Food Pantry Experiences $10K Shortfall
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See story and photos in today’s Sports Donations urgently sought Section. (Photo Submitted) By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD — $10,000. As the fiscal books close on June 30 for the Westfield Food Pantry, Executive Director Rebecca Hart sent out an urgent plea on Facebook this past weekend that monetary donations are needed to make up a shortfall of $10,000. “The biggest reason for our shortfall is the loss of corporate donations due to a change in the tax code,” said Hart. “Since President Trump’s critical change to charitable giving was made, our donations have not been the same.” Hart added that for corporations and individuals, there is “less incen- tive to give.” In addition to a drop in charitable donations, Hart said an “unseen expense” this past year also drastically impacted the bottom line. “We have a walk-in refrigerator that needed a repair costing $4,500,” said Hart. Hart noted the repair was imperative to the pantry’s ability to store fresh produce as well as critical donations of fresh foods from super- markets and restaurants. Dan Allie William Onyski Cindy C. Harris “We pride ourselves on being a lean organization so we feel any At-Large Councilor Ward 6 City Councilor At-large Councilor loss,” she added. As Hart reviews statistics, she notes that the pantry is serving 1,250 individuals each month, with 52% being children and 13% represent- ing the senior community. “We have seen the largest change in providing services in the past Council approves amended three years,” said Hart. “People who are working are still struggling to feed their families.” stormwater fee increase See Food Pantry, Page 3 By AMY PORTER increase by $10 per year for the next three years; from Correspondent the current $20 annually to $30 in 2020, $40 in 2021 and WESTFIELD – On Thursday, June 20, the City $50 in 2022. School just ended, Council voted 7-5 to pass an amended stormwater fee The commercial cap for businesses with impervious increase after a year of debate. The new fees as amended surfaces over 150,000 sq. ft. was also recommended by by At-large Councilor Daniel Allie on the floor at the L&O to increase to $5,000. but a new rewards meeting, will raise residential rates from $20 to $30 “There are some huge companies in the greater than beginning on July 1 for fiscal year 2020, to remain at $30 150 square-foot range. Our thinking in L&O was they for fiscal years 2021 and 2022. could afford $5,000,” Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski The plan as voted lifts the cap of $640 a year on com- said in presenting the proposal. program aims to help mercial ratepayers, and raises it to $1,200 for businesses Onyski went on to say that with the increase proposed with impervious surface of 80,000 to 150,000 square-feet by L&O, the current annual stormwater revenue of and $2,100 for parcels greater than 150,000 square-feet. $550,000 would double to $1 million in three years, teachers next year By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Allie said they negotiated the rates, which are set by which matched the revenue needed for the capital Correspondent the City Council, with Department of Public Works improvement plan. WESTFIELD – Although school just ended in the city Thursday, a Director David Billips, who he commended for working “Personally, I think as a ward council this would help new program at Staples is aimed at helping local teachers purchase with them. “These projects need to be done. We needed get a lot of the roads fixed,” Onyski said. supplies in the new school year. to get this revenue going,” Allie said, adding that as part Onyski also read the list of projects that would be paid Westfield Staples Manager Eric Lasante discussed the new of the plan they had worked out a way to try to save small for by the increased stormwater fees, as listed in the Classroom Rewards during this week’s Westfield Education to businesses some income. DPW’s stormwater capital plan. Business Alliance (WE2BA) meeting. The plan also lowers the rate from 4.5 cents per The three-year plan defined and limited the work, and WE2BA, a partnership between the Westfield Public Schools and square-foot to 2.0 cents per square-foot in FY20, and 2.4 provided the resources to projects such as washouts, Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, connects local businesses cents in fiscal years 21 and 22. Small businesses will see structural repairs, replacement and drainage issues at with students and teachers. their annual rates decrease, Allie said. Crescent Circle, Ridgeway Street, Indian Ridge, the Rail Lasante said Classroom Rewards earns money for teachers regis- “Under the old commercial rate, small businesses Trail, Notre Dame, Crane Avenue, Canal Drive, tered in the program when a purchase is made and designated to that unfairly paid the same rate as the largest businesses. Glenwood Drive, Western Circle, Old Farm Road, teacher. Most small and medium businesses will see their rates go Shaker Road, Alexander Place, City View Blvd, For example, Lasante said a parent can register for the program down. Many of these small businesses are owned by Ridgecrest Drive, Mather Street, Highland Ave. Butternut online and select a registered teacher to receive the reward. Every time Westfield residents,” he said. Road and Prospect Street Ext. Knox Circle, Skyline that parent makes a purchase at Staples, that teacher receives five per- Currently, there is $725,010 in the Stormwater Drive, Spring Hill Road, Old Holyoke Road, Northwest cent back when the parent visits the website and enters their receipt Undesignated Account, which receives $558,342 in rev- Road, Honey Pot Road, Berkshire Drive, Ridgeway number. enues each year. The rate hasn’t changed in ten years. Street, Upper Montgomery Road and Caitlyn Way. “And parents don’t lose their own rewards,” Lasante said of Staples Under the new rate, the projected revenue for FY20 The City is also responsible for the Arm Brook and will be $691,680, increasing to $810,380 FY20, and Powdermill Levees. These structures are 50 years old See Rewards, Page 3 $874.180 in FY22 and FY23. and currently being evaluated by the Federal govern- Before it was amended on the floor at the City Council ment, and are eligible for federal funds, if the city has a meeting, the ordinance as approved by the Legislative & Ordinance sub-committee was for residential rates to See Stormwater Fees, Page 3 South and Middle Ponds Free summer lunches include to receive algae treatment chance of a ‘golden ticket’ By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Correspondent By LORI SZEPELAK SOUTHWICK – The annual algae treatment of South Pond and Correspondent Middle Pond is Tuesday. WESTFIELD — Every year the need increases to provide free Lake Management Committee member Richard Grannells said por- lunches for young people during the summer months, according to tions of both ponds will be chemically treated to control the growth Kellie Brown, director of operations at the Boys and Girls Club of of nuisance algae. Greater Westfield. Swimming is restricted until June 26. “We expect to serve 27,000 individual meals to kids, ages 2.9 to “It works really fast,” said Grannells of the treatment. 18, this summer which will be 1,500 more than last year,” said About 40 percent of those ponds will be treated. Grannells said Brown, adding that a postcard was recently distributed to every North Pond is not treated because water frlows from North to Middle household in the city so that families are aware of the free lunch to South Pond and North is the deepest, coolest water. program that is coordinated by the Boys and Girls Club. Grady Brown, 4, visited the Boys and Girls “Algae tends to grow in warm, shallow water,” he said. “All meals follow the guidelines of the Massachusetts Club of Greater Westfield recently and saw There are no restrictions on other lake uses. Department of Education,” said Brown, noting lunches include one of the “golden tickets” that will be distrib- “The copper sulfate used in the treatment works very quickly and milk, a main component which can range from sandwiches to a hot uted daily during the free summer lunch pro- we are only treating a small portion of the lakes,” Grannells said. meal including hamburgers or hot dogs, fruit, vegetable, and gram for kids in the city. For every child who Earlier this month all three ponds that comprise Lake Congamond cookie or sorbet. finds a golden ticket, an age appropriate scho- were treated for other nuisance growth. Solitude Lake Management lastic reading book will be the prize.