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By AMY PORTER Correspondent HILLTOWNS – Special town meetings are scheduled for the three towns that did not pass the FY18 Gateway Regional school budget at their annual town meetings this spring. Huntington’s meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 9 beginning at 6:30 in Stanton Hall, Russell’s on Thursday, August 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the town hall, and Chester’s on Saturday, August 12 at 1:00 p.m. in the town hall. With Blandford, Middlefield, and Montgomery having passed their above minimum contributions, those three towns do not need to vote again. Since four towns are needed for passage, at least one of the remaining towns must vote for the budget in order for it to go forward. Meanwhile, the district has been put on a 1/12th (month-tomonth) budget based on FY17 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The three towns that are voting were the only ones to
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Gateway Regional Administrative Assistant Stacy Stewart, School Committee chair Michele Crane, and Superintendent Dr. David B. Hopson. (Photo by Amy Porter)
GTAC Committee members Andrew Myers of Chester, Noreen Suriner of Middlefield, Darlene McVeigh of Huntington, and Derrick Mason and Ruth Kennedy of Russell. (Photo by Amy Porter)
receive an increase in their minimum contributions, which are based on enrollment and percentage of students in the district. Russell’s increase was almost $200,000 and Huntington’s nearly $140,000. Each town’s share of the student population is 30%. Chester’s increase was approximately $14,000 over FY17. Chester was the last town to vote on the school budget the first time around, and this time as well, giving it again the deciding vote. At the annual town meeting, Finance Committee chair Andrew Myers said one reason to vote against the budget was to support Russell and Huntington. “Russell can’t afford that (increase). Our decision is, are we going to join those towns that voted the budget down and said they can’t afford it,” Myers said at the town meeting. Gateway Regional Budget Version 2, which the towns will be voting on next week, was reduced overall by $105,908, and resulted in a $7,000+ decrease in the above minimum contribu-
tions to Huntington and Russell, and $1,000+ to Chester. Hopson acknowledged that the amounts they were able to cut for town assessments weren’t what they were hoping for. “There’s not anything left to cut that doesn’t impact student services,” he said on Tuesday. At the Gateway Towns Advisory Committee (GTAC) meeting last Thursday, representatives from the towns said they were disappointed by the amount of the reductions. “How concerned can they be about the towns, the district and the impact on two of the towns,” said Darlene McVeigh, one of two newly elected Huntington selectmen and former Finance Committee chair for the town. Myers said at the town meetings, three towns made it very clear that they could not pass the budget as it stands. “It was
Blandford Fair marks 150 Years with special events By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent BLANDFORD-While much has changed across the country in the 150 years since the Blandford Fair started, one constant has remained at the heart of the organization – showcasing the importance of agriculture to all ages. “We’re a family oriented fair,” said Bruce Wyman, president of the board of trustees of the Blandford Fair. “I see parents and grandparents I remember as toddlers who are now bringing their kids to the fair.” Wyman, who first experienced the fair through Allen Laflamme and Greg his participation in 4-H, Girard are among the many said this year’s fair will volunteers who ensure that the have the “traditional” midgrounds of the Blandford Fair way rides, food vendors, are ready for Labor Day week- oxen, draft horses and pony pulls, truck and tracend. tor pulls, and a few new attractions. The fair, presented by the Union Agriculture & Horticultural Society, is planned Sept. 1-4 at 10 North St. “To celebrate 150 years of the fair we are planning a special fireworks display Sunday night,” said Wyman, adding
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Gateway budget goes back to Huntington, Russell and Chester residents
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Mayor’s term length will be on November ballot
Pearl Harbor survivor and Navy veteran Robert Greenleaf Sr. (Photo by Don Wielgus)
Pearl Harbor survivor to be honored at ceremony By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent WESTFIELD – On Tuesday August 8, Mayor Brian Sullivan’s office will be hosting a ceremony for Westfield resident Bob Greenleaf Sr., who passed away on July 15 at age 94. The ceremony for the longest-surviving Pearl Harbor solider in the Whip City will take place at 2 p.m. at Kane & Wojtkiewicz Park, which is across from the Holy Trinity Church and behind the clock tower on Elm Street. Until his passing, Greenleaf Sr. was the oldest Pearl Harbor survivor from Westfield. Greenleaf Sr. was a gunner’s mate on See Greenleaf, Page 7
By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – In addition to deadlines looming for candidates for city office to turn in their papers, the deadline is also approaching for ballot questions on the November ballot. Westfield will see a non-binding referendum regarding an extension of the mayor’s term on the ballot this Ward 2 Councilor year. The questions reads: Shall the Ralph J. Figy city of Westfield extend the term of Mayor from two years to four years? Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy sponsored the question which was approved by the City Council in April. “I don’t believe a two-year team is fair to the mayor or to the citizens. It’s not enough time to get anything done and to follow up,” Figy said. He said in the Midwest where he hails from (Toledo, Ohio region), four year terms are the minimum. He pointed out that both Springfield and most recently West Springfield changed the terms from two years to four years. Because the question is non-binding, results will be sent to the City Council to review and decide what the next steps are, according to Westfield City Clerk Karen M. Fanion. Figy said there are several steps that would have to be taken, including the possibility of a home rule petition. “We just want to gauge the public’s support or lack of support for increasing the term from two years to four years,” Figy said. He said he hopes if the public is favorable that the change could go into effect following the 2019 election.
Review: ‘Finding Neverland’ at The Bushnell By MARK G. AUERBACH Correspondent The national national tour of the Broadway musical Finding Neverland is playing the Bushnell this week, and it’s a first rate version of the recent Broadway production that’s likely to please older children and the young-atheart, who recall the beloved children’s classic, Peter Pan. Finding Neverland is the story of playwright and author James Barrie, who is trying to write a hit play for the American producer Charles Frohman. He’s inspired by Sylvia Llewelyn Davis, a widow with four young sons, with whom he becomes infatuated. James Graham’s book is straightforward, and the score by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, beautifully orchestrated by Simon Hale, work well together to weave a spell around the audience. Finding Neverland is an original musical Inspired by the 1998 play The Man Who Was Peter Pan by Allan Knee and his 2004 film adaptation Finding See Finding Neverland, Page 7
Billy Harrigan Tighe and John Davidson in Finding Neverland. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel)