WESTFIELD – During public participation at the City Council meeting on Thursday, Brian Hoose of Arnold St. said that he has heard talk about Arnold Street being made one-way from Washington to Elm Street, and also talk about Orange Street being made one-way, and that the matters will be going before the Traffic Commission at their next meeting.
“I’d like to know your thoughts about it,” Hoose said. He requested an open meeting on the matter, and also
City Councilor David Flaherty
suggested that this go through the abutter’s notification process before the meeting.
Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise said that both Arnold Street and Orange Street are being considered for one way traffic, and will be going before the Traffic Commission.
In other businesses, At-large Councilor David Flaherty objected to immediate consideration for an item from Mayor Brian P. Sullivan requesting transfer of $1,029,551 from the Health Insurance Account to pay for Snow & Ice bills remaining. Flaherty said he was opposed to the transfer from a health insurance account, due to the city’s unfunded health insurance liability.
At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III said he was under the impression that the transfer was needed to pay bills.
“That is no reason not to give the Finance Committee the chance to discuss it,” Flaherty said.
Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell said according to procedure, once one councilor objects to immediate consideration, “it’s done.”
Other transfers from the mayor were also sent to the Finance Committee, as the books are being cleaned up for the end of the fiscal year.
Another item from the mayor was the in-lieu-of-taxes (ILOT) contribution from Westfield Gas and Electric in the amount of $561,498 for FY18, with payments to be made monthly in the amount of $46,792 beginning July 1, 2017.
“I am very pleased with this ILOT amount. The mayor talked about working with Dan Howard (and the commissioners). A lot of us deserve a pat on the back. The Council made the first step in approving the $15 million Bond. I was relieved when G&E returned the favor,” O’Connell said, before the payment was accepted in a vote by the City Council.
CINDY HARRIS
Voted on for immediate consideration was the G.L. Disclosure for Robert Veronesi, a Parks and Recreation Commissioner to also serve as a basketball referee for the department.
Also approved were more members for the Youth Commission. At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris, who chairs the Personnel Committee, said the commission was unique in that members were ages 12 & up, and community outreach coordinator Amber Danahey’s approval was sufficient for the committee.
New members voted in were Althea Fiordalice, Olivia Marcyoniak, Julia Dintzner, Hayley Moniz and Hannah Bean, all from Westfield High School. City Council president Brent B. Bean, II abstained from the vote on his daughter, Hannah Bean.
Several items recommended by the Legislative & Ordinance Committee were also supported unanimously by the City Council on Thursday. They included a resolution to authorize the Mayor to accept the (five year) lease of a fire truck. Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski said the initial pre-payment of the lease would save the city $28,000.
Also supported was a resolution to add a line item for advertising resources, advantages and attractions of the City of Westfield. “We have our 350th anniversary coming up. We could really use the money (for advertising),” O’Connell said.
Also voted on was a recommendation to accept the donation of field lighting for Sadie Knox and Paper Mill ball fields from the Little League. The Little League paid for the lights, but is unable to install them on public land, and therefore had to donate them to the city.
Also voted on was the creation of a special revenue fund know as the PEG (Public, Education and Government) Access and Related Cable.
The final items on the agenda were several motions from Councilor Flaherty regarding a new way to fund road repairs in the City of Westfield. The motions include appropriating and borrowing $20 million for the rebuilding and repaving of roads and associated stormwater management systems and sidewalks, contingent upon the passage of a Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion referendum.
The second motion requested placing the following debt exclusion and referendum question on the November, 2017 ballot: Shall the city of Westfield be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, the amounts required to pay for the bond issue to rebuild and repave roads and associated storm water management systems and sidewalks? Yes or No.
The third motion, asked to place the following Prop 2 ½ Underride referendum question on the ballot: Shall the city of Westfield be required to reduce the amount of real estate and personal property taxes to be assessed for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018 by an amount equal to $1.5 million? Yes or No.
At the meeting Thursday, Flaherty said the motions were “way too complicated to discuss in open meeting,” and a motion was made and accepted to send them to an upcoming Finance Committee meeting.
