RALPH FIGY
The summer is in full swing. The back-to-school ads are everywhere. I am hoping that this finds everyone enjoying this vacation season.
I have just returned from a week-long vacation with my family. My brother and his family from Toledo, my other brother and his family from Indianapolis, and my sister and her husband from Maine all gathered to celebrate my parents 65th wedding anniversary. We started in Toledo and were greeted by an algae bloom that made drinking water to be found only in bottles. This made for interesting cooking, bathing, and drinking. Thank goodness my parents live 30 miles west of Toledo and their water was not affected.
The clan then drove to Pentwater, Michigan, a small vacation town on the shores of Lake Michigan. Normally the water temperatures are in the mid 70s, but not this year. The water temperature was colder than the coast of Maine with a high of 62 due to the polar vortex that engulfed the Midwest this past winter. In spite of the water temperatures, a great time was had with various cookouts provided by the siblings. Returning to Wauseon, Ohio, my hometown, we had the anniversary party for our parents. It was attended by extended family members and friends. Everyone enjoy the food, friendships, and fellowship that followed. The next day the annual Figy family reunion was held. It was very interesting renewing friendships with long-lost cousins that one only sees every blue moon.
Upon returning to Westfield, I have found that time marches on. The rail trail is nearing completion. The base coat of asphalt has been laid and the landscaping is beginning. The trail is scheduled to be completed on time in the early fall. An attempt to procure funding for the next phase is already in process. With any luck Westfield could get another grant to continue the trail closer to completion.
The port-a-potty has arrived. Several residents of the Dolan Apartments called Tina Gorman to report on the progress of the long-awaited new senior center. Site work is well underway and the official groundbreaking is scheduled for August 18th. This is a great time for all of Westfield’s seniors.
Students will be returning to Westfield’s schools in a couple of weeks. This means that construction will again begin on the gazebo on the town green. Seniors at Westfield Voke will finish what their peers started last June. Once the gazebo is completed, the Great River Bridge Project will be completed.
I would be remiss if I did not wish Jim Mulvenna a happy retirement. I will miss working with Jim. Whenever I called, he would listen to my request and then say he would look into it. Without a doubt, the request would be completed in a couple of days. Thanks again for all of your years of service and enjoy the years ahead. You earned them.
I am also sad to bid adieu to the Westfield Business Improvement District. I really feel that this agency fulfilled a vital role in the comeback witnessed by our downtown. I totally understand the arguments for dissolving the BID, but fear that the progress that our downtown has made will slide backwards. It is my hope that someone will step forward and organize a similar agency to help the downtown continue to move forward.
The college student will start returning in the near future. Please take the time to be a good neighbor. Introduce yourself to the renters as they move in. If the students are not respectful, please call the Westfield Police Department and register a complaint. A task force is being organized to deal with this issue as it will continue to grow with more students moving off campus.
The City Council will reconvene on Thursday at 7 p.m. I am looking forward to serving the residents of Ward 2.
Ralph J. Figy
Ward 2 City Councilor
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
