City Councilor David Flaherty
WESTFIELD—A number of city councilors and residents are holding informational meetings around the city, to try to give those who want more information about issues across the city a chance to gather it.
Meetings will be occurring over the next two weeks, with focuses on various wards and various concerns. The concerns are ranging from the water issues in the city, road repair and construction to infrastructure. The meetings are happening throughout the city, are free to attend and organizers are inviting residents to come to any they can attend.
One meeting that is being organized will occur at The Press Room on School Street, home of The Westfield News, on Tuesday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m. The event is being
Dan Allie
organized by Demetrios Kanavaros, who some may know as the moderator of the Facebook group “Westfield Community Forum.”
According to Kanavaros, the meeting came to be because of the complaints he saw on the group page.
“One topic that is recurring is the issue of road conditions,” Kanavaros said. “So, because I see this so frequently why not create an event where, instead of people posting it online and perpetuating it, create an event where people can from the people in charge and get the real answers?”
Kanavaros has invited several elected and city officials to attend, and he said those who have confirmed are at-large city councilors Dave Flaherty and Dan Allie, ward three city councilor Andrew Surprise and ward four city councilor Mary O’Connell. Other invitees are pending.
“There’s a high level of frustration for the roads,” Flaherty said. “We want to get feedback from people but also explain the process. People just assume that by paying taxes it goes to roads, but it doesn’t go there exactly.”
Westfield Ward 6 City Councilor Bill Onyski (WNG file photo).
Two meetings this week will be held on Wednesday, May 24. The first is at 6 p.m., at the Hampton Ponds Association, and is being hosted by ward six city councilor Bill Onyski. The discussion will be focused on the Hampton Ponds Playground, which Onyski said is in line for improvements.
“It’s to get public input on remodeling and invigorating the Hampton Ponds playground,” he said.
Improvements may include a spray park, of which Onyski said nothing like that is on that side of the city, as well as additional parking and possibility for more equipment.
Onyski said that he hopes the project will be funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as other grant money.
Also on May 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. is a ward 3 meeting and potluck picnic at Grandmother’s Garden, hosted by ward 3 councilor Andrew Surprise. Special guests will include Mayor Brian Sullivan, city engineer Mark Cressotti, and Lt. Eric Hall from the Westfield Police Department’s community policing unit. The topics of discussion will include the formation of a Neighborhood Watch for the downtown areas of ward 3, including the Orange St./Franklin Ave. neighborhood, and the Washington St./Smith Ave. neighborhood.
Information will also be provided regarding the reconstruction of Franklin St., which is slated to begin at the end of May, and proposed city changes to traffic patterns for Arnold St. and Orange St.
Attendees are invited to bring a dish or refreshments for the picnic. Please contact Councilor Surprise with questions, or for more information.
Members of WRAFT, along with members of the Toxic Action Center, while at the 30th Annual Local Environmental Action Conference, at Northeastern University, March 5. From left to right: Shaina Kasper, Vermont State Director, Toxics Action Center; Alina Davledzarova, WRAFT; Kristen Mello, WRAFT; Gail Bean, WRAFT; Kelsey Whiting-Jones, Western Massachusetts and Connecticut Community Organizer, Toxics Action Center
Also this week is the Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves (WRAFT) public meeting and informational session on Thursday, May 25, at Santorini’s Pizzeria on Southampton Road, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. At the meeting, members will provide attendees with information about the contamination of water in Westfield and a description of the group’s efforts.
“It will be an introduction of who we are, a description of the current actions we are involved in, and what people can do to help,” Kristen Mello, founding WRAFT member, said in a previous article in The Westfield News.
“It’s mostly about community education and helping them feel comfortable with who we are and why we’re doing this,” Mello said in the article.
Among the topics discussed by WRAFT will be perfluorinated compounds, which found their way into the city’s water system, crumb
ROBERT PAUL
rubber and petitions that they have started.
Finally, a meeting is occurring at Munger Hill School at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 30 that is being hosted by ward five city councilor Bob Paul and at-large city councilor Brent Bean. According to Paul, this meeting will focus on the questions and concerns of those in ward five, which he represents.
These concerns have included questions about sewer installation, construction, water, school technology, fiber internet and the construction of the new fire station on Little River Road.
“Covers most all of the departments in the city,” Paul said. “This gives the people of Ward five a chance to see the work and talk about what they expect.”
