Westfield City Hall
WESTFIELD – Personnel Action Committee chair Cindy C. Harris presented reappointments to key commissions and Facilities Director Bryan Forrette to the City Council on June 17, all of which were approved unanimously.
Harris said William Carellas has served as chair of the Planning Board since 2019 and as a member of the board since 2015. He is the owner of Carellas Insurance Agency in West Springfield. A lifelong resident of Westfield, he was the founder of the Westfield Soccer Club, and currently coaches soccer at St. Mary’s High School. Harris said he shows great commitment to progress in the city.
The Planning Board’s Ward 6 representative Raymond St. Hilarie joined as an alternate member in 2012. Harris said he is an active member of the community who has participated in many meetings on the rehabilitation of Hampton Pond. St. Hilaire has worked for the Department of Defense since 2004, including preparing and maintaining aircraft maintenance and historical documents. He is the union steward for Army Aviation Flight Facility number 2 in Westfield, and was vice president of Victory for Veterans which raised $250,000 for the Holyoke Soldiers Home “He believes it is his obligation to serve the community as he does our country, and we thank him for his service,” Harris said.
Philip McEwan was chair of the Planning Board for many years, and has served the board for more than 30 years, and is currently the Ward 3 member. Harris said McEwan is like “E.F. Hutton with his vast knowledge and historical data.” He is employed at Marcus Printing and looks forward to continuing to serve, she said.
Another Planning Board member, Jane Magarian has served since 2012 as the Ward 4 member. She taught in the Westfield school system for over ten years, recently retiring. Prior to teaching she was the vice president of Magarian Development which built custom homes. Harris said Magarian has a bachelor’s in economics and a master’s in education, and said PAC members Ralph Figy and Rick Sullivan called her “a great member of the board.”
Barbara Taylor was also reappointed to the Council on Aging board for a term to expire in 2024. First appointed in 2015, Harris said she enjoys being on the board and sharing her thoughts and ideas as it pertains to the senior population, especially during this past difficult year. Taylor is treasurer of the board and an active participant in classes and educational programs, and has served on several sub-committees. Harris said she is “a wonderful asset to the board,” one whom COA Executive Director Tina Gorman highly recommends.
Harris also submitted the reappointment of Bryan Forrette as the director of facilities management in Westfield until 2024. Forrette has a bachelor’s in civil engineering, maintains a construction supervisor’s license and is OSHA compliant. Since starting the job, he has been involved in building projects on Hangar 2, on police station and city vault renovation, and LED light replacement for which he received a grant of $267,000 with $31,000 in Westfield Gas & Electric rebates.
In the past three years, Forrette has overseen city-wide HVAC repair and replacement, plumbing contracts, and elevator contracts. He has replaced the air conditioning in the police department and a generator at Fire station headquarters, and worked on Westfield High School gym roof design and construction and pool design, among others. He also serves on the new elementary school building committee. Harris said between G&E rebates and Green Community grants and rebates, Purchasing Director Tammy Tefft said Forrette continues to bring significant savings to the city, and added that Figy stated he brings in much more than his salary.
The vote to reappoint Forrette was unanimous with no discussion.
