WESTFIELD – The City Council will conduct a special meeting on Monday, June 30, at 6 p.m. to consider a number of loose-end financial issues and to close the books for the end of city’s 2014 fiscal year.
The agenda for the most part is just moving money to expense accounts from free cash and to move any remaining free cash, projected at more than $2 million, to the city’s stabilization account so it is available during the 2015 fiscal year which begins Tuesday, July 1.
There is another July 1 issue on the agenda which has nothing to do with city finances. It has everything to do with the World Cup game featuring the US team in a 4 p.m. game Tuesday, as it enters the Round of 16 elimination phase of the games.
Westfield Business Improvement Executive Director Maureen Belliveau will appear before the City Council at the special meeting to seek council approval of a proposal to sell beer and wine between 3-8 p.m. in the Park Square Green while the game is broadcast on a big screen system.
City ordinance prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages on city property, a prohibition that the City Council can waive, and has done so in the past.
Community Development Director Peter J. Miller Jr., said the event is an opportunity to bring community members together.
The organizers are “trying to do something similar to what’s happening in other cities,” Miller said.
Diana McLean of the Community Development Department, working in coordination with the BID, is attempting to organize the event which will require not only the approval of the City Council, but also the License Commission and Park & Recreation Department, which controls the Park Square Green.
McLean said that several local food and alcohol vendors who have participated in similar events, such as the Concert On the Green held Thursday night, have been notified of the proposed World Cup event, but have little time to obtain the permits needed to participate.
“I believe that it will be a younger audience,” McLean said Friday. “There were a lot of kids kicking soccer balls around last night at the concert.”
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said he saw the end of the US/Germany game, which the US lost by a 1-0 score, but still qualified for the Round of 16 based on the number of goals they scored and goals scored against them.
“Ten minutes after the game ended and the Americans advanced, there was a knock on my door,” Knapik said.
Frank Kelleher, the son of Tim Kelleher, owner of the Batters’ Box on Lockhouse Road was asking how to hold a World Cup event in Westfield.
“Apparently he has talked with downtown business owners who are sponsoring the World Cup event,” Knapik said.
