson Brook here we are today. a group of Falls. over 1,500 members,” said The trail is gravel and wide co-founder Massa. and gently climbs upward. Each month they lead a “We cross three girder free public group hike that is bridges and follow along open to everyone. The Sanderson Brook then take Hilltown Hikers is a member the more narrow trail to the of the Hilltown Outdoor right which takes us to the Stewardship Alliance. bottom of the waterfall. Be For more hike information prepared for ice, snow and email westernmasshilltown- mud, bring walking sticks [email protected] or call or and spikes if there is snow on text 413-302-0312. Police Logs Court Logs WESTFIELD the city border in West charger and his birth certifi- his copy of the order; WESTFIELD shoplifting by concealing Major crime and Springfield, the operator was cate were stolen from his bed 5:25 p.m.: alarm, East Westfield District Court merchandise (a second incident report found to be unlicensed and a at the shelter, the incident was Main Street, a dispatcher Monday, Jan.