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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 86 NO. 129
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 2017
Meeting gives Ward 5 residents overview on projects By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr. and At-large Councilor Brent B. Bean, II hosted an informational meeting for Ward 5 residents at Munger Hill Elementary on Tuesday night. Bean promised the more than 100 residents that gathered that they wouldn’t be hearing from politicians, but from the designers and engineers of the projects presented, and from school officials. Paul introduced the professionals in the room who could answer any questions. The first topic discussed was the Bigwood Drive area sewer extension project, which is part of a $4 million bond to connect residents to city sewer who now have septic tanks. Rob Levesque of R. Levesque Assoc. said the design phase is complete, and will be going out to bid this summer. He explained that the project will last two years, and the streets affected will be repaved, and sidewalks removed and replaced. See Ward 5, Page 7
Ward 5 Councilor Bob Paul speaks with residents before the meeting. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Abutter’s notification change headed to council By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—After support from the community and several city councilors, the abutter’s notification zone change is going to city council for vote this week with the sign suggestion included. The proposal, which was first made by city councilor Dan Allie, went through city council initially and was sent to the council’s legislative and ordinance committee, as well as the city’s planning board. The proposal would mandate notification to abutters of possible map or parcel changes within 300 feet of the property. And while the suggestion has received largely positive commentary from several elected officials and residents involved, one sticking point was the application of signage See Abutter’s Notification, Page 8
“A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done.” — FRED ALLEN
City provides private well testing update, including initial results Mayor Brian Sullivan addresses the crowd at the Westfield 350 meeting yesterday. The meeting was the group’s first public meeting.
Planning a 350th birthday can never start too soon By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—Although it is still nearly two years away, the planning for the 350th anniversary of the city’s founding is officially underway following the Westfield 350 board’s first public meeting yesterday. The board, which held the event at the First Congregational Church on Broad Street, hosted about 50 residents during the meeting. They fielded ideas for a variety of facets regarding the celebration, from fundraising to events, in anticipation of the city’s official 350th birthday on May 19, 2019. In addition, they asked for help from residents to try and plan and make the celebration a success. “The reason why we’re sitting here in 2017 is because it’s going to take that long to get the party together we want to have,” Mayor Brian Sullivan said during the meeting yesterday. Many elected officials were on hand for the meeting, as well as some city employees like community outreach coordinator Amber Danahey and community development director Peter Miller, who are in charge of the planning from the city side. However, according to those organizing and planning, the residents were the ones that were in charge and who are needed to make the event happen. “We can’t expect the city to take on this task, it’s important for the residents of the city to work hand-in-hand with the city,” Harry Rock, president of Westfield 350, said. Westfield 350 is a group of volunteers chosen to help lead the organization for the year-long event. “We need volunteers, we need ideas,” Rock added. “Most importantly, we need you to make this event fun, make this event educational and make this event memorable.” According to Danahey, the city currently has no budgeted funding for the celebration but there were attempts on the state-level earlier this year to try and get money for the event. The request was eliminated during early budget cuts in January. Rock said that funding will likely be coming from fundraising efforts, and that this brainstorming event was also being used as a way to gauge the amount of funding that may be needed. “Based on what we get here we can fabricate costs and expenses,” he said yesterday. “Figure out how small or big this will be.” The brainstorm created several ideas that were solicited from the residents on-hand, and additional ideas were previously submitted and created through initial stages of planning. Among the ideas were to have a block party, community picnic, historical reenactments, fireworks, rubber duck and bicycle races, city-centric trading and playing cards, walking tours and a variety of social media and smart phonerelated events. Rock said if you would like to find out more about the planning or to contribute ideas, you can follow the group on Facebook, or contact Danahey at (413)572-6244, or Westfield resident Anne Miller at (413)572-6246. Also, if Woodson puts a suggestion onto you would like to contribute money one of the idea boards at the to the event, Rock asked that interWestfield 350 meeting yesterday ested parties reach him through the aforementioned Facebook page.
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By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Tuesday afternoon the city released an update on the private well testing occurring in the city, which is being done by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). According to a press release sent out from the city, MassDEP has received results from eight of the 22 wells they have tested thus far. From the results of those eight wells, no perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were initially found. Previously, PFCs were found in three of the city’s wells at levels beyond what the Environmental Protection Agency gave as a lifetime health advisory, with two wells adjacent to Barnes Regional Airport being taken offline due to the contamination. “This is good news for north side residents with private wells,” Mayor Brian Sullivan was quoted as saying in the press release. “We will continue to work with MassDEP and Barnes to ensure that 25 wells are tested. We are pleased with the results to date and plan to move forward with our water remediation plans.” Previously, it was reported by The Westfield News that MassDEP was working along with the city and Barnes Air National Guard to investigate the extent of ground water contamination in Westfield related to PFCs. Also, the city and MassDEP identified 150 total private wells that were within a one-mile radius of public water supply wells one, two, seven and eight, which were the wells where contamination was found in higher concentrations. Of those, 25 of the wells’ users were notified of the request from MassDEP to test the wells. The full results may be accessed through the City of Westfield website under the water department. Also, a link was provided in the press release for results through MassDEP’s website. ——— http://public.dep.state.ma.us/fileviewer/Rtn. aspx?rtn=1-0020093
South View Estates questions Water Bill By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – South View Estates met with the Board of Water Commissioners during their meeting at the Southwick Town Hall on May 18. The discussion was surrounding an issue with South View’s water bill. Eric Wilder and Terry Olbrych, who are both on the Board of Directors for South View Estates, represented the condominium complex in Southwick. In October 2016, South View said that they received a water bill of $16,226 from the Southwick DPW Water Division. The problem for Wilder and Olbyrch, is the fact that they said their water meter was shut off prior to the October water bill. But, according to Brown, DPW workers went out to Southview Estates in the spring of 2016 to do meter readings, and saw that there was a meter installed in which the DPW said that they never installed. The Board of Water Commissioners, along with Wilder and Olbrych, agreed that a private contractor may have installed that meter. Since DPW was never notified that a meter was installed in the spring, DPW believed that the meter wasn’t in use. The water bill for $16,226 was for all of Southview’s water usage for summer irrigation, from 2012 up until the bill they received in October of 2016. Randy Brown, the DPW Director, said that he had sent several letters to Residential Management, the Property Manager of South View Estates. This includes Brown sending letters around the time the October 2016 water bill was issued and then in January, February, March, April and up until the last water bill South View received in May of this year. Brown also said that he had received very little response from the property manager. The letters consisted of Brown notifying Southview Estates See Water Bill, Page 8
Local attorney to educate seniors about elder care law By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The Massachusetts Bar Association will be hosting an Elder Care Law Program at the Southwick Senior Center on June 8. The event is free and will start at 10:30 a.m. and last approximately one hour. Attorney Cynthia Lee Andersen, who is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, will be the guest speaker and will discuss the importance of staying up to date with elder care law. Andersen, who has her practice in Westfield, will discuss how to set up a will, health care proxy, finding a durable power attorney, and a homestead if an individual has real estate.
Attorney Cynthia Lee Andersen will be speaking to seniors at the Southwick Senior Center on June 8. (Photo from Attorney Cynthia Lee Andersen) Andersen emphasized the importance of an estate plan. “By not having a proper will, it could make your estate more costly and heartbreaking,” said Andersen. Andersen will also go over different documents, what they are, and why they’re important. Attendees will hear examples about what some of Andersen’s clients have done with their estate planning, the good ones as well as those that didn’t turn out well. Once Andersen has completed her presenta-
CYNTHIA LEE ANDERSEN