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TUESDAY, JUNE 27,3,2017 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2017
Proposed medical district zoning process moves forward By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—After discussion about process and concerns from residents, the Westfield City Council voted to close the public hearing on the proposed medical district zoning in a special meeting scheduled prior to their regularly scheduled meeting. The proposal will now be going to the Legislative and Ordinance and Zoning, Planning and Development subcommittees of the City Council for further deliberation and potential changes. The medical district zoning is a proposal that would create a zone around the area of Baystate Noble Hospital and could
Former Planning Board member and Westfield resident Carl Vincent addresses City Council during the special meeting on the medical district zoning Nov. 2. change the process for the hospital to make changes, such as having site plans go before the Westfield Planning Board instead of the Zoning Board of Appeals. The proposal also currently lists permitted uses, which
“would include a hospital, medical or dental offices, clinics, nursing homes and rehabilitation services, social services and parking facilities along with ‘accessory See Medical District, Page 8
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Finance Committee debate suspended, spills onto Council floor By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Finance Committee, chaired by Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr. with At-large Council members Matthew T. VanHeynigen and Dave Flaherty, convened Thursday at 5:15 p.m. just before the 6 p.m. scheduled public hearing on the medical district. In front of the committee was the ordinance to add a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position to the city. Also on the agenda were transfers, appropriations and a managed appropriation reduction of $1.5 million from the Mayor’s office, requested for immediate consideration at the prior City Council meeting on October 18, but objected to by Flaherty
and sent to Finance. It takes only one objection by a Councilor to end immediate consideration of an item. Also present at the meeting were a majority of city councilors and Mayor Brian P. Sullivan along with multiple city department heads in support of the Mayor’s requests. The first of the Mayor’s requests, Item #2 was a transfer of $100,000 from the Health Insurance Benefits account to the Stabilization Fund Balance account, which came from savings gained in a two-week employee health care holiday in October. Paul asked if there was any discussion. See Debate, Page 8
Humason follows up on taxpayer commute investigation
SEN. DON HUMASON.
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent WESTFIELD – In yesterday’s Westfield News, it was reported that Boston’s FOX25 published an investigative story about Massachusetts lawmakers charging taxpayer’s for their commute to the Boston statehouse. Sen. Don Humason, who represents 11 communities in Western Massachusetts, was one of the legislators who was involved in the FOX25 investigative story. In the story published on Nov. 2, it was stated that, Humason, a Republican, noted that he voted against the pay raise and change in pier diem’s, as Democrats pushed
for the move. However, Humason said that it was made unclear to him as to when the change would info effect this year and said that the Democrats changed the language at some point to have the law go into effect on Jan. 4. “I inadvertently applied for pier diem’s that I was already being paid for,” said Humason. On Thursday, the Westfield News followed up with Humason as he added to his explanation in the initial story. Humason called the State Treasurer’s office in January and spoke to Mark Finnerty about the issue that he discovered. “Should I be filing my pier diem’s?” said Humason to Finnerty.
“He said “go ahead and file and if there’s an issue we’ll take care of it,” “so I filed.” Humason said. Saying that the treasurer’s office never informed him in January, Humason received a letter from Finnerty on Thursday. Finnerty’s response to Humason stated: “We made a mistake in interpreting the effective date of the travel reimbursement section of the new law. The effective date we used was January 31, 2017 when it should have been January 4, 2017. To rectify this I would like to process a correction in the payroll system in the amount you were paid. At the bottom of the letter, Finnerty added that he was looking for autho-
rization from Humason to agree for Finnerty to process the reimbursement from his check that was dated on November 17, 2017. The check included eight days in Boston that totaled out to $528. Humason has agreed to allow the authorization and ensures the community that his intent was never to take taxpayer’s money, as his issue was the fact that he was unclear with when the new pier diem law was in effect. “I’m repaying the money that I was payed for January when I put in the pier diem’s,” said Humason. “I tried to do the right thing, I’m not trying to fraud the citizens of my district or the commonwealth.”
Westfield Police seeking assistance finding man
Southwick Country Club owner to sell property
Salvation Army offering holiday meals; donations sought
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–The Westfield Police Department is seeking assistance in finding a male who had reportedly pushed an elderly woman, which resulted in her being transported to the hospital. Westfield Police are seeking information on the male, who was described as possibly in his 60s with a thin build and gray hair, drives a gray or brown vehicle and reportedly collects cans. Police reported that the victim also noted that he had spoken Russian to her. The woman went to the police department and reported the incident on Oct. 31, shortly before 8:30 a.m., which was said to have occurred around 6 a.m. on Crane Avenue and Leonard Avenue. According to Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe, the elderly woman was reportedly pushed twice, both times after attempting to talk to the man. It was reported that she fell to the ground after the second push and reportedly sustained a “3 inch gash on her forehead,” according to the police log. She was transported to Baystate Noble Hospital via Westfield Fire ambulance and personnel. If you have any information, you can contact the Westfield Police Department at (413)562-5411.
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – Southwick Country Club Owner Bill Najam filed papers on Thursday to sell the 110-acre property. A development entity called Fiore Realty Holdings, LLC is interested in purchasing the land. Dick Fiore, who is the Vice President of Fiore Realty, has Southwick Country been in discussions with Najam Club. in recent months about acquiring the land. With all 110 acres of land zoned residential, Fiore knows what his family business is most likely going to do with the property. “We would like to build single family homes,” said Fiore. “That’s certainly what we’re planning on doing.” However, since there was a tax abatement agreement in the past on the land that permits it as recreational property, the town of Southwick has the right to match the sales price from Fiore Realty and purchase the country club. This leaves the town as the primary party to purchase and Fiore Realty as the
By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church on Main Street will be the setting for families to sign up for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, according to Laurie Matthews, volunteer service unit coordinator for the local Salvation Army office. Salvation Army representatives will be at the church from Nov. 6-10 and Nov. 13-17 from 9 a.m. to noon to sign up families in need of a holiday meal. The distribution of Thanksgiving items will be conducted Nov. 20-22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church. “We are also at this time looking for donations of turkeys and any fixings to go along with them,” said Matthews, noting that potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce are among the food items sought. Donations can be dropped off at the church during any of the scheduled sign-up hours. “We still have our largest donor of about 150 turkeys and several smaller donors, but will be short in the fixings department,” said Matthews, adding that over the past several years the organization has lost several long-time donors who have chosen to give to other charities. “We lost a school that used to do a food drive that would provide the majority of our fixings because now the schools are doing their own baskets,” said Matthews. “I believe multiple agencies are also getting involved with distributing Thanksgiving meals because the need in the community is growing larger than ever.”
See Country Club, Page 7