13M Bond Gets First Reading, Not Without Opposition
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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Southwick Hangar 2 VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents forming gets fully committee funded for open By AMY PORTER Correspondent space plan WESTFIELD – City Council President John J. By GREG FITZPATRICK Ward 2 Councilor At-large Councilor At-Large Councilor Ward 1 Councilor Beltrandi, III changed the Correspondent Ralph J. Figy David Flaherty Matthew Emmershy Mary Ann Babinski order of the agenda Thursday SOUTHWICK – The town night, in recognition of the of Southwick’s open space Westfield Technical plan was discussed during Academy’s Aviation this week’s Select Board Maintenance Technology meeting. Every community students who were present in Massachusetts has the $13M bond gets first reading, with Instructor Galen option to renew their plan Wilson. Beltrandi asked every seven years and with Finance Committee chair Southwick’s most recent plan Dan Allie to report on their stemming from 2011, there is positive recommendation for a November 2019 deadline to not without opposition $724,920 from Free Cash to create a new one. complete the work on The plan allows munici- By AMY PORTER Hangar 2 at Barnes Airport. palities to apply for various Correspondent “This is an amazing pro- grants from the state. WESTFIELD – gram,” Allie said. He said According to the Town of Halfway into Thursday’s Westfield Public Schools Southwick’s Chief City Council meeting, Superintendent Stefan Administrative Officer Karl Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Czaporowski came before Stinehart, the town has spo- J. Figy reported that the the Finance committee to ken to the PVPC (Pioneer $13 million bond for talk about how much money Valley Planning Commission) water filtration received the district has raised for the and their next grant award a 2-0 vote at Tuesday’s program. “They represent cycle isn’t available to com- Legislative & Ordinance the city well. That work can munities until the winter of (L&O) committee to rec- begin immediately,” Allie 2019. Since Southwick’s plan ommend it to the City Ward 3 Councilor said. Council for a first read- At-large Councilor At-large Councilor is due in November of 2019, Andrew K. Surprise Brent B. Bean, II. Cindy C. Harris “You guys have been out- PVPC is unable to assist ing. A debate then fol- standing throughout the them. lowed, resulting in a vote years. The city is spending a However, the Southwick for the first reading of lot of money on Hangar 2. Community Preservation the bond. You have a great responsi- Committee has decided that At-large Councilor bility,” said At-large they’ll fund the cost of the Dave Flaherty began, Councilor Brent B. Bean, II, study for the plan out of their countering the recom- congratulating all the stu- admin account. It’s a decision mendation with one to dents in the program. that allows the town to send the bond back to the “I agree with the Finance explore other entities to help Finance sub-committee, committee, this is a great them with this process. or to table it. “I feel there project. The only comment “This will allow the com- are a couple of open is we’re going to be looking munity to get some esti- items,” he said, pointing for Free Cash. I do wish in mates,” said Stinehart. to the idea of At-large the future these kinds of A key aspect of the project Councilor Matthew things didn’t come out of Emmershy to investigate Ward 6 Councilor Ward 4 Councilor At-Large Councilor free cash,” said At-large is forming an open space and Michael Burns recreation committee. In a temporary filter for William Onyski Dan Allie Councilor Dave Flaherty. Well 1 and to seek emer- Finance committee mem- Southwick’s previous plan, Councilors Flaherty and gency supplies from the Council vote through the Water Department had said a ber Matthew Emmershy said their committee consisted of Emmershy. “The people on Department of Defense first reading, and schedule new well would place the city he agreed with Flaherty’s members from the Planning the north side need filtra- (DOD). the second reading and final under the Water Management concern about the Free Cash. Board, Park and Rec tion plants now,” she said, Flaherty also said for passage for the meeting of Act, but he said there is an He said the district had a Committee, CPC, May 3, rather than the usual exemption for a threat to pub- adding that the discussion Conservation Commission, him, reimbursement for $495,000 grant, and the expenses was the other practice of scheduling a sec- lic safety, as long as the city of the bond began on ond reading for the next doesn’t add to its capacity. March 1. See Open Space, Page 3 open item. “Historically, See Hanger 2, Page 3 our odds of winning meeting, which would be Ward 6 Councilor William Babinski also said that massive lawsuits in this April 19. Figy said the city Onyski, whose district is in there is a lot of misinfor- city are not good,” he needs to show good faith to the affected area, said some mation “out there.” said, adding that the the vendors who have of the issues raised have been “I talked to the same Bill passes to “combined brain power” responded to a Request for addressed. Regarding a new experts, the same person at WSU’s Job of a few more weeks Proposal (RFP) for a perma- well on the north side, Onyski the DEP,” Babinski said. make Purple might allow alternatives nent filtration system for said the Water Department According to their conver- & Internship without prolonged legal Wells 7 and 8, bids for which has stated there is no practical sation, she said they were Heart Trail battles. “I don’t see any were due back this week. area. He also said the Law misunderstood, and that a Fair is a time pressure,” he said. “I’m fully prepared to vote Department has said that law- permit for a well could be Figy responded that against this. People have suits don’t preclude the city expedited, but the actual success official there has been confusion been saying, `trust the from settling. completion of a well on the By GREG FITZPATRICK about the $48.6 million experts.’ I’ve been talking to “I like the idea of Councilor north side would take By TAYLOR Correspondent the city is seeking in a experts,” said Emmershy. He Figy. Let’s compromise,” years. CHOQUETTE SOUTHWICK – Earlier tort claim from the DOD, said he had found land on Onyski said, calling it a Babinski said she was Intern, WSU ’18 this week, Rep. Nick Boldyga which he said includes Cabot Road to put a tempo- “unique” idea. told that the filtration sys- WESTFIELD – On April worked with his colleagues damages, and is not the rary filtration system on Well Ward 1 Councilor Mary tem for Wells 7 and 8 was 4, students at Westfield State in the Massachusetts House 30-year cost of the bond. 1, an option which is not part Ann Babinski, who also rep- the best bet, and to get University put on their best of Representatives to pass “I would like to offer a of the request by the Water resents the residents on the them up and running as professional attire and head- the Purple Heart Trail Bill. compromise,” Figy said, Department. north side, said she respect- ed to Scanlon Hall in hopes Sen. Don Humason helped suggesting that the Emmershy added that the fully disagreed with See $13M Bond, Page 8 of finding post-graduate pass the bill in the state sen- employment. ate a couple of months ago. The school’s annual Job & The bill pertains to the Internship Fair ran from 1 to Purple Heart Trail that has 4 p.m. and featured nearly been implemented in 100 companies, mostly from Southwick. The trail runs the the Massachusetts, New stretch of College Hwy, Program challenges a child’s curiosity Hampshire and Connecticut Route 10/202, from Westfield area in the Loughman Living to the Connecticut line. Two By LORI SZEPELAK Westfield families with meaningful Room and Banquet Hall in Purple Heart Trail signs will Correspondent activities, events and programs which Scanlon. be located at both ends of WESTFIELD-A new family event on focus on early literary, STEAM, school Junior Delgado, director of April 18 promises to build a child’s curi- readiness, and strengthening the role of the Career Center at Westfield See Trail, Page 3 osity and encourage their understanding the parent as their child’s first teacher,” State, was pleased with this of science, technology, engineering, art said Hebert-Pike. year’s event. “The student and math. Hebert-Pike added that CFCE offers a turnout was impressive and The free program, titled STEAM variety of parent and child programs employers were extremely (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, this is our first STEAM event together,” including play groups, literary activities, happy with the quality of Math), is planned from 10 to 11:30 a.m.