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WEATHER TONIGHT
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
Cloudy Skies. Low of 23.
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 307
“Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but
what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it.”
— Richard Adams
75 cents
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016
Planning board reacts to public concern again By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The city’s planning board took care of another piece of contentious business last night, voting to deny the proposal for the Dollar General store on Southampton Road. All but one member of the board voted to deny the proposal of a special permit, in spite of the site’s planners making several changes to the plan, acting on the suggestions made by residents and the board in a previous meeting. The special permit would have allowed Dollar General to build a store of about 7,500 square feet in a commercial A zone, which according to ordinance allows just up to 5,000 square feet of building without special permitting. The reason for the planning board’s decision? Location, location, location. “I certainly appreciate all the hard work you’ve done, but I am staying with my stance from last meeting. I am supportive of Dollar General but I’m not in favor of the location. I’m extremely uncomfortable with the location,” Cheryl Crowe, planning board member, said last night. “Where that spot is on that corner is residential, and to have that spot on the corner breaks that down again,” Peter Fiordalice, planning board member, said. “I agree that it looks better, but it’s just such a big store on that corner spot and a store to be by itself.” Several residents also voiced their concerns to the board, both at the prior meeting and this one. Their concerns matched the planning board’s, including questions of traffic flow and traffic safety. “There is already tractor trailer traffic around there,” board member Carl Vincent said, regarding deliveries that would happen at the proposed site. “Residents believe that they will see their traveling prohibited and are against the construction.” Other city officials also spoke at the hearing—with one speaking in favor and another speaking against the proposal. “I don’t think we need to disrupt that thriving residential neighborhood by putting this building up,” ward 1 city councilor Mary Ann Babinski, said while speaking against the development. “This may be a great building and a great business but this is not a great place for it. I respectfully ask that this board make a decision for the benefit of this neighborhood.” See Planning Board, Page 3
NESDEC consultant John Kennedy present the final school feasibility study during last night’s school committee meeting. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
Granville residents voice opinion on NESDEC’s final study By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The school committee held their meeting in the auditorium of the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School on Tuesday night. NESDEC (New England School Development Council) presented their final study to both the school committee and residents of the Southwick-Tolland-Granville School District. John Kennedy and Anna Cross, both consultants for NESDEC, reviewed what they found in the study, which was data also presented in previous school committee meetings. Demographics, enrollment projections, instructional program review, and facilities best-use analysis have been key parts to NESDEC’s study and they put that on display on the power point. After going through their findings for all four schools in the district, NESDEC then went over the two options again, both of which affect the Granville Village School. Option I is that Granville Village School will close and the building will be for another use. Option II would leave the school as is, keeping it open. Similar to the public forum that was held in the same auditorium in late November, several people living in Granville and throughout the school district, were not satisfied with the final study done by NESDEC. Since last night’s meeting was not a public forum, all comments made by individuals were done during one of the two
public comments that are offered at all school committee meetings. “This analysis is just one of the worst reports I’ve seen published,” said Granville resident Ted Sussman. “I would caution against using any of these recommendations,” said Sussman to the school committee. Steven Cook, another Granville resident who has been very involved with advocating against closing the school, spoke about some of the issues he had with the NESDEC study. “They’re not looking at trends,” said Cook. Cook said that he believes the study was using aggregate data. Looking at the enrollment projections by grade, NESDEC listed the birth years of 2011 through 2021 and came up with projections for the number of births from 2016 to 2021. The projections for the number of births for the future are something that doesn’t make sense to Cook. “That leads to the believability of the other assumptions,” said Cook. Pamela Petschke, who is the Granville representative for the school committee, addressed the school committee saying that she has received numerous letters from concerned people about the study. “I think it’s important we receive these letters carefully,” said Petschke. “I think we can all realize that the NESDEC study was a shallow piece to the puzzle.” See NESDEC Study, Page 3
104TH AIR NATIONAL GUARD
Carando Meats feeds the troops By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Carando provided the members of the 104th Air National Guard at Barnes Regional Airport with a holiday meal, including ham, sides and desserts, as a “thank you” for their service to the country and the city.
Many residents showed up for the Southampton Road Dollar General proposal being discussed by the planning board
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Members of the 104th Air National Guard line up out of the door of the dining hall to get their Carando holiday meal
Member of the 104th Air National Guard is served by the Carando team Members of Carando and the 104th National Guard pose during the event Dec. 20