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At-Large Council candidates discuss taxes, water during candidate forum By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The candidates for At-Large City Council were at the center of last night’s candidate forum, as voters have just a week left before the polls open. A total of 12 candidates were given questions and allowed remarks as they try to convince voters to choose them for one of the seven available At-Large Councilor seats on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The forum was one in a series sponsored by The Westfield News and the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, held at the Westfield Senior Center. Tina Gorman of the Westfield Council on Aging hosted the event and Kate Phelon, Executive Director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, moderated. The candidates were each given a total of five questions to answer, as well as opening and closing remarks. For the opening question two candidates each were posed against each other and asked the same question, followed by two questions that were posed to all councilors. Then, a different question was asked individually of each, followed by a final question for incumbents and a final question for challengers. The incumbents are Dan Allie, Brent Bean, John Beltrandi, III, Steve Dondley, Dave Flaherty, Cindy Harris and Matthew VanHeynigen and the challengers are Jeff Chagnon, Matt Emmershy, Muneeb “Moon” Mahmood, Nick Morganelli and Gary Wolfe. Among the topics discussed during the forum included taxes, the state of the city’s water, budget and use of city resources. One of the two questions asked to all were how the city can more effectively manage their resources to improve services without raising
The 12 Westfield City Council At Large candidates are seen during the candidates forum at the Westfield Senior Center on Monday night. (Photo by Lynn Boscher) taxes. Several councilors voiced a thought that spending must be done more efficiently as a means of providing the improved services. “We really have to judicially look at where we are spending money,” Wolfe said. “I think we all have to reel it in and spend it wisely,” he added. Flaherty said that the city faces significant financial challenges, including what is owed to employees through pensions and health benefits. He also said that consolidation of services between departments can help. “We owe a ton of money to employees and we have to find a way to attack it,” he said. Flaherty also spoke about the concerns of nearing the levy limit, which, he believes, could put services at risk if it is reached, as
well as the concern of utilizing free cash savings in the city’s budget to reduce the tax levy on residents. Flaherty called this living on savings. “We have to live within our budgets, within our revenue,” he said. “Later this month, we might have a chance again to burn up some savings,” Flaherty said. “That was not the plan at the time we looked at the budget.” And Morganelli also suggested that jobs may need to be cut to find savings. “We really have to take a hard look at what jobs are needed in the city and what aren’t,” he said, adding that the city could benefit from more efficient work. Harris though, balked at the idea of cutting jobs.
See Candidate Forum, Page 8
Blandford Ski Area has new General Manager
Southwick business to close, go up for auction By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – During Monday night’s Select Board meeting, the board received a letter from Kevin Popoli, the Executor of State for The Cove Restaurant and Banquet Facility. In the letter, Popoli announced that he’s decided to close The Cove and prepare it for an auction sale. Following that, Popoli addressed the reason why he’s The Cove Banquet Facility. (WNG File Photo) made that decision. Scuderi will be reaching out to Tina Siniscalchi, who currently manages The Cove, to coordinate how to shut “Based on me living out of state, and not being down the business. Siniscalchi will also be finalizing the available to deal with the day-to-day needs of shutoutstanding bookings at The Cove, as there are two ting The Cove down, I’m authorizing Joe Scuderi to events scheduled and those performances will need to handle everything at The Cove related to its sale.” find new venues. According to Popoli, all liquor disScuderi was a previous owner of The Cove and is the tributors will get paid for any outstanding bills as well as father to the beneficiaries of the estate (The Cove), utility bills that run through the end of October. At the Select Board meeting, Stinehart added that this Salvator and Gianna. Patti Scuderi was the prior owner of is just the preliminary aspect of the process. The Cove before her passing in October 2015.
Christopher Drive sewer project update WESTFIELD – The City announced today that the sewer installation project in the Christopher Dr. area is scheduled to start on Thursday November 2, 2017 and will continue until approximately December 8, 2017. Jack Goncalves & Sons, of Ludlow, MA are the General Contractors for the Christopher Drive sewer project and will begin work at the intersection of Amy Drive and Christopher Drive and will proceed easter on Christopher Drive towards the end of the cul-de-sac. As the sewer pipe will be installed near the middle of the road, there will be very limited access for vehicles on Christopher Drive during work hours of 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Officials are asking drivers and residents to consider the following options when travelling in that area: • Please do not park on Christopher Drive during the work
“I think we have extremely dedicated employees here and don’t think laying off employees is the answer,” she said. She said that the city has a “necessary, thoughtful” budget, with efforts happening to improve it. “Even to this day, as of last week when we were in council chambers department heads were honing their budgets and returning funds,” Harris said. In addition, Bean said the city has seen some cuts in budgets from departments. “We’ve seen major, major change the last two or three years in the city,” he said. However, the state is expensive to do business and projects in, he noted. In addition, he said that Westfield, like other municipalities, are in similar issues regarding budgets. “Westfield is not the only place in this situation,” Bean said. “It’s very difficult to cut and keep services going.” Instead of following rhetoric provided, Bean said that residents should look at how councilors vote. “Pay attention to votes moving forward,” he said. “That’s something that will be a telling tale.” VanHeynigen spoke of the finance subcommittee’s own efforts, which he is a part of, toward improving the city’s financial situation. According to VanHeynigen, the subcommittee has been able to assist in the freeing of funds through bonds. “On finance [sub]committee we have been doing this of late: looking at a lot of open bonds we have and freeing those up,”
hours. • Park your vehicles on Amy Drive near Joseph Avenue or park on Briarcliff Drive prior to 6:55 a.m. • Residents may be able to leave/enter from 9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. while work crews are on morning break. • Residents may be able to leave/enter from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. while work crews are on lunch break. • It is expected that there will be full access to the area after 4:00 p.m. and until 6:55 a.m. the next day unless there are unforeseen conditions. Patience and cooperation is urged so that the project can be completed as quickly as possible. If there are any questions, please contact Michael Goncalves at 413-246-0185 or Christopher Gates at 203-247-4325. Thank you.
By AMY PORTER Correspondent BLANDFORD – Butternut Ski Basin General Manager Dick McCann and Blandford Ski Area new GM Ron Crozier were on the agenda for the Blandford Board of Selectmen meeting Monday, but the meeting was cancelled due to illness and a scheduled absence. McCann, a Blandford resident, said (L-R) Ron Crozier, the they were going to introduce them- new General Manager selves to the selectmen, introduce at Blandford Ski Area Crozier as the new GM, and update the and Dick McCann, GM town on the goings on at Blandford Ski of Ski Butternut. Area. Butternut Ski Basin bought the Blandford Ski Area over the summer, with the closing taking place on Sept. 1. Crozier previously worked for Butternut from 1999 to 2004. See Blandford Ski, Page 3
Candidate ForumS
Hosted by The Westfield News, Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and The Westfield Senior Center
WEDNESDay, NOV. 1 6:30 INFORMAL FORUM
Mayor: Brian Sullivan Ward 1: Councilor Mary Ann Babinski Ward 2: Councilor Ralph Figy Ward 6: Councilor William Onyski At the Westfield Senior Center, 45 Noble Street, Westfield. Doors open at 6:00 for Candidate Meet and Greet.