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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 283
“Experience
is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.” — ALDOUS HUXLEY
75 cents
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016
City council could see an open seat By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–At-large City Councilor Dan Knapik may be changing careers once again, after he was appointed town administrator to Yarmouth over the weekend. Knapik, one of two finalists, was appointed to the position on Saturday by the Yarmouth board of selectmen. Knapik said that he still has a negotiations process with the town before the decision is final but he has accepted the position. Negotiations in Yarmouth are expected to take place during the selectmen’s next scheduled meeting in early December.
With Knapik’s new position being 160 miles from Westfield, eyes are now on whether Knapik will resign his council seat. Knapik, who did not run for reelection as Mayor but as an At Large City Councilor in the 2015 city-wide elections, resigned as Westfield’s Mayor in November 2015 about a week after Brian Sullivan was elected Mayor. Sullivan, who was City Council President at the time, served as interim mayor until his official swearing in. According to city clerk Karen Fanion, if or when Knapik does step down from his position as city coun-
cilor, she must notify city council of Knapik’s departure within 15 days. Then, city council must appoint the “defeated candidate who received the highest number of votes” behind Knapik from the most recent municipal election that involved the position. In this case, that would be John J. Beltrandi, III. When reached for comment, Beltrandi declined stating only that it is too early to know what will happen. Westfield seats seven At Large councilors and in the 2015 municipal elections Beltrandi came in eighth by only 3 votes. After a recount the order was not altered. If Knapik were to
resign, the seat would be Beltrandi’s should he want it. If not, then Muneeb Moon Mahmood, who was the ninth highest votegetter, would be next in line. Replacing resigning elected officials is not new in Westfield as there have been a few others in recent history: August 2012 Ward 2 councilor Jim Brown resigned and in May 2007 then Mayor Rick Sullivan stepped down to work in the Gov. Patrick administration. When Brown resigned his seat as Ward 2 councilor the next highest
Thanksgiving food drive a success, in spite of obstacles By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–As the city’s school department was holding their Thanksgiving radio food drive yesterday, a last-minute request came in. “As we were on the radio people heard about it and came in and asked, and in the last hour of the radio show there were six more families who requested food,” Stefan Czaporowski, school superintendent and co-organizer of the drive, said. This was no small request. The food was a Thanksgiving dinner, complete with turkey and all the fixings. Plus, Czaporowski, Ward 2 councilor Ralph Figy, his wife Sue, and the rest of the organizers, already worked hard to exceed the amount that they gathered from the year before and it was considered a success. Still, the group took it upon themselves to try. Pleas went out, shopping was done, donations were made. And when the drive was all over, six more families had dinner to put on their tables this Thanksgiving. The school department, in conjunction with 89.5 FM See Food Drive, Page 8
Food piled on a desk at the food drive Monday. (Photo
See Knapik, Page 5
DANIEL M. KNAPIK
Tolland town officials discuss next steps after fire Member of the Westfield branch of the Salvation Army have been working on fundraising efforts in order to provide turkeys to every family on their sign-up list. Pictured from left to right is: Mary Lou Dazelle, Anita Barnes, Emily Mew, Rob Matthews and Laurie Matthews. (WNG File Photo)
Salvation Army needs more turkeys for city families By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent WESTFIELD – The Salvation Army of Westfield is gearing up to providing turkeys to families throughout the city for Thanksgiving. A volunteer run service, the Westfield branch of the Salvation Army is short 40 to 50 turkeys. According to Salvation Army Volunteer Service Coordinator Laurie Matthews, they are providing meals to around 240 families throughout Westfield for the upcoming holiday. Matthews said that her volunteer service is looking for any way to raise enough money so more turkeys can be available to the proper amount of families. Students at Westfield State University were able to raise enough money at the school to donate 145 turkeys to the Salvation Army. The Westfield State students have attempted to get more turkeys donated
by Greg Fitzpatrick)
See More Turkeys, Page 8
WHS Student Council exhibits Bomber Pride By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Today is pep rally day at Westfield High School, and the student council has big plans for it. First, every student walking into school this morning found a paper hand turkey with a message of thankfulness, or a Thanksgiving joke on it, taped to his or her locker. The 60+ members of the student council, all elected class representatives, made more than 1200 turkeys for the project. Then, the last two periods of the day is the pep rally run by the student council. According to student council president Erin McDermott, traditionally the pep rally got students revved up for the Thanksgiving football game against Cathedral High School. This year, WHS will be playing 30 alumni from the classes of 1993 to 2014 in a Thanksgiving Day alumni flag football
The student council raised over $4,000 for juvenile diabetes and Toph’s See Bomber Pride, Page 5 Team at a recent fundraising event. (Submitted photo)
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent TOLLAND – After a fire destroyed the Tolland DPW building and the equipment inside the garage on Sunday afternoon, meetings were held at the Tolland Town Hall on Monday to discuss the aftermath. Several town officials spent the day going over the situation, including Fire Chief Eric Munson, Police Chief and DPW Director Ed Deming, and Select Board member Steve DellaGiustina. According to DellaGiustina, MEMA (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency) reached out to town officials on Tuesday and is willing to assist the town in any way they can. Mass DOT (Department of Transportation) See Next Steps, Page 5
School Committee is treated to holiday songs; returns to business By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Monday’s School Committee meeting, which began with a pledge of allegiance led by Boy Scout Troop 820, was filled to capacity with parents of fourth and fifth graders in the Munger Hill chorus. Munger Hill principal Salvatore Friere introduced new chorus instructor Taylor Hildack, who led the chorus in a preview of the school’s winter concert, which will be held on December 12 at 6:30 p.m. The students in holiday attire sang “Shalom” and “All you need is love,” to the delight of School Committee members. Hildack replaced elementary music teacher Jeff Gould, who transferred to Belchertown this year after ten years with the district. Other presenters during the meeting included the art department from Westfield High School, who gave an update on the Empty Bowl fundraiser, which raised $1,550 for the Westfield Food Pantry. 300 students participated, making 200 bowls for sale at the event while they learned about the prevalence of hunger in the community. The teachers said that other departments, including English, health, technology See Songs, Page 5