WESTFIELD – After a six-week break, the Westfield City Council will resume its business on Thursday, August 16 at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Room 207.
At-Large City Councilor and City Council President John J. Beltrandi, III.
“It’s been an active year and the break was good, but now it’s time to get back to work,” said Council President John J. Beltrandi, III in advance of Thursday’s meeting.
On the agenda are several items from Mayor Brian P. Sullivan, some for immediate consideration by the Council on grants to city departments.
The Police Department has been granted an additional amount of $6,794 from the Executive Office of Public Safety and STEP (Sustained Traffic Enhancement Program), to increase the previous grant awards to $16,238. STEP grants provide funding for high-visibility traffic enforcement of motor vehicle laws, including impaired and distracted driving, speeding and aggressive driving and occupant protection.
Also for immediate consideration are two grants from the FAA and state to the Airport Department. City Advancement Officer Joseph Mitchell said the Mayor is requesting immediate consideration for these grants, which are 70/30 matches with the City that must be fully executed by Sept. 5. The City match is in the Airport Department budget, Mitchell said.
The first grant is for $35,192 from the FAA and $1,955 from the state to update the noise exposure map for the Airport. The second grant is for $162,720 from the FAA and $9,040 from the state for design work to improve airfield drainage.
Mitchell said that for years people have known that the airport doesn’t drain properly. “We finally got a grant to help make it happen,” he said, crediting Airport Manager Eric Billowitz and the Airport Commission for obtaining the grant through the Airport Improvement Program.
Also on the agenda is a resolution to approve $8,000 from the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities Handicap account for the creation of an accessible playground in the City of Westfield. This amount will be added to $52,000 previously given by the Commission for the same purpose. The funds are made available by collections of parking violations in handicap spaces, Mitchell said.
Community Development Director Peter J. Miller said as of right now the city does not have a location for the playground; however, an application has been filed with the State through the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) program to upgrade the Cross Street playground, and build a universally accessible playground there. Miller said the location is perfect because of its proximity to the bike path, its downtown location and diverse neighborhood.
Miller said the funds from the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities will go towards the city’s match for the 70/30 grant. He said the playground will cost an estimated $700,000 to build. He also said decisions are made on the PARC grant in November or December. “This is an opportunity to get this park done,” he said, adding, “It could be a good signature project for that neighborhood.”
Miller previously applied for the PARC grant to locate the accessible playground at Hampton Ponds, but the city was turned down because the plan involved clearing some land, and the State has “no tree impact” in its goals for the grant.
An order authorizing two permanent easements for Eversource Energy on Prospect Street and Twiss Street, which have been approved by the controlling departments of Park and Recreation Commission and the Board of Health respectively, according to Mitchell; is for ongoing project upgrades by the company.
Also being requested is approval of a Traffic Control Agreement with MassDOT to the Traffic Commission for the Western Avenue Central Section Reconstruction Project. Mitchell said MassDOT will be putting up signage for the project, as well as digging the road and other work. “This piece is to allow the Mayor to enter into an agreement with MassDOT,” Mitchell said.
City Advancement Office Joe Mitchell. (WNG File Photo)
Another resolution being submitted is to authorize a funding agreement with the Westfield Redevelopment Authority to advance the Elm Street Urban Renewal Project. Mitchell said that $20,000 is in the Mayor’s approved budget to go to the WRA to advance the project. “This is the vehicle for the funding agreement,” he said. He said $5,000 will be for an appraisal of the property, and $15,000 for Request for Proposals for the project. The project previously received $50,000 for design work from MassDevelopment.
Two public hearings are on the agenda for Thursday. The first is for a petition by Oleksak Revocable Trust (owner) to amend the zoning map at 798 Airport Industrial Park Road from Business B to Industrial A; also zoned Water Resource Protection. The amendment was approved by the Planning Board at its July 17 meeting.
The second public hearing is for a Special Permit application submitted by D. F. Chase, Inc. for a Business B truck terminal to be located at Medeiros Way.
Reports will also be heard from the Legislative & Ordinance Committee, the License Committee and Zoning, Planning and Development.
Second readings and final passage will be voted for three ordinances; for unattended donation boxes, to change permitted marijuana facilities to Industrial A only; and to replace the ordinance for Medical Marijuana with one for Marijuana.
Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise (WNG File Photo)
Finally, the City Council will consider eleven motions by Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise, tabled from the July 5 meeting. The bulk of the motions concern changes in the Westfield Home Rule Charter concerning the municipal budget process. Among the changes recommended include requiring the Mayor’s budget to be submitted to the City Council no later than May 15, and department budgets submitted to the Mayor, Council president and Finance committee no later than February 28.
A new motion by Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski seeks to review and assess the need for a sidewalk extending from Southampton Road along Arch Road and Lockhouse to Twiss Street, to refer to Public Health and Safety.
