The Westfield News Search 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 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 75 cents $1.00 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020 VOL. 89 NO. 033 RALPH J. FIGY. DAN ALLIE CINDY C. HARRIS Ward 2 Councilor At-large Councilor At-large Councilor Council approves immediate consideration requests By AMY PORTER his work on cleaning the War Massachusetts Department of Staff Writer Memorials, and also on cata- Environmental Protection for WESTFIELD – Six items loging and GPS marking of mattress recycling, which presented by Mayor Donald all of the veterans’ graves in was also approved. F. Humason Jr. to the City the city. Immediate approval for a Council for immediate con- Next approved was a grant $50,000 appropriation from Hannah The 2020 Sons of Erin Colleen and her Court: Hannah Elizabeth Bean, Jillian sideration Feb. 6 passed of $30,000 from the Executive Free Cash to the Law Rose Conroy, 2020 Colleen Brigid Mary Moriarty, Emily Marie Langlois, Mackenzie Grace unanimously. Office of Energy and Department engendered a lit- Augustine Kiltonic. (MARC ST. ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) The first was approval of a Environmental Affairs for tle more discussion. Figy said grant of $10,000 from the Municipal Vulnerability the request is to pay for labor Department of Veterans’ Preparedness, to assess local counsel and other costs for Services for the maintenance vulnerability to climate several pending litigation Brigid Moriarty and repair of War Memorials change under the Planning matters, including several in Westfield. Department. Figy said there scheduled for Feb. 12. He Finance Committee Chair is no local match, and this is said the Law Department has Ralph J. Figy said the grant money coming into the city. scraped their budget, and crowned 2020 Colleen came out of last year’s bud- Figy also gave credit to needs the funding to go for- get, and he believed Humason Cheryl McMordie, office ward.At-large Councilor Dan By HOPE from among 13 contestants. ber of the Holyoke Colleen was one of the authors for it. manager in the Health Allie asked whether the dates E. TREMBLAY Her Colleen Court includes Court in 1989. Figy also gave kudos to Department for working on had been anticipated. Assistant Managing Editor Hannah Elizabeth Bean, Melissa Moriarty said her Westfield Veterans Grave her own time to apply for a WESTFIELD – Brigid Jillian Rose Conroy, Emily daughter was always proud Officer Gene H. Theroux for grant of $61,804 from the See City Council, Page 2 Mary Moriarty is the 2020 Marie Langlois and of her Irish heritage and Westfield Sons of Erin McKenzie Grace Augustine throughout her life, people Colleen. Kiltonic. have commented that she Moriarty was crowned Moriarty is continuing the would be Colleen one day. Feb. 7 at Chez Josef in tradition started by her moth- Fair Housing Community Conversation Agawam and was selected er Melissa, who was a mem- See 2020 Colleen, Page 3 and Dinner set for Wed., Feb. 12 By AMY PORTER is a requirement of the city’s Staff Writer five-year plan with Housing City receives mattress recycling grant WESTFIELD – On Feb. 12 and Urban Development from 6 to 8 p.m., Westfield (HUD), as an entitlement By AMY PORTER ing the grant for the city “on residents who are concerned community for Community Staff Writer her own time.” about impediments to fair Development Block Grant WESTFIELD — The city McMordie said there is a housing in the city, or who (CDBG) funds. was awarded a $61,804 grant great need to recycle mattress- have experienced housing Miller said that the city has for mattress recycling from es. discrimination, are invited to contracted with the Pioneer the Massachusetts Department “Right now, we are paying a City Council Chambers, City Valley Planning Commission of Environmental Protection vendor $15 per mattress, plus Hall Room 207, for a fair to host the conversation and this week. the weight and hauling fee,” housing conversation and dinner, and to study the data When the City Council Feb. McMordie said. She said cur- dinner. PETER J. MILLER for an analysis on impedi- 6 approved the grant, Finance rently, mattresses go into the Community Development Community Development ments to fair housing in Committee Chair Ralph J. waste stream, and add to the Director Peter J. Miller said Director Figy credited Health tonnage costs. Department Head Clerk (THE WESTFIELD NEWS PHOTO) the community conversation See Fair Housing, Page 2 Cheryl McMordie for obtain- See Recycling, Page 3 Student organizes protest over teachers’ contract By HOPE from the STGRSD website hold the people accountable in health costs. E. TREMBLAY and read all 55 pages of it. I who are trying to make apa- “In the STGRSD contract, Assistant Managing Editor knew that there was some- thetic decisions about educa- Title VIII & Title XI discuss SOUTHWICK – A dozen thing suspicious and offset- tors who have significantly things such as family sick Southwick-Tolland-Granville ting of Superintendent impacted our lives,” he said. days and 50:50 Health Care. Regional School students, Jennifer Willard’s current “I hope to continue my work The fact that teachers with parents and alumni gathered contract proposals, and I was at the Department of children, close family mem- Feb. 4 outside Powder Mill not going to be a bystander Secondary and Elementary bers, etc. might have to give School just before the start of throughout this process,” Education next month and up five family sick days for a the School Committee meet- Haseltine said of what sparked voice our concerns on a state 1.75-3% raise over three years ing to protest in support of him to organize what he called level. I want to ensure teach- is unacceptable,” Haseltine teachers. a “peaceful protest.” ers who deserve raises are said. “And, with 50:50 health- Organizer Brandon Haseltine said he wanted being raised, and to highlight care, some teachers statisti- Haseltine, a Regional School his peers to be more involved modern injustices in educa- cally take less money home junior, said teachers across the and show they support their tion.” than last year, compared to district are in contract negoti- teachers. Haseltine said, specifically, other districts who do 30:70 ations and he believes they “My goal is to get students he was concerned that teach- or 40:60 healthcare whereas Sisters Evelyn and Abigail Schoenthal hold signs during a deserve more. more involved with decisions ers could lose some of their protest Feb. 4, 2020. (BRANDON HASELTINE PHOTO) “I downloaded the contract about their education and to sick time and with increases See Protest, Page 2 PAGE 2 - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Peaceful pro- test organizer City Council Brandon Continued from Page 1 Haseltine (THE WESTFIELD Figy responded that as made by the Airport consideration is necessary so NEWS PHOTO Acting Mayor, he wasn’t Commission to the job that the city can move for- SUBMITTED) allowed to approve certain description previously ward with the job search. transactions, which are just approved by the City Council Figy said the final request being caught up by Humason. when they hired Eric for immediate consideration “It is time sensitive,” Figy Billowitz. Billowitz left the was to authorize the mayor to said, before the unanimous position in January. execute the preservation vote. Harris said the airport restriction on the Westfield “On behalf of the Fire manager is appointed for a Athenaeum, which he said Commission, the Fire three-year term by the Airport protects the Community Department and the Law Commission, and must have Preservation funds granted to Department, thank you for a bachelor’s in airport man- the library for the current swift action on this,” Figy agement, engineering or remodel. He said it’s a stan- said following the vote. business administration, five dard on the deed. Personnel Action Chair years of airport management “Did we tell the mayor he Cindy C. Harris presented the experience, and must be cer- only gets 10 immediate con- next request for immediate tified by the FAA and siderations a year,” asked approval for a revised job MassDOT Aeronautics Allie jokingly. description for the airport Department. Figy responded, “He’s manager. Harris said very Before the unanimous new,” before the resolution minor changes had been vote, Harris said immediate was approved. Fair Housing Continued from Page 1 Westfield. Planning Commission is Decoursey at (413) 781-6045 The dinner is primarily for making the arrangements, or [email protected], and renters, for people who may and this will be the first time indicate whether they wish to have been discriminated since he’s been involved with be reimbursed for costs of Protest against or denied housing, the city that he will be attend- childcare and transportation. Continued from Page 1 and for residents with con- ing a dinner in City Council Any questions on the event cerns about access to Fair chambers. may be directed to Miller at you only pay 30% or 40% astating as they can utilize ings are specifically designed Housing. Miller said the Residents may RSVP to Jill 413-572-6246. of the healthcare costs and the their personal sick days for to stop open discussions other percentage is covered.” family sick days. Haseltine through their rules, such as the Haseltine said there are said he wished students and ‘Public comment will exclude some educators who are in the public were allowed to personnel issues,’ and that they Real Estate Reality offered at The Westfield Senior Center favor of the new contract discuss these issues with the are unable to directly reply,” negotiations, however, these School Committee.