WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian P. Sullivan presented his budget to the City Council at the end of the meeting on Thursday, coming directly from handing out diplomas at the Westfield Technical Academy’s graduation ceremony.
MAYOR BRIAN P. SULLIVAN
Sullivan said the budget of $138,385,913 represents a 2.1% increase over last year.
He thanked his staff and department heads, calling the process “a lot of work, a lot of angst.” He said an additional $2.2 million has already been cut from what the department heads brought to him.
The budget has no layoffs on the city side, but he said the School Department will be sending out pink slips. “You’re doing a whole lot more with a whole lot less,” Sullivan said, adding that the city has “budgeted well.”
The budget also uses $500,000 of free cash, leaving the city $1,090,000 in its account, he said.
There are several new positions included in the budget. Westfield resident Amber Danahey began Tuesday as the city’s Community Outreach Coordinator in charge of communications and marketing opportunities.
Two new dispatchers were hired who Sullivan said will be paid out of the overtime budget. He said $136,000 was paid out in overtime last year.
The position of Deputy Superintendent of Parks & Recreation will be filled January 1 after a thorough inventory of the city’s parks, which Sullivan said need attention. A storm water coordinator will also be hired January 1, following the retirement this summer of Charles “Woody” Darling after 25 years of service.
Sullivan said he has met with City Engineer Mark Cressotti and Director of Public Works David Billips, and assured the City Council that 100% of the Chapter 90 funds will be used for roads. “We will be rolling out our paving program in the near future,” he said, adding that the city will be doing more work in house using the new patch machine.
The budget will now go through a series of Finance sub-Committee meetings with department heads, beginning with a meeting on June 7 with the school department.
Sullivan ended his presentation by thanking former Mayor Daniel M. Knapik.
“The way the city has been going the last few years is healthy,” he said.
