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WEATHER TONIGHT T-storms early, then clearing late. Low of 60.
The Westfield News
“Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self.”
Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
— MAY SARTON
www.thewestfieldnews.com TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 157
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Suit filed over Worthington withdrawal By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON – Attorney James Lampke, who represents the town of Huntington, is preparing to file opposition papers prepared by all the plaintiffs against a motion to dismiss the lawsuit made by both Worthington and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the legislation allowing Worthington to leave the Gateway District. The plaintiffs, Ruth Kennedy and Derrick Mason who are representing themselves pro
se, and the Gateway Regional School District represented by long-time Gateway attorney Fred Dupere, are working cooperatively in the consolidated filing. A motion to dismiss was filed separately by the town of Worthington and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Lampke said that each of them submitted a brief of over 20 pages to dismiss the lawsuit. He said that there are similar arguments in both of the motions. and some that only pertain to Worthington or to the Commonwealth.
See Bottled Water, Page 8
Paris becomes 4th city to join race for 2024 Olympic Games By SAMUEL PETREQUIN AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — Paris declared its candidacy for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, becoming the fourth city to enter the race and setting out its vision for bringing the games back to the French capital for the first time in 100 years. The Paris bid, which has been in the works for months, was formally launched in a ceremony at the headquarters of the French Olympic Committee that was attended by leading French athletes. “We believe that this bid and our goal to host the 2024 Games will excite, unite and enthuse the people of Paris, our entire nation and lovers of Olympic and Paralympic sport all over the world,” bid chairman Bernard Lapasset said. Paris joins Rome, Boston and Hamburg as declared bidders, with Budapest also expected to join the contest. Paris has scheduled a second bid ceremony on Bastille Day on July 14, with French President Francois Hollande and other top political figures expected to take part. Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924 and bid unsuccessfully for the 1992, 2008 and 2012 Games. After being criticized for their perceived arrogance in their defeats to See Olympic Games, Page 3
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Boards to appoint DPW director tonight
Bottled water recall SPRINGFIELD — Out of an abundance of caution and in the strict interest of public safety, Niagara Bottling, LLC is issuing a voluntary recall for all spring water products produced at both the Hamburg, PA and Allentown, PA facilities from the time frame of 3am(EDT) June 10th to 8PM (EDT) June 18, 2015.” This information was issued by Niagara Bottling. LLC. More information can be found on
“I think it’s pretty outrageous what the legislature did here,” Lampke said. He said there are seven different counts in the complaint, and seven different theories they are suing them on. Once all the papers are filed this week in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton, the court may then set a date for a hearing. “I don’t believe the court will allow the motion to dismiss without a hearing,”
The Southwick Board of Appeals discusses a variance request with Brian Drenen Monday night. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
Sideline variance request rejected on lake property By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Board of Appeals (BOA) rejected a sideline variance request of eight feet for a new home being built at 40 Beach Road. Members of the board agreed that a minimum of 10 feet was necessary on each side of the home because it is a narrow lot. The property is a non-conforming, preexisting lot, as are most lots on the lakes in town. Although the board did not approve the side variance request, which was an addendum to another request, it did approve the original request and granted the homeowner Daniel Thompson an 8-foot rear setback variance, a 27-foot frontage variance and a variance for the 30,765 square-foot lot with the condition of maintaining a 10-foot sideline variance on the left and right of the home as well as construction of a retaining wall. Brian Drenen of Southwick Builders represented the homeowner during a Board of Appeals hearing last night he and BOA member Paul A. Gregoire recapped the project, which first came before the board in 2008. Gregoire said a variance application was approved then, but the project never came back before the board within a year, which
is the required process. Then in December of 2014, Drenen approached him for a meeting, which was set for January. Nobody representing the Thompsons attended. “We could have closed it and you would have to wait two years to come back, but we didn’t,” said Gregoire. Drenen said it was a miscommunication and bad information – and not intent – that caused him to miss the meeting. Drenen and the Thompsons plead their case for the sideline variance, which was needed, Drenen said, because the lot is not straight and the house cannot be placed right in the middle because of the therrain. BOA member Thomas Stapleton sympathized with the homeowners but said the plans for a 16 foot-by-48 foot home are already large for the lot size. “You’re stuffing a pretty big house on a narrow lot,” said Stapleton. “It’s difficult because we don’t want to see things go in the direction where there’s nothing but structure.” Gregoire agreed and said “even with 10-foot sidelines it’s pretty close.” “This is not a tiny house – it’s a pretty substantial structure,” Stapleton said. The board agreed it would not allow the shorter variance before approving the original request.
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City’s Water Commission and Board of Public Works will convene in a special joint session tonight to name a new director for the consolidated Department of Public Works which will come into existence with the new 2016 fiscal year on July 1, 2015. The joint meeting should be brief because there is only one candidate, Dave Billips, who is currently the superintendent of the Water Resource Department and the interim superintendent of the Public Works Department. The City Council voted in April to combine all of the city departments responsible DAVID BILLIPS for maintaining the city’s infrastructure into one Public Works organization. Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said the city used a two-tiered approach to reviewing candidates who applied for the new post. A screening committee went through the resumes of the candidates and selected three to be interviewed by a separate committee. The interview committee, which included Human Resource Director Karin Decker, Community Development Director Peter J. Miller Jr., City Solicitor Susan Phillips, Water Commission Chairman Ronald J. Cole and Board of Public Works Chairman John Sullivan, interviewed three candidates Friday, June 19 and unanimously selected Billips for the new post. Cole said the committee felt that “Dave stood head and shoulders above the other two candidates.” Cole said that Billips has extensive experience in both water and wastewater treatment and holds licenses “those other two candidates don’t hold. “I think that his experience with the city and his ability to work within the city’s political structure was a major factor in his selection,” Cole said Monday. “Dave also has a track record of correcting deficiencies within departments, correcting See Director, Page 3
Single-family home sales decline in May BOSTON (AP) — Sales of single-family homes in Massachusetts declined last month when compared to May 2014, a drop that one organization that tracks the market attributes to low inventory. The Waltham-based Massachusetts Association of Realtors on Tuesday reported a decline in sales of more than 5 percent year over year. The Boston-based Warren Group reported a less dramatic sales drop of 2.6 percent. Realtors president Corinne Fitzgerald said “low inventory has once again pushed closed home sales down in May.” Median prices dropped for the first time in eight month according to the Realtors, to $341,000. The Warren Group said median prices in May were unchanged from May 2014. “Most of these May closings went under agreement at the start of the spring selling season in March,” said Timothy M. Warren Jr., CEO of The Warren Group. “We won’t see the peak sales numbers until the middle of summer in July.”
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Both groups anticipated a stronger summer. Both organizations reported that condominium sales were down, but median prices for condos were up.
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