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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 251
The Westfield News will run its masthead in pink, in recognition of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2016
Westfield Police ID Russellville Road crash victim By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Westfield Police have identified the person who died in a car crash on Russellville Road Saturday night. Westfield Police’s Capt. Michael McCabe reported that Justin Messier, 24, of West Springfield, died in the crash. Messier was a passenger in a vehicle that struck a tree Saturday night around 11:30 p.m. There were no other vehicles involved. The operator, who was the only other occupant in the vehicle, was also injured and Westfield Fire paramedics transported them to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Police did not release the identity of the driver. Additionally, McCabe said the accident is still under investigation and did not provide a cause. The road near where the accident occurred was closed until Sunday morning in order to allow police to investigate the accident and clean the scene. The Massachusetts State Police Collision and Accident Reconstruction Bureau is assisting with the investigation. Members of the Community Preservation Committee held public hearing and funding request meeting Thursday at City Hall. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Community Preservation Commission gets public input, approves request for funding By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Community Preservation Commission held a public hearing on Thursday to hear comments and input on past and future projects to be funded by Community Preservation Act funds, which currently total approx. $1.3 million. Following the public hearing portion, the Commission voted to approve a request for one-quarter of a million dollars to restore the porch on the Bismark Hotel, built in 1900. At the start of the meeting, city planner Jay Vinskey gave a short presentation about the CPA to the commission and the dozen or so members of the public who attended the hearing. “What’s worth preserving, what’s not. What’s worth putting public
resources into, what’s not. Thinking in that context,” Vinskey said of the commission’s work. He said they are trying to be proactive, instead of only reactive to someone bringing something forward. He also talked about the four different funding areas: open space, historical resources, community housing, recreational land and activities, noting that over the 13 years of the program, more projects have been for historic resources (17) and open space (9) than for community housing (5) or for recreation land (4). Each area has a certain amount of money designated to it by the CPA. To date, 35 projects have been funded for a total of $6.2 million. In response to a question about open space, Vinskey said the Commission voted to purchase the
development rights to 100 acres at the last meeting via the Winding River Land Conservancy, and another 75 acres last year. He said generally they look for a donation or reduced rate, but in theory could match a developer’s bid. Cynthia Gaylord, the member on the CPC representing the Historical Commission, noted that with the last parcel, the owner didn’t want it developed. CPC chair Joe Muto said that scenario, where the land is kept in private hands but with an agreement not to develop it, is better for the city. He also explained that Winding River maintains the restrictions on the land. CPC member Thomas E. Sharp, representing the Conservation Commission answered Vinskey’s
Student Think Tank was catalyst for new role By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-Trust and autonomy in professional relationships are lessons Devon Kurtz has learned which will serve him well in his new role as an associate editor at The Dartmouth Review. During a recent phone interview, Kurtz said he was “shocked” when he discovered the editors had chosen him for the position. “I was shocked when I found out that they chose me,” said Kurtz, a 2016 graduate of Westfield High School who served as class president and valedictorian. He is the son of Lori and Eugene Kurtz. “Dartmouth in general is an extremely competitive place, and it often seems like every
See CPC, Page 3
See STT, Page 6
DEVON KURTZ
Early Voting in Blandford, Montgomery and Russell
Club salutes military kids with unique program By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-A unique program for kids with parents serving in the military is offered during “drill weekends” once a month at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield. This past weekend, a Boys & Girls Club bus departed Barnes ANG filled with young people eager to meet up with friends they have made over the months and years that they have attended the program titled “Operation Military Kids Club.” In Massachusetts, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America initiative is conducted in collaboration with UMass Extension 4-H, UMass School of The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield hosts an Operation Military Kids Club each month for kids Public Health and Sciences, the state Department of Education, the whose parents serve in the military. On Sunday mornSee Military Kids, Page 3 ing, Charisse Angco and Janis Rodriguez, both site coordinators, were overseeing the arts and crafts class.
By AMY PORTER Correspondent All registered voters will be able to vote before Election Day for the first time ever in Massachusetts. Early voting will begin on October 24th and continue through November 4th, 2016. Prior to the enactment of this new law, the only way a registered voter was allowed to vote prior to Election Day was through absentee voting. Although absentee voting will still be available for registered voters who qualify, only those who will be absent from their city or town on Election Day, or have a disability that prevents them from going to the polls, or have a religious belief preventing the same, are legally allowed to vote by absentee See Early Voting, Page 6
Mass DOT began the layout work for the Feeding Hills Road project By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The project on Feeding Hills Rd. started its preliminary work this week as Mass DOT (Massachusetts Department of Transportation), who is heading the project, began the layout work on the road. In advance of construction, Mass DOT laid out stakes and control points for the construction that will be done. According to Southwick
DPW Director Randy Brown, the project isn’t expected to start until 2017 as a set date has not yet been determined. The project concerns involves new signals and left-hand turning lanes at certain intersections. Off of Feeding Hills Rd., the intersection of Powder Mill Rd. and Hudson Dr. will be having new signals and left-hand turning lanes as well as the intersection of North Longyard Rd. and Foster Rd.
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While Brown did point out there is a signal at Foster Rd., there are currently no left-hand turning lanes at those specific intersections. “There are none currently,” said Brown. “It will certainly help vehicles turning onto Feeding Hills Rd.” As the Southwick Regional School, Powder Mill School, and Woodland School are all off of Powder Mill Rd., the hope is to have the result of the project make it easier for people coming in and out of those schools.
“There’s always a backup of traffic pulling out of the school parking lot,” said Brown. “It will help ease that congestion.” With Mass DOT managing the project, the Southwick DPW is involved in helping assist Mass DOT in any way they can. Mass DOT is using state funds towards this project. The bid for the project opened up to contractors about two weeks ago and it is unknown at this time if a contractor has been awarded a bid.
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