Judy Beach, one of Westfield’s truly kindest residents passed away last week. Her funeral is today. I can’t fully describe how much she gave to this community and the level of loss Westfield has suffered. Judy lit up a room and inspired friends and acquaintances with her smile, kind heart, and good spirits. Condolences also to our fellow Councilor, Rick Onofrey, on the passing of his father Richard Onofrey, Sr.
The City Engineering Department has moved forward with varied plans for the sidewalks along Western Avenue within the proposed Western Avenue reconstruction project. The current plan is to widen the sidewalks along Western Avenue and Lloyds Hill to configure them into what is called multiuse sidewalks to include bicycle traffic.
The proposed sidewalks will now be between eight and 10 feet wide. The total design costs for this project, the fees for which are not reimbursable to the city, are approaching a half a million dollars. The plans that are on the city’s web site are not the current proposed plans that are being considered. I am hopeful that the updated plans will be posted soon.
I authored a motion at our February 7 City Council meeting requesting an accounting from our Law Department of all lawsuits currently pending in which the city or its councilors are parties. According to the response from our City Solicitor, there are two pending law suits. There is a case pending against the Council, some individual City Councilors and the Mayor by residents regarding the proposed new elementary school on Cross Street. (Superior Court-Civil Action #12-357). There is also a case requesting a ruling on the legal process the Mayor must take in naming a Ward Two City Councilor replacement (Superior Court of Hampden County-Civil Action #13-104). Brian Winters, the Ward Two resident who received the next highest number of votes in the election (1) after the departing elected councilor – Jim Brown- (stepped down during his term) is a party to that action. City Councilors may be named in a future lawsuit regarding this Ward Two situation. These two matters are now in the Courts hands.
The City Council meeting scheduled for last Thursday, February 21, 2013 was cancelled and re-scheduled. This is the first time that I can remember this ever happening. The reason was an anticipated lack of a quorum. The meeting has been re-scheduled for Monday, February 25, 2013.
City Council will review some significant bond requests at this next meeting. The first is a bonding request from the Mayor for a $1,100,000 bond for a reconstruction of the runway project. Runway 20, the primary instrument runway at Barnes Regional Airport, is eight years past its reconstruction life span upgrades are needed. We have been told that although the total project cost is extremely high, the City of Westfield’s contribution will, in the end, after reimbursements, total an estimated $250,000. The issue does need attention but even with so much reimbursement, I am concerned with the debt obligation. The bond debt service will be retired over a five year period at an anticipated $120,000, annually or over a ten year period for an estimated $63,000 annually. Our projected revenue (if all goes well) to cover part of the bond obligation is approximately $94,000.
The second bond appeal filed by the Mayor is a request for $10,000,000 (TEN MILLION DOLLARS) for a phase two energy management design project. This bond would pay the costs of improving energy efficiency to various City and School buildings. The high points are three million dollars for ventilation for the High School, almost five million dollars for improved HVAC work to City Hall, and three million dollars for management of systems contract, a new ramp, furniture, landscaping and temporary relocation of employees at City Hall.
The debate is not whether we need this energy work but IF we afford it. The debt service is again a major concern. The obligation would be over $800,000 per year. Our City budget is so very tight now I am concerned as to where the additional funds will come from to pay this debt service. This bond request is a very difficult one: again, we do need the energy upgrades but the question is, “Can we afford it”?
The Horace Mann Award for Public Service Award ceremony was held this past Thursday at Westfield State University. The selection committee chose four great candidates. Dawn Carignan Thomas, John Davies, Lisa McMahon, and Dan Smith are all well deserving recipients of this prestigious award. Kudos to them. It is worth noting that three of the four recipients – Thomas, Davies and Smith are Ward Four residents. Maybe it’s something in the water!
Special Birthday wishes to my son, Martin Daniel O’Connell, on the occasion of his 29th birthday.
Mary O’Connell
Ward Four City Council
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield News.
