WESTFIELD: A petition by Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy for a zone change at 91 and 115 West Silver Street, and 82,84 and 86 Court Street, the site of Baystate Noble Hospital, from Residence A to a Medical Services District generated discussion among councilors at Thursday’s City Council meeting. In presenting the petition, Figy asked to refer it to the Legislative & Ordinance committee, the Legal department and the Planning Board.
“I really think the hospital should do a community meeting,“ said Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise following the motion.
Figy responded that it would go in front of all of the committees, and there would be neighborhood meetings. He said 1% of the U.S. economy is medical, and the hospital is an economic driver. “Get this into committee, and have a public hearing,” Figy said. He added that “no parking garage is being planned,” referring to comments made at a Special City Council meeting on July 31, when the motion to consider a medical district failed to get support.
Surprise said there are concerns, and that a medical zone had been tried before decades ago. “I don’t want to stop them from doing what they need to do,” he added.
“When this was last presented to us (in July), it was two lines and no details. I applaud you on this,” Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell said. She added that whatever the intent of Baystate Noble now, that could change in five years. “We’re not privy to the Board’s decision,” she added.
O’Connell said she called the hospital and spoke to them about the medical district. She said there is no urgency. “They’re not talking about doing one part of this process in the next couple of years,” O’Connell said.
At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty said that “no parking garage” could be added to the zoning change if that was a major concern. He also said that Baystate Noble is a non-profit hospital that doesn’t pay taxes. “Neighbors should be directly involved in this thing,” Flaherty added.
At-large Councilor Matthew T. VanHeynigen said there would be “no fewer than four public hearings on this.”
Surprise then amended the original motion to add Zoning, Planning and Development to the list of sub-committees for referral, before the motion passed unanimously.
The last item of the meeting was a motion by O’Connell asking district officials to urge all residents “to condemn white nationalist and neo-Nazi ideology and to pursue justice in response to hate-fueled violence.”
O’Connell said following recent passage of a similar statement by the state legislature, Governor Charlie Baker said it was incumbent upon all elected officials at all levels to speak out. “This is very similar to what was passed in the legislature,” O’Connell said.
Council president Brent B. Bean, II said that O’Connell had spoken to him before the meeting, and was concerned about the political piece.
“I’ll support you sending this somewhere for review. I don’t think we should give whacko extremists any more attention. I would rather have generic terms, (such as) no hate groups,” said Flaherty. He said he would rather look at what the city’s response would be to an incident like that in Charlottesville. “We’d be better served by reviewing current laws,” he added.
Surprise said he agreed with Flaherty, and would rather have a general statement that the City of Westfield opposes all violence and all hate groups.
“I personally agree with all of this. I just have trouble with the city body coming up with a resolution. I don’t think it’s a City Council job to do this, although I agree with everything in it,” said Onyski.
“I disagree. As city officials, we should weigh in on national issues and be leaders,” said At-large Councilor Stephen Dondley.
“I have no problem naming them or taking a stand against them,” said Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski. “I would be proud as a city to take a stand,” she added.
O’Connell said she never thought she would not get unanimous support on the motion. “I wasn’t intending to send it to committee,” she said.
“In my opinion, it’s a simple motion. It expresses how the city and I hope all of us feel,” said Bean, telling the councilors not to overthink. The motion then received unanimous support.
