City Holds First Auction in More Than Half a Decade
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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.City 86 NO. 151 holds first auctionTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 in 75 cents more than half a decade By AMY PORTER status. “We have a general range of what we’re hoping to get Correspondent from the auction, but we really want to return them to the tax WESTFIELD – The City of Westfield held its first auction rolls,” she said before it started. on Monday of city-owned tax-possessed properties in at least 27 registered bidders were in attendance, each with a $5,000 the five and a half years that Meghan Kane has worked there. deposit in the form of a bank check. “Nice crowd,” said auc- Kane, who is Treasurer/Collector for the city and serves as tioneer Maureen Sullivan of Sullivan & Sullivan Auctioneers. the tax title custodian said the main goal was to return the “We offer all of the properties individually, and sell to the residential properties at 17 Green Ave. and 7 Shepard St. and highest bidder by confirmation of the tax title custodian the vacant lots at 8 Lewis St. and 48 Meadow St. to tax-paying Meghan Kane,” Sullivan explained about the process. She said there were no minimum bids, and they had the right to accept Sullivan & Sullivan Auctioneers ran a successful auction for or reject any bid. Sullivan & Sullivan conducts over 150 auc- four city-owned properties on Monday in Council Chambers. tions a month, including foreclosures and municipal auctions, (Photos by Amy Porter) and holds the contract for the cities of Springfield and Other terms stated that sales would not be made to any Holyoke, according to Maureen Sullivan. person who owes the city any taxes or other monies; and Before the first property was auctioned, Sullivan read the could not be made to prior owners, or to any agents represent- terms and conditions to the bidders. She said the high bidder ing the prior owners. Closing had to be completed within 45 must pay a 5% buyer’s premium added on to the bid. The days, although there were no requirements regarding a time- increments would be at the discretion of the auctioneer, who table for fixing up the properties or residency. Sullivan said reserved the right to accept or reject any offer. All of the prop- the tax title custodian reserved the right to sell to the second erties were being sold as is, and there were no taxes and liens 27 registered bidders came to the auction. on any of the properties. See City Auction, Page 2 Former Granville Village School gets new occupant By GREG FITZpaTRICK hopefully benefit very well dents in grades k-6 relocated Correspondent from having a school in to Southwick for the 2017-18 GRANVILLE – The there,” said Granville Select school year. Kindergarten Community Christian School Board member Dave Ripley. through second grade went to of Westfield signed a lease “We’re excited to have the Woodland School, while agreement with the Town of building continue to be used grades three to six attend Granville on Monday night at for educational purposes.” Powder Mill School. the Granville Town Hall. The The Community Christian The Community Christian lease allows the Community School, opened in 2005, is a School has student enroll- Christian School to legally private, independent, college ment of about 100 and the use and operate in the build- preparatory academy current- former Granville Village ing that was the former ly located on 39 South Broad School had 92 students, the Granville Village School. The St. The school provides parity of student capacity is 409 Main Rd. school will be schooling for three days a seen as a perfect fit for the ready for its students for the week while the students get building. upcoming 2018-19 school home-schooled for two days. “There’s a cost to the town year. The Southwick-Tolland- for having a vacant building,” Officials from the towns of Blandford and Chester came together on Monday to discuss The agreement is a five- Granville Regional School said Granville Town combining police forces. (Photos by Amy Porter) year lease that requires the Committee voted 5-2 in Administrator Matt Streeter. Community Christian School February of 2017 in favor of “There’s a benefit to having to pay $51,000 per year. closing the school. somebody in the building While the school will be pay- The Southwick-Tolland- every day.” Blandford and Chester discuss ing for items like phone and Granville Regional school In March of 2017, the Town cable, the Town of Granville district allowed the Granville of Granville instituted a seven will still be paying for utili- Village School to remain member re-use committee for combining police forces ties that includes electricity open until the end of the the Granville Village School By AMY PORTER option they are looking at. “I wouldn’t be and heating. 2016-17 school year. and for more than a year the Correspondent comfortable making that decision without “The town is going to Granville Village School stu- committee brainstormed ideas BLANDFORD – Officials from the towns having a large public meeting,” Letendre for re-use of the school. of Blandford and Chester met on Monday for added. “The re-usage school com- a second time to discuss the possibility of Chester Select Board member John mittee is really psyched,” said sharing town services. The agenda for this Baldasaro, who serves on the town’s police committee member Jess meeting had only two items; the regionaliza- department, said that their Police Chief, Dan Ripley. “It was important to tion of the police department, and the appoint- Ilnicky, has looked at some of the logistics. us to find a school to put in ment of an interim chief. Currently, Roberta Blandford Interim Town Administrator there and we’re hoping that it Sarnicki serves as part-time interim police Joshua Garcia talked about District Local really works out.” chief for Blandford, an appointment origi- Technical Assistance (DLTA) resources avail- According to the Town of nally set to end on July 31, but which was able to planning agencies such as the Pioneer Granville, the Community extended on Monday. Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), where Christian School was the only Blandford Board of Selectman chair Cara Garcia is employed as a municipal services party that responded to the Letendre said the first joint meeting was held manager. He said the towns might consider town’s Request for Proposal. with Chester in June to share ideas and fund- applying for a grant for a consultant to help The Community Christian ing opportunities from the state. She said School did not return requests regionalizing the police department was one See Blandford, Chester, Page 8 for comment by press time. Hall of Fame The Community Christian School signed a lease agreement to take over the former Granville Village School building. (WNG File Photo)Prof. George Michael tickets on sale for WSU Terrorism Expert RADIO FOR THE WESTFIELD MASSES THE WESTFIELD FOR RADIO The Westfield News Radio fast pitch inductees By LORI SZEPELAK The fast pitch inductees join- Show Correspondent ing McLean at the dinner Thursday WESTFIELD-Softball has include Scooter Zappone of Line-Up played a major role in Donna Mystic, Willie Santiago of 6am-8am McLean’s life for more than 40 Bridgeport, Gus Prete of years. Greenwich, Mark Poulin of McLean, who grew up in the Prospect, John Fullana of This Thursday... city and was the first girl to play Windsor, John Couture of This Thursday... baseball in Westfield’s Little Waterbury, Mark Callahan of 6am-8am: League in 1975, will be among Woodbury and Kristine Botto 6am-8am: those feted on Oct. 20 during Drust of Cheshire. BOB McKEAN the USA Softball of The dinner is planned at the Executive Director Stanley Park Connecticut’s annual Hall of Costa Azzurra Restaurant in Laila Soleimani Fame awards dinner. She has Milford. A social hour begins at Mark Boardman & Jennifer Gruzska been a resident of Torrington, 4 p.m. with dinner following at MA Dept. ofWestfield Conservation Rotary & ClubRecreation Former Westfield resident Donna McLean will be feted Conn., for many years and owns 5. Download WSKB from your Tune In Radio App Oct. 20 during the USA Softball of Connecticut Hall of her own business, Donna’s or watch on Comcast Cable CH. 15 Fame ceremonies. (Submitted photo). Critter Sitter Pet Service, LLC. See Fast Pitch, Page 8 PAGE 2 - WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS City Auction Continued from Page 1 highest bidder if the first defaults, or to the Lewis St. zoned Residence C with an assessed third highest if second defaults, however, is value of $53,500 was next. Several bidders not required to do so. were interested in the property, which began at First to auction was a two-story road house $25,000 and closed at $33,000.