WESTFIELD – The Flood Control Commission is looking for a few citizens willing to serve, and protect, citizens in area of the city prone to flooding. The board is responsible for the oversight of maintenance of a wide variety of flood control facilities and structures.
The scope of the board’s authority includes maintenance of two flood-control dams, one on Powdermill Brook and the other on Arm Brook, the Westfield River levee and flood plain and the Little River levee, backflow devices on storm drains through the levees and the Williams Riding Way pump station.
Commission Chairman Albert G. Giguere said at the board’s monthly meeting this week that the commission currently has four members. That number constitutes a quorum. The seats on the seven-member board are vacant, meaning that all of the current commissioners have to be present to legally conduct business.
“There have been a couple of times over the last few years where we could not meet because we did not have a quorum,” Giguere said. “We’re looking for someone who has knowledge or interest in flood control issues or hydrology. Or someone who would take a vested interest” in the duties of the commission.
“People who have an interest in protecting their homes, their jobs, their property,” Giguere said.
“Westfield is one of the higher flood risk city in the state,” Giguere said. “The Westfield River and its watershed, is largest tributary in the state. Most of the city is in the flood plain, a lot of it protected by the system of levees.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said that he is trying to fill a number of vacancies on various boards and commission, but it is a challenge to find residents willing to serve on municipal boards.
“It is difficult to get citizens to volunteer their time to serve, hard to get people involved in city service,” Knapik said.
