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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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“The man who has eaten enough will never believe a hungry one.” — ALBANIAN PROVERB
www.thewestfieldnews.com MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 038
Zone change public hearing slated By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Council voted to conduct a second public hearing on a zoning change petition submitted by developers seeking to construct duplex apartments on Russell Road. The City Council voted to conduct a second public hearing on the zoning change requested by Dave Briggs and Chad Hedges because the Law Department issued an opinion that the zone change has been substantially altered by the Planning Board. The City Council, as the city’s legislative branch, has the authority to change zoning classification. Both the council and the Planning Board conduct public hearings on zoning amendments. The Planning Board then makes a recommendation to the City Council on a final course of action and frequently seeks to amend the original petition. Briggs and Hedges, the owners of Big Buck Builders, LLC, are seeking to change the property at 419 and 431 Russell Road, two continuous parcels, to allow construction of the two duplex buildings on each lot. The developers originally submitted a petition to change the existing Rural Residential (RR) classification to Business A (BA). The Planning Board, concerned that the BA classification would allow uses not compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, voted to change the zoning amendment at its Dec. 16, 2014 meeting. The Planning Board had reservations about allowing the change to Business A because of the uses allowed in that zoning and suggested that the change be to Residence B (RB) instead and sent that recommendation to the City Council. The City Council conducted its
WESTFIELD SONS OF ERIN
Westfield High School senior Kristen Nicole Bonsall, 18, was named the Westfield Sons of Erin Colleen during the 34th Annual Sons of Erin Colleen Ball with more than 600 people in attendance at the Chez Josef Banquet Facility Friday. Bonsall is employed at the Bon-Ton and works as a tennis camp counselor and is a member of the Westfield High School Student Council, Key Club, and the Parent-Teacher-Student Organization. See all Colleen contestants Pages 6, 7. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Colleen named at Ball James Adams was selected as the 34th Annual Sons of Erin Parade Marshall during Friday night’s Westfield Sons of Erin Colleen Ball at the Chez Josef Banquet Facility where more than 600 people attended the sixhour event. Adams, along with a host of others will represent the City of Westfield in the Holyoke Saint Patrick’s Day Parade this year. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
See Hearing, Page 3
Stolen Valor Act getting widespread support By PETER FRANCIS Velis said he lobbied his fellow representatives Staff Writer hard at the end of January to sign on to this legislaBOSTON – State Rep. John Velis of the 4th tion, which he said has earned ringing endorseHampden District said late last week that a piece ments from fellow active duty representatives of legislation he has sponsored, the Stolen Valor Jerald Parisella, D-Beverly, and Harold “Hank” Act, is receiving serious bipartisan support. Naughton, D-Clinton. The bill serves as a beefed-up version of a “Every single person who was on the Veterans federal statute making it a felony for an individCommittee last session has signed on to it,” said ual to falsely claim military service for financial Velis. “The entire political spectrum – from the gain. most left-wing, liberal Democrats to the most In addition to the federal government, several right-wing, conservative Republicans – have states already have similar laws on their books, signed on to this.” but the Westfield Democrat, a captain in the A sentiment of “outright disgust” was the genUnited States Army Reserve who served in comeral response to the sort of conduct Velis’ bill seeks bat in Afghanistan, is proposing the toughest REP. JOHN VELIS to outlaw in the Commonwealth and Velis said stolen valor law in the country, making it a crimimany of his colleagues were under the impression nal offense that could earn a fine of $1,000, a year that Massachusetts already had a stolen valor law on in prison, or both. the books. Velis said that he currently has 55 colleagues in the House of The next step for the bill is a hearing of the Joint Committee Representatives signed on as co-sponsors with more expected on Veterans Affairs, which will be a unique hearing for Velis, to affix their names to it. as he is likely to be placed on that committee this session and “As a war veteran, this kind of bipartisan support is abso- will testify in support of his own bill. lutely moving,” said Velis. “Most bills don’t get anywhere near this amount of co-sponsors.” See Stolen Valor, Page 3
75 cents
Another Monday, another snowday By PETER FRANCIS Staff Writer WESTFIELD – For the fourth straight Monday, students in the Westfield school district have been granted a day off from school due to inclement weather. While the city’s Department of Public Works has been busy plowing the streets since late last night, the big question on the minds of many is simple – what effect will all of these snow days have on the school year? According to Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion, the district is in good shape despite the accumulated snow days. “We’re still at June 23 now, so we’re still in better shape than other districts. Some of them are going until the end of June,” said Scallion last night shortly after the call to cancel Monday classes was made. “We had four teacher days before DR. SUZANNE Labor Day, so we’re in pretty good SCALLION shape as far as the calendar.” Scallion said that the decision to call off school today was mostly due to the forecast predicting snow all day. “Even if you were to get kids to school safely, there is no guarantee that the roads will be cleared out for the afternoon dismissal,” she said. “When there is snow all day, it is an easy call. Even if it is a light snow predicted, you’ve got to know it’ll be cleared when you put the kids back on the street.” Scallion said that it may still be too soon to say with any certainty how these snow days will plan out for the school year. “There are times, when you have extraordinary weather, when you get exemptions from the state,” she explained. “But that’s usually not until later in the winter, usually March 1.” The likelihood is high that there could be even more snow arriving in the greater Westfield area by week’s end, according to Scallion. “We’ve got another storm coming in Thursday into Friday, we’ve got horrifically cold weather predicted for Friday into the weekend,” she said. “It is unbelievable.” In the event that the district accumulates enough snow days to force a June 30 final day, Scallion said that a decision would have to be made by the city’s School Committee regarding how to make up those snow days. “The options would be on some Saturdays during the school year,” she said. “I’m not a fan of interfering with vacations, because families plan them so far in advance.” Gov. Charlie Baker says Massachusetts is battling the cumulative impact of storms that have dropped more than six feet of snow in recent weeks. Baker told a briefing at the state’s emergency management center this morning that highway crews have removed enough snow from state roads over the last two weeks to See Snow Day, Page 3
Snow-covered U.S. Postal Service vehicles sit idle today in Marlborough. New England and portions of New York state awoke to a fresh blanket of snow as a storm threatening to bring up to 1 to 2 feet to some areas churned across the Northeast, making for a slippery, tedious commute to start the workweek. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)