Residents continue to participate in City Council meetings.
WESTFIELD – Public participation at the City Council meeting on Thursday covered several topics, although the majority had to do with water. Residents asked council members to work together, and work on an issue important to them.
Frequent participant Matthew Roman of the “senior snoopers” said people were upset that the Council was seemingly not getting a lot done. “Let’s work together as a team and get some things accomplished,” he said.
Thomas E. Conlon of Avery Street read a list of dates and times when he had been awakened in the middle of the night by college students in one of the three rental properties surrounding his home.
“It’s an ongoing problem. It’s a nightmare,” Conlon said, adding, “I’m asking for your help.” He also told the councilors that he appreciated the Westfield Police Department. “They respond right away.”
Thomas E. Conlon of Avery St. said he continues to be awakened in the middle of the night by loud college parties.
Earlier, Conlon said the disruption had been going on for five years. He was especially worried about this weekend’s graduation events, because he has to leave for work at 5 a.m. on Saturday. “I’m afraid they’re going to go ballistic Friday night,” he said of the students.
Conlon also said he plans to take advantage of an offer by a dean at the university to convene a group of students, residents, and community police officers in the fall. “The police have been the only saving grace in this. I can’t say enough about them,” Conlon said.
Westfield State communications student Corey Poulin made good on his pledge at the May 9 Finance Committee meeting to speak about his disappointment that the Council had not passed the water bond. He quoted Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, saying to them, “‘Do your job.’ Give us clean drinking water. As a young person, I want to take a stand on this,” Poulin said, adding, “Water is not political; water is for people.”
Resident Robert Pearson said when he was paying $18.25 for water, it was pretty good. “As soon as the rates went up, everything went to pot,” he said.
Recent resident Dean Ott said he and his wife had moved to Westfield two and a half years ago. “I love this city,” Ott said. “Mary Ann Babinski has voted for water in Ward 1,” he added, saying councilors should listen to her.
Citizen advocate Kristen Mello said she supported everything that had been said. She said the information about water needs to be in Spanish, French, Russian, and American Sign Language, and asked how to get that done. Mello also informed the Council that the Environmental Protection Agency will be holding an informational summit for Region I on June 25-26 in New Hampshire. She said more information on the summit could be found on the WRAFT (Westfield Residents Advocating for Themselves) Facebook page.
A couple on Susan Drive also came forward, saying they were not there to talk about water. They spoke about a new landowner on Susan Drive who had put up a private shooting range and was shooting high velocity machine guns. The couple said they were concerned about safety, adding that they kept horses there. Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski said he would look into it.
