WESTFIELD – The City Council wrung its hands and gnashed its teeth about spending, but in the end voted to approve funding requests for both the Domus Inc., “Our House” project and to complete the design of the Council on Aging Senior Center.
Proponents and opponents of both projects packed the City Council Chambers to advocate for council support for the projects during the public participation phase of the session last night. Proponents cited the benefits to the community, while opponents cited the construction cost, $1.4 million for Our House and $7.1 million for the senior center, as exorbitant expenditures of public funds.
The City Council acted to approve Community Preservation Act funding of $80,000 for the Domus project to rehabilitate the former Westfield Chapter House of the American Red Cross into single room residences for homeless students, with the value added benefit of preserving an historic Broad Street building.
The project is to convert the former Red Cross Chapter house on Broad Street and construct 10 single-room residencies (SRO) in the Broad Street facility, as well as building an addition onto the existing structure. The facility would have several common areas to provide support services and counseling, as well as teaching life skills to the student, such as cooking, diet, budgets and finances. There will be an apartment for a resident supervisor in addition to the student housing.
The council, following a protracted debate, voted 11-2 to approve the CPA appropriation, with Councilors Cindy Harris and Dan Allie opposed on the basis that the project would still go forward without the $80,000 of local funding.
“This project is very expensive. The cost is too high,” Allie said, “Its not free money.”
Allie also objected the condition that a low income designation, required by the Community Preservation Committee, be attached to the deed and that other organizations, such as churches and community agencies, “should provide solutions to this problem.”
Allie attempted to modify the appropriation motion but Council President Brent B. Bean declined to recognize Allie’s amendment attempt.
Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean, a member of the Finance Committee which discussed the Domus funding request Monday, said that he was initially concerns about the appropriation, but that he had further investigated the project.
“The two big issues are the building cost and the social service aspect of the project,” Crean said. “The state sets the prevailing wage requirement. Eighty percent of the cost is due to state requirements.”
“I got an eye-opener when I investigated this further,” Crean said. “I was on the other side of the fence before. The cost of incarceration is far more costly. That’s what we’re talking about.
“The problem (of homeless teenagers) is real,” Crean said. “As I looked at the facts, I think, in the long run, this is a very beneficial project.”
At-large Councilor David A. Flaherty said that initially he, like Crean, had reservations about the total cost of the project, but also changed his mind upon further investigation.
“This is a horrible situation. Not all of these kids can get placed (with families through social service agencies). Placement of teenagers is very, very hard. There is nowhere for these kids to go,” Flaherty said. “If we don’t approve the $80,000, this project will still go. It’s a done deal.”
At-large Councilor Matt VanHeynigan said that the “need is real” and that the Domus “track records in these projects is impeccable.”
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Figy, in whose ward the project is located, said he spoke with Broad Street residents, businesses and organization.
“The neighbors are all in favor of this. They think it will enhance the neighborhood. There is community support in the ward, I think this is a viable project,” Figy said. “The facility will help move these kids successfully to the next stage of their lives.”
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the Council on Aging request for $371,000 to complete the design and bid document for the senior center. Mayor Daniel M. Knapik submitted the appropriation, from the city’s free cash account, to the council in January.
Ward 1 Councilor Christopher Keefe, chairman of the Finance Committee, said the issue debated Monday night was not the $371,000 funding to complete the design work, but rather the bonding for the construction phase of the project.
“The issue if the $7.2 million price tag for a 20,000 square-foot building, which is $360 per square foot,” Keefe said last night. “I spoke with Community Development Director (Peter J. Miller Jr.,) who researched and got a list of the per square foot costs of similar projects in the area. That cost per square foot, $360, is pretty close to what other towns are paying.”
Keefe urged the councilors to approve the design funds and if the city cannot afford the bond for construction, put the project, completely designed, on the shelf until “we know we can afford it.”
Flaherty said that it is time for the senior center project to move forward.
“I think we will face challenges doing this, but we can’t move backward,” he said.
Harris said the fact that the center will also contain the city’s Veteran Affairs offices “is very important.”
At-large Councilor James R. Adams said the Council on Aging Executive Director Tina Gorman and building committee have “cut every dollar, have done a magnificent job containing costs.
“The project is payback to people who have taken care of the city for, people who have paid taxes for, many, many years, “ Adams said. “We owe it to our seniors to build it.”
