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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Pity the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
— DON MARQUIS
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 84 NO. 239
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Store owner sues Planning Board By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The owner of two variety stores has initiated a suit charging that the city overstepped its authority when it created an ordinance empowering the Planning Board to deny a special permit for a wine and malt license at the two stores. Store owner Laura L. Parker of Southwick had petitioned the Planning Board to approve a special permit required to sell beer and wine at the New Corner Variety store at the intersection of Montgomery and Crown streets and at the Pleasant Street Market on Pleasant Street at the intersection of West Silver Street. The Planning Board at its Aug. 18 meeting used its discretionary authority to deny both special permits by votes of 3-3. A special permit requires a super majority, five affirmative votes, of the seven-member board. Attorney Bradford B. Moir filed the suit with the Land Court Division on Sept. 14, 2015 naming the City of Westfield and the six Planning Board members, individually and collectively as the Planning Board. The City Clerk was served with the legal documents on Sept. 17, 2015. The License Commission, which is the local agent of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, initially slated a public hearing on the two wine and malt license petitions requested by Parker at its Aug. 3, 2015 session, but took no action after a review of the City Code of Ordinances found that a special permit, issued by the planning Board, was required before the License Commission could act on the wine and malt license petition. The delay of the License Commission review of wine and malt license petition is due to a zoning regulation, adopted in 1990, which requires a special permit review by the Planning Board for any business selling alcoholic beverages within 500 feet of a school or church. The city zoning regulation, under IV., General Use Regulations, states: No permit shall be issued for the erection, enlargement or conversion of a structure utilized for the purpose of selling or service alcoholic beverages which is situated within five hundred (500) feet, measured by a direct line from entrance to entrance, of any lot used for a church or a public and/or parochial school primarily intended for the education of students in Grades K through 12, unless a special permit has been obtained from the Planning Board. Said permit shall be obtained from the Planning Board before application is made for any other permit in connection with the proposed erection, enlargement or conversion. (Adopted 02/15/90) Moir said Thursday that the suit is similar to a recent case before the state’s Supreme Judicial Court in which the City of Lynn had established local zoning regulations, pertaining to where sex offenders could live, which were far more stringent that laws established by the General Court of the state Legislature. The SJC ruling in the Lynn case states: “The totality of the 1999 statutory scheme, incorporating as it does a series of interdependent policies and practices specifically ‘Voice of Experience’ designed to protect the pubinside today’s lic from level two and level Westfield News three sex offenders by monitoring and notification to
NEWS UPDATE!
See Store, Page 7
75 cents
Mayoral candidate Mayoral candidate Mike Roeder Brian Sullivan announces platform issues platform By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Brian P. Sullivan has identified five issues which will be the focus of his campaign and which also reflect citizen concerns raised during his nine-term tenure as an At-large member of the City Council and during his present bid to win the mayoral election. Sullivan, in a campaign release to the Westfield News, said that the goal of his administration will be to seek “responsible government for a better Westfield” and has identified five issues which will be the basis of his campaign to win in the Nov. 3, 2015 election. Sullivan identifies five “issue themes” on which his will base his campaign including: quality education; fiscally sound and vibrant community; public health and safety; technology; innovation and culture; and responsible government. “Over the course of my campaign for mayor, I have met with and actively listened to the people of Westfield regarding their concerns, hopes and aspirations for our city,” Sullivan said. “In large measure, the platform I am announcing reflects the primary issues I have heard from a diverse group of citizens and constituencies across the city. “Under the right leadership, the role of local government can be a powerful force of good that effectively assists our citizens with their everyday needs, with a clear vision and a solid agenda for providing responsible government,” Sullivan said. “I believe that I am the
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Candidate Mike Roeder said that his platform came by bruising his knuckles by knocking on the doors of 1,700 homes in the city. “My issues platform is very specific. They are driven by my conversations with numerous residents on my door-to-door campaign,” Roeder said in a release to the Westfield News. Roeder lists six areas that will be the focus of his campaign and, if elected, he administration. The six issues are property taxes, roads, education, municipal budget and spending, bonding and quality of life issues. Roeder said that “homeowners want tax relief now. My goal as mayor will be to stabilize the tax rate in fiscal year 2016-2017. “In other words, no tax increases. As you know, the new mayor comes on board in the middle of the fiscal year, so my immediate goal after swearing in is to ensure that departments are operating within their budget allocations,” Roeder said. Roeder said his goal for the Fiscal 2016-2017 fiscal years is to adopt a level-funding budget, but also to avoid layoffs. “I am advocating a level-funded budget which will require sacrifice, but without layoffs,” Roeder said. “The teacher layoffs this fiscal year could have been avoided. There will be a hiring freeze , with limited exceptions, and no new positions.” Another major issue in Roeder’s campaign, based upon
See Sullivan, Page 7
See Roeder, Page 7
Worthington TM seeks solution to closed bridge By FRAN RYAN Daily Hampshire Gazette WORTHINGTON — Residents at a special Town Meeting on Tuesday will be asked to spend $32,000 for a temporary bridge until the Sam Hill Road bridge is permanently repaired. The request made by a resident is not supported by town officials. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall at 160 Huntington Road. Select Board member Evan Johnson said the bridge on Sam Hill Road which spans the Watts Brook, has been closed for just over a year due to its poor structural integrity including “problems with beams and deteriorating abutments.” Residents and town officials disagree over the best solution.
Upset about the year-long closing of the bridge, Tom Spiro of Owl Ridge Road submitted the warrant article that will be considered Tuesday, asking that $32,000 be used for the rental and installation of a temporary bridge. “My idea was for a modular temporary bridge that could be installed and removed quickly and simply,” Spiro said. “It wasn’t something that would cost a lot of money to install.” The article stipulates that the rental would be “for the period of November 1, 2015 through April 30, 2016 and will be reconsidered at Annual Town Meeting each year for the same date range, until such time that permanent repair, re-construction or similar supplement of this bridge can be made.” See Closed Bridge, Page 7
Old Burying Ground Ghost Tour “Lt. Richard Valley”, as portrayed by James Homan, describes his life on the high seas. Visitors gather to hear ghost stories under a bright moon at the Old Burying Ground. See additional photos Page 8. (Photos by Marc St. Onge)