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WEATHER TONIGHT Mainly clear. Low of 54.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014
VOL. 83 NO.165
Senate to debate gun bill By Peter Francis Staff Writer BOSTON – The Senate Republican caucus and several Senate Democrats met with Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners Action League of Massachusetts, to discuss amendments to a gun safety bill which will be up for debate today. While the House’s version of the bill passed last week on a 11238 vote, and both bills require schools to have access to two-way communication DONALD with HUMASON JR. devices police and fire departments and mandate that Massachusetts joins the National Instant Background Check System, Sen. Don Humason, Jr. (R-Westfield) said that the sticking point between the House and Senate is the power given to the local authorities in granting licenses to carry firearm identification cards. “It was always the situation in Massachusetts where the police chief – the licensing authority – had to issue FIDs but didn’t have to issue licenses to carry,” he said. “The House bill extended the discretion of the chiefs to not offer an FID card.” Humason referred to the bill as a “poison pill” for law-abiding gun owners. “The chiefs who are the issuing authorities already have so much \
Southwick History Museum
Patricia Odiorne, an officer for the Southwick History Museum, stands on the front steps of the museum located at 86-88 College Highway (Route 202-10) in Southwick. The museum is open during the summer and fall every other Sunday of the month from 2-4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The structure is part of the C.J.Gillett Cigar Factory and is located near the Joseph Moore House which are properties of the Southwick Historical Society. For more information on the Southwick Historical Society call Patricia at 413-569-5846. See additional photos Page 5. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
“Dreams have
as much influence as actions.”
— Stephane Mallarme
75 cents
Westfield River Levee trail endorsed By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Flood Control Commission supports the city’s desire to construct a multi-use trail on top of the Westfield River Levee that will strengthen the flood control structure. MARK The Westfield CRESSOTTI River Levee protects a large area of the downtown, stretching from Williams Riding Way off Meadow Street in the east to Congress Street, off Route 20 where Franklin Street transitions into Russell Road on the west. City Engineer Mark Cressotti presented details of the multi-use trail project to the Flood Control Commission members last night. Commission Chairman Albert G. Giguere Jr., said that board “is all for it” because the trail will improve the structure of the levee. “If the city has access to DOT (Department of Transportation) funding for paving the top of the levee it makes it more stable instead of the (present) dirt top which erodes and disintegrates,” Giguere said. “And another use for the levee is good.” Cressotti said this morning that the Westfield River Project is still years from being a viable project and that the city is intent on completing construction of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail project before the levee See Levee Trail, Page 3
See Gun Bill, Page 3
North Pond land preservation mulled Officers By Peter Francis Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The town of Southwick’s Open Space Planning Committee met last night to discuss the possibility of preserving 140 acres of land on Lake Congamond’s North Pond. “It was a scoping meeting. We have a potential opportunity to preserve some land on North Pond,” said Dennis Clark of the committee. “We’re trying to put it out there, talk to the other committees and towns to get them on board with this to see if they’re also in favor of preserving the land out there – the shoreline and the property surrounding it.” The committee is partnering with the Commonwealth’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, who own 250 acres next to the 140
acres in question, the location of one of the wildlife management areas. The DFW is interested in preserving some of the acreage for bird habitat for endangered species like Sand Pipers and Sparrows. Their goal is to form a landtrust with the town of Southwick to keep the lake frontage safe from development. “Right now, North Pond is the most pristine pond in the lake, and a lot of people use it for recreation,” Clark said. “If it got built up, it would change everything.” Clark said that the land was the proposed site of a resort venue during better economic times, but that the owner has had a change of heart. “We talked with the owner back many years ago about putting some sort of resort back there,” he said. “The person who owns the land would like to see something good happen with
it other than a subdivision, so the person who owns the land is working with us at this point to preserve it.” The committee is in the process of approaching the town’s Community Preservation Committee for funding for the preserve. “Chris Pratt, chair of the Conservation Commission, is contacting the Trust for Public Land, and I’m going to contact some of the other boards and commissions and get in touch with the Parks and Rec Department,” said Clark. “We’re going to make sure that they’re interested in this and sponsoring it, along with the Lake Management Committee and the Board of Health. It’s a big project and we’re going to need everybody in town on board to go forward with it.”
Residents oppose Chestnut Street duplex By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Zoning Board of Appeals voted last night to continue a public hearing because of issues cited by both residents and board members during the presentation of a proposal to construct a two-family house on Chestnut Street. Brian Kolodziej of 128 Quarry Road, West Springfield, is seeking a dimensional special permit to construct the two-family structure at 13 Chestnut which is currently a vacant lot. The original house was gutted by a fire which started on the second floor, where marijuana was being cultivated with the use of extension cords, for grow lights, which overheated the electrical system, sparking the fire. Board member Martin E. Newman questioned if a 50-foot wide house was appropriate for the Chestnut Street neighborhood “that has narrow and deep houses.” Newman objected to the fact that the attached garage extends past the front of the house, while garages are typically behind the houses on that street Board Chairman Michael Parent asked Kolodziej “is there any way to modify your plan to make (the proposed house) look like any other houses in that neighborhood?” “There must be plans out there. You just have to look at the neighborhood,” Parent said. “One of the requirements we have to find to approve a special permit is that the proposed project be conducive with the existing neighborhood.” Parent requested that the petitioner return to the September 3 meeting with a modified plan. “We want it to conform a little more with the neighborhood,”
Parent said. “It’s a little problematic for us with the way it looks in that neighborhood.” David H. Mahler of 11 Chestnut St., a direct abutter, said he opposed the duplex plan on the grounds that the former house had been converted illegally from a single-family to a two-family and that the proposed building will be 10 feet closer to his house than the former structure. The proposed duplex design “is completely different from the neighborhood,” Mahler said. “I don’t want a two family that close to my house.” Principal City Planner Jay Vinskey said he will investigate the conversion of a single-family to a two-family house with Building Superintendent Jon Flagg “because if the former two-family house was not legal, there is no precedent to construct this (new structure) as a two-family.” Robert Eck of 7 Chestnut St., said the proposed duplex “is so out of whack with the neighborhood, Dave is not the only one objecting.” Jodie Gaugh of 18 Chestnut Street said there are no other twofamily houses on Chestnut Street. “I would just think we don’t need any,” she said. Helen Mahler of11 Chestnut Street said that the house now on Chestnut Street “are considered historic.” Another resident said the houses are all Victorian in design and are on the city’s list of historic structures. “You can see that there is some resistance even before we brought it up,” Parent said to Kolodziej. “So make an effort” to revise the building design to be more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
ready to ride By Carl E. Hartdegen Politico.com WESTFIELD – Organizers of the Ride to Remember, a charitable effort organized by members of the Springfield Police Department, are getting ready for their second annual effort to raise public awareness of officers who have died in the line of duty and, although the actual bicycle trip across the state will not start until September, the planning and fundraising has started. The ride was originally organized to honor Springfield Officer Kevin Ambrose and Westfield Officer Jose Torres, officers who died recently while serving the public, and last year’s riders arrived on the grounds of the Massachusetts State House at Jose Torres Ashburton Park in Boston in time for the unveiling of their names on the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial there. Funds raised by the first bicycle ride were donated to the effort to maintain the memorial and the Ride to Remember will continue to support the memorial but part of the money the officers raise will also be donated to local charities. Several events are planned before the riders head to Boston this year, on Sept. 20, and the next event will be on See Ride, Page 3