Westfield City Hall
WESTFIELD – A Special City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 12 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Room 207 in City Hall at which Mayor Brian P. Sullivan will present the fiscal year 2020 budget for the City of Westfield.
Last month, Sullivan said he would present a balanced budget to the City Council, and he plans to appear before them and explain all of the changes. He said most of the increases, which he anticipates to be between 2 and 2.5 percent overall are for people and equipment.
“It’s the job of the City Council to look at it and fiscally cut if (needed). I feel really good about the budget we’re going to submit,” he said.
Also on the agenda are two items related to the June obligation to the health insurance trust fund for employees for FY19.
Item B is an appropriation request of $953,676 from Free Cash to the Health Insurance Benefits account for the remaining June obligation to the health insurance trust fund.
Item C is a transfer in the amount of $537,036 from various swept accounts to the Health Insurance Benefits account to reduce the amount of Free Cash needed for the remaining June obligation to the health insurance trust fund.
Sullivan said this week that this has become a tough year for health insurance.
“No one getting off our insurance, more new workers getting on and some large health bills to cover,” he said, adding, “We were in good shape through April. May was big and June will be also.”
The final item on the agenda is a resolution of the City Council for the approval of the lease of airport property over a term of 20 years to include an additional 21.65 acres for the new entrance to the Air National Guard Facility.
In February, 2018, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution to concur with the ANG to explore adding the acreage for a new secure entrance for the base.
At the time, Colonel Peter T. Green, III, Vice Commander of the 104th Air National Guard said the 21 acres would allow the ANG to redesign their main gate, and “bring us into the future.” He said the current gate was built well before terrorism issues, and did not have the serpentine entrance and search area other bases typically have, including Westover.
Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski, airport liaison for the City Council, said plans for the entrance are moving forward, and will be subject to city regulations and meetings.
There will be no public participation at Wednesday’s meeting, which is not required in Special City Council meetings.
