STATE REP. DONALD HUMASON JR.
I’m just getting in from the concert on the Westfield green tonight and let me tell you it was packed down there. There were thousands of people, many of whom were from outside Westfield.
It was a great evening for an outdoor concert. The weather was great. There were plenty of food and drink vendors. The country music was good. And again the crowd was amazing. I heard from many people who were enjoying the green again for the first time since its reconstruction and nearly doubling in size that they were pleased and impressed. I’m glad. I am, too.
Thank you to the city of Westfield, the Business Improvement District, Westfield on Weekends, the Mayor’s office, and all the vendors and volunteers for working so hard to put on such an excellent and appreciated concert series. Thank you, as well, to all of you who went downtown and helped support the event. I trust you were happy.
This will be my last Westfield News column for a while. At least until after the November 5 special election for the State Senate seat recently held by former Senator Mike Knapik.
The owner of the newspaper, Patrick Berry, notified any elected officials who were also candidates for political office this fall that we would not be allowed to submit articles to the paper until after the election. See his note below:
“Good afternoon.
As we approach the political season I felt it important to inform everyone that after this Saturday and through the general election of November 5th we will be suspending the opportunity for written articles by elected officials to be printed in our publications. Starting Saturday November 9th we will again open this up to you all.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
As a resident and business owner in this city I would like to personally thank those of you not running again for your service to the city. You took on a thankless role in our local government and I applaud you stepping up. For those seeking your seats again, best of luck to you.
Thank you,
Patrick Berry, President, The Westfield News Group”
By the way, I agree with and support this policy a hundred percent. I am actually happy to have a break. It takes me a couple hours every Thursday evening to assemble my thoughts and write a cogent (and hopefully interesting) article.
This fall will be very busy with my Senate campaign and I know I will appreciate having Thursday evenings free to campaign.
The House and Senate remain on our summer recess until after Labor Day. Then the Speaker and Senate President will call members back for full formal sessions.
Until the special state Senate election on November 5 Westfield and the other 10 cities of the
2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Agawam, Southwick, Granville, Tolland, Russell, Montgomery, Easthampton, Southampton, Holyoke, and wards 7, 8A, and 9A of Chicopee) will be unrepresented in the state Senate. There will be only 39 State Senators.
Should I be fortunate and win the special election, I will most likely resign my House seat and be sworn into the Senate in late November after the Secretary of State and the Governor’s Council have certified the election results. Then the Speaker of the House, working with the Secretary of State, the chief elections officer of the Commonwealth, will schedule a date for a special House election in the late winter.
Whoever wins that special election will have to be ready to pull nomination papers all over again next spring to run in the regular state elections next fall.
In the meantime, I am still proud to be Westfield’s State Representative. Should you have any problems with our state government, please feel free to contact me if I may be of service. My office is located at 64 Noble Street. The telephone number is 568-1366. My website is www.DonHumason.org. My state email is [email protected]. My Chief of Staff, Maura Cassin McCarthy and I are standing by ready to assist you.
By the way, with all the talk in the news recently about EBT fraud and the abuse of the state’s public assistance system, I have received calls asking me for a number to contact to report suspected violations or abuse of the public welfare system. That number is 1-800-FRAUDXX. Really. It is an anonymous tip hotline.
One last update before I finish up for a few months. The Pochassic Hill/Drugstore Hill Bridge is coming along well. I spoke with the owner of R. Bates & Sons and learned that the support steel for the bridge has been installed and the rebar has been placed. He expects to pour the concrete for the bridge deck soon. After that will come the sidewalk construction, railings, and a bunch of punch list items.
He said there may be a bit of a slow down because of problems and delays with certain utilities but he is still hopeful to have the bridge open this year around the holidays or early in 2014.
Thank you again for the opportunity to write these informational columns for you and for your understanding while we take a break.
Don’t forget to vote on November 5. See you all, one way or the either, in November.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and fall. So long for now!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield News.
Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Maura Cassin McCarthy may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366.
Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803.
