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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 248
The Westfield News will run its masthead in pink, in recognition of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
Family beginning to recover from mobile home fire
Roxanne Cyrankowski and her daughter, Rachael, have started a community toy drive to benefit Baystate Children’s Hospital.
Teen leads drive to help pediatric patients By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-With a shortage of toys and games for pediatric patients at Baystate Children’s Hospital in Springfield, one city teen has answered the call by organizing a community drive this month to help fill the void. On Tuesday afternoon, Rachael Cyrankowski, 14, and her mother, Roxanne Cyrankowski, were putting the final logistics together for a collection at Westfield Technical Academy, where Rachael is a freshman. “It’s important to help other people and especially kids who are recovering in the hospital,” said Rachael Cyrankowski, noting she has been inspired over the years to give back to the community through her family members. “My two older sisters, Emily and Katey, have been role models for me because of
their commitment to community service over the years,” said Rachael Cyrankowski. Roxanne Cyrankowski and her husband Michael are proud of all of their children and have instilled in them the importance of “paying it forward” to address community needs. “We pay it forward as a family as often as we can,” said Roxanne Cyrankowski. Having been a member of the Kline View Korral 4-H Club of Southwick for five years, Cyrankowski also takes the 4-H pledge to heart which includes pledging one’s hands to larger service. “Whether it’s in school, 4-H or on her own, Rachael finds some type of community service to perform each year,” said Roxanne Cyrankowski. Indeed. Her community deeds have run the gamut See Teen, Page 5
DPW Water Meter Replacement Project recommended by Finance Committee By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Finance Committee voted on Wednesday to positively recommend to the City Council two important initiatives for the Department of Public Works and the city. The committee voted 3-0 to recommend the $4 million bond order for the replacement of water meters. “The Finance Committee is extremely pleased with the work the Water Department did. We have an opportunity to save $400,000 to $600,000 per year with this bond,” said Ward 5 Councilor and com-
mittee chair Robert A. Paul, Sr. The other members of the committee are At-large Councilors Matthew T. VanHeynigan and David Flaherty. The $4 million bond is for the purchase of new iPERL meters, a Flexnet network to provide automated meter information (AMI), installation, contingencies and temporary employees. Department of Public Works Superintendent David Billips said his department has looked into this over the past eight years. The current meters being used are twenty years old, and require being
read by meter readers. The new meters along with the software will transmit information and show real-time usage, and enable the department to determine where 300 million gallons of unaccounted-for water is going. Billips said bids are out for the meters and the network, but not for the installation. Westfield is working with Southwick, which is also installing new water meters, on the network aspect. “We did this bid together so we can share economy of scale,” Billips said, adding
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent WESTFIELD – On Thursday Oct. 6, it was reported by the Westfield News, that a fire occurred at the Heritage Trailer Park on Southampton Rd. Westfield Police and Fire responded to the scene around 9:15 a.m. As five people live in the home, Patricia Leighton was the lone family member in the house at the time, along with her dog Gabby. In her bedroom, Patricia began to hear a popping noise down the hall and quickly saw a spark coming from her grandson’s room. Patricia then rushed to the kitchen and filled dish pans with water in attempt to help reduce the sparks. But, the fire immediately escalated. Running back to the kitchen for more water, Patricia slipped and fell on her way back to the place of the scene. After already calling 911, Patricia was on the ground, helpless. Gabby stayed with Patricia and tried to push her and get Patricia to move and get out of the house. It was then when a police officer who entered through the porch of the mobile home and dragged Patricia out of the house. “There was no way I could even move,” said Patricia. “He saved my life.” Another officer and firemen also came to
Gabby the Black Labrador, the Leighton’s dog, was saved from the fire but had to be put down early Sunday morning. (Photo courtesy of the Leighton Family)
the aid of Patricia as well. According to the Westfield Fire Department, Westfield Police Officers Timothy Grady and Charles Kielbasa were the two officers on the scene. It is still undetermined who the officer is that first dragged Patricia out of the house. Police and Fire were also able to get Gabby out of the home and had EMT’s check up on the dog. As it seemed like Gabby was See Family, Page 5
Board of health elaborated on private wells By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–In spite of the contamination of perflourinated compounds (PFCs) in the city’s public water supply, director of public health Joseph Rouse believes that private wells are safe. During the board of health meeting yesterday, Rouse addressed concerns about private wells and PFCs like PFOS and PFOA, since many people have been asking about their own wells. He described to the members of the board and the one resident who came to the public meeting that there is little
risk not just to those with private wells, but to those who consume water from the public wells, as well. The meeting was the first one since the board of health sent out a one-page doublesided advisory and explanation about private well water safety to those who own private wells. “Knowing the chemical itself and the probability of it affecting a private well is significantly less than with a public well,” Rouse said. “The reality is I would be surprised to see elevated levels in private wells, but you can’t say definitively.” Rouse said for those con-
JOSEPH A. ROUSE cerned, there are two laboratories in the US who test for the chemicals but the cost is high. Rouse estimated that it costs about $600 to test a sample. Rouse said that due to the shallowness of private See Wells, Page 5
What is the Barnes Aquifer? By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—For all that’s been said about the Barnes Aquifer, there hasn’t been a lot of explanation about what it really is. The aquifer has come up in countless conversations as the Westfield water crisis continues. City officials mention it regularly, news stories about the water issues utilize the title when referring to the underground water sources but residents have been heard asking, “What is the Barnes Aquifer, anyway?” Well, it all started a very long time ago. About 2.5 million years ago, the globe started to see its Barns Aquifer map from the BAPAC website.
See Aquifer, Page 8
See Water Meter, Page 8
Gateway Youth Athletic Association seeks fee reduction from the School Committee By AMY PORTER Correspondent MONTGOMERY – Jason Forgue of Chester, president of the Gateway Youth Athletic Association (GYAA) came before the Gateway School Committee on Wednesday to ask for consideration on the amount the organization is charged for using the school fields for athletic events. The GYAA runs recreational and Pioneer Valley soccer and basketball leagues, and hosts playoffs and tournaments at Gateway, including the Memorial Day tournament, which according to their website is the only soccer tournament in Massachusetts held Memorial Day weekend outside
of Eastern Mass. “We pay what I consider to be an excessive amount of fees for school use,” Forgue said. He also asked what the school district plans to do with the balance of $65,000 to $75,000 that is currently in the fund the fees go into. “We’ve used it for field maintenance, field equipment and work on the grounds. We’re looking to renovate the fields over the next couple of years,” Gateway business manager Stephanie Fisk said, adding they have already done one field, and wouldn’t have started renovating if they didn’t have the money, because it can’t come from the district budget.
Fisk also said the funds cover custodial staff or other staff that are needed for the games, during which the school remains open for restrooms, as well as for supplies and repairs. “It’s the cost for using that area,” she said. “What can the School Committee actually do with this request?” asked chair Michele Crane of Blandford. Gateway superintendent David B. Hopson said that the School Committee can’t do anything specific for one group, they can only look at lowering fee schedules across the board. See Gateway, Page 5
Jason Forgue, GYAA president, asked the School Committee on Wednesday to consider lowering the fees charged to the group for the Memorial Day Soccer tournament. (Photo by Amy Porter)