Council President Brent B. Bean, II
WESTFIELD – Newly-elected City Council President Brent B. Bean II Jan. 10 announced the committee assignments and liaisons for 2020.
According to the city charter, upon election in January, the president appoints the standing committees of the council. He or she also has the power to fill a vacancy on a committee whenever one arises.
The president assigns seating or designates a methodology for assigning seats to the other members of the council. The new seating assignments are expected to be given out at the Jan. 16 regularly scheduled meeting.
The new standing committees are as follows:
Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski will continue as chair of the Legislative & Ordinance sub-committee, with Ward 4 Councilor Michael J. Burns and At-large Councilor James R. Adams as members.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy will begin as chair of Finance, replacing Bean, along with At-large Councilors Dan Allie and Richard K. Sullivan, Jr.
Sullivan will chair Government Relations, replacing Andrew K. Surprise, with Allie and At-large Councilor Kristen L. Mello as members of the sub-committee. Ward 5 Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III will continue as chair of the License sub-committee, with Adams and Ward 3 Councilor Bridget Matthews-Kane.
In Zoning Planning & Development, At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty will chair the committee, replacing Ward 1 Councilor Nicholas J. Morganelli, Jr, who will continue as a member of the committee with Matthews-Kane. Morganelli will chair the Natural Resources sub-committee, replacing Mary Ann Babinski, with members Burns and Mello.
Burns will replace Babinski as chair of Public Health and Safety, with Beltrandi and At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris as members. Harris will continue as chair of the Personnel Action committee, with members Figy and Onyski.
Flaherty will continue to chair the Long Range Financial Overview committee, with Matthews-Kane and Bean.
Harris will also chair City Properties, replacing Allie, with members Flaherty and Beltrandi.
The new liaisons assignments are as follows:
Airport – Onyski
Barnes Aquifer & Flood – Sullivan
Community Preservation Committee – Flaherty
Council on Aging – Figy/Adams
Cultural Council – Harris
Engineering – Beltrandi
Fire – Burns
Gas & Electric – Bean
Historical – Mello
Landfill / Waste & Recycling – Mello
Library – Matthews-Kane
Off Street Parking – Matthews-Kane
Parks & Recreation – Bean
Planning Board – Morganelli
Police – Adams
Public Works – Beltrandi
Schools – Figy
Water & Sewer – Burns
