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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Don’t talk about what you have done or what you are going to do.” — PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON
www.thewestfieldnews.com MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 142
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Council approves solar farm tax incentive By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to approve a 20-year tax agreement with Westfield Solar LLC to construct a 12-acre solar farm at the former J.W. Cowles Construction site located at 219 Russellville Road. City Advancement Officer Joe Mitchell presented details of the agreement, requested by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, that will give Westfield Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc., a $2,000 tax reduction for the first 10 years of the tax Agreement. The council approved the agreement that will require Consolidated Edison to pay the city $8,000 a year for the solar farm equipment, which is taxed as personal property, for the first half of the agreement, and then pay $10,000 a year for the last 10 years of the agreement. Mitchell said the agreement only applies to the solar equipment and that the property owner will continue to pay property taxes at the full rate for that property. The site includes a total of 37 acres. Mitchell said that the site currently is unsuitable for use because of the presence of construction debris, including 56,000 tons of asphalt from roads, and that Westfield Solar will have to spend more than $300,000 to mitigate. “This tax agreement is competitive and advantageous for the city because the site is currently an eyesore,” Mitchell said. “Westfield Solar will need to clean the site before the solar array is constructed.” The project will be required to go before the Planning Board to petition for a special permit and before the Conservation Commission because of the wetlands on the property. The company has yet to file applications with those boards. Principal Planner Jay Vinskey said the special permit is required because the property is over an aquifer and any development requires a special permit for water resource protection. Conservation Coordinator Karen Leigh said that she walked the property with representatives of Consolidated Edison and determined that Westfield Solar will have to file with the Conservation Commission because of the number of wetlands which could be impacted. “There are a number of small isolated wetlands that Wayne created when he was mining sand and dug down into the water table, then left, so we had a preliminary discussion about wetland replication to improve and consolidate wetlands on the property,” Leigh said. “From a conservation point of view, this is good because we will get more wetlands on the property, but it will be up to the commission to make a final decision,” Leigh said. Leigh said that the material currently on the site will be ground down and used to level the gourd where the company plans to construct solar farm.
WVTHS See additional graduation photos on Pages 5, 6, and 7 today as well as our ‘Class of 2015’ special supplement inside this Saturday, June 13 edition of The Westfield News. Look for our complete collection of phones online at www.thewestfieldnews.smugmug.com.
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Gateway graduates ‘Class of 2015’ By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON — Gateway Regional High School’s Class of 2015 held their graduation Friday evening under beautiful blue and white-streaked skies, despite the threat of rain earlier in the week. Eighty graduates proceeded into the playing field area that had been set up for the ceremonies in front of a packed crowd of well-wishers. The band and choirs played the National Anthem, followed by brief opening remarks from High School Principal Jason S. Finnie. “If I were to sum up my impression of this class, I would say that unlike many their age, they understand the purpose of a high school education,” he said. “They’ve rejected the notion that a high school education
GRHS is merely a means to an end, Several of the speakers and instead have embraced referred to the initiatives of the opportunity to spread the graduating class, includtheir wings; testing the ing a new Red Cross club `winds of change’ before and Model United Nations, deciding to go with the which according to Senior flow.” Class President Cory Bisbee,
was “extraordinary – here, as well as at UMass, at UConn, at Boston College, at New York University, and at Yale.” In his speech, Bisbee also shared some challenging words about the world the seniors were about to inherit. “The environment, for example, is being devastated by human activities,” Bisbee said. “But we are not without hope. The stone age did not come to an end because we ran out of stones, rather, we came up with better alternatives,” “It’s Friday, June 5th and today we graduate, entering a world where we will be judged not by the content of our character, but by the contents of our pockets and purses. We live in a nation founded on equality, in See Gateway, Page 3
Selectmen support R.A.D. program
YMCA event raises $25,000 for programs WESTFIELD – The YMCA of Greater Westfield’s premier event was held on Saturday, May 30, on the campus of Westfield State University. This year’s feature entertainment, Bella Electric Strings, rocked the audience with their blistering virtuoso solos and unique arrangements. From the Star Spangled Banner, to the closing electrifying rendition of Free Bird, the event was a smashing success. Over $25,000 was raised. These funds will support the important work of the YMCA and the programs it provides to our community. These signature YMCA programs are specifically designed to develop the whole person in spirit, mind and body. Programs include early childhood education, before and after school care, summer camp, youth See YMCA Event, Page 5
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Selectman Russell Fox asked the Board of Selectmen last week to help the Southwick Police Department bring back the R.A.D. program. Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) is a program designed to provide women with the techniques and concepts needed for defending oneself. It employs easy, effective, and proven self-defense/martial arts tactics but is not a martial arts program. In addition to tactics, the program also teaches awareness and prevention, as well as risk reduction and avoidance. Police Chief David Ricardi requested $1,500 to fund R.A.D. in his FY2016 budget request but the board asked for tight budgets this year and the funds were cut. Fox asked if the board could use its gift account for the program. “The chief was looking to start up the R.A.D. pro-
SCHOOL STREET IS RE-OPENED!
gram and I’m asking that if we have the funds, we give the chief the funds for R.A.D.,” said Fox. The goal of the program is to develop and enhance the options of self-defense, so that they may become viable considerations to the woman who is attacked. R.A.D. enables women to take a more active role in protecting themselves and in their psychological well being. It is a completely natural response when an individual resists during a violent encounter. Yet, unless a woman has developed her options of resistance with education and training, the resistance she attempts may be futile. R.A.D. tries to strengthen innate survival techniques by making her options more available. Preparation through education and training is usually the best way to survive an assault situation. The class ends with a simulation scenario where the student is able to employ self defense techniques in the training environment.
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