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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
Preserve North Pond project looking for donations By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – With 2,900’ feet in lake frontage and 3,700’ feet in road frontage, this North Pond land on Congamond Lake is a very appealing piece of property. The 144-acre, two parcel property includes North Pond as well as the Wildlife Management Area. Sole owner of the land, Denis LeClair-Robbins, has had an official appraisal conducted on the North Pond land, estimating to be about $5 million. LeClair-Robbins has put a one-year option on the property, which gives members of the Town of Southwick one year to raise $5 million in funds in order to preserve the North Pond land. A project has been set in place to preserve the land. John Whalley, owner of several businesses in Southwick and the creator of Whalley Park, has developed a plan. Along with the help of Conservation Commission coordinator Dennis Clark, Historical Commission treasurer David Gunn, and Southwick Fish and Wildlife agent Sam Lovejoy, Whalley has organized a way to start the fundraiser. The plan is to have businesses in Southwick contribute to the fundraising. Whalley is looking for 20 businesses that can donate up to $50,000 each. The ultimate goal is to have a total $1 million in fundraising from the 20 businesses. One of Whalley’s businesses, the American Inn, is the first business to donate $50,000. Whalley has a specific method to how the money would be raised. Each business that donates, will match five cents for every dollar that is donated. If a business donates $500, each business would then match it with five cents, which would double the amount to $1,000. It is also highly encouraged for businesses in Southwick to donate any amount they can, in an effort to help See North Pond, Page 3
Seen in the distance are two boats parked near the shore of North Pond. North Pond is a popular destination for boats to dock. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius.” — EDWARD GIBBON
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 150
“Conversation
75 cents
MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016
Darling, known as the ‘go-to guy,’ is retiring By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-Charles “Woody” Darling was the “go-to guy,” according to his colleagues who wished him well on his retirement on Friday afternoon at the Public Works headquarters on Sackett Street. Darling, whose last day on the job will be July 1, was feted at a luncheon marking his 25 years serving the city of Westfield. He was surrounded by more than 75 city employees who came to say goodbye, and was joined by his wife Ann Tumavicus, daughter, Mairi Tumavicus, and son, Charlie Darling. Those attending the festive affair enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, as well as a host of homemade salads and desserts. Francis Cain, assistant director of public works, noted that Darling handled all of the engineering requirements for the city’s drinking water from watershed protection and dam safety to water treatment and water delivery. Additionally, Darling’s responsibilities included working with the state Department of Environmental Protection office as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on compliance regulations. “Woody is a cornerstone for this department with his superior understanding of all things to do with water,” said Cain. “The city is very lucky to have had Woody work for them.” When he wasn’t surrounded by well-wishers, Darling noted his job was varied over the years and he relished the opportunity “to take a project from conception to the end.” Darling, now 69, grew up in Westfield and after earning a degree in nuclear engineering, he found himself working at nuclear power plants around the country but his heart was always yearning to return to the city. “His last job was at a nuclear power plant in Kansas but he wanted to work in Westfield,” said Ann Tumavicus. City councilors who dropped by during the luncheon to say thank you to Darling included Mary Ann Babinski, Ward 1, and Mary O’Connell, Ward
Charles “Woody” Darling is surrounded by his family, daughter Mairi Tumavicus, son, Charlie Darling, and wife Ann Tumavicus, during a luncheon to celebrate his retirement. Another daughter, Tianna Darling, was working and unable to attend the event.
City councilors Mary Ann Babinski and Mary O’Connell congratulate Charles “Woody” Darling on his retirement during a luncheon on Friday. 4. “He has always been so concerned about our water,” said Babinski, noting Darling has also served for years on the Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee. O’Connell echoed those sentiments.
“He has worked quietly and efficiently to protect us,” said O’Connell. Colleagues also praised Darling’s work ethic and demeanor. “Woody is always very thorough and we can count on him to be accurate,” said Steven Fernandes, deputy superintendent of the water division. “He will be missed tremendously. He was the go-to guy. When there was a question – everyone would say – ask Woody.” Gary Fontaine, the water division foreman, concurred. “Woody is always very efficient and will be missed,” said Fontaine, adding, “I wish him God speed on a happy retirement.” Darling’s children were also proud to see their dad receive the accolades from a distinguished career in the advancement and See Woody, Page 3
Southwick decision makers discuss future of emergency dispatching By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent SOUTHWICK—The town’s emergency dispatching could see major changes in the next few years. The Southwick Select Board met with Fire Chief Russ Anderson, Police Chief David Ricardi and Mass. public safety research firm Carell Group on June 20, to discuss joining a feasibility study with other towns regarding regionalized dispatching. Those involved have not decided if it will join the Carell Group, but are considering it as the state pushes them towards regionalization. The potential for regionalization—which means that several cities or towns have a central group dispatching fire, emergency medical services (EMS) and police for them that may or may not be in their municipality—has come as technology has changed and become more expensive for the state to maintain. Select Board member Doug Moglin said that the state government has to fund updates to dispatching technology in Mass. towns, so they
would like to lower costs and concentrate funds. “The state has been looking at this at several different levels to try to get towns together to try to get economies together,” Moglin said. “I have to do a lot of studying on this, but it does look like something that the state and the technology is driving towards, just don’t know when,” he added. According to regionalbestpractices.org, there are currently 269 different dispatching centers cover 312 towns and 39 cities across the Commonwealth. Cutting down on the total amount of these could save municipalities and the state significant money—especially as technology needs to be replaced or installed to keep up with new mandates. But the town’s Select Board is not only concerned with the money that could be saved through regionalization, but are also looking at the jobs of dispatchers that could be lost within the town. Additionally, the town benefits from having a local dispatcher that has intimate knowledge about the area.
CHIEF DAVID RICARDI
Southwick fire and medical personnel presently carry a small tone-activated pager to communicate medical and fire information to responding personnel. (File photo)
“There’s times when dispatchers get very vague information, so knowing locations, addresses and names helps with that,” Anderson said. “We lose that going with a local regional center.” At this point though, no cost or change is in the immediate future, although the Carell Group is offering Southwick a chance to join the feasibility study free-of-charge. They requested a decision from the town by July. But Ricardi does not see a decision coming that quickly for the town. “They know the summer months are here, they know a decision
won’t be made,” Ricardi said. “I’m looking at the end of the year, the beginning of next year.” Still, Ricardi understands the value of the study and what it can bring to Southwick. “If this is going to happen in the future—which I truly believe it is—we’ll be three steps ahead of the game because we already have the knowledge,” he said. Another benefit was suggested by Anderson, saying that more dispatchers mean more effective dispatching and emergency management. Currently, Southwick See Dispatching, Page 3
Barnes noise mitigation continues By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Neighbors of Barnes Municipal Airport have had some turbulence over noise reduction efforts. As the airport continues its noise compliance program with the FAA, it is seeing changes and trying to work with the homeowners and policy makers in the city to make sure the plans go smoothly. The program has called for the purchasing and demolishing of some homes, while sound insulating others, and is sponsored by both the federal and state governments. Along the way though, plans have changed and Brian Barnes, airport manager at Barnes, has tried to mitigate any issues that have arisen because of this. “There are people who are concerned about the program, which you’ll have,” Barnes said. “But it’s a small percentage.” Barnes said that he and Wyle Acoustical Engineering, who is the firm working alongside Barnes in the noise mitigation program, have received newer models from the FAA, which are expected to impact the plans originally laid out. “Nothing changed yet, but it will be changed,” Jane Verbeck, programming manager for Wyle, said. The program’s changes will come from the noise contour map that was generated after further studies were done on sound coming from the airport. They found that some homes were now in higher decibel areas that were originally not, meaning that some homes will now be eligible for acquisition.
This has caused a problem for some homeowners because they were originally told that their homes were going to be soundinsulated but remain standing, and now the homes are going to be potentially acquired and demolished instead. “They’re upset because they can be acquired or have to wait two to five years to potentially be sound-insulated,” Verbeck said. This change appears to have drawn the ire of those in the directly-affected area of Cara Lane, which prompted homeowner Carol Shannon to write a letter to the editor in The Westfield News about it. In part of the letter, published Feb. 19, Shannon writes: “Over the course of the better part of the past 10 years, we have been told our properties don’t fall within the contours, do fall within the contours, then do not again. Most recently, my property has been designated as in the ‘acquisition area’ along with 3 other homes on my street. The remainder of my street, which consists of 9 homes on a cul de sac; are not considered in the acquisition area. But in spite of this complaint, Barnes said that people are supportive. “A lot of people were looking into the program and looking toward it,” he said, regarding the acquisition and noise mitigation processes.
The control tower and a plane hangar at Barnes. “A majority of people are very happy with it,” Barnes added. So far, Verbeck said that 10 homes have been acquired through the program, while 84 have been sound-insulated. However, there are 25 homes still eligible for acquisition– some of which are on Cara Lane–as well as an additional 192 homes eligible for noise reduction. The number of homes means that it will take a significant amount of time for the program to complete, and as the changes in noise levels in certain areas modify the program, so can the future of the airport and aviation. “We don’t know what’s down the road for aviation,” Barnes See Noise, Page 3