WESTFIELD -The City Council voted 12-0 Thursday night to request additional funding for the Police Department to ramp up ATV enforcement in the city.
That request for an additional $10,000 was sent to Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and the council’s Finance Committee for further review.
The request was contained in a motion by Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean, after he, At-large Councilor James R. Adams, and City Advancement Office Jeff Daley met with Police Chief John Camerota Monday to address the ATV problem through enforcement and education.
“We had this problem five or six years ago, local and people from outside the city riding in Ward 6, and we dealt with it,” Crean said.
The Police Department formed an ATV program and initiated ATV patrols to enforce state laws and educate ATV riders, in particular about safe operation of the off-road vehicles.
“It’s getting uncontrollable again, so we asked the chief to reactivate the ATV patrols,” Crean said. “They have the money to get that started and will start.”
The funding for the ATV patrols will come from the Police Department’s overtime account and the $10,000 will restore money programmed for other activities.
Adams said the city needs to continue the ATV patrol funding in the future so that the problem does not keep reoccurring.
“We have a huge problem with ATVs in that ward,” Adams said. “This is something that will have to be in the police budget because one stop doesn’t prevent people from coming back. These people have to know they do not have free rein to come into our town and ride around.”
At-large Councilor John Beltrandi said the ATV problem is a citywide issue.
“We have that same problem in other parts of the city,” Beltrandi said. “In Ward 5, and I’m sure the ward councilor will agree, we have the (Springfield Water Department) pipeline and Provin Mountain that people are using for ATVs.”
Ward 5 Councilor Mary O’Connell said that there is an ATV problem in her ward, although it may involve local residents.
“It’s a pretty good problem, property is being destroyed by ATVs,” O’Connell said.
Crean said that ATV rider safety and security of Barnes Regional Airport are also concerns.
Recently two Holyoke residents died form injuries sustained when their motocross motorcycles collided in the area between East Mountain Road and Barnes Regional Airport.
Carlos Colon, 22, of Holyoke died on Oct. 14, 2012 while riding a motorcycle with others in a wooded area that abuts East Mountain Country Club. The collision claimed a second life Tuesday, Oct. 30, when Luis Gonzalez, 22, of Holyoke, succumbed to his injures while being cared for at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
Crean said that 104th Air National Guard Fighter Wing security forced used to report suspicious vehicles and ATV activity to the Police Department when the ATV patrols were active and will resume that activity because the ATV could encroach onto the airport property.
