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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Quotation is
a serviceable substitute for wit.” — Oscar Wilde
www.thewestfieldnews.com THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014
VOL. 83 NO. 260
75 cents
Councilor seeks cable television alternative
The Harvest Moon Lane Columbia Greenway entrance and exit is one location where a safety barrier for bicyclists and pedestrians was installed. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
Input needed for city’s new mobility options By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – City residents will have an opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues related to increasing bicycle and pedestrian access in the city next Thursday at an informational meeting. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Advisory Committee is seeking to both provide information and receive input from a broad spectrum of local residents to help with creating a plan intended to improve mobility options and increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety across the city.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti said the informal informational meeting will follow the Department of Transportation public hearing on a project to rehabilitate the former railroad bridge over the Westfield River, the northern phase of the Columbia Greenway project. Cressotti said that the DOT hearing will have a rigid structure to satisfy legal requirements of the federal and state government. The informal exchange between the advisory committee and residents is slated to begin after the DOT hearing concludes. The DOT hearing will be held on
Thursday, Nov. 13, in the City Council chambers at City Hall beginning at 7 p.m. The advisory committee anticipates starting its much broader discussion of mobility access and safety around 8 p.m. Residents will have the opportunity to identify strategic goals and define a vision to enhance mobility choices in the city. The advisory committee will incorporate that input into its strategic planning and vision statement. Committee member Joe Giffune said the advisory group needs to identify its See Mobility, Page 3
Town creates conduct policy for visitors By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen approved a Visitor’s Code of Conduct this week, which outlines behavior expectations for people on municipal property. “This is so everyone can feel safe on town property,” said Chairman Russell Fox. The document has been a work in progress for several months and was sent to all department heads for review and comments, as well as to Town Counsel. The policy states that the Town of Southwick employees strive to
provide a positive experience for those visiting Town facilities, by following the “Employee Handbook.” In addition, the Town supports a workplace that is conductive to personal safety and security and is free from intimidation, threats or violent acts. The Town does not tolerate workplace violence, including the threat of violence by anyone who conducts business with the Town. The Town will not tolerate harassing conduct that affects employment conditions, that interferes unreasonably with an individual’s performance or that cre-
By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A City Councilor is sponsoring a motion at the council meeting tonight requesting the Westfield Gas & Electric Department be considered as an alternative to provide cable services to city residents. Council President Brent B. Bean II said that it is a request he has made periodically during his tenure on the City Council. BRENT BEAN II “This is an old thing for me,” Bean said this morning. “Over the past eight to 10 years I’ve asked the WG&E to access an opportunity to provide cable to city residents, to see if it’s something the WG&E is willing to look into because it’s something within our means to create greater competition and lower cable costs.” “Right now we’re paying too much for cable services,” Bean said. “This is a great opportunity because we’re self contained, so it’s worth looking into.” “The service side of the WG&E is second to none which would be a factor in the future if we move forward on this,” Bean said. Bean said that the fact that the city’s negotiation with its current cable provider, Comcast, have hit an impasse over the terms of a new contract and continued operation of a Comcast customer service center on East Mountain Road, have little to do with his motion. The city’s original position was a five-year pact because of the rapidly changing technical landscape of the telecommunications industry. Comcast has sought to continue its relationship with the city through a 10-year contract which has traditionally been the term agreed upon by the city. Bean’s motion comes at a time when the WG&E is considering a major restructuring of its telecommunications system to
ates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. Complying with this Code of Conduct is required by all people doing business with Town employees. Violators who do not comply with this policy may be asked to leave the premises. Expected conduct includes showing respect for others, building facilities and personal property of others. “Use common courtesy when interacting with others,” the policy
See Cable, Page 3
Noble welcomes new medical professionals By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – In a release Wednesday, Ron Bryant, president and CEO of Noble Hospital in Westfield announced that nine medical professionals have joined Noble Hospital and the Noble Medical Group as part of the Noble Health Network. Doctors Michelle Barnett, Roger Beneitone, Laura Gioiella, Gary Jacobson, Arthur King, Ramachandran Kuppuswamy and Ira Nathanson, Nurse Practioner Elizaveta House and Physicians Assistant Viktoria Madden were formerly employed by Hampden County Physician Associates, LLC, and joined Noble at the start of the month.
See Conduct Policy, Page 3
See Noble, Page 3
Review: Barrington Stage sends a helluva town a helluva hit
If you’re looking for a family-friendly musical with a swinging score, fun performances, and some joyous dancing, “On The Town” hits the spot.
By MARK AUERBACH Correspondent NEW YORK, NY – Barrington Stage’s summer of 2013 hit, “On The Town” has been retooled for Broadway, and the Leonard Bernstein/Betty Comden/Adolph Green/Jerome Robbins hit of 1944 has become Broadway’s big hit of 2014. It’s hard to believe that the almost-perfect Barrington Stage production, directed by John Rando and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse could get any better. But, it’s better than I’d remembered it to be in Pitsfield, with some of the best dancing I’ve seen on Broadway in years.
Beowulf Boritt tweaked the sets and added some wonderful projections to create a technicolor New York of the 1940’s. Jess Goldstein designed the costumes for New York, and Jason Lyons recreated the lighting design for the Big Apple. Rando’s staging remains crisp and taut, and Joshua Bergasse’s choreography, brilliantly performed by a larger chorus, is stunning on every level. They’ve added some singers and dancers, added the comedienne Jackie Hoffman and the operatic Phillip Boykin (of “Porgy and Bess”) to the cast. The role of Ivy See On The Town, Page 3