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FREE May 14, 2021 Vol. 52, No. 2 INDEX Viewpoints 4 TOWN Granby 5 Neighbor News 8 Sports 9 Reminder Classifieds 14 A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com Serving the town of South Hadley www.townreminder.turley.com NEWS, 7 COVID Library opens at last cases dip into single digits BOH talks vaccinations NEIGHBOR NEWS, 8 By Melina Bourdeau Farmers Market Staff writer Photo by Melina Bourdeau Among the proposed capital budget are upgrades to the South Hadley 911 communications systems as begins in June SOUTH HADLEY – The well as cruiser purchases. numbers of COVID-19 cases has dipped into the single-dig- its this week and the Board of Health hopes for the trend to TA presents capital budget continue, discussing urging more members of the public to By Melina Bourdeau proposed capital budget at its capital projects. get vaccinated. Staff writer next meeting. “We had very healthy free SPORTS, 9 In the past weekly period, Among the current proposed cash, it happened to allow us to from May 4 through May 11, SOUTH HADLEY – A 911 capital items include three cruis- take on a big budget item and it Walks hurt Tigers there have been four new cas- communications system, cruis- ers for $236,000, a new commer- would make sense to continue es of COVID-19, according to in opener ers, a commercial grade dish- cial dishwasher at South Hadley to invest in the capital budget data from Town Administrator washer and other items are in- High School for $82,000, new and the committee can manage Mike Sullivan. The total num- cluded in the proposed FY22 smartboards at South Hadley budget to be put toward those ber of cases to 1,038. There capital budget. High School for $30,000 and big-ticket items,” said Sullivan. were no new contact cases, two Following presentations from server upgrades for the IT de- “This is a similar strategy to probable cases and one suspect Town Administrator Mike Sul- partment for $100,000. use (this year) we are taking the case of COVID-19 were report- livan and South Hadley Police Sullivan said the town is in $200,000 and using that into the ed during this weekly period. Chief Jennifer Gundersen, the an interesting spot with their free Mosier school stabilization fund Capital Planning Committee cash, which is the recommend- Please see CASES, page 6 determined it would vote on the ed funding source for the above Please see BUDGET, page 6 Up to $1,000 * Toward Mortgage Closing Costs. MEMBER FDIC MEMBER DIF BestLocalBank.com Dawn Hibbert Missy Tetreault Jessica O’Clair Kimberlee Gates Jenicca Gallagher AVP, Branch Manager Mortgage Originator Mortgage Originator Mortgage Originator AVP, Branch Manager 6 Main Street 63 Federal Street 18 Amherst Road 67 King Street 390 College Street Florence Greeneld Sunderland Northampton Amherst NMLS #991347 NMLS #436671 NMLS #1393225 NMLS #2061090 NMLS #454531 Apply Online or In Person! Amherst • Florence • Greenfield • Northampton • Northfield • Shelburne Falls • South Hadley • Sunderland • Turners Falls *GCB will include a closing cost credit of up to $750 and an additional $250 toward closing costs if a pre-qual was obtained. For new rst mortgage loans on 1-2 family owner- occupied homes or who renance from another mortgage provider. Minimum $100,000 loan, no investment properties, applied for on or after 5/1/2021 and close by 9/30/2021. The closing cost credit is applied at closing. Subject to normal credit approval, appraisal and verications of income. Homeowners insurance and ood insurance (if applicable) is required. Oers are subject to change or end without notice, see bank for details. Page 2 TOWN Reminder May 14, 2021 Rts 33-202 zone change recommendation postponed By Walter Hamilton corner of the two roads, about Correspondent one-tenth acre, is currently zoned for business. SOUTH HADLEY – Fol- The proposal calls for chang- lowing opposition from town ing all seven parcels to Busi- residents and abutters at a pub- ness-A designation. Business lic hearing in April, the Planning uses allowed in that area are Board concluded more study drive-in services, gas stations, is needed before it can issue a auto repair and services and car recommendation on any zone dealers by special permit. Uses change for seven land parcels at allowed also include profession- the intersection of Routes 33 and al services, retail sales, small 202 that would allow their devel- parking lots and offices with site opment for business purposes. plan review. At its meeting on Monday, Some of those commenting the board agreed to resume its at the April hearing asked if a hearing on May 24, when it will condominium complex would review a four-point recommen- be allowed on the property un- dation on its position. The board der the current residential zoning routinely issues such recom- regulations. mendations to help Town Meet- Planning Director Richard ing members decide whether to Harris told the board that chang- make changes in zoning bylaws. es to zoning bylaws in recent No zoning bylaw changes years have limited the allowed will come before the June Town density of housing outside of the Meeting, based on the instruc- Courtesy photo Falls area. Residential housing is The Planning Board continued a public hearing on rezoning the area of Routes 33 and 202 at its recent tions of the Selectboard, accord- allowed to some degree in three meeting. ing to Michael Sullivan, town of the four different types of administrator. business districts. The proposal, which would station/convenience store to its the adjacent uses. tion/convenience store complex- “Single family residential use change the designation of all 31 Western Mass. and Northern • Changing of the zoning on es with signage and lighting and isn’t a particularly proper use of but one of the parcels from Connecticut locations, many of properties in this area should be a drive through that I can hear this property and you can’t use single-family residential to which contain brightly illumi- undertaken as part of a planned each and every order while I am zoning to take away any use of business, was requested by 33 nated 24-hour gas stations and approach, possibly as a result of outside trying to enjoy my quiet a property. I think it might be Granby Road LLC and James convenience stores. the pending study of this corri- back yard,” said Lisa Adams, an best for the board to consider R. Channing, representing Pride The board will consider the dor. abutter to the proposed project. making a recommendation to Stores. The company has sub- following four concerns: • At best, changing of the Three of the parcels, totaling Town Meeting that at this time mitted a “non-binding conceptu- • Spot zoning should not be zoning on the subject properties about a half-acre, belong to Car- we don’t have a zoning classi- al plan.” approved. is “premature” and should wait ol Ann Dr residents Victor and fication, a zoning district that At a public hearing on April • Changing the zoning of the for completion of the Route 202/ Jeannine O’Brien. They would seems move appropriate for this 26, residents and abutters la- subject property to a non-resi- Route 33 Corridor Study. be added to four adjoining par- corridor,” Harris said at the April beled the plan “spot zoning” and dential zoning may (or may not) “This concept plan is a bait cels totaling 2.17 acres already hearing. a “bait and switch” scheme by be appropriate given the adjacent and switch tactic designed to lat- controlled by Pride Stores. A Pride Stores to add another gas and nearby zoning and some of er construct one of their gas sta- 4,770-square-foot parcel at the Please see RTS 33-202, page 12 Bank your way Online n App n In-person Checking. Redefined. WB Performance Checking n Mobile banking app featuring mobile deposit, digital wallet, Zelle® and WB CardControl n Unlimited rebates of other banks’ ATM fees n Free identity restoration services To learn more or open an account, visit westfieldbank.com or call 413.568.1911 or 800.995.5734. What better banking’s all aboutsm. Member westfieldbank.com Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license. FDIC May 14, 2021 TOWN Reminder Page 3 Committee reduces preschool costs Granby Annual Town By Eileen Kennedy Arbour. “When you see them determined if there are enough Staff writer building together or working regular education students to pay Election Monday together, they are organizing for the position. SOUTH HADLEY – School all of their thoughts, all of their Cooke also said the number By Melina Bourdeau the Board of Health, which Committee members voted at plans, all of their play.” She said of preschool special education Staff writer has a three-year term, is Lee their May 6 meeting to reduce in the process they are learning students continues to grow each Lalonde. Lalonde is an incum- the cost of the district’s pre- language skills, vocabulary and year, and there is no more phys- GRANBY – Town Clerk bent. school by almost half, which is they watch other students to see ical space left to expand the pro- Katherine Kelly-Regan has an- Incumbent Lynn Snopek based on a per hour charge. The what they do. gram. nounced the candidates running Mercier is running for reelec- cost was reduced from $9.55 an Special education teacher in the upcoming annual town tion as the town moderator. The hour to $5 an hour. Darlene Sullivan said preschool Teachers’ representative election on Monday, May 17.

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