Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT Clear and cold. Low of -2.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
See Chamber, Page 3
City projects benefit young and old By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – When compared to other similarly sized municipalities in western Massachusetts, the city of Westfield has a much higher median age than Chicopee, Holyoke, and Pittsfield, which poses a challenge to Mayor Daniel M. Knapik in his next term – convincing Westfield’s aging population that continued investment in the city is not only a necessary investment, but an essential imperative. At the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s first Mayor’s Coffee Hour of the year at Armbrook Village on North Road, Knapik painted a picture befitting of the location of the coffee hour, touching base on how Westfield’s elderly will impact the direction of the city over the next few years. “There are more of these types of projects being built,” Knapik said in reference to Armbrook, an assisted living village of independent apartments. “In Westfield, I believe it is now 8,000-9,000 (people) over the age 60 in a city of 41,000.” To put it in perspective for the gathering,
75 cents
Bean elected City Council president
Chamber ‘focused on serving’ in 2014 By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Kate Phelon, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, believes her organization is ready for big things in 2014. “We already have our calender organized for the year, with our standardized events, and our ‘After 5′ events,” she said yesterday after the first of the Chamber-sponsored Mayor’s Coffee Hours. “We’re now working on the programming for our specific members, based on the size and sector of their businesses.” Covering Westfield and the towns of Southwick, Granville, Tolland, Russell, Blandford, Chester, Huntington and Montgomery, the Chamber is also looking to increase membership in 2014. “We currently have 227 members,” Phelon
but the two combined make Happiness.” — John Buchan
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2014
VOL. 83 NO. 5
“There may be Peace without Joy, and Joy without Peace,
Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik is sworn into office by Karen M. Fanion, right, Westfield city clerk, during the City of Westfield Inauguration Ceremony at Westfield Middle School South yesterday. Joining in the ceremony is Knapik’s wife Tricia, left, who was presented a bouquet of flowers. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Knapik and elected officials sworn in By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The 2014 Inauguration ceremony, with pomp provided by the South Middle School Jazz Band playing patriotic music, initiated a new term in office for Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, City Council members, three members of the School Committee, six Municipal Light Board members and Westfield Athenaeum trustees yesterday morning. The ceremony was conducted in the school auditorium in front of the family members of the elected officials, community leaders, city officials and interested citizens. Rev. Joseph Soltysiak, pastor of the St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church, opened the ceremony with an Invocation. “Almighty God, as you hold all of us accountable for the use of all our powers and privileges, direct, we pray, Mayor Daniel Knapik and all incoming City Councilors of Westfield as they begin their duties in this year,” Soltysiak said. “Lord, inspire and guide them, especially in those most difficult decision they will need to face, that their voting may be in the very best interest of the people they represent, and always in accord with Your holy will. “May we, too, as citizens of Westfield, support our elected officials in such a way that we become an extension of them as they serve in the
best of their capacity. As we listen to what is said here today, may our hope in the New Year be kindled to believe that the voters have spoken and we have the best possible individuals in the offices in which they serve. Almighty God, we ask all of these things in your Holy Name. Amen.” City Clerk Karen Fanion read the results of the November general election then proceeded to give the groups of elected officials the oath of office. The School Committee members, which include William Duval, Jeff Gosselin and Cindy Sullivan, took the oath individually, rather than collectively, which led Master of Ceremony Brian Sullivan, who had promised the mother of a crying child that the ceremony would be short, to urge the second group, the members of the Municipal Light Board and the Athenaeum Trustees to take the oath “in unison.” The next group to take the oath was the 13 City Council members, which included six members taking that oath for the first time. Fanion then gave the oath to Knapik, Michael Knapik, the former state Senator, who was in the audience and the elder brother of Mayor Daniel M. Knapik. Fanion, following that moment of jocularity, administered the oath to the correct Knapik. “That was appropriate as I spent three years in this very school being See Inauguration, Page 5
See Young and Old, Page 3
By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Brent B. Bean II was elected last night to serve as the 2014 City Council President as the city’s legislative body, which includes six new members, began its 2014-15 term. Bean, nominated for the post by Brian Sullivan who served in the same capacity last year, and David A. Flaherty, nominated by Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell, both briefly addressed their fellow councilors. O’Connell made the motion to open the floor for discussion to allow Bean and Flaherty to describe BRENT BEAN II their “vision” for the upcoming year. Flaherty thanked Sullivan and Ward 1 Councilor Christopher Keefe who both served as council president during the previous twoyear term. “I had some differences, but respected the opinions of both of you,” Flaherty said. “This will be a very challenging year. We have six new councilors and great expectations for what can be accomplished during the next two years.” Flaherty said the seven returning incumbents will have to serve as mentors to the new council members. “Sometimes we have to slow down a little bit,” Flaherty said, suggesting a formal “buddy system” between the experienced and new councilors and that whoever serves as president will be required to be flexible during meetings. Bean said that he served as council president a decade ago. “I did the job in 2003 during a contentious term back then,” Bean said. “I hope I bring value-added when it comes to experience and move the city forward. That’s my promise to you.” “My door will always be open. I will listen to what you have to say. I might disagree, but I am a strong advocate of voting,” Bean said. President Pro Tempore Keefe then called the vote on the nominations. Bean received 10 votes to Flaherty’s three. Councilor At-large Dan Allie joined O’Connell and Flaherty in the minority. Sullivan then moved for reconsideration of that vote and O’Connell requested Keefe to explain to the new members why the vote was being reconsidered. “The prevailing councilor is traditionally given the well wishes of all council members,” Keefe said. Bean received the support of all 13 council members on that second vote.
One suspect caught, one suspect escapes By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A Chicopee man is facing a larceny charge after a failed shoplifting attempt but his apparent colleague escaped when he attempted to steal the same merchandise from the same store on the same day. City police responded Tuesday, Dec. 31, to a 10:15 a.m. call from a city worker who reported he had seen a male party with a shopping basket flee from the Walgreens store on Main Street while pursued by a store employee. Officer David Racicot was the first officer to arrive and reports that the store manager told him that he
Minimum Wait. Maximum Care.
had been chasing a suspect who fled the store. The store manager said that when he yelled at the suspect he discarded the basket and jumped the fence surrounding the city’s old burial ground. Officers Kerry Paton and Charles Kielbasa also responded and, when they learned that the suspect was believed to be in the burial ground, drove their cruisers on Mechanic and White streets until they spotted the suspect in the graveyard. An officer scaled the fence and detained the man. The store manager went to the cemetery and identified the suspect as the man who had attempted to
steal from his store. Racicot report that a store employee said that she had seen the man put electric toothbrushes into one of the store’s handbaskets and confronted him when he appeared to be leaving the store without paying for the merchandise. When the man fled from her, the clerk informed her manager who gave chase. The shopping basket was retrieved and five electric toothbrushes valued at $721.38 were recovered. The suspect, Claudio Mateo, 26, of 27 Davenport St., Chicopee, was arrested for larceny of property valued more than $250. The store manager told Racicot
that there had been a vehicle which had apparently been waiting for the suspect when he fled the store but the operator apparently abandoned his accomplice and left without him. Det. Anthony Tsatsos found that a review of security video associated with another open shoplifting case, at another city drug store, appeared to show that Mateo and another man had been responsible for a larceny there and a vehicle which fit the description of the one the manager had seen waiting had been involved. Tsatsos reports that when he went to the Walgreens store a short time after the larceny attempt employees told him that another attempt had been made minutes earlier to steal
Walk-In Express Care is now open in Westfield! Noble Express Care is conveniently located at 57 Union Street. Hours: Mon - Fri 11:00am - 8:00pm | Sat - Sun 10:00am - 5:00pm
electric toothbrushes. Tsatsos was told that an employee had seen a man, who fit the description of Mateo’s apparent accomplice from the other incident, put electric toothbrushes into a handbasket and walk toward the exit. The store manager said that when he saw the man and approached him, the suspect discarded the basket and fled, successfully. Mateo was arraigned later that day in Westfield District Court before Judge Rita Koenigs. Koenigs, citing his “history of defaulting” on court dates, set bail at $1,000 and Mateo was held pending a Jan. 30 hearing.
Noble Express Care 57 Union Street, Westfield MA 01085 (413) 642-7200 NobleExpressCare.com Noble Express Care is a DBA of Westfield Medical Corp