City Councilors Ralph J. Figy and Mary O’Connell were festive on Thursday at O’Connell’s final meeting after twelve years of service. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – The City Council ended its last meeting of the year and the final meeting for Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell and At-large Councilors Matthew T. VanHeynigen and Stephen Dondley with unanimous votes across the board in record time.
Mayor Brian P. Sullivan presented a long list of transfer requests during his briefing, but said the majority were clean-up items to the end of year books that amounted to less than $1,000. During the meeting, Finance Committee chair Robert A. Paul, Sr. requested immediate consideration and approval of the transfers, which passed unanimously. Referred to the Finance Committee were larger transfers of $1,807 and $2,450 for prior year payments in Public Works, and an appropriation of $28,750 to the PEG full-time salaried account.
Also receiving immediate consideration was the acceptance of a grant of $5,000 for the Treasurer/Collector’s office to install cameras and locks. Sullivan said City Treasurer Meghan Kane had applied for the grant, which did not require matching funds from the city.
Also passed was the reappointment of Joanne Tirrell to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities for a term to expire in 2020. At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris, who chairs the Personnel Action Committee, said Tirrell, who served as secretary to the Commission, was excited to continue to serve and see the projects completed, including the handicap playground.
Referred to the Legislative & Ordinance Committee was an order transferring management of the West Farms Schoolhouse from the School Department to the Historic Commission. Sullivan said a year ago the one-room school house was given to the commission by the School Department, but had never been voted on by the City Council.
Finance sub-committee items also sailed through the City Council, including Community Preservation Committee approved projects which required another vote, as they had all been approved in the prior year. Appropriations of $136,000 for Hangar II Restoration for an Aviation Maintenance classroom for Westfield Tech students; $135,000 for accessibility improvements for the Westfield Woman’s Club, and $250,000 to restore the porch of the Hotel Bismark Façade were all approved.
The Hotel Bismark Façade project, which was granted the funding from the CPC over a year ago, had been held up while awaiting a letter from the funding bank. The Finance Committee had asked that the bank agree to let the city have the first position if the property was sold, a change in policy that will now apply to all properties receiving CPC funding from the city. “Nice job,” commented Council President Brent B. Bean, II to Paul, who had requested the change.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy requested on behalf of the L&O and Zoning, Planning and Development Committees to withdraw without prejudice the zone change from Residence A to Medical Services District for the site of Baystate Noble, in order to re-introduce the ordinance in February.
At-large Councilor Stephen Dondley asked for approval of a license submitted by Wade M. Rivest, owner of J. Dog Junk Removal and Hauling. Dondley then wished Rivest “the best of luck” with the business.
The Fire Department was granted approval to meet in the Little River Fire Station Community Room, and the new lighting ordinance passed the second reading for final approval on motions brought forward by O’Connell.
At the end of the meeting, Bean stepped down from the Council President seat. “This is the last meeting for a few individuals on the Council. It’s time to speak,” he said, first wishing everybody a Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. He also thanked the City Clerk’s Office and Karen M. Fanion and Donna Roy with a gift for their service to the Council, admitting they don’t say it enough.
Bean said it was a privilege to serve with all three of the Councilors that are leaving. Focusing on VanHeynigen, he said he has known Matt since high school, and also worked with him at Westfield State University before he left to go to Western New England University. “His dedication to the city has been impressive,” Bean said, thanking him.
“It’s been an honor to serve with each and every one of you, but mostly an honor to serve the City of Westfield,” VanHeynigen said.
Figy stepped up next to speak to Dondley, who he called “a passionate advocate for the role,” with “a passion to serve your fellow citizens.”
“(It was an) incredible experience,” Dondley said, calling Westfield “the best city in Massachusetts, if not in the world.”
At-Large Councilor Dave Flaherty then spoke about Mary O’Connell’s 12 years of service on the Council, filling the shoes of her predecessor Barbara Swords. He called her a “very strong advocate for Ward 4 who speaks her mind, and gets what needs doing done.” Flaherty said the Council would miss her “historical knowledge.”
O’Connell, whose husband Martin O’Connell had surprised her during public participation to honor her 12 years of service, saying, “I know how hard she’s worked,” then had the last word. “Some of the years have been rocky,” O’Connell said, adding that she would like to say she always remained calm, but at her very first meeting “almost came to blows” with Charles Medeiros, with whom she said she had a tough working relationship that developed into a true friendship.
O’Connell also mentioned several colleagues, including Flaherty, who she also called “a true friend,” thanking him “for all you do.” She welcomed new councilors “Matt (Emmershy), Nick (Morganelli) and Mike (Burns),” all of whom were present. O’Connell also said she was looking forward to Westfield’s 350th anniversary, which she is involved in planning.
Finally, she asked the Council for indulgence as she read a poem she had written about the day to day experience of serving, which mentioned each of her colleagues and several other council meeting fixtures, such as “Matt Roman to give us a report of things he has noticed for us to support.”
Following the reading, Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski said after working with O’Connell for two years, “Now I know what it’s like to look at the eye of a tiger.”
