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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015

VOL. 84 NO. 035

Roeder readying run

Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, left, and Michael L. Roeder faced off during a Mayoral Candidate Forum sponsored by The Westfield News Group and the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce staged at the Westfield Vocational-Technical High School auditorium in 2013. (File photo by Frederick Gore)

By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Less than two years after nearly upsetting Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, Michael L. Roeder said he is ready to make another run for mayor this fall. “I want this to be a nice, clean campaign on the issues and I think that’s what will happen,” said Roeder yesterday, adding that he received a call from City Council President Brian Sullivan saying he intended to run for the office, too – a gesture Roeder appreciated. Set to appear on The Westfield News Radio Show next Thursday morning on WSKB 89.5 FM., Roeder added that his campaign has begun sending out fundraising letters and will be holding a meet-and-greet sometime by the end of the month. “We’re going to start picking it up. It’s very early in the game, but that’s the reality,” he said, adding that he will need to amass a considerable war chest to have a shot at beating Sullivan. “I’m going to do a lot more fundraising. I didn’t do a

lot last time,” said Roeder. “Last time, my wife and I footed the bill for a lot of our costs.” As to whether he can run again as the political outsider again, like he did against Knapik, Roeder believes that he can. “I would certainly put Brian Sullivan in the KnapikSullivan side of the equation. They’ve been around a long time and my campaign is going to be that we need a change of perspective,” he said, adding that he wants to take a similar approach to how Gov. Charlie Baker has set about reviewing expenses on Beacon Hill. “I’m going to emphasize even more the expense side, a complete review of every contract,” he said. “There are a lot of economic issues.” Roeder said he doesn’t intend to borrow any money, but that city officials could end up putting out a massive, city council-approved school bond that he would have to deal with should he be elected. “I see this as an even field,” he said, before conceding

Knapik not selected for Walpole position

Budget sessions begin By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Budget season is underway and the first of two budget hearings this month is set for tomorrow. The Southwick Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee will meet with town department heads and committees beginning at 8 a.m. in the Land Use Hearing Room at Town Hall. The Southwick Board of Health will start the sessions, and the Fire Department will be the last of the 13 hearings tomorrow. Hearings range from five minutes to 40 minutes each. Selectmen Chairman Russell Fox said the hearings are open to RUSS FOX the public but they are not open for discussion from the audience. Fox said until the aid numbers come in from the governor, house and senate, the budget cannot be finalized. Each department was given the same directive as last year. “We asked them to do a level budget and a five-percent cut,” said Fox. “Southwick is a conservative community when it comes to finances.” Fox said the board does not anticipate any See Budget Sessions, Page 3

WSU campus sculpture damaged beyond repair WESTFIELD (AP) — A landmark sculpture of the globe on the campus of Westfield State University that was damaged by students celebrating the New England Patriots Super Bowl victory is beyond repair. Interim President Elizabeth Preston said in a message to the campus Thursday that the sculpture known as The Globe can’t be fixed, and urged students to mount a fundraising campaign for a new one. The Republican reports that campus police

are still working on identifying the vandals. Online videos show people rocking the aluminum globe and climbing inside and on it. The continent of Africa was damaged while the Americas disappeared. Preston said the sculpture “holds a special place in the hearts of Westfield State students and alumni, many of whom are saddened and angered by this unnecessary loss.”

Kiwanis hold annual citywide spelling bee By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Jeremy McCormick stepped up to the microphone and flawlessly spelled “inaugural”, which proved to be the final word of the 2015 “Words with Friends” Spelling Bee last night. One hundred people packed into Westfield State University’s Dever Auditorium for the annual city-wide event run by the the Circle K Club of Westfield State with assistance from the Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS). McCormick was the champion of the Southampton Road School Spelling Bee and become the fourth champion in the event’s

See Roeder Run, Page 3

history. Each elementary school in the city held fifth grade spelling bees late last month, with the top performing fifth grade boy and girl from Abner Gibbs, Franklin Avenue, Highland, Juniper Park, Paper Mill, Southampton and St. Mary’s advancing to the “Words with Friends” event. McCormick edged out the second and third place spellers, Isabella Gallo of Franklin Avenue and Emma LaPoint of Juniper Park, in a thrilling final round that had the audience whooping and clapping. Prior to the event, which was moderated by Adam Wright, host of The Adam Wright Show on WHYN-AM 560, Westfield State

Circle K President Brian Farrell saluted the contributions of VIPS Coordinator and Founder Barbara Trant, who retired at the end of January and served as an integral part in the spelling bee’s success. New VIPS Coordinator Tina Macy was on hand last night for the event and said that following in the footsteps of legend like Trant will be a tall order. “It’s overwhelming to try and assume the role of someone who has done so much for the community,” said Macy. “She started something very special here 20 years ago.” Macy said she shadowed Trant during her final week as coordinator and marveled at her ability to connect with people.

“We’re getting new volunteers in our schools all the time,” said Macy. Ken Magarian, director of Advancement and University Relations at Westfield State University and a member of the Westfield Kiwanis Club, has helped coordinate the event with Circle K, the Kiwanis Club’s college wing, and Trant for these past four years, three of which it was held in a lecture auditorium in Wilson Hall. “We finally felt that we had enough people coming to it that Dever would be a better venue,” said Magarian. “Back then, we didn’t know how many people See Spelling Bee, Page 3

By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said yesterday morning that it was “close but no cigar” in his pursuit of the town administrator position in Walpole, a town in Norfolk County situated southwest of Boston. Knapik was in Walpole Wednesday evening for an interview with the two other finalists for the job at a meeting of the town’s selectboard. Asked of how he heard of the position, Knapik said earlier this week that he was notified by the town’s preMAYOR vious administrator DANIEL Michael Boynton, a M. KNAPIK Knapik associate from their days at Fairfield University. Knapik, who announced in January that he will not be seeking a fourth term this fall, was competing with Interim Town Administrator James Johnson and David Marciello, a former town administrator from the Bristol County See Knapik, Page 3