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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Those who don’t
believe in magic will never find it.” — ROALD DAHL
www.thewestfieldnews.com 75 cents
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2017
VOL. 86 NO. 116
Private well testing reaching end of phase one By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The sampling of private water wells is under way in Westfield and the first round of testing may soon be done. The sampling of the wells is being done by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and is testing to see if there are levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in private water wells. According to Catherine Skiba, service center manager for MassDEP’s Western Regional Office, the first round of sampling, which had an initial target of 25 wells, should be done by the end of the week. “We’ve done two days of sample collection and to date we have collected samples from 17 business and residential wells,” Skiba said. She added that the results are expected “by the end of the month or beginning of June.” Previously, it was reported by The Westfield News that MassDEP was working along with the city and Barnes Air National Guard to investigate the extent of ground water contamination in Westfield related to PFCs. Previously, the city and MassDEP identified 150 total private wells that were within a one-mile radius of public water supply wells one, two, seven and eight. Of those, 25 of the wells’ users were notified of the request from MassDEP to test the wells. If the wells are found to have been impacted during this first phase, MassDEP has previously said they will then go through a second phase of testing. Additionally, if levels are found that may pose a health risk, then MassDEP has said that they were prepared to supply bottled water, as well as potential water treatment systems for homes, if needed. In a previous article from The Westfield News, Skiba said that the tests could cost around $300 per sample, with funding being obtained from the state.
Residents holding a public meeting to address water concerns
Franklin Ave. second graders teach School Committee members to relax at the start of Monday’s meeting. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Second graders teach School Committee members to relax By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The School Committee started its meeting Monday with a lesson by second graders at Franklin Avenue Elementary School. The students talked about mindfulness and self-care, sharing some techniques to help prepare the body and mind for learning. Lessons included breathing and stretching. “It helps us get ready to learn without feeling rushed,” explained one student. The class led School Committee members in breathing in and breathing out exercises, and raising their arms high. The class also has a self-care space where students may go when they’re feeling stressed, sad or tired. “It helps us calm down before we yell and get into trouble,” another student said. Parents also spoke up, saying that their students are less anxious about school. One family said they have set up a selfcare space at home, where their daughter goes when she needs a minute to sort through her feelings and process them. The father said that he had been a pretty rambunctious student in school, and could have used some of the techniques. Another mother said her son had suffered from frequent headaches last year and had gone to the nurse often, but this year it only happened twice because of the self-care techniques being used in the classroom. School Committee member Diane
Eagle Scouts present their projects at the Southwick Town Hall By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – At the start of Monday night’s Conservation Commission meeting, two members of Southwick Boyscout Troop 338 presented their Eagle Scout projects. Both Noah Kantor and Benjamin Gerow have gone through the Board of Review in order to become Eagle Scouts and were each required to do an Eagle Scout project. Kantor’s project focused on the trail blazing and trail restoration of the Sofinowski Land Preservation in Southwick. According to Kantor, there were multiple issues that needed to be worked on including fixing the conflicting trail markers, foliage covering signs, and logs in the way of the trail paths. In order to resolve those problems, Kantor and his fellow scout members added a red-colored trail, cleared out the logs, and added a parking sign in the trail. For Gerow, his Eagle Scout project focused on building See Eagle Scouts, Page 3
Mayhew said the presentation was “confirmation that we are teaching the whole child.” “We’re not only helping children to learn, but to feel good about the process,” said Principal Frances St. Peter-Sanft. The School Committee also discussed the first draft of a three-year technology plan developed in the spring with the help of a newly formed Technology Committee comprised of representatives from the elementary, middle and high school classrooms, administration, the technology center and school committee. The plan was discussed earlier in the evening in the Educational Planning and Technology Subcommittee chaired by Ramon Diaz, Jr. The plan lays out strategic action steps for each year, and focuses on date management, professional development for staff and integration of technology into the classroom. Among the first year goals in the new plan are the adoption of a responsible use policy, wireless density upgrades in all the schools, and the introduction of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative in the secondary schools. The plan also includes a rolling upgrade of technology throughout the district, according to Diaz. The previous technology plan, which was never passed by the City Council, had an initial price See Relax, Page 3
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—As questions about Westfield’s water and the Barnes aquifer continue, a group of concerned citizens has emerged and will be holding their first public meeting next week. Westfield Residences Advocating For Themselves (WRAFT) will be holding a public meeting and informational session on Thursday, May 25, at Santorini’s Pizzeria on Southampton Road, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. At the meeting, members will provide attendees with information about the contamination of water in Westfield and a description of the group’s efforts. “It will be an introduction of who we are, a description of the current actions we are involved it, what people can do to help,” Kristen Mello, founding WRAFT member, said. “It’s mostly about community education and helping them feel comfortable with who we are and why we’re doing this,” she added. Among the information that will be put out by members of WRAFT will be handouts on perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), the alleged risks of crumb rubber to ground water, as well as petitions for blood testing and to prohibit the use of crumb rubber, Mello said. Regarding PFCs, two of the city’s wells were taken offline during the summer last year, when they were found to have levels of PFCs within its water that was beyond an Environmental Protection Agency lifetime advisory. Since then, concerns over the water and the possible connection to Barnes Air National Guard’s firefighting foam being a possible source of the PFCs have been addressed in a number of meetings and discussions throughout a variety of city departments. And most recently city officials, members of the National Guard See Water, Page 3
Members of WRAFT, along with members of the Toxic Action Center, while at the 30th Annual Local Environmental Action Conference, at Northeastern University, March 5. From left to right: Shaina Kasper, Vermont State Director, Toxics Action Center; Alina Davledzarova, WRAFT; Kristen Mello, WRAFT; Gail Bean, WRAFT; Kelsey Whiting-Jones, Western Massachusetts and Connecticut Community Organizer, Toxics Action Center.
Three running for Huntington Town Clerk in Saturday’s election By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON – Three residents are running for the office of Town Clerk in Saturday’s town-wide election. The position became available in March when former town clerk and tax collector Andrea McKittrick resigned, citing personal reasons. Kathleen Thomas, who served as assistant town clerk under McKittrick was named interim town clerk, and is one of those running for the elected office. Also running is former town clerk Judith Guyette, and Melissa Reid, a lifelong resident of the town and member of the Board of Health. In her candidate’s statement, Kathleen Thomas said she has been a resident of Huntington for 28 years. “During these years, I’ve been a wife, mother, aide in
KATHLEEN THOMAS Gateway, housekeeper for my church, and served as Assistant Town Clerk for the past seven years,” she said. In addition to that position, she also had the “honor and pleasure of serving as Election Clerk,” presiding over national and local elections.
JUDITH GUYETTE “Serving as Assistant Town Clerk has enriched my life in many different ways. I never knew just how much a Town Clerk actually does until I started as an assistant. I love every part of it! It is a challenging, widely diverse job. The best part is getting to know and serve the people
MELISSA REID of our town,” Thomas said. Due to recent events, Thomas said she was appointed as interim town clerk. “Because of this, the Office of Town Clerk will be on the ballot this year at our Annual Town Election. I am See Huntington, Page 3