Hello Ward 3,
For those of you who watch our City Council meetings, I would like to start with an apology to Personnel Director Karin Decker and to tell her how much I appreciate her tolerance and understanding over her appointment. First she had her temporary reappointment denied, thus losing pay until her actual appointment, and then some things were said that were really not very nice and uncalled for at her appointment. But, congratulations on your appointment; whenever I had the need to use your department you and your staff have been nothing but friendly, helpful, and professional.
Next, I want to give kudos to David Billips of DPW for confirming my belief that if we fund a one year contract with Siemens that your team was more than capable of learning what is needed to operate their $24 million systems so that they could maintain it thereafter saving our tax payers a lot of money. As well, I like his ideas about equipping our DPW to do some of the asphalt work to also save us from contracting out projects that we could do in house. As well, I would like to thank Jim Blascak head of Parks and Recreation for getting Whiney Park a new picnic table and trash reciprocal.
And, I would especially like to thank Kerri Francis at Animal Control. While there was no media information, about a month ago a wounded turkey vulture was found to be hiding under the bleachers behind our vocational school. The vulture hung out in near the school for a while then moved over to Allen Park where I spotted it on a couple of times. I also want to thank the local kids also kept an eye on it without bothering it. Well, any way Kerri Francis and her crew were able to capture the vulture and get it to a raptor sanctuary. That task was not easy due to the terrain and it being a large vulture.
Updates: the Council will be taking up the PVTA bus stop situation in a way that so far goes along with resident concerns and interests. We celebrated the opening of the bike trail and it looks great with more progress to come. We resolved the problem of a land taking for recreational fields and the Cross St. School project. But, due to the delays and changes we have to renegotiate with the contractor for the school construction, and have to rent classroom space from the town of Russell as Juniper Park School will be closed at the end of this academic year until the school is built. So much for saving the taxpayers money. The conflict and delays has and will cost the city well over a million dollars if not 2.
To add to this with the state tax cut, and the election results as they are we can expect a cut in state and federal revenue assistance over at least the next 2-3 years.
Kudos as well to Council President Bean for pushing to have our Westfield Gas and Electric offer us broadband for the city. While this is just in the planning stages it would be a great asset for Westfield.
Lastly, I want to as the residents of Ward 3 for some help. Please could you take a few minutes of your time to clear the storm drains near your homes. As I walk Ollie I have to use my getup off the ground stick to clear them as I notice them but it would great if you others could do so as well, even if the drain is across the street. It will save you water damage, street flooding and ice patches from forming. And, remember our DPW is understaffed and while we are trying to create a consolidation of maintenance resources with winter will come a lot of demands upon them.
To those Ward 3 residents around Grandmothers Garden – there has been a bunch of vandalism this past summer. If you notice any, or anyone doing damage, please report this to the police ASAP. And, I hope that the police can find the time to check on the garden area more often. It is a beautiful place, and this hard work is done by a handful of people who volunteer throughout the spring through fall. As well, with the help of some the students from the vocational school. So any help in stopping costly destruction would be appreciated. As well, I often hear people going through and commenting on the beauty of the garden. If you would like to volunteer contact Grandmother’s Garden online or contact me at my e-mail address and I will forward it to them.
Thank you,
Your Ward 3 City Councilor
Brian Hoose
60 Arnold St.
Westfield, Ma. 01085
[email protected]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
