Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
Rain Showers. Low of 33.
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 277
“News reports don’t change the world. Only facts change it,
and those have already happened when we get the news.” — FRIEDRICH DURRENMATT
75 cents
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2016
Fire Chief looking to use old salt shed space By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – With the new salt shed behind the College Highway DPW facility complete, it has left the status of the old shed unknown. Prior to the brand new salt shed, the previous one was located behind the fire department on Depot St. Now that it won’t be used by town officials, Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson approached the Select Board during their meeting on Monday night with a recommendation that he wanted endorsed. Anderson’s proposal is that the space that was previously used for salt storage should be now used for training his firefighters. Specifically, Anderson wants to have fire training exercises. According to Anderson, he believes that every firefighter in his department should do the training with a live fire at least once. Anderson said that the unit to be used for training will consist of hay and pallets with a steel liner. Mass DEP has already issued Anderson a permit that would run from April to November next year and the permit would cover 12 live fires for the training. In order to get approval, Anderson has also met with several committees and organizations in town. During the meeting with the Select Board, Anderson stood by his recommendation. “I’m looking for your endorsement to take it to the next step,” said Anderson. The Select Board made the motion to go further along with Anderson’s request and will be moving forward in the near future.
A current look at the Granville reservoir. The shore is expanded and clearly visible, showing obvious drought conditions.
Westfield water source shut down due to continuing drought By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–The city has decided to officially shut down the Granville reservoir this morning. The Department of Public Works made the decision after water levels at the reservoir continued to recede through the drought that has plagued the entire state. It was incorrectly reported more than a week ago that the reservoir was offline but the decision has now been made official. “As of today we are more than 12.5 feet below spillway level,” Westfield system engineer Heather Miller said on Monday. “To put that in perspective, during November of last year we were about 5.5 feet below, so the reservoir level is significantly lower than it is in a typical year.” The reservoir is currently showing significant portions of shoreline, which is a telltale sign of low water levels. The reservoir isn‘t so dry that it couldn‘t provide water, but quality goes down as the water level does, and the aim is to protect what water is left for later usage. This is the second time in three years that the reservoir has been shut off. Two years ago, the reservoir was off to allow maintenance and construction work to be done on the water system. During that time, the city had been able to supply adequate water for nearly a year and a half through their various water wells, using no reservoir water at all. City officials are confident that Westfield will be able to do that again during this shutdown. “At one point the plant was shut down for two years, but our intention is not to have it shut down next summer,” Miller said about the length of suspension of operations. “Hopefully, if we get some recharge over the winter and we get it up to normal or closer to normal levels then we can bring the plant back online,” she said. Miller said that by springtime over the past few years, the city has had the reservoir above the spillway. This would be the level officials hope to have the reservoir at when they turn its systems back on. However, the weather models may not be kind to Westfield and many others facing drought conditions across Massachusetts. “Essentially, through April of 2017, we have what they consider
A view of the Granville Reservoir when filled. equal chances for above or below average precipitation,” WWLP meteorologist Brian Lapis said. “So, in short there are no macro-scale, big picture weather forecasts of us being dry or us being very wet. “Right now, it looks like things are going to be staying the same in our drought situations,” Lapis said. “It took us about a year and a half to get into the drought and it might take us about a year and a half to get out.” Lapis was sure to clarify though, that the drought western Massachusetts faces is not as severe as California or even what the eastern part of Massachusetts is facing. City officials will be continuing to monitor the reservoir levels, in addition to keeping residents apprised of any additional information. Most updates can be found on the City of Westfield website.
RUSS ANDERSON Southwick Fire Chief
Bonfire in Huntington for Fire Association
Bonfire fully engaged. (Submitted photo by Jeanine Lucia)
By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON – More than 200 residents came out in the cold on Saturday night to gather around a bonfire and raise money for the Fire Association’s efforts to bring fireworks back to town next summer. The bonfire, which was set up on Pettis Field was lit at 7 p.m. under the super full moon. Huntington Fire captain John McVeigh said it was packed tight, and took a little while to get going, but was almost burned out by 10 p.m. In addition to the bonfire, there were drawings for donated prizes, a 50-50 raffle, local vendors and music by “Southern Rain.” “It was a really good learning experience for next year,” McVeigh said. “It was fun. A lot of people can’t wait to see it again.” McVeigh also said that he was really proud of the fire department, who he said did a great job. He estimates that $1,000 was raised towards the $25,000 goal for the fireworks. The next event being contemplated is an all-day skating and Christmas tree burning event at the field, which still has to go before the Select Board.
John McVeigh uses blower on the bonfire as residents warm themselves. (Submitted photo by Tim Doherty)