TONIGHT Mostly Clear. Low of 32. Search for The Westfield News The Westfield “HISTORYSearch forIS The T HWestfieldE News TODAY IN WESTFIELD News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews HISTORY: Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns AUTOBIOGRAP“TIME ISH THEY ONLY WEATHER 1797 First meeting of OF A MADMANCRITIC.” WITHOUT TONIGHT Westfield Academy Trustees AMBITION.” - ALEXANDER HERZEN Partly Cloudy. at Ezra Clapp’s Tavern. Search for The WestfieldJOHN STEINBECKNews Westfield350.comWestfield350.orgLow of 55. The Westfieldwww.thewestfieldnews.comNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY VOL.WEATHER 87 NO.VOL. 92 86 NO. 151 FRIDAY,TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2018JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC75 CentsWITHOUT 75 cents TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.With 86 NO. 151 water bond tabled,TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents Council acts on other issues By AMY PORTER Trucks, used to clean the runways. A $56,000 grant for the Correspondent purchase of an Online Driver Training Module has a local WESTFIELD – With the $13 million water bond tabled share of $11,200, and a grant of $365,000 for the installation At-Large City Councilor Ward 6 City Councilor until May 3, the City Council breezed through its agenda on of security perimeter fencing has no local share. and City Council William Onyski Thursday, displaying little of the tension from the last month Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise asked whether it was President John Beltrandi of meetings. for security fencing. Onyski said yes, for the end of the run- City Council president John J. Beltrandi, III turned the way, and added that the grants were for immediate consider- attention of the Council to items from Mayor Brian P. ation, because they had to be spent by June 30. Sullivan’s office, the first three of which requested immediate Flaherty said he was in favor of the grants, but felt the local attention. match coming out of Free Cash was “challenged. We’re 79% The gift of a Car Mate Trailer and attached supplies for spill through the year, and have spent 82% of the money. Snow and containment from USA Hauling & Recycling to the Westfield Ice is over by $1.4 million,” he said. Fire Department passed with no discussion. “I am concerned about Free Cash. I don’t want to put any Another gift of $1,000 from the Thunderbolt Council to the more money in the airport. I’d like to see this go to Finance. Barnes Regional Airport gift account which came from the We have a meeting next week,” said At-large Councilor Air Show through the non-profit arm of the Thunderbolts, Matthew Emmershy. according to Ward 6 Councilor William J. Onyski, also passed “If there’s any discussion, I’d like to have it right now,” unanimously. said Onyski. Immediate consideration for $675,000 in grants from the Emmershy asked how much in total city funds was subsi- City Councilor At-large City Councilor Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for dizing the airport this year. Cindy C. Harris David Flaherty Barnes Airport, which required a local share of $62,175, Onyski said it will not break even with fees this year, but is engendered more discussion. looking at an increase in fees. Regarding revenue, he said if “I’m going to support this,” said Surprise, a member of Onyski, who is the Airport liaison, said the grant was the airport were to close, the city would lose taxes from busi- Finance. offered very late by MassDOT. He said the airport immedi- nesses located there, such as Gulfstream. At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris called it a “wise invest- ately applied, and the application was approved by DOT. At-large Councilor Daniel Allie, who chairs Finance, said ment for airport safety.” “$675,000 in services for $62,175 local share,” Onyski sweeper heads for the two trucks are things that are required Onyski said the city does get a percentage of every gallon of emphasized. anyway. He asked Onyski when he said in place by June 30, gas sold at the airport. Flaherty added that currently $816,000 a The grants included $254,875, with a local share of $50,975 did it mean installed, which he said it did. “These would be for the replacement of two sweeper head units for OshKosh future costs they’d have to raise,” Allie said. See City Council, Page 7 Water issues among topics Run/Walk to support on the minds of residents Westfield 350 efforts at City Council meeting ByA T YLOR CHOQUETTE Intern, WSU ’18 By AMY PORTER WESTFIELD – Six years ago, Run Westfield began their Correspondent annual Flat Fast 5K Run and Walk. This year the event is set WESTFIELD – Water and other serious topics were still on to take place on Saturday May 19. the mind of residents that spoke during the public participation The run, which starts in Westfield State University’s South at the City Council meeting on Thursday. Lot turns onto Western Ave. and then becomes a straight run “I came to address the water issue. I heard some people eastbound on Western Ave., finally ending at the block party weren’t for it,” said Westfield resident Estelle Streeter, noting set up on Elm Street in downtown, has become a fundraising that water is as essential as food and clean air. “No one can opportunity for local charities and organizations. predict a drought. It could be next year, it could be 10 years. We “As a community, we thought they’d like to have some- can’t afford to be without water, and that includes water pres- thing more personal,” said Janet Larese about the decision to sure, she said. include fundraising aspect of the race 3 years ago. Each team “Now we’re talking about May. We have to get moving,” Southwick VFW Post 872 Chairman Troy Henke (right) Streeter continued, saying she didn’t want to see councilors poses with Diane DeMarco (center) of Spotlight Graphics See Run Westfield, Page 3 using a lack of information or needing more time as reasons to and Southwick Regional School Principal Joe Turmel vote against the water bond. “I live in Ward 1. These are the (left). (Photo by Troy Henke) issues we need to address,” she said. Christopher Clark, a Westfield resident attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said he has discussed Veterans Memorial Foyer Pickleball enthusiasts spur the water situation in Westfield with the university’s School of Public Health. Clark said they have expressed an interest in project progresses establishing a relationship with the Westfield community challenge at City Council around the issue, and he is hoping to work with them on a com- By GREG FITZpaTRICK By AMY PORTER munity health study. Correspondent Correspondent Westfield State junior Makenzie Coburn and senior Devon SOUTHWICK – The completion of the Veterans Memorial WESTFIELD – An enthusiastic contingent of more than a Bates invited the city councilors to join them at their anti-bul- Foyer project continues to move ahead as Spotlight Graphics dozen pickleball players filled City Council chambers at the lying event at Circuit Coffee, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. of Southwick installed the wall lettering for the foyer of start of Thursday’s meeting. During public participation, Bates and Coburn said the event, which will be broadcast live Southwick Regional School on Tuesday. Matthew Roman came forward first, pledging the support of on WSKB community radio, is being organized by WSU public Southwick VFW Post 872, who’s been spearheading the the “Senior Snoopers” for the game. project, was pleased with the work done by Spotlight Following Roman, Shannon Small gave a presentation, See Meeting Topics, Page 3 Graphics. “This job was very professionally well done by Spotlight See Pickleball, Page 3 Graphics,” said Troy Henke, the Chairman of Post 872. The importance of the wall lettering is that it indicates what the foyer is and shows that the three plaques will be hung up underneath the lettering. The project is centered around a memorial that is dedi- cated to veterans who graduated from Southwick-Tolland- Granville Regional High School and were killed in combat or in a hostile attack while serving their country. The memo- rial consists of plaques mounted on the wall which will include an image of the veteran, their years of life, the year they graduated high school, and any service information. There will be three veterans that will be a part of the Veterans Memorial at this time and they are as follows: • William Alamed Jr. (killed while fighting the Vietnam War) • Steven Wentworth (killed in the Beirut bombings in 1983) • Travis Fuller (killed in the Iraq War in 2005) In order to properly recognize the memorial foyer, there Westfield State junior Makenzie Coburn and senior Devon Bates addressed the City Council about an anti-bullying See Veterans Memorial, Page 3 Pickleball advocate Shannon Small addresses the City event at Circuit Coffee on April 28. Council on Thursday. PAGE 2 - FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Westfield Athenaeum Southwick Public Library April Children’s News Events Tuesday Storytime is Fun at Southwick Kids in grades 3-6, make something fun Room at 413-569-1221×4. April 2-30: Poetry Contest Public Library and try something new each month at Children’s Book Week-Voice Your April is Poetry Month. Celebrate by enter- Kids ages 2-5 years old will find out who Makerspace Creation Station. This month we Choice! at Southwick Public Library ing the Westfield Athenaeum’s Poetry gets a treat with “The Little Red Hen”, and will meet in the Community Room on Children’s Book Week is April 30- May 6, Contest during the month of April.