The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 SATURDAY,TUESDAY, JUNEJULY 27, 10, 2017 2021 VOL. 75 cents 90 NO. 162 Pease speaks Agawam City Council to to Flood consider resolution opposing Control Southwick Carvana project By PETER CURRIER receive “greater wear and tear based Commission Staff Writer on Carvana traffic.” AGAWAM- The Agawam City In the three Planning Board public By AMY PORTER Council will consider a resolution hearings that have taken place in Staff Writer July 12 at the Agawam Senior Center Southwick, representatives of WESTFIELD – State Rep.Kelly to formally oppose the proposed Carvana and R. Levesque Associates, Pease spoke to the Flood Control Carvana project at 686 College the land surveyors attached to the Commission on July 8 to review a Highway in Southwick. project, said that Carvana would be request for funding dams and The agenda item falls under “New making use of trucks that can carry levees through the American Katie Ross, manager of MillWorks Westfield is offering a sum- business” and was submitted by up to nine vehicles in order to make Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). mer special to rent desks in the flexible workspace in the Mill at Councilors Rosemary Sandlin and deliveries to retail locations. Pease said he will be meeting Crane Pond. (AMY PORTER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) Anthony R. Suffriti. The resolution Councilors Sandlin and Suffriti July 19 with the chair of the bond- says that Agawam will be “signifi- did not return a request for comment ing committee, who wants to con- cantly impacted due to the increase by press time. solidate requests from communi- Summer Special on in traffic as one of the primary routes Should the resolution pass, the ties for a hearing later this month. to and from the facility will include Agawam City Council will forward “There is no guarantee. It is very Route 57 and the Feeding Hills Road the resolution to Southwick’s early in the process,” Pease said. intersection.” Planning Board. The Southwick He said it appears that some of the work space offered at The resolution also notes that the Planning Board is scheduled to meet biggest needs in Westfield include Feeding Hills intersection was the sewers, dams and levees, and recently reconstructed and would See Carvana Project, Page 3 he is planning to include funding MillWorks Westfield for Armbrook and Powdermill By AMY PORTER Dams and the Little River Levee in Staff Writer his proposal. WESTFIELD – While private offices are currently rented in the Pease said he has been meeting MillWorks Co-Sharing Workspace in The Mill at Crane Pond on with Flood Control Commission 77 Mill St., there are still plenty of desks available in the large Chair Al Giguere, who wanted him flexible room space, as well as small and large conference rooms to report to the commission about available to rent for the hour and a large event space for the hour his intentions. “I’m trying to put or the day. together why we need the money MillWorks Co-Sharing Workspace offers a work environment and what we need,” he said. where individuals can share office services, equipment, technolo- Commissioner Jack Leary sug- gy, and space, allowing flexible and affordable options for tele- gested that he draw on the conclu- commuters, entrepreneurs, start-ups, students, independent con- sions from the Army Corps of tractors, traveling business people, or anyone looking for a cre- Engineers about the Little River ative and supportive place to work. Mill owner J. Rockwell Allen Levee, noting that it was built by recognized the need for a space like this in Westfield after a visit the ACE and the United States Post to the west coast in 2019 and started renovating the floor formerly Office, the Boys & Girls Club and occupied by the Noble Visiting Nurses for MillWorks. Westfield Middle School, the MillWorks manager Katie Ross, who is also a member, said dur- Public Works building and the Big ing July and August the desks in the flexible workspace, which Y. “We as a city are totally liable were retrofitted with plastic barriers during COVID, are available for it. We need to get it up to at 50 percent off. Normally, an open space flex desk rents for $150 Rob Levesque of the land surveying company R. Levesque Associates speed,” Leary said. per month or $30 per day, and a dedicated desk at $200 per month. shows the crowd at the June 29 Southwick Planning Board hearing the Pease asked how shovel ready Included with the rental fee is Whip City Fiber, access to the net- details of the Carvana site plan and application on the projector screen in the projects are. Giguere said the worked printer, copier and scanner, huddle and conference rooms, the Town Hall auditorium. (PETER CURRIER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) Little River Levee is not at the work lounge, phone room, cafe and the mailroom. The dedicated shovel ready stage, and the the city desks also have access to a locked cabinet. is currently waiting for a grant Ross, who is from Blandford and also works for B.J. Wholesales, from Energy and Environmental said she has appreciated the high speed internet and access to the Affairs (EEA) for design work to office equipment. She said for small businesses or entrepreneurs Westfield State University get it there. He said both the whose lease may be up and who are not sure about signing anoth- Armbrook and Powdermill Dams, er lease, MillWorks, with its month to month rentals and no over- which have been studied and have head, is a good option. “It’s been nice for me, for sure,” Ross said. to host Job Fair on July 20 plans drawn up by the Natural The event/presentation room can hold up to 52 people, and has Resources Conservation Service a large digital screen available and access to breakout rooms. By HOPE E. TREMBLAY place during the fair, which is from (NRCS) are shovel ready. Rental for the space is $35 per hour, or $300 per day. Catering is Editor 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Paper applications Giguere said he would send a list also available from the Bubble Mug Cafe in the Pottery Cellar. WESTFIELD – Westfield State and laptops will be available for the of projects, bullet points and cost Smaller conference or meeting rooms, which also have digital University is hosting a job fair July completion of electronic applica- estimates to Pease. screens and white boards, are available to rent for $20 per hour. 20 in Scanlon Hall. tions, and Spanish and Russian Also present at the meeting was Becoming a community member at MillWorks is free, and The university, like many busi- translators will be on site for assis- allows access to monthly rentals as well as the networked printer/ nesses right now, has immediate tance. See Pease, Page 3 copier/scanner on a fees for use basis. For more information or for openings and a shortage of workers. According to a press release, there a tour of the space, go to millworkswestfield.com, or email katie@ “As the University sustains post- is a “wide variety of openings avail- millworkswestfield.com. pandemic and more normal opera- able at Westfield State University at tions, we look forward to filling our this time include contracted and ben- vacant positions, mainly in Dining efitted full-time and part-time posi- and Facilities. Like many other tions in the Dining and Facilities employers, locally and across the departments. Flexible schedules are nation, Westfield State is finding hir- available. Positions for culinary ing to be challenging given the cur- workers, cashiers, dishwashers, rent job market. We hope this special cooks, kitchen attendees, custodial job fair will provide interest and services, and more are available.” ultimately the successful hiring of WSU adheres to COVID-19 qualified individuals interested in guidelines. Participants in the job joining our student-centered campus fair who are not vaccinated are community,” said Donna DeCaro- required to wear masks on campus. Conley, WSU interim associate vice Although vaccinated individuals are president, human resources. not required to wear masks while on To attract applicants, WSU is campus, they may opt to do so. offering prospective employees a WSU Scanlon Hall is located at The event/presentation room in MillWorks Westfield can hold sign-on bonus of $500 and hourly 577 Western, Ave. Parking is avail- up to 52 and is available for rent by the hour or day. (AMY rates ranging from $16-$17. able and the campus is accessible via STATE REP. KELLY PEASE PORTER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) On-the-spot interviews will take PVTA bus service. • The Emergency Broadband Benefit is available to qualifying The National households to offset the cost of internet service. FCC Emergency • Qualifications include those who experienced a substantial loss of Broadband income during the pandemic • A $50/month discount will be provided for as long as the Benefit Program program funding allows. For more information about the EBB Program qualifications You could be eligible for a and to apply, visit www.whipcityfiber.com/promo/ebbp $50/month discount towards your internet service. PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2021 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Rain didn’t keep Velis from attending ceremonies, meetings Hello Everyone, military members, we must pass this legisla- their hopes of starting a business in the area, I hope that you all had a pleasant long tion.