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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
multiple and massive innovations, obsolescence becomes the major obsession.” — Marshall McLuhan
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 165
“In an age of
75 cents
Council approves 2016FY budget OUR COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
Pantry receives funds from predecessor By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Our Community Food Pantry received $50,690 last week when funds from its predecessor were released and approved by the Board of Selectmen. Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart said when the former Southwick Coalition disbanded, the funds were held in an account for several years in case their was a need to pay any bills or any items related to that group. “It was held over a period of time and can now be transferred to the food pantry as their successor,” Stinehart said. Board Chairman Joseph Deedy told members of the Our Community Table “hopefully this helps.” Our Community Table, located at 220 College Highway, serves Southwick, Granville and Tolland. The pantry is open Mondays from 3-5 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. except holidays
and when schools are closed due to weather. Although the pantry does not turn away non-residents, they are limited in resources. Clients must provide proof of residence and income as well as dates of birth for everyone in the household. Food is distributed according to a family size chart. The current immediate needs include cereal, and non-perishable items such as peanut butter, tuna, pasta, juice and soup are always needed. Cash donations are also welcome to offset administrative costs. The pantry also accepts and distributes personal care items such as shampoo and soap. Much of the food provided is purchased through the Western Mass Food Bank where dollars are stretched to purchase dry goods as well as meats, fresh produce and dairy. Our Community Table’s latest venture is a mobile pantry to reach those in need of food in the hilltowns and cannot get to the pantry.
Baystate announces completion of Noble takeover WESTFIELD – The trustees of Baystate Health and Noble Hospital are pleased to announce today that Noble and its affiliated entities will become part of Baystate Health, effective today, July 1. As of July 1, the hospital will be known as Baystate Noble Hospital and will join Baystate’s team of community hospitals in Greenfield, Palmer and Ware. Ronald Bryant, currently president and CEO of Noble Hospital, will accept the position of president of Baystate Noble Hospital, in accordance with Baystate Health’s structure for its community hospital leadership. Bryant will report to Dennis Chalke, senior vice president of Community Hospitals for Baystate
Health. “We’re proud to welcome Noble and its team members to the Baystate family and to bring their proud tradition of outstanding, compassionate care into our organization,” said Dr. Mark A. Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health. “Now, we’ll move on to the most important part of this change: advancing the quality, access and value of care provided to the Westfield community.” As president of Baystate Noble, Bryant will continue to provide strategic, executive and operational leadership for the hospital, which offers a variety of inpatient and outpatient services including medical, surgical, pulmonary rehabilita-
WESTFIELD – The United State Marine Corps is bringing the remains of Captain Richard Woytisek Vincent home for burial at Pine Hill Cemetery Thursday with full honors. Vincent, a graduate of Westfield High School and the University of Massachusetts, was assigned to Company d, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marines, 2nd Marine Division. He died on Nov. 20, 1943 and was listed as Killed In Action (KIA). Vincent was a 1st Lieutenant when he died in action and promoted to captain posthumously promoted. He was listed as missing in action (MIA) or buried at sea until Oct. 21, 2014 when his remains were identified. Vincent was one of 514 US Marines whose remains were See U.S. Marine, Page 3
See Noble, Page 3
The Westfield News Radio Show Thursday Line-Up 6am-8am
This Thursday... Thursday... This 6am-8am:
BOB McKEAN Pastor Merle Beal,Stanley Rev. Jason Executive Director Park Steel & Rev. Jordan Greeley Mark Boardman & Jennifer Gruzska Topic isRotary Religion Westfield Club
Download WSKB from your Tune In Radio App or watch on Comcast Cable CH. 15
RADIO FOR THE WESTFIELD MASSES
U.S. Marine is coming home to Westfield
tion, cardiac and emergency services for over 100,000 local residents. “For me, this is a new phase and an extension of an already strong relationship,” said Bryant. “From heart-attack care to neurosciences to obstetrics, the Noble community has a longstanding and thriving relationship with Baystate Health. I’m honored to be able to play a part in this new relationship—and step forward—in service of the Westfield community’s health.” “Ron has led Noble to success in the most challenging of environments for community hospitals,” said Chalke.
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Council last night at a special session approved the 2016 fiscal year budget, which begins today, by a 9-3 vote and also made several transfers to erase the snow and ice deficit and fund the city’s health insurance trust fund. At-large Councilor Dan Allie, At-large Councilor David A. Flaherty and Ward 1 Councilor Christopher Keefe voted against adopting the new budget because they felt that deeper cuts were in order to better position the city for the year. The Council cut nearly $2 million Monday at a Finance Committee of the Whole, from the $120,649,353 budget submitted by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik in early June. The council approved a budget of $118,771,183.88. Knapik is also submitting a budget for revenue-generating departments of $14,377,390. State law requires that proposed budgets for those departments and revolving accounts not exceed the income revenue of the previous year, a mandate that cut an additional $4,019,077 from the budget proposed by those departments. The Council was unanimous in its support of Knapik’s request to return $146,000 to the Police Department budget for three school resource officers. That funding had been eliminated from the department’s proposed budget. The council balked at transferring $100,000 back to the school department and took no action on Knapik’s request to sweep any funds remaining in the free cash account into the city’s stabilization account, a typical transfer to keep those funds available. The free cash account will be frozen, as of today, until the state Department of Revenue certifies that the city has no encumbered debt remaining from the 2015 fiscal year. That certification usually comes several months into the new fiscal year, meaning that money is not available. See Budget, Page 3
Is there help? By TINA GORMAN Executive Director Westfield Council On Aging WESTFIELD — Frail, homebound adults aged 60 and older who are considered at risk of institutionalization are provided a variety of services through the Westfield Council On Aging Volunteer Companion Program so that they may age in place in their own homes. Services currently include grocery shopping, errands, companionship, hazardous weather check-ups, home assessments to determine the level of safety and convenience in the home for those who are most at-risk, low-cost transportation to medical appointments, Spanish-speaking volunteers for those clients who do not speak English, as well as fire and home safety checks and education. The Companion Program is funded through a variety of grants and each year the scope of services provided increases as the needs of the clients become more varied. The number of Spanishspeaking volunteers and clients has grown in recent years, necessitating more comprehensive information for them regarding local services. As this fiscal year draws to a close, the Council On Aging Companion Program in collaboration with the Westfield Spanish American Association (WSAA) announces the development of a community resource booklet in Spanish that includes agencies, programs, and services for older adults living in Westfield. With funding from the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) as well as a grant from Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly, Inc., Companion See Is There Help?, Page 3
Happy 35th Anniversary, Westfield State Foundation It was 35 years ago that a group of committed business leaders and community volunteers came together with
representatives of what was then Westfield State College to establish a place to serve all faiths and enhance the quality of life of students and the greater community. For more information about the Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center and the Westfield State Foundation, please contact Foundation Advancement Officer Lisa McMahon at (413) 485-7360 or lmcmahon@westfield.ma.edu. and see our ad on the cover of this week’s PennySaver. Westfield State Foundation, Inc. • 2 Broad Street • P.O. Box 1630 • Westfield, MA 01086 • (413) 485-7357 • westfield.ma.edu/foundation • facebook.com/Westfield State Foundation