WESTFIELD – The City Council will have its “regular” meeting April 2 at 7 p.m.; however, in accordance with the governor’s order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law, the meeting will be conducted via remote participation.
Council President Brent B. Bean, II said they are hoping to have the Zoom meeting broadcast on Channel 15 with video or audio. He said they tested another conference call for broadcast on March 31, which didn’t work. A test will be conducted with Zoom on April 1.
Council President Brent B. Bean, II (THE WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
“Minimally we will have audio. We’re still trying to work out video. The council as a whole has been great and accommodating,” Bean said. “We’re making a large effort to keep the city moving forward.”
On the agenda are requests from the mayor for immediate consideration of transfers related to the city’s COVID-19 response, including $100,000 from the ambulance designated fund account to the ambulance overtime account to hire off-duty firefighters and paramedics.
Another request is for $40,000 from Free Cash to the COVID-19 technology account for additional purchases of equipment and remote licenses.
Acceptance of three grants are also on the agenda. The first is $32,346 from the MassDOT Aeronautics Division to the airport department for two new tow-behind mower decks to keep the grass height compliant with FAA safety standards. The airport share of $8,086 is in the budget.
A state grant of $5,663 from the Department of Fire Safety to the Fire Department for the Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) program in Westfield Public Schools has no matching funds. Neither does a grant of $2,730 from the Office of Public Safety & Security to the Fire Department for the S.A.F.E. program in partnership with the Senior Center.
There is also a request for an appropriation of $113,821 from the DPW Water Division Undesignated account to the long-term principal and temporary interest accounts.
The Finance Committee will be bringing a request for a transfer of $20,000 from the DPW Waste Collection full-time hourly account to the Solid Waste Recycling purchase of service account.
The Legislative & Ordinance Committee also has several items on the agenda, one of which is the resolution, originally proposed by At-large Councilor Dan Allie, opposing the TCI Gas Tax and the Transportation and Climate Initiative.
L&O chair William Onyski said he will move to bring it to the floor for final discussion at the meeting. “The resolution should now reflect past discussions from L&O and comments made at the last City Council meeting. There may be edits proposed on the floor but I’m confident there will be a vote Thursday,” he said.
Onyski said he plans to keep the item regarding School Committee compensation in L&O, but he will bring the consolidation of city and school maintenance departments, which passed the School Committee and has the support of Mayor Humason, to the floor.”With the questionable Attorney General’s Office ruling, I wanted to bring this out so we can get as much councilor questions and input before it goes back to L&O. We would also like to get this resolved before budget season goes into high gear,” he said.
Onyski said he has asked to amend the agenda to include a request from Community Development Director Peter J. Mller to modify the number of members on the Off-Street Parking Commission from seven to three. Onyski said there have been only three active members for some time now and without a quorum, important decisions can’t be voted, including adding the Central Street lot to the inventory of parking lots.
“Although there are more important issues in the city and the world right now, it is still important to keep the government moving forward. The residents deserve it,” Onyski said.
Both Onyski and Bean said IT Manager Lenore Bernashe, is doing a great job of putting the technology together that will allow the City Council meeting to take place.
“Once the technology is proven out, L&O meetings will begin again,” Onyski said.
Also on the agenda is the appointment of Robert Florek as a member of the Conservation Commission and a tabled motion to pay a bill from 2016 for $18,945 for the DPW Stormwater Construction account.
Finance chair Ralph J. Figy said he plans on taking the prior year bill off the table and paying it.
