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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com OpenVOL. 86 NO. 151 Meeting Law complaintTUESDAY, JUNE filed27, 2017 against G&E board 75 cents By AMY PORTER Operations Center at 40 Turnpike Industrial preliminary screening process for the General Correspondent Road in Westfield. Manager position and would reconvene the WESTFIELD – Camelot Lane resident “I feel this was an intentional act, as record- regular session after adjournment from the Marc Lichwan filed an Open Meeting Law ed in the minutes of the August 1, 2018, MLB executive session. According to the minutes, complaint with the Attorney General’s office meeting, the MLB Attorney Welch stated that the meeting recessed at 7:57 p.m. and recon- against the Westfield Gas & Electric Municipal ‘While the preliminary screening may occur vened at 9:09 p.m. All positive votes taken in Light Board on Thursday, claiming that the in executive session, all conversations and executive session were ratified and confirmed process used in hiring the new general man- discussion regarding the manager search need by the board, and the meeting adjourned at ager was entirely held in executive session, to be held during properly posted open meet- General Manager and an employee’s rating 9:10 p.m. and was not an open process. ings or in executive session during the pre- system of the candidates in their review pro- According to the minutes of the Sept. 26 “The Municipal Light Board met on several liminary screening process,’ ” Lichwan con- cess for selecting the finalists. In researching meeting of the Municipal Light Board, which occasions during the months of August, tinued in the complaint, which was copied to the process, nearly 70 applicants/letters of are also posted on the city website, the regular September and October, 2018, in ‘Executive Ray Rivera, Chairman of the MLB, Mayor interest/resumes were received, and the three meeting was adjourned and entered into exec- Session’ to discuss and act upon the process Brian P. Sullivan, City Council President John that were chosen for interviews were all inter- utive session for the purpose of conducting for selecting the General Manager of the J. Beltrandi, III, Robert A. Paul, Sr., City nal candidates from the WG&E. These may the preliminary screening for the General Westfield Gas & Electric Department. Further, Council Liaison to the Westfield G&E and to have been the most qualified candidates, but Manager position and would reconvene the the MLB chose the finalists for the GM posi- City Solicitor Susan Phillips. how are we to know as we have been shut out regular session after adjournment from the tion in Executive Session and in the posting Lichwan’s complaint continued: “Once the of a public process.” executive session. According to the minutes, for the interviews of the finalists, did not list search for the GM began, ALL discussions According to the minutes of the Sept. 5 ses- the meeting recessed at 7:06 p.m. and recon- the names of the finalists to be interviewed,” and meetings regarding the search were held sion of the Municipal Light Board, which are vened at 8:36 p.m. All positive votes taken in wrote Lichwan in the complaint, which named in executive session. It also appears that the posted on the city website, , the regular meet- executive session were ratified and confirmed all of the commissioners of the board. MLB never reviewed the applications and ing was adjourned and entered into executive Meetings of the MLB are held at the WG&E resumes submitted, but rather relied on the session, among other purposes, to discuss the See G&E Board, Page 6 MHA Recognizes Man struck, killed Disability by train in Mentoring Day apparent suicide SPRINGFIELD – Wednesday, October 17 By PETER CURRIER was Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), a Correspondent national effort coordinated by the American WESTFIELD- A pedestrian who was struck and killed by a freight Association of People with Disabilities to train Saturday evening near the intersection of Route 20 and East promote career development for students and Mountain Road in Westfield has been identified by Westfield Police, but job-seekers with disabilities through hands-on the name has not been released. career exploration and mentoring relation- The victim, a 53-year-old white male, was walking on the train tracks ships. DMD was founded in 1999 through a Mark Carboneau, a member of the community policing unit, will around 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening when he was struck by the CSX White House initiative and is organized each be available by appointment to meet with seniors at the Westfield freight train, according to Westfield Police. year in October which is also National Senior Center. His office will be located in the center’s entrance Westfield Police and the Fire Department responded to the call by Disability Employment Awareness Month. area. CSX and found the remains of the victim. A spokesperson for the Hampden County District Attorney’s office, As a local, nonprofit provider of residential James Leydon, reports that his office is investigating the event as an and support services, MHA works with people apparent suicide in cooperation with Westfield police along with CSX who are impacted by mental illness, develop- Senior Safety Office set investigators. mental disabilities, substance use and home- The Hamden County Medical Examiners Office took jurisdiction of lessness. For those whose disabilities are not the remains for further investigation. severe and who are not medically challenged, to open at senior center “Just before 8:00 p.m. Saturday, a CSX train struck a pedestrian near MHA does its part, often utilizing community East Mountain Road and Springfield Road in Westfield, MA,” says a partners, to ensure that participants who want By LORI SZEPELAK statement released by CSX Transportation,”There were no reported to work are ready and able to work. Among Correspondent injuries to the train crew. Local authorities confirmed the pedestrian was fatally injured.” those community partners are individuals WESTFIELD-Officer Mark Carboneau wants seniors to think of such as State Representative, Aaron Vega, “CSX appreciates the swift response by local emergency personnel him as a “family member in uniform.” and extends its thoughts to those impacted by this tragic event.” Vice Chair of the Committee on Children and Carboneau, a member of the city’s Community Police Unit, will Families and Persons with Disabilities and Joe CSX says they are cooperating with the investigation by State Police be available by appointment to meet with seniors who have con- officers assigned to Hamden County. Lepper, Relationship Manager, MassMutual cerns at the new Senior Safety Office within the Westfield Senior Community Responsibility. When both were Center. asked to participate in Disability Mentoring Since Carboneau’s policing area incorporates the Westfield Day, both offered a resounding “yes”! Housing Authority’s senior complexes (Dolan-Ely, Kennedy, and This past Wednesday, at MHA’s corporate the McGinn Apartments), Tina Gorman, director of the Westfield Open Space Committee offices at 995 Worthington Street, Springfield, Council on Aging, said she felt Carboneau would be a perfect fit both Representative Vega and Lepper joined for the office. Havier Collins, a 21 year old program partici- “Mark has worked closely with the Council on Aging staff on a holding session pant in MHA’s Youth Adolescent Program for range of cases and issues involving older adults,” said Gorman a personal conversation detailing their own when discussing her original rationale for having a liaison from the individual career choices, career paths and life police department to address a multitude of issues that seniors face. for resident feedback experiences. During the meet and greet, “He understands the complexities of the physical, psychological, By GREG FITZpaTRICK Havier discussed his own personal goals and social, cognitive, and financial status of our mutual clients,” said aspirations for employment. Correspondent Gorman. “Working together, we are often able to de-escalate a SOUTHWICK – The Open Space Plan Committee will be hold- Havier Connors, who is 21 years old, was situation and arrive at a mutual resolution.” adopted into a new family as the second ing a public informational session on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the land For Carboneau, a lifelong resident who has been on the force for use room at the Southwick Town Hall to allow residents in the com- youngest of 10 children when he was four 26 years, he is always stopping in to the senior center when time years old. He has a biological sister whom he munity to give their thoughts on open space and recreation in allows to chat with city residents and to hear their concerns. Southwick. has never met in person, but with whom he “I’m a voice for them,” said Carboneau, adding that Police Chief has corresponded via letters. Connors strug- According to Dennis Clark, Open Space Plan Committee John Camerota is always “promoting public service” in the police Chairman, the public is encouraged to offer ideas, thoughts and gled with bullying and issues related to anger department.