President and owner of The Westfield News Group and moderator Patrick Berry, poses a question to the Ward 4 city counselor candidates during their forum Monday night at the Westfield senior center. (WNG file photo)
WARD 4 CANDIDATE FORUM
The Ward 4 candidates in the second hour were Dawn Thomas and Michael J. Burns, the top two vote-getters in the preliminary election held on Sept. 26. At the start of the forum, Patrick Berry disclosed that Dawn Thomas is the President of the Board of Directors of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce. He said forum co-sponsor Kate Phelon did not participate in formulating the questions for the Ward 4 candidates, and was strictly serving as timekeeper for this forum.
Asked to present their opening remarks, Burns thanked The Westfield News Group, Chamber of Commerce and Senior Center. He said he is a lifelong resident of Westfield, graduate of Westfield Public Schools, and raised his family here. He is a 26 year veteran of the Navy and Air Force, and is now retired and working in sales. Burns said that his only interest in running for City Council is to serve Ward 4. He also said he has served the city for the past 8 years as a Water Resource Commissioner.
“I love Westfield. It is my home,” said Thomas. She said she grew up and went to school in Westfield, and having served on numerous boards and committees, she now wants to serve in city government. She also said that she helped to build a successful small business in Westfield, and has spoken to many Ward 4 residents about their concerns.
To the question of what are the three most important concerns facing Ward 4, Thomas cited roads, the Western Avenue project, and taxes.
Burns said the number one concern is taxes and spending. He said the number two concern among residents is the Western Avenue reconstruction. “Residents haven’t been informed. A lot of people are worried,” he said, adding that he has had the opportunity to speak with the engineer. He also said the third major concern is traffic and speeding.
In terms of the top priority facing the city as a whole, Burns said he believes that wastewater and water are the top concerns. He said currently the way the city decides sewage improvements and who should get it done is too politicized, and should be taken out of the City Council’s hands. He said he’s been told there’s a five-year plan, and he’s been there eight years and hasn’t seen it. He also said there are residents in his ward that have been promised sewers for close to thirty years. “The Water and Sewer Commission is the first place to start,” Burns said.
For Thomas, the top priorities city-wide are the budget and tax increases. “We need to look carefully line by line, and sit down with department heads,” she said, adding that a two, three and four year plan is needed. She said the budget needs to be prioritized.
Berry asked which segment of the city’s property tax revenue, personal or commercial, should carry the higher burden. Thomas said, “Neither one.” She said the city needs to attract new businesses to bring in more revenue.
“Leave it just like it is. I don’t see a problem,” Burns said. He said if the tax shift were made equal, it would raise all residential property taxes. “I’m a no vote on that,” Burns said.
Berry then asked Burns how he would respond to a resident on fixed income, or a struggling business owner concerned their taxes are going up. Burns said he has seen both sides of that issue through his mother, formerly a small business owner and now a senior citizen on a fixed income who volunteers for the Westfield Public Schools to work off her property taxes. “People are on fixed incomes. Some senior citizens are wondering how they’re going to eat,” Burns said.
Thomas said the city has to look at the revenue from both residential and commercial business owners. She said the city can’t attract new businesses, and with all the taxes businesses pay, they can’t hire more employees. “There’s always something that can be reduced,” she said, pointing to the mayor’s recent budget reductions.
When asked about the city’s relationship with Westfield State University now as compared to the past, Thomas said it wasn’t always that good. But she called the university “a good neighbor.” She said there are a lot of people coming to town from the university. “They are good neighbors. We should welcome them,” Thomas said.
Burns agreed that the relationship in the past wasn’t “too good.” He said he used to hear a lot of complaints when he went door to door in past campaigns, but this year said he was “pleasantly surprised. ”As a Councilor up there, I’d also want a parking space, because I’d spend a lot of time up there,” Burns said. He also said in his military career, he was a liaison.
When asked in a follow up question how he could be the “liaison” between the ward and the university, Burns said he was recently invited to a pizza party on campus, and it was “eye opening. I met the president, their outreach is unbelievable now. Downtown, you see Westfield State kids there. All in all, it’s a good situation for the businesses and the college,” Burns said.
Thomas talked about serving on the Westfield State Foundation for seventeen years. “I sat through four presidents and three interim presidents,” she said, adding that with the contacts she still has at the university, that she would be a good liaison. She also said that she received an honorary doctorate in public service from the university a few years ago.
Thomas was asked how her experience as a business owner would be beneficial to the City Council. Thomas said she’d hired people, fired people, made budgets, put budgets out and cut back on them. She said when you make a commitment to hire someone, you have to be cognizant of human factors.
Asked how his experience as a Water Commissioner would be beneficial, Burns said he was the only one at the (forum) table that had done a city budget. He said he’s been involved in paying bonds, and noted them as something to be careful about. “I can take over on day one,” Burns said.
Burns was also asked what drives him to continue to seek to be the Ward 4 Councilor, after having run in the past. Burns said besides his service to the country, his mother served at Noble Hospital, and his father and brother were police officers. He said it is a “call of duty. I was proud to serve the country, and I’d be proud to serve the community,” Burns said.
When asked what the key issues were that prompted her to run now versus in the past, Thomas said the key issue was time. “Now I have the time. Previously, I had a lot of other commitments. This was my time,” Thomas said.
Another question was posed about the serious concerns about contaminants in the water supply. The candidates were asked if they felt the city is adequately addressing the issues, and properly communicating with citizens. Thomas said the contaminants were in the water across from the airport in Ward 1. “I think the city has been open and above board. Our City Councilor in Ward 1 (Mary Ann Babinski) has been very open for us. I’m grateful for the information,” she said.
Burns said he addressed the issue in his opening statement. He also said that he’s seen the liaison to the Water Department only at one meeting, but that Babinski has been there more than any other councilor. He also said the filtration in Wells 7 & 8 had been delayed. He said the water in the wells was drinkable, but as a board they decided to shut them down. “It’s been taken care of. The water is safe to drink,” Burns said.
Both Councilors were asked what department’s heads they have met with to better understand the department’s budget. Burns said he has been meeting with (DPW Director) Dave Billips every month, but he hadn’t met with other department heads. He did say that he has read and studied the school department budget.
Thomas said she hadn’t yet met with any department heads, but that she has printed out and is studying the budget.
In closing statements, Thomas pointed to her experience as a mother, grandmother, homeowner and someone with a small business. She said Westfield will continue to attract new residents, and pointed out some of the “jewels” in town, such as Baystate Noble, Westfield State, Stanley Park, and multiple others. She also asked residents to contact her if they had any questions, and to vote for her on November 7.
Burns said he appreciated the time. He said he had presented and addressed what residents told him were the important issues; taxes, Western Avenue, other infrastructure and clean drinkable water. He also thanked his wife, family, friends and the residents of Ward 4 for their support.
Following the forum, Burns said he felt good about it. “It’s been a long process,” he said, adding that he appreciated the chance to share himself with the public.
“I think it went fine. I’m quite pleased,” Thomas said.
