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TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 12, 2017 SATURDAY, AUGUST 2017
Candidates are set for fall elections By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The nominations have been verified for this year’s local Westfield elections. The Westfield City Clerk’s office released the listing of candidates for this year’s local elections that are scheduled for Nov. 7, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The ballot will feature contested races for positions including city council at large, city councilors in wards 3, 4 and 5, as well as Westfield School Committee and Board of Athenaeum Trustees. However, of those contested races with verified candidates, just one—ward 4 city councilor—will face a preliminary election
WESTFIELD CITY HALL
in September, according to the city clerk’s office. The position of ward 4 city councilor features four candidates: Bernard W. Fitzgerald-Rosenblum of St. James Avenue, Daniel D. Call of Granville Road, Dawn Thomas of Loomis Ridge and Michael Burns of Kylie Lane. The current councilor, Mary O’Connell, decided earlier this year to not run for re-election. The preliminary election for ward 4 city councilor will occur Sept. 26 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with locations to be determined by next week, according to the city clerk’s office. For the mayor’s position in the city,
School committee selects newest appointed member By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – After five interviews and an extensive discussion between the current school committee members and the Select Board, Amy Stack was nominated and then selected to fill a vacant position on the school committee for the upcoming 2017-18 school year. Stack fills the position previously held by Kelly Clendenin who resigned this past May. Stack will assume that position until the annual town election in 2018. Town officials conducted the interviews and noted several times that all five interviewees were strong candidates. Three of the candidates received nominations to be selected for the posiAMY STACK tion and Stack was happy to find out she was chosen. “I feel so honored and I’m very excited,” said Stack. The school committee features a number of current or former teachers or educators and Stack brings a unique set of skills to the committee. Working in corporate America for the last 7 years at Oliver Healthcare Packaging in Connecticut, where she works in sales, Stack has a strong business background. Graduating from Westfield State in 2006, stack received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and then got her Master’s degree at Bay Path University in Communication Information Management in 2009. Perhaps the most valuable experience that Stack can bring to the table is the fact that she has children: a daughter who attends Woodland
just one candidate was verified, incumbent Brian Sullivan of Sherwood Avenue. For at-large city councilor, a total of 13 verified candidates will be vying for seven open positions. For incumbents, the candidates are as follows: Cindy C. Harris of South Maple Street, Matthew Van Heynigen of Belden Drive, Brent B. Bean II of Ridgecrest Drive, Dave A. Flaherty of Marla Circle, John J. Beltrandi III of Jeanne Marie Drive, Dan Allie of Union Street and Steve C. Dondley of Kane Brothers Circle. Other candidates are Jeffrey J. Chagnon of See Candidates, Page 7
New South Middle School principal brings experience to the job Kinne Brook in Chester, where a dam on private land was removed in 2015. (Trout Unlimited photo)
Kinne Brook project in Chester awarded grant By AMY PORTER Correspondent CHESTER – The BakerPolito Administration announced earlier this week that Trout Unlimited’s Kinne Brook restoration project was one of 15 selected statewide for grants totaling $506,344 from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) to restore aquatic habitat, rivers and watersheds, monitor water quality, protect endangered species and promote environmental stewardship. “Last year’s drought showed how precious and vulnerable our water resources are, and how important it is we act proactively to protect these resources and the wildlife that rely on them,” said Governor Charlie Baker in making the announcement. “These innova-
tive local projects will improve water quality across the state and make our natural resources more resilient to the effects of climate change.” Trout Unlimited received $38,600 to remove two impassable instream barriers and reopen more than 10 miles of up and downstream access of interconnected cold water habitat on Kinne Brook, a tributary to the Middle Branch of the Westfield River located mainly in Chester and on the edges of Worthington. Erin Rodgers, Trout Unlimited’s Western New England project coordinator, said the original Kinne Brook project focused on three fishpassage barriers that are also hydraulic barriers – one small See Brook Project, Page 7
See School Committee, Page 7
By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski recently announced the appointment of Paul K. Newton of Feeding Hills, Agawam as the new principal of South Middle School. “Paul’s understanding of what a 21st century education requires in a personalized learning environment for every student was impressive,” commented Czaporowski about the selection of Newton, who began serving the students and teachers of South Middle School last Monday. Newton was formerly a principal in the Enfield Connecticut schools for the past seventeen years. Sixteen See South Middle Principal, Page 7
Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski with Paul K. Newton, the new principal of South Middle School. (Photo by Amy Porter)
7,500 sq. ft. retailer proposed for Southampton Road
Jay Vinskey, city planner for Westfield.
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The city’s planning board is expected to hear a proposal for a possible Dollar General on Southampton Road next week. A hearing with the Westfield Planning Board is scheduled for Aug. 15 on a proposed new Dollar General retail store at 627 Southampton Road. The proposal with the applicant name “Westfield DG, LLC” on the pending application, is for a parcel of land currently being used by Hometown Structures. This proposed location is roughly across the street from a previously-proposed Dollar General development also on Southampton Road that was denied by the planning board late last year said city plan-
ner Jay Vinskey. “It’s basically across the street from where it was proposed,” Vinskey said. “More or less the same site plan but mirrored.” According to a letter from Bohler Engineering contained within the application, the proposed location is at the northeast corner of Southampton Road and Egleston Road, and is for an approximately 7,500 square foot Dollar General retail store located on about 1.18 acres of land. Among items in the proposal are for 30 parking spaces and operation times of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. In addition, a driveway permit is to be required from the Massachusetts Department of
Transportation (MassDOT), the letter said, and the “anticipated peak hour vehicles do not meet MassDOT thresholds for further traffic analysis.” According to Vinskey, the lot is “being carved out” of the parcel that Hometown Structures currently owns. Andrew Kurtz, owner of Hometown Structures, said that their lot is currently six acres and the entirety of the land wasn’t “necessarily being used to its potential” as the company continues to grow across the state and online. So, they agreed to an offer proposed for about one acre of land, he said. “It’s not something that we pursued in any way, See Retailer, Page 7
Granville Farmer’s Market celebrates National Farmer’s Market week By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent GRANVILLE – This week is National Farmer’s Market Week and the Granville Farmer’s Market will take place on Sunday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Gran-Val Scoop. Jess Ripley, co-organizer of the market, said that live music will be provided by BJ Korona, a local musician who has performed at the market in the past. There are 16 vendors expected and will once again feature a wide variety of products, with items from jewelry and goat
milk soap to Italian and Albanian foods. Ripley has been pleased with the turnout the market has received since the first one kicked off on May 14. “The local support has been pretty amazing so I hope that continues,” said Ripley. The Granville Farmer’s market occurs twice a month, on every other Sunday. The last one will occur on Sept. 24. For further information on the Granville Farmer’s Market, visit their Facebook Page, or email the market at GranvilleFM@gmail.com.
With this week being National Farmer’s Market Week, the Granville Farmer’s Market will be taking place on Sunday. (WNG File Photo)