WESTFIELD – At the Thursday, March 15 City Council meeting at 7 p.m., councilors will for the second time consider “Communications from the Mayor” without the benefit of a 6:30 briefing, after Brian P. Sullivan’s announcement two weeks ago that he would instead be hosting a local-access television show later in the spring.
2018 City Council (Photo by Lynn Boscher)
Two requests are for immediate consideration of donations, one for two laptop computers for the Westfield Public Safety Communication Center, and one for $4,500 from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to the local Emergency Planning Committee.
An appropriation from Free Cash of $724,920 to complete the work on Airport Hangar 2 is also being requested. Hangar II is being refurbished for use as a classroom for the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Westfield Technical Academy. “It’s something we have to do, that we invested in a while ago. We’ve got to finish it,” Beltrandi said.
Last October, Hangar 2 received a grant of $495,000 to complete the electrical work and HVAC. The rest of the funding will go towards adding bathrooms, plumbing, classroom space, and a fire suppression system among other things. The completion of the interior of the hangar will allow WTA to offer the Power Plant curriculum in addition to the General and AirFrame Curriculum through the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program, according to WPS Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski.
The exterior of the Hangar was completed last year with approximately $800,000 from Community Preservation Act funds and $250,000 from a state grant secured by the School Department.
There are two resolutions authorizing the Superintendent of Schools to submit Statements of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority; one for funding and an addition to Franklin Avenue School, and one for an addition and renovations to the Westfield Technical Academy.
Also being requested is a waiver to the “open container” regulation to serve wine and beer on Elm Street at the Run Westfield 5K Kooldown Block party on Saturday, May 19, from noon to 6 p.m.
Under reports from City Officers, Assistant City Solicitor Shanna Reed will be submitting a second memorandum relative to Special Stabilization Funds. At the last meeting, Reed wrote that due to the Municipal Modernization Act of 2016, while certain revenue streams may be dedicated to a special purpose stabilization fund, the Mayor must initiate the appropriation.
Beltrandi said that the memo on the City Council agenda is “a different memo, with a little more content.”
Also from the City Solicitor’s office, Labor Counsel Jeffrey Krok is submitting a memorandum to address the impact of the Supreme Judicial Court ruling in Severance Benefit Obligations.
City Advancement Officer Joseph Mitchell is also submitting a request to the City Council President to appoint an Ad Hoc Business Development Committee.
The Finance Committee will give a positive recommendation for appropriations of $857,120 from the Water Division undesignated funds for equipment, capital outlay and supplies, after a meeting on March 7 with Department of Public Works Director David Billips and Assistant Director Francis Cain.
Among the items is an upgrade to the SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) system, which Cain said would bring them up to the industry standard, and make the system more efficient. Other equipment included panels, backup generators, and lights.
Billips said at the meeting that the undesignated Enterprise Fund was $1.5 million, money they couldn’t ask for until the books were closed. “We have a pretty healthy undesignated account. It’s critical that we do this now,” he said.
The Finance Committee will also recommend approval of an appropriation of $331,000 from the Wastewater Division undesignated funds for purchase of services and supplies. “This is just to get us through the year,” Billips said at the meeting.
The Finance Committee will also report on their 2-1 negative recommendation for the $13 million bond order for water wells, connector and water tanks, which they were briefed on at the same meeting.
The Legislative & Ordinance Committee will also report on the Bond Order, which it will consider in a rescheduled meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday in City Council Chambers before the City Council meeting.
Among other items being considered at L&O will be motions to request the Law Department to map out a process to combine the Water Commission and the Board of Public Works, and to allow the Board of Public Works to set the sewer rates for Westfield.
New motions at the City Council meeting include three by Councilor Brent B. Bean, II. The first asks for a resolution to the Mayor to use the hotels and meals tax increase to offset the $100 (average) water rate increase to all residential and commercial users. The second motion is to send a resolution to the Mayor to use the hotels and meals tax increase as a bond payment per year toward a bond for the Roads.
Bean’s third motion requests an executive session to discuss litigation and lawsuit pertaining to the water situation in Westfield.
A motion by Councilors Michael Burns and Dave Flaherty requests the City Council to investigate and recommend Zoning Ordinances for short-term residential rentals, to be referred to Zoning, Planning and Development and the City Planner.
This request came following residents’ concerns voiced during public participation at the March 1 City Council meeting about an Airbnb listing at 65 Overlook Drive, which they felt posed a threat to safety and security in their neighborhood. At the meeting, residents asked the City Council to update the ordinances that regulate short term rentals.
“Nothing’s wrong because nothing’s happened yet. Something could happen. We need to prevent something from happening,” said Overlook Drive resident Maura Bellamy at the meeting.
Bellamy’s words turned prophetic, as two incidents involving police occurred over the next two nights. On Friday, March 2, a caller reported that a street lamp had been knocked over and was partially in the roadway. The officer reported that tracks indicated the vehicle which struck the pole drove over a lawn. The officer spoke with the property owner who said that he was renting the property, which was listed as an Airbnb rental. The next night police were called for a noise complaint. Police found 15 people in the residence, and 10-12 cars parked in the area, one in the wrong direction, which was ticketed. The owner has since pulled the listing from the Airbnb site.
