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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 17
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016
See Southampton, Page 3
— GEORGE BURNS
75 cents
Interim Southampton Police Chief named to permanent position By CHRIS LINDAHL @cmlindahl SOUTHAMPTON — Community policing, increasing officer training and restructuring shifts are a few of the ideas interim Police Chief Michael R. Goyette shared with the Select Board before he was offered the permanent job after his interview Tuesday. Goyette and the only other candidate for the town’s top police job, Sgt. Ian Illingsworth, were each interviewed for over an hour by the Select Board. While the members largely agreed that both men were highly qualified and dedicated, the board voted 4-1 to offer Goyette the position. “I’m impressed by both candidates,” Chairwoman Elizabeth Moulton said. “I don’t think the town can go wrong.” Goyette will be hired as permanent chief pending contract negotiations, which Town Administrator Heather Budrewicz expects to be complete by Feb. 9. Goyette has served on the Southampton force for nearly three decades. He attended Greenfield Community College before leaving early to enroll full-time in the state Criminal Justice Training Academy in Agawam in 1987. He worked as a police officer in Northampton and Williamsburg before joining the Southampton Department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1996 and lieutenant three years later. He has also served as the DARE officer at Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton. Goyette is set to replace former chief David Silvernail, who retired in October after 16 years as chief. At the Tuesday meeting, Goyette and Illingsworth were asked 10 identical questions, the answers to which were scored numerically by the Select Board members. Asked how his career thus far has prepared him to take on the top job, Goyette said he has learned something from all his supervisors and on every call he’s answered. “Every day it’s a learning experience — no matter what rank you’re at,” he said. He said key attributes he looks for in new police officers is level-headedness and adaptability. “Somebody who will work with the people and not just look at themselves as a person with a badge,” Goyette said. “Treat people fairly, decently and respectfully — and with compassion.” Goyette focused during much of his interview on how he has implemented or plans to implement community policing efforts in Southampton. He already has increased the department’s social media presence in his time as interim chief, regularly posting tips, crime alerts and other advisories on Facebook. Goyette also has a policy where officers get out of their cruisers for at least 10 minutes per hour to walk around or talk with people inside businesses.
“I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate.”
Gateway School Committee stuck in lawsuit limbo
said participants who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion during a graduation ceremony. “We cover many topics to give people an idea what police officers do on a daily basis,” said Hall. Instructors will introduce a new topic weekly, which includes featured speakers and field trips. Though the course is nearly full, Hall encouraged residents to submit applications
By AMY PORTER Correpondent HUNTINGTON – Over the last several meetings, the Gateway Regional School Committee has had to postpone action on several items and consult their attorneys on others due to the uncertain status of their lawsuit against the town of Worthington and the Commonwealth over the town’s withdrawal from the district. On October 22 in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton, Judge Bertha D. Josephson heard a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and injunction on Worthington’s withdrawal from the Gateway Regional School District. The motion to dismiss was brought by the town of Worthington and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who asserted that the plaintiffs had no standing and no legal basis. At the time, Judge Josephson took the matter under advisement, and said she would return with a written decision. To date, there has been no word from the court. Among the items that were postponed at Wednesday’s meeting was a letter requested by the town of Blandford addressed to state auditor Suzanne Bump asking that Worthington’s withdrawal be considered an unfunded mandate, which would allow Gateway to seek ongoing mitigation funds. At the last meeting, Superintendent David B. Hopson said he would run the letter by the school district’s legal counsel. No action was taken at the School Committee meeting on sending the letter, due to the uncertainty of the lawsuit. Suggested amendments to the regional agreement, which currently has seven towns including Worthington listed as members, was also stalled. Hopson asked the School Committee at the meeting to consider amending the language surrounding withdrawals, to state that member towns would be responsible for paying their share of OPEB (Other Post-Employee Benefits) and Hampshire County retirement. No such agreement was negotaited with Worthington before the state allowed them to withdraw. Another change the School Committee would like to make is to the dates for billing and percentages of payments by the town for their contributions to the school to four equal
See Academy, Page 3
See Lawsuit Limbo, Page 3
If anyone can identity one or all of these men, please contact Detective Freeman at 413642-9388 or b.freeman@cityofwestfield.org.
Westfield police on the lookout for TV thieves By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – While it is no laughing matter, the Westfield Detective Bureau put up a light-hearted post on its Facebook page asking for help in identifying some thieves. The Westfield police logs showed that at 1:07 a.m. on Sunday, January 17, police were called to Walmart, located at 141 Springfield Road, after a television set was stolen. As written on Facebook: “If you happen to be one of these men and you would like to explain how you accidentally ran out of the alarmed back door of Wal-Mart dragging a 65-inch television and loaded it into a pick up truck that was waiting for you
please feel free to call as well.” This could appropriately be followed by an “LOL” or as one person commented: “Shared, and thank you because while the incident is not funny your post sure was, and I needed a smile today. Be safe WPD!” To add to the humor, another person posted: “Did they grab Pepsi and Doritos for the game as well?” If anyone can identity one or all of these men, please contact Detective Freeman at 413-642-9388 or b.freeman@cityofwestfield.org. Westfield police said names will always remain confidential. Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at christinec @thewestfieldnewsgroup.com
Application deadline nears for Citizens Police Academy WESTFIELD – The Westfield Police Department will accept applications for the Citizens Police Academy until Friday, Jan. 29. Only a few spots remain for the upcoming academy, which begins on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at police headquarters. The 12-week Citizens Police Academy educates Westfield residents on the inner workings of the department and the jobs of police officers. The academy will accept 16 applicants for the newest class. Police Sgt. Eric Hall, who heads the department’s Community Policing bureau,
KEVS Foundation grants AED to Southwick school
Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School Curriculum Director Maureen Wilson, center, holds an AED donated from the Kevs Foundation. At left is Superintendent John Barry, and at right is Susan Canning, founder of the KEVS Foundation. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Regional School received an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) this week from KEVS Foundation. KEVS founder Susan Canning presented the AED to the SouthwickTolland-Granville School Committee during its regular meeting this week. Curriculum Director Maureen Wilson applied for a grant for the AED and the school was selected. Canning said this is makes 40 AEDs donated in the area, which means 40 opportunities to save lives. “They are a lifesaver,” said Canning, noting that statistics show when there is an AED on premises of a cardiac incident, there is a 90 percent rate of saving a life. Canning also praised the district for teaching students hands-free CPR. “You are creating lifesavers,” she said. Canning is passionate about AEDs and heart health. Canning’s son Kevin died during an accident on a lake in 2011, but his family later found out what he actually died from was sudden cardiac arrest due to an undetected heart condition. The KEVS Foundation, located in Westfield, sponsors cardiac screenings for young people in the community. Each screening includes an EKG, height and weight measurements, review of family history, blood See KEVS Foundation, Page 3