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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 86 NO. 12
“There are three ingredients to the good life: learning, earning, and yearning.” — CHRISTOPHER MORLEY
75 cents
MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2017
CROSS STREET PLAYGROUND
Westfield District Court to be named for Chief Justice John Greaney WESTFIELD – The Court house on Elm Street in downtown Westfield will now be known as the John M. Greaney District Court. On Friday, Governor Charlie Baker officially signed into law House Bill 1642, a petition put forth by Representative John Velis to name the Courthouse after the esteemed Westfield native. Justice John M. Greaney sat on the bench for 34 years before retiring at the mandatory age of 70. In that time, he distinguished himself in four separate judgeships in the Commonwealth, and presided over some of Massachusetts’s landmark Supreme Judicial Court Cases. Now, the Courthouse he started his career in will officially bear his name. “Judge Greaney is one of the most respected legal minds in the Commonwealth. As an attor-
AG’s office requests SJC hear appeal on Article 97 protection
JUSTICE JOHN GREANEY ney, a member of the Judiciary Committee, and an admirer of Judge Greaney’s, I am glad that our city will now honor him in such a significant way,” said Representative Velis, who also considers Greaney a family friend. Echoing those sentiments, Senator Humason, who co-sponsored the bill in the Massachusetts Senate, remarked, “I am See Greaney, Page 5
By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Office of the Attorney General wrote a letter on September 30, 2016, asking the Supreme Judicial Court to hear the appeal of Smith et al. versus The City of Westfield citing “a substantial public interest in reversing the Appeals Court’s decision and clarifying an ambiguity in the Court’s decision about what public lands are protected by Article 97. The Supreme Judicial Court decided at the end of December to hear the appeal. Thomas Smith, lead citizen-plaintiff in the case along with his brother Daniel, told The Westfield News that the letter from Assistant Attorney General Seth Schofield came “out of the blue” to their attorney, Thomas A. Kenefick, III.
Smith and his brother, who live in Holyoke, grew up at 36 Cross Street where their mother, Virginia B. Smith still resides at age 90. The house is the closest at 60 feet to the pro See Cross Street Playground, Page 5
Town waiting for announcement of MassDOT project By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The town of Southwick sent out an application to the MassDOT’s Municipal Small Bridge Program back on Oct. 31, 2016. On Dec. 30, MassDOT’s district office in Northampton responded that they have received the town’s application and it would be forwarded to the Boston office for further consideration. The Municipal Small Bridge Program is important for Southwick as Shurtleff Brook on North Loomis St. is a deteriorating bridge in town that needs to be replaced. DPW Director Randy Brown, who is working with the state in hopes of See Bridge Project, Page 3
Fatal accident on Coes Hill Rd. RALPH FIGY
CINDY HARRIS
City councilors start effort to increase tax exemptions for veterans By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – A letter from At-large City Councilor Cindy C. Harris and Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Figy was hand-delivered to State Representative John C. Velis at his home in Westfield on Friday, requesting that he initiate legislation that will increase the statutory real estate tax exemptions for qualifying veterans. Harris explained that property owners who are veterans receive a tax exemption for their service, an amount that has not increased in fifteen years. “We feel it is appropriate at this time to present it to the legislature to increase the amounts,” Harris said. Harris described herself as a Gold Star daughter, whose father died in the Korean War. She said she is passionate about helping “those who fought for our country.” “Hopefully, this is something our legislators can get behind to do something to help our veterans statewide,” said Figy, who co-signed the letter. He said through their work on the City Council, he and Harris found out that the city doesn’t set the tax exemptions. In order to change
The bridge is narrow and can only accommodate one travel lane for vehicles. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
See Councilors, Page 3
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – A fatal accident occurred in the area of 21 Coes Hill Rd. on Friday evening. According to the information from the Southwick Police Department, the accident occurred at approximately 6:50 p.m. Southwick police arrived to the scene and encountered a single vehicle accident which crashed into a large tree. There was only one occupant and that individual was extracted from the vehicle by the Southwick Fire Department. The person was transported by Westfield EMS to Noble Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 7:26 p.m. The accident is currently under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police and the Southwick Police Department.
Southwick Fire Department discusses life saving idea for upcoming budget By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – Earlier this week, Chief Russ Anderson of the Southwick Fire Department discussed his budget plans for the upcoming year. The majority of Anderson’s budget revolves around being able to acquire ALS (Advance Life Support) members for the fire department. Currently and in the past, the department has used basic life support, which involves EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians). ALS would allow the department to have paramedics, which would be a major benefit for not only Anderson’s staff, but for the whole community. “It increases your patient care,” said Anderson. If there is a life-threatening emergency in town, the paramedics will be able to respond a
lot quicker and more effectively than having an ambulance drive to the nearest hospital. “Those things that would start in the emergency room, are starting with the paramedics,” said Anderson. The Select Board supported Anderson’s interest for ALS moving forward. “We intend to be very diligent this year on going to ALS,” said Select Board Chairman Russ Fox. In order for ALS to be fully effective for the fire department, all of the proper equipment and supplies will be costs that the town of Southwick will need to give a closer look at. Once the Select Board, the Finance Committee, and other town officials finish the budget process in the later months, the proposal for ALS will go to a vote at the annual town meeting in May. In the case that ALS would be approved, there
would be a long process ahead for it to be completely implemented into the department. The license for ALS would take about three years, as training would have to be implemented as well as other requirements. Once the town and the fire department would finish that process, ALS would be able to be used 24 hours, seven days a week. Anderson said that ALS paramedics and EMT’s would start working on shifts together, especially at crucial times of the day. According to Anderson, about 70% of the department’s calls happen between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. But, for now, Anderson is glad that the Select Board is in support of ALS as the process moves forward. “This is a huge commitment for the Select Board and the town,” said Anderson. “We’ll pursue it together.”
Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson discussed his ideas for the department’s budget at last week’s Select Board meeting. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)