Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comTheThe Westfield WestfieldNews News 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 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents $1.00 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 VOL. 89 NO. 264 Juli & Ali Southwick Boutique is has 50% voter a destination turnout ahead for unique of Election Day children’s Town clerk urges voters to be kind and patient clothing Mayor Donald F. Humason, Jr. presents Now Interim DPW Director Francis DPW Director David Billips a citation on Cain presents David Billips with a gift By ISABEL MARCHESELLI his retirement Oct. 30, after 17 years of from employees on his last day. (KIM By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Correspondent service. (KIM BILLIPS PHOTO) BILLIPS PHOTO) Editor WESTFIELD — Juli & Ali Boutique has SOUTHWICK – Southwick voters cast just under relocated to a more spacious shop at 24 Elm 4,000 ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election. St. The town has roughly 7,300 registered voters. This boutique focuses on children’s City honors retiring DPW Town Clerk Michelle Hill said she mailed out over clothing that you can’t find in other stores, 2,100 ballots and nearly all had been returned by including a collection of handmade and Monday morning. knitted clothing primarily for children ages Director David Billips “We had 1,888 early in- three months to three years. Among the person voters,” Hill said. boutique’s popular unique items are ador- By AMY PORTER with,” Billips said follow- “We’re hitting almost 50 able rompers and raccoon fur pom hats. Staff Writer ing the ceremony, adding, percent of voters before Accessories such as barrettes, headbands, WESTFIELD — City “People don’t realize that Election Day.” bunny purses and baby booties are among of Westfield officials and public works employees Hill said she was thrilled the special offerings that keep customers Department of Public impact you every single at the turnout because she coming back. Works employees hon- day – clearing the roads, always wants 100 percent of Sisters Julia Meyko and Alisa Sychev ored Director David picking up trash, and pro- voters to participate, how- own the boutique, with Meyko handling the Billips on his last day of viding clean water.” ever, she said she doesn’t usually get this close to behind-the-scenes operations of the store work Oct. 30. “We have a good team. 100. and Sychev running and decorating the Billips retired after 17 The city will be well “Four years ago we had 76 percent voter turnout physical store. They are both Ukrainian years serving the city’s served by these people,” and I believe we will have between 85-95percent this immigrants who settled in Westfield over DPW. The event, origi- Billips said. The city also year,” said Hill. 21 years ago. Shortly after opening their nally planned for the announced over the week- Hill chalks up the numbers to the heated presiden- boutique at its original location at 26 North Municipal Park, was end that Assistant DPW tial race and the option to mail in votes. Elm St. it became clear to the sisters that moved indoors to the Director Francis Cain will “Our absentee ballots remain at just under 150, but they would need more space to accommo- Sackett Street garage due take over as interim direc- the mail-in voting skyrocketed,” she said. “It turned date popular requests for an expanded col- to a fittingly early snow- tor, effective immediately. my world upside down.” lection with more sizes. storm that marked the “Dave was an outstand- Hill and her staff run three departments with Hill serving as the town clerk, treasurer and collector. occasion. DPW Secretary Joanna ing boss to his employees. See Boutique, Page 3 Even before the election, Hill said demand for service Mayor Donald F. Williams and Retiring He’s the kind of guy that from her office escalated. Humason Jr. thanked Director David Billips. gives them the tools they Hill said Monday morning that the phone was ring- Billips, who was wearing (KIM BILLIPS PHOTO) need to do the job. He did a bright Hawaiian shirt, everything he could for ing non-stop with questions from voters. Hill warned those who have not voted in a while – even those who for his service, and State The gift given to him the city,” Cain said. made sure they were registered this year – that they Sen. John C. Velis pre- by DPW employees was A search for a new would likely be on the “inactive voter” list. sented him with a com- the most personal, a director is being conduct- Southwick voters will be held to the 150-foot rule mendation from the plaque with a flag that ed by a joint committee of tomorrow, said Hill. Commonwealth. flew over the Elmendorf the Water Commission “Do not come with 150-feet of the polling area ArtWorks, represented by Base-Fort Richardson, and the Board of Public wearing any apparel support a candidate,” Hill Cheryl Crowe, presented Alaska. Billips said his Works. warned. “You will be turned around to correct it.” him with a photo, thank- father was stationed there Asked what the biggest Hill said hats, shirts, buttons and any items sup- ing him and the DPW for with the family in 1964 challenges for the depart- porting a candidate are cause to be turned away. their support of city when the 9.2 magnitude ment are going forward, “And you cannot come in with signs all over your events. earthquake struck. Billips listed finances and vehicle,” she added, “you will have to park further DPW employees, who “I’m proud of every- the aging infrastructure in away. I am taking the 150-foot rule extremely seri- could not all attend the thing we’ve accom- the city, which has pipes ously.” indoor ceremony, did a plished; water, stormwa- and water mains well over Hill said her number one tip for Election Day vot- drive by of 30 fleet vehi- ter, improvement of roads, 80 years old, some 100 ers is to “be kind,” followed closely by “be patient.” cles with lights flashing upgrading of equipment. years old. “Since state aid The Juli & Ali Boutique is now open in its Southwick voters cast their ballots at Town Hall, and horns honking, before I’m extremely proud of new space at the corner of Elm and 454 College Highway, from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. School streets. (JULI & ALI PHOTO) going out to work. the people I’ve worked See Billips, Page 6 Southwick pastors find opportunities during pandemic By LORI SZEPELAK ple each week than we did before the pan- ly distanced services following all state Correspondent demic.” guidelines.” SOUTHWICK — Pastor Jeffrey King and King said the service is available each For Blanchard at Christ Church United Pastor Ken Blanchard have viewed each week on Facebook, YouTube, and clcsouth- Methodist, also on College Highway, he saw challenge during the coronavirus pandemic wick.org, and can also be heard each Sunday attendance increase when outdoor worship as an opportunity at their respective church- morning on News Radio WHYN 560 AM. was offered. es. “There has been no challenge that we have “Christ Church United Methodist is a very “Since June, we have operated our full not been able to turn into an opportunity,” he small church, with virtually all members in schedule of five weekly worship services, said. an ‘at-risk’ category vis-a-vis the coronavi- with both indoor and outdoor seating avail- With attendance at 50%, King notes that rus, yet we have seen attendance actually able,” said King of Christ Lutheran Church cash flow has been cut in half. increase when we offered outdoor worship as on College Highway, noting attendance is “However, our church, child care center, an option,” said Blanchard. “On the flip side, approximately at 50% from the same time and coffee house are all financially stable, attendance dropped way down when we last year. due to securing Paycheck Protection Program offered only virtual online worship via “Our weekly messages are provided funds,” said King. Zoom.” through a variety of platforms and people are King is hopeful that church classes will be Blanchard, who divides his time also serv- encouraged to join us in the way that is most able to resume in January, and added that two ing members at Agawam United Methodist comfortable to them,” he said. of the three worship bands resumed playing Church at 459 Mill St., Feeding Hills, said One of the opportunities that King has in June, and the choir will resume gatherings weekly worship in Southwick is presented in observed is reaching 2,000 to 3,000 viewers in December to prepare for a “scaled-down” a “hybrid model.” per week with its Christ Virtual Church Christmas musical. “During the good weather we worshipped The Daily Grind coffeehouse on the grounds of online service. “We will provide a full schedule of beauti- outside; with the weather turning colder we Christ Lutheran Church in Southwick reopened “On Easter Sunday alone, 4,000 people ful, joyful Christmas services live and are now back inside,” said Blanchard, noting June 7. Megan Fitzgibbons and Nadine Zelez watched our service,” said King. “The good online,” said King. “In addition, Christmas serve as baristas at the coffeehouse. (SUBMITTED news is that we are now reaching more peo- Eve will offer a busy schedule of safe, social- See Pastors, Page 2 PHOTO) KELLY Ready to Serve EXPERIENCE ~ LEADERSHIP PEASE H VOTE NOVEMBER 3rd H FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT Kelly Pease Kelly Pease retired after 20 years on active duty.