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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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VOL. 83 NO.139
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2014
WSU fees could increase to $435 By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Westfield State University Board of Trustees finance subcommittee voted to recommend no more than a $435 increase in fees per student for next fiscal year, which would help fill some of a projected $3.4 million budget deficit. The committee unanimously approved the recommendation Thursday night after much discussion. The motion allows Interim President Elizabeth Preston to increase the fee up to $435 if the university receives less money ELIZABETH that expected from PRESTON the state. While the group quickly agreed to the potential fee increase, they debated the specific language of the motion. The committee wanted it to reflect that if the state funding comes through higher than expected, the potential increase would decrease proportionately and rebates would be given to students. The recommendation will be made to the full board for a vote later this month. The committee was presented with a draft comparison of WSU’s tuition and fees to its sister institutions around the commonwealth. Of the nine colleges and universities included, WSU offered the lowest overall total at $17,880. Thie highest was the Massachusetts College of Art and Design at $23,874. However, items such as cable television and other room and board options may not be similar across the board. Bridgewater State University offered the lowest combined tuition and fees at $8.052, with WSU not far ahead at $8,733. Trustee Steven Marcus asked how much cost factors into the decision for students when looking at the school. “Do students look at the cost?” he asked. “Students don’t – parents do,” said Committee Chairman John F. Flynn. Preston said she receives emails regularly from parents asking about financial aid and comparing what
In the trenches
“The flag is the embodiment not of sentiment, but of history.” — President Woodrow Wilson
75 cents
Final budget review slated By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Finance Committee has slated a special review of the 2015 fiscal year budget proposed by Mayor Daniel Knapik at a Committee of the Whole session Wednesday. Finance Chairman Christopher Keefe has scheduled a Committee of the Whole CHRISTOPHER KEEFE 6:30 p.m. session at which all City Council members can participate in the Finance Committee’s budget review. Knapik has proposed a total budget of $131,959,521, which includes $117,700,842 in municipal department funding and $14,258,679 in special revenue, department with their own revenue sources, funding. The Finance Committee conducted a series of budget review workshops this past week with city departments, including the Law, Fire, Police, Technology and Public Works department on Monday; the Purchasing, Engineering, Building and Parks & Recreation departments last Tuesday; the Assessors, Health, Collector, Airport, Community Development and City Advancement departments Wednesday; and the See Budget, Page 7
Westfield Fire Department Capt. Rebecca Boutin, foreground, carries a wooden support structure that would be placed into a trench to secure the sidewalls as part of an ongoing safety and training program designed for members of the Western Mass. Technical Rescue Team. The team spent Thuirsday training in trench rescue techniques but is also trains in high angle, confined space and steep sloop rescue. The training was sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Boutin is the training coordinator for the elite team which serves all of the Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire Counties. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Firefighters from the area participated in a trench rescue exercise Thursday near the Westfield State University as part of an ongoing safety and training program. The firefighters are part of the Western Mass. Technical Rescue Team which also specializes in high angle, steep sloops, and confined space rescues. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Officials seek to break funding cycle By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Finance Committee discussed the Water Resource Department this week, which includes two revenue generating divisions, water and wastewater treatment, whose budgets are limited by state ROBERT law. PAUL The state law dictates that the proposed budget cannot exceed the total receipts for the previous year, which is not a major concern for the sewerage treatment facility, funded through fees assessed to residents and business. The law is a major area of concern in the water budget because revenue is directly linked to the weather, and for the past two summers, to major infrastructure improvement projects. Wet summers mean lower revenue as lawn irrigation is not
See WSU, Page 7
Police: Shoplifting protection pays off By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A decision to redirect police efforts to combat shoplifting in the East Main Street corridor paid off Thursday with the quick arrest of a Holyoke man who had allegedly attempted to steal a computer. Capt. Michael McCabe said that there has been an upsurge in shoplifting incidents on the commercial strip and, in response, “we’ve been trying to redirect enforcement efforts in that area.” He said that officers from the evening shift have been reassigned to plain clothes duty along the shopping strip to combat professional shoplifters who often come to the city to steal because some of the stores are thought to be vulnerable by professional thieves who ply their trade along the I-91 See Protection, Page 8
See Funding, Page 8
Community Development housing initiatives proposed By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Community Development Director Peter J. Miller Jr., presented several new initiatives as part of his departmental budget review Wednesday with City Council members. The proposed Community Development budget for the new fiscal year, as submitted by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, is actually a decrease from the current fiscal spending package. Miller submitted a budget to Knapik of $249,927, a decrease of more than 21 percent from the current 2014 budget of $318,299. Knapik further cut the budget by $7,599, resulting in a line item of $242,328. Miller said he hope to launch a new imitative during the 2015 fiscal year to assist first-time homebuyers to stabilize the housing market in the city. Under that program first time homebuyers would,
based upon income eligibility, receive $4,000 toward the down payment on a purchase of a house. The homebuyer would have to remain in that residence for a least five years as a PETER J. condition of the MILLER funding program. Miller said that program would integrate homebuyer assistance into the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME program, both of which are under the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Participating jurisdictions may use HOME funds for a variety of housing activities, according to local housing
needs. Eligible uses of funds include tenant-based rental assistance; housing rehabilitation; assistance to homebuyers; and new construction of housing. HOME funding may also be used for site acquisition, site improvements, demolition, relocation, and other necessary and reasonable activities related to the development of non-luxury housing. Funds may not be used for public housing development, public housing operating costs, or for Section 8 tenant-based assistance, nor may they be used to provide non-federal matching contributions for other federal programs, for operating subsidies for rental housing, or for activities under the Low-Income Housing Preservation Act. All housing developed with HOME funds must serve low- and very low-income families. Miller said that another goal in the See Housing, Page 8