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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
— GEORG WILHELM FRIEDRICH HEGEL
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 84 NO. 214
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015
Westfield seeks performers for downtown events WESTFIELD — The City of Westfield, through the Department of Community Development, is soliciting proposals from citizen producers and performers for a downtown series of events for the coming fall. The programs, which will be held in The Side Yard at Mina’s at 53 Elm Street, are funded by a $5,000 grant from the TDI Places program at MassDevelopment. The City is looking to award four applicants with grants of up to $1,000 to produce a small-scale community event at the food truck lot next to the Tobacco Barn and Mina’s Wine & Spirits. “The TDI Places grant was awarded to Gateway Cities across Massachusetts to introduce new events or elements in their communities,” Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said. “With many of our outdoor public spaces under construction, we are pleased to partner with Mina’s to host some smallscale events in their space.” The Department of Community Development has issued a “Call for Producers,” a model employed by other communities across the state to engage creative people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to participate or perform in downtown events. The City hopes people will come forward with creative ideas for community building events. “Whether the proposal includes a musical or dance performance, a video gaming tournament, a movie showing, or some other idea, we are looking to introduce new experiences for people who might not otherwise visit downtown,” Peter Miller, director of community development said. “These grants provide us with a new way to experiment and see what kinds of ideas might work.” Proposals are due back September 9 at 4 pm and should be delivered to the Office of Community Development, 59 Court Street, 3rd Floor, Westfield, MA 01085. Events should be held between September 18 and November 20. A Message from the TDI Places Program Have you ever thought, “If I was in charge, this is what I would do?” Well, here’s your opportunity! MassDevelopment has awarded a $5,000 grant to the City’s Department of Community Development to implement locally-initiated small scale, short-term projects in Gateway Cities. In Westfield, the grant is aimed toward bringing additional activity to the Elm Street area by introducing placemaking elements around the Crepes Tea House food truck. Additionally, the City is requesting proposals for mini—grants from individuals and organizations interested in producing cultural entertainment at the Side Yard. The goal of the series is to increase the activity at street level, allowing our strong local artist population an opportunity to grow its audience; increase economic activity for the area in general; and engage new populations that are looking for something different in our community. We are looking for events that are: centered on a theme, unusual and creative, and will garner good press and attendance. The City will choose 4 applications for award. Should there be sufficient funding, a fifth award could be made. The City is looking for creative individuals & local organizations to create, produce and manage cultural events that will take See Performers, Page 3
EDDIE CAMACHO
JEFFREY SPRAGUE
Two accused of ‘open and gross lewdness’ appear in district court By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Westfield District Court has seen two cases this month involving charges of open and gross lewdness. “Open and gross lewdness” is listed under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 272 Section 16, as a “man or woman, married or unmarried, who is guilty of open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior,” according to malegislature.gov. “Lascivious” is defined as lewd or lustful, according to the Merriam-Webster app On Monday, Jeffrey J. Sprague, 54, of Westfield, was released on $1,000 personal surety after being arraigned on charges of indecent exposure and three counts of open and gross lewdness. On August 10, Eddie Camacho, 28, of Westfield, was given an 18-month sus-
pended sentence after pleading guilty to open and gross lewdness and disorderly conduct. Camacho’s open and gross lewdness took place in the Dunkin’ Donuts located at 127 N. Elm Street on April 20. Westfield Police Capt. Hipolito Nunez said that on two occasions on April 20 Camacho exposed his genitalia to female patrons. Around 8:30 a.m., Camacho was reportedly partially hidden in a corner when he exposed himself and proceeded to masturbate, Nunez said. He was ordered to leave by someone in the establishment. Camacho returned around 12:30 p.m. on April 20 and this time police were called after he repeated his behavior in front of a woman patron who was with her young daughter, Nunez said. See District Court, Page 3
Gateway School Committee accused of being ‘negligent’ By AMY PORTER Correspondent MIDDLEFIELD – After a seven-week break, the Gateway Regional School Committee met Wednesday evening at the Middlefield Town Hall. A special School Committee meeting that had been scheduled for July 22 to vote on a new budget was cancelled due to the anticipated lack of a quorum. Currently, the Gateway district is operating on a 1/12th budget set by the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and based on the Gateway Budget Version 1 which was voted for by the School Committee in March. Version 1 was defeated by four towns at their annual town meetings. Those four towns have scheduled special town meetings to re-vote on basically the same budget: Blandford, Huntington and Chester on September 9, and Russell See Gateway, Page 3
“Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights.”
75 cents
Sign law gets unwelcome reception from Council By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – City Council members did not warmly embrace a proposed sign ordinance amendment proposed by At-large Councilor Dan Allie last week. Allie is seeking to change the sign ordinance regulating temporary signs, a process he began in January DAN ALLIE working with Principal Planner Jay Vinskey. Allie submitted a proposed ordinance change earlier this summer for review by the Planning Board, but while that review was still in progress the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that substantially reduces local regulation of temporary signs. There has already been a campaign sign complaint by one of the Mayoral candidates in the November election. Michael L. Roeder charged that Brian P. Sullivan’s campaign group violated the current 60 day limit by putting up signs along Western Avenue the day the Fourth of July fireworks were held at Stanley Park. Sullivan’s campaign BRIAN P. committee removed the SULLIVAN signs the following morning. The proposed amendment was changed yet again to put it in line with the court’s decision and the Planning Board voted to send the City Council a positive recommendation on that version of the regulation. The City Council took up the proposed ordinance Thursday and raised a number of concerns before sending it the Legislative & Ordinance Committee and Law Department for greater review. The current ordinance allows temporary signs, including campaign signs, to be put up 60 days prior to an “event” but does not define what constitutes an event. The current language sets a 120 day limit per year to displaying temporary signs. Allie has said the current ordinance limits free speech protected by the US Constitution and is too cumbersome for residents to understand. Allie also charges that people running for office do not know until late August if there will be a preliminary election in September to reduce the number of candidates for a particular post, which means candidates do not have sufficient time to erect campaign signs for that September preliminary election if one is needed. Allie, with the Planning Board endorsement, is seeking to allow political signs to be displayed for up to 90 days a year. The proposed amendment would not require those signs to be displayed on consecutive days, meaning that the signs could be put up and taken down for months prior to an election. BRENT B. At-large Councilor Brent B. BEAN II Bean II said that the court ruling has opened the door to further litigation.
Gateway School Committee members Ruth Kennedy of Russell and Shirley Winer of Chester at the meeting last night. (Photo by Amy Porter)
See Sign Law, Page 3
Conservation board allows reclamation of construction yard By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Conservation Commission approved conditions to allow reclamation of the former J.W. Cowles Construction property on Russellville Road which has a stockpile of construction and demolition debris. The City Council, at its June 4 session, approved a 20-year tax agreement with Westfield Solar LLC to construct a 12 acre solar farm at the former construction site. City Advancement Officer Joe Mitchell, who presented details of the agreement at that meeting, said the agreement will give Westfield Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc., a $2,000 tax reduction for the first 10 years of the tax pact. The council approved the agreement which 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 The project will be required to $10,000 a year for the last 10 years go before the Planning Board to of the agreement. petition for a special permit and Mitchell said the agreement only before the Conservation applies to the solar equipment and Commission because of the wetthat the property owner will continlands on the property. The compaue to pay property taxes at the full ny has yet to file applications with rate for that property. The site those boards. includes a total of 37 acres. Principal Planner Jay Vinskey Mitchell said that the site currentsaid the special permit is required ly is unsuitable for use because of because the property is over an the presence of construction debris, aquifer and any development including 56,000 tons of asphalt JOE MITCHELL requires a special permit for water from roads, and that Westfield Solar resource protection. will have to spend more than $300,000 to mitiConservation Coordinator Karen Leigh said gate. yesterday that the conditions will allow recla“This tax agreement is competitive and mation of the site which currently has a huge advantageous for the city because the site is stockpile of construction debris including concurrently an eyesore,” Mitchell said. “Westfield crete, asphalt, and gravel. Solar will need to clean the site before the solar The board’s condition require the debris to array is constructed.” be ground into pieces no more than six-inches
which will them be used on site to level the proposed site of the solar farm. Other conditions require that erosion control be put into place before reclamation of the debris begins and require that only water be used for dust control during the grinding process. The board specifically prohibited the use of calcium chloride for dust control. The board is also requiring the License Site Profession, hired by the company to self report progress of the reclamation to the state Department of Environmental Protection, also provide those reports to the Conservation Department as well. “It’s a huge stockpile or materials so they will have to do further testing as material is removed to determine if hazardous material in present,” Leigh said. “The Commission wants copies of the reports to the DEP to see if there are other issues of concern as the reclamation proceeds.”