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 TUESDAY,TUESDAY, DECEMBER JUNE 27, 2017 22, 2020 VOL. 75 cents 89 NO. 304 Noble nurses call for ‘serious’ contract proposal By HOPE E. TREMBLAY was rejected by the nurse’s Dubin said he has done nurse Editor union for several reasons, contract negotiations for three WESTFIELD — Eight including a loss in time off. decades and this has been the Baystate Noble Hospital nurses Dubin said Baystate has a longest. representing their nurses’ union Paid Time Off benefit, which “We usually come to an agree- took to Park Square Green over lumps together vacation, sick ment in 8-10 sessions,” he said. the weekend to send a message and personal time. Noble has “We have had 18 already. that they are not happy with the not had that style benefit and that’s unacceptable at any time, current contract proposal. Dubin said the switch proposed but especially this year.” The nurses held lighted elec- would take away earned sick The reduction in sick time tronic signs stating “Baystate time from nurses. would be “quite a loss” for most Don’t Cut Nurses’ Sick Time.” “We’re looking at a loss of nurses. He said they have been Spokesperson Paul Dubin, a about three-and-a-half weeks of working around the clock nurse at Noble Hospital for 33 sick time,” Dubin said. “And throughout the pandemic and years, said they have been the PTO would use vacation many will be getting vaccinated working under a contract that first, so if you’re sick for a this week so they can continue expired last March and have week, they would use vacation to work and care for others. He spent much of 2020 negotiating time.” said they have not been treated a new contract while caring for Dubin said the nurses’ needs with care. “We want the ‘heart- patients. are not being met in the con- felt thanks’ we’ve seen on TV Dubin said their 19th negoti- tract proposals thus far and he commercials,” he said. “We all Baystate Noble Hospital nurses standout on Park Square Green Dec. 19 to protest what ation session is slated for early hopes they get a “serious pro- they say is a lack of a ‘serious contract proposal.’ (HOPE E. TREMBLAY/THE WESTFIELD 2021. The most recent proposal posal” in January. See Noble Nurses, Page 5 NEWS) Youth art show Council wraps up goes online 2020, re-elects Submission deadline Bean as president By AMY PORTER Staff Writer set for Dec. 27 WESTFIELD — In the final City Council meeting of 2020, Mayor Donald F. Humason Jr. took a few min- By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent utes to commemorate Westfield’s 100th anniversary of being incorporated as a city on Nov. 2, 1920. WESTFIELD-Westfield children have a tight Peerless Precision Owner Kristin Carlson and an employee show stu- Humason said in 2019, deadline to meet — Dec. 27 – for the 2020 Online dents one of the parts manufactured at the plant. (WPS PHOTO) Westfield Youth Art Show, presented by ArtWorks Westfield celebrated 350 of Westfield, Inc. years since its founding “Our inaugural Westfield Youth Art Show, Adopt a Classroom makes which overshadowed this launched in 2019 in partnership with the Visual & event a bit. “I thought Fine Art departments at the Boys & Girls Club of before the year ended, it’s Greater Westfield, was such a success we scheduled most of remote experience important to celebrate that this year’s youth art show for May 2020 in conjunc- Westfield is a thriving city,” he said. He also rec- tion with the Articulture Westfield event planned for By AMY PORTER ferent career paths they can take, May at Amelia Park ice rink,” said Bill Westerlind, ognized the first mayor of Staff Writer especially in manufacturing, Westfield, George W. ArtWorks president. “Of course, COVID got in the WESTFIELD — Westfield where there are many career way!” Searle, the first City Public Schools English Language opportunities in Westfield. Council president Harry Westerlind noted that ArtWorks members had Arts Supervisor Mary Keane said Keane said when Carlson talk- “held out hope” to launch the youth art show in Putnam, and read a cita- the remote experience has in some ed about women in STEM, a stu- tion from Governor person until it became “very clear” this would not ways been advantageous for the dent posted the following com- BRENT B. BEAN, II Charlie Baker. Council President be possible. Adopt a Classroom program, an ment in the chat: “You’re so suc- “At the last minute we decided to launch the show In other business, the initiative of the Westfield cessful!!! This tells me to follow Council approved a grant of $225,776 from MassDOT Education to Business Alliance. my dreams…” for the construction of a multi-use trail alongside the See Youth Art Show, Page 3 “A neat experience with the two The same class partnered on south side of Court Street to run from Holcomb Street projects that we had this year; Dec. 16 with Wright Flight to Holland Avenue, which will be a continuation of the kids can see things in the busi- President Mike Gutowski and multi-use trail on Western Ave. nesses that they might not have volunteer Jim Wysocki at Before considering the motion, a letter was read dur- been able to see without remote,” Westfield Barnes Airport. Keane ing public participation from the Friends of the Keane said. said this project had originally Columbia Greenway Rail Trail encouraging support for In October, grade 6 students been in the works for last year, the grant which stated that the trail will dramatically from JoAnn Roselli and Matt before the schools shut down. increase the safety of the sidewalk for pedestrians and Wroth’s Westfield Intermediate Western Mass Wright Flight bikers. School’s Remote Team met introduces students in grades 7 The Council also voted to cut $486,000 from the Kristin Carlson, owner of Peerless through 12 to the field of aviation, Water division and $556,000 from Wastewater in Precision, via Google Meet. its history, the principles of flight, FY21, based on less than anticipated revenues in FY20. Keane said Carlson gave stu- and the many career opportunities During a discussion, finance committee chair Ralph J. dents insight into what it is like to available in the aviation industry. Figy said the shortage was discovered by new city be a female business owner in a Gutowski took the students on a auditor Vicki Leigh Moro, will not affect the tax rates male-dominated field. She also tour of Westfield Barnes Airport, and must be submitted as part of the package to the took students on a virtual tour of accompanied by Wysocki on cam- Department of Revenue. the full service precision manu- era. He also introduced them to a “This happens occasionally. They will come back in facturing plant, where they saw flight simulator with three big a month or two and ask for the money back from stabi- machines in action in areas they screens. Keane said students lization. They’re not going to stop doing all these proj- would not have been able to visit loved that, and asked Gutowski to ects,” said At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty. in person. fly over their neighborhoods, if he Acting DPW Director Fran Cain and other water During the tour, Carlson inter- could do a barrel roll, and what department representatives held a lengthy question and A young artist creates a painting during a class viewed six employees who had happens if a plane crashes on the answer session with the City Council regarding water through ArtWorks Westfield, which is hosting an attended Westfield Technical simulator. bills. As previously stated in an interview with The online Youth Art Show. Ssubmissions are accepted Academy, and spoke about her Gutowski interviewed Airport Westfield News, the majority of increases was due to a through Dec. 27. (THE WESTFIELD NEWS FILE own path in the field. Keane said combination of a long, hot summer and drought, people PHOTO) it is important for kids to see dif- See Classroom, Page 3 being home more due to COVID, and resulting irriga- tion and water consumption. Cain also said that later this year a new functionality of the meters will go online that will allow residents to check their water usage on a daily basis if they sign up WRITERS’ SERIES: Shalom Christmas! for the free service. Cain said that residents who have concerns should By LORI SZEPELAK librarian and member of the Springfield, MA, Christmas call the office. “We’re a customer service operation; we Correspondent WhipCity Wordsmiths, has wasn’t part of my life until I have people every day that deal with water bills. All Editor’s note: 2020. While we lived in Westfield since 1988. was about 4. Hannukah was my people have to do is call the Water department,” he have all experienced changes to She has published one book, choice of December holidays, said, adding, “No one has ever had their water shut off our daily lives during the past Fredi’s Ride, inspired by Whip and I just loved it. The gentle for lack of payment in the 20 years I’ve been here.” year due to the COVID-19 pan- City Speedway memories. light from the Hannukah can- The final item on the agenda was election of council demic, we are also hopeful Currently, two books are dles brightened those weak president for 2021.