President and owner of The Westfield News Group and moderator Patrick Berry (l), poses a question to the Ward 3 city counselor candidates during their forum Monday night at the Westfield senior center. (WNG file photo)
WESTFIELD – The candidate forums for Wards 3 & 4 were held consecutively on Monday evening, hosted by Tina Gorman, Executive Director at the Westfield Senior Center. The forums, along with the others in the series are sponsored by The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and The Westfield News Group. Moderator was Patrick Berry, President of The Westfield News Group and Kate Phelon, Executive Director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, was the timekeeper.
Each candidate was given a minute and a half for an opening statement, followed by rotating questions between the two candidates. At the end of the forum, each candidate was allowed two minutes for closing remarks.
WARD 3 CANDIDATE FORUM
The Ward 3 candidates in the first hour were incumbent Andrew K. Surprise and first-time candidate Rob Atkocaitis.
During his opening statement, Surprise thanked the hosts for the opportunity, and constituents of Ward 3 for the honor of having served them for the past two years. About himself, he said he is 39 years old, and engaged to the “smart, beautiful Amy Brown.” Surprise said he has been going door to door speaking to residents. He said their concerns are holding the line on taxes, stabilizing the property tax rate, the roads, and bringing life back to the downtown. Last year, he said was the first in a decade with no property tax rate increase.
Atkocaitis also thanked the hosts of the forum, as well as the residents for coming, and his family for their continued support. He said he is 100% vested in Westfield, having grown up on George Street where he learned to distinguish between “needs and wants,” growing up in a single parent family on welfare, and putting himself through college. He said his wife and four kids are all products of Westfield Public Schools. He said he began his career at Mestek, where he had a chance to relocate, but refused to do so.
Both candidates were then asked what are the three most important concerns facing Ward 3, and what would they do to address them. Surprise named the hospital zone, taxes and roads; while Atkocaitis named the Western Avenue project, the hospital zone and roads.
Surprise said he understands why the hospital is seeking a hospital zone because, being in a residential zone it has to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals for any renovations. However, he said that the city sent vague regulations to the City Council regarding the zone change that would allow features and buildings that the residents do not want. Atkocaitis said that he agreed the hospital zone is a “big thing” for Ward 3. He also said the hospital is good for the citizens of Ward 3 and for the city as a whole.
In a later question about the medical district surrounding Baystate Noble hospital, Berry asked both candidates how they would balance the needs of Baystate Noble with those of nearby residents.
Atkocaitis said that Baystate Noble is the largest employer in the city. He added that he enjoys having a hospital, and would want to negotiate, and let them know what the residents want. He said he wouldn’t want to make it so difficult for the hospital “that they pull the plug.”
Surprise said that Baystate Noble is a community hospital, and will stay one. He said he had met with the hospital board, who agreed to hold community meetings. However, he said the city rushed through the zoning change, which he called “ill-advised. The hospital has said they won’t need the zone change for three or four years. The residents are who we work for,” Surprise said.
In response to a question about the top priority facing the city as a whole, Atkocaitis said the budget is the number one priority. He said word going around about a 6% increase has him alarmed as well, having had three kids in college for four years in a row. But, he said, “Budgets are like amoebas, always changing.” He said it’s important to meet with department heads. “I see a few (councilors) that are always quick to identify the problems, but I don’t see a lot of solutions,” he said.
Surprise said the two top priorities are budget and taxes. He said he’s knocked on thousands of doors, and met seniors living on fixed incomes who can’t afford 5 ½ to 6% increases. He said the city must create efficiencies. Surprise also said water is another top priority for the city. He said new well filtration is on the way for Wells 1 and 2, which will require a bond. He believes the state or federal government should pay for blood testing for all residents, who have been drinking the water for decades.
Berry then asked specific questions to each of the candidates. To Surprise, he said, in order to save the City money, he has been a proponent of consolidation of city services to eliminate duplication. What specific duplications does he see that should be addressed?
Surprise said he saw opportunities both between departments and regionally. He said the Regional 911 dispatch center built in 2012 only serves Westfield. He said Chicopee is currently building one, and already has two towns signed on, which could save a lot of money. He also spoke of merging the city’s Information Technology department with Westfield Gas & Electric, which he said could save $1 million a year. He also spoke of the Massachusetts Rural Broadband Initiative which is seeking bids to connect Hilltown communities as another opportunity.
Berry then asked Atkocaitis whether as a candidate for city council he had reviewed the city’s budget, what specific items stood out, and how would he correct them. Atkocaitis said he has reviewed the budget, but not in great detail. He said the school district makes up 60% of the budget, much of which is contractual, and of the $126 million whole budget, 90% is employees, which are under contracts as well. “I would meet with department heads while they’re doing their budget, and identify needs vs. wants,” Atkocaitis said. He said one of the reasons cuts were made recently by the mayor, was due to projects that were not ready to go. He said he would want to work as a team with the department heads.
Berry asked whether the Western Avenue reconstruction in Ward 3 would be a detriment or positive for that part of the town. Surprise said he participated in a meeting with MassDOT in late September, where the agency agreed to a design change to 10-foot concrete sidewalks. He said he has held neighborhood meetings, and the residents did not want asphalt, which crumble and break and “cause headaches.” He said they will also get new water, sewers and drainage. He also said he was concerned about the curbed islands planned for the roads, which he would like to see as raised, not curbed.
Atkocaitis said that the reconstruction is definitely going to be an asset to the neighborhood. He said the sidewalks would be 8 foot, and continue down Lloyd’s Hill, which would also get a retaining wall. He said he would want to make sure the sidewalk is pitched properly. Atkocaitis also said some residents are concerned whether they would have to clear the entire eight feet. He said from what the Mayor has told him, they would only need to clear a path. “I think it’s going to be a great thing,” he said.
Asked how the candidates feel the city’s communication with residents has been on the Western Ave. project, both candidates gave the city average marks. “Not a great transparency of our city government here,” Atkocaitis said. He also said he’s been to meetings where the project was not described in laymen’s terms, and that he missed some meetings that were not announced. “There is room for improvement,” he said.
Surprise said the city’s communication on the project has not been that great, but his own has been “really great.” He said he’s held several ward meetings, where residents expressed concerns about traffic. He also said regarding the width of the sidewalks, that they would be 8 foot at the cemetery and Lloyd’s Hill, and ten foot the rest of the multi-path. As far as transparency, Surprise said every sub-committee should be streamed live. He recommended more neighborhood meetings, and that the city should also be hosting them.
Regarding the next infrastructure improvements that need to be done in Ward 3, Surprise said there is a significant amount of improvements needed. He listed Jefferson Street and West School Street in the downtown, which he said are not the highest income areas, but deserve to have good streets. “All the side streets need to be repaved,” Surprise said, adding that every time he sees a pothole, he calls Public Works Director David Billips to have it repaired. He said the city bought an infrared patcher which “works really well.” He also said the city at this point cannot afford to repave all the roads that need it.
Atkocaitis also said the roads need repair. He said the city has 186 miles of road, but that Chapter 90 funds are based on population, miles of road and income, and need to be used effectively. “We need a solution to find the money,” he said. Atkocaitis also said that the city needs to develop land and empty buildings, and bring in more business downtown. He said the tax rate on business is high.
One area of disagreement between the candidates concerned the importance of completing the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Atkocaitis said that it is important to start somewhere. He said he asked the owner of the Red Basket in Southwick if the Rail Trail had helped his business, and he said it had. He said that it attracts a diverse crowd to the city.
Surprise said completion of the Rail Trail was “nominally important.” He believes that it should be completed to the river, but roads are more critical. He also gave the example of the Cowles Bridge, which has had the same rating since 2002, and which fire trucks can’t cross right now. Surprise said the city has spent $4.5 million of Chapter 90 money on the Rail Trail that could have been used on roads and Cowles Bridge. “No one ever budgets out the long term costs to maintain it,” he added about the Rail Trail.
Berry again posed different questions to the incumbent and newcomer. To Surprise, he mentioned that he consistently voted against tax increases, and yet to maintain or increase services a certain level of spending is necessary. How can the city meet its needs and what would he suggest cutting?
Surprise said this past year he proposed a 2.5% decrease across the board. He said the city is close to the levy ceiling when more taxes won’t be able to be raised, and suggested making the layoffs or budget cuts now that need to be done to avoid reaching that ceiling. “People can’t handle a 6% property tax increase. We’re putting elderly people out of their homes,” he said.
To Atkocaitis, Berry said the school department is the largest department in the city by way of employees and budgets, and some residents feel there is room for cuts. Atkocaitis said that everyone is going to say to pick on the biggest. But, he said when a business relocates they always look for the best school system in a 15 miles radius. He said their number two consideration is safety, and taxes are third or fourth on the list. “It’s all about a strong school system,” he said.
In another specific question, Berry said that Atkocaitis owned a home whose property taxes have gone up 11% in three years, and he works full-time. He asked how he would respond to a resident on fixed income who’s concerned about rising property taxes.
“We have to offset that in some way,” Atkocaitis said, adding that one way is to make Westfield more attractive to businesses coming in. “I feel for people on a fixed income. I’m not exactly sure what can be done,” he added.
To Surprise, Berry said he lives in an apartment and doesn’t pay property tax. How does he respond to the concerns of a person on a fixed income. “I want to someday own a home. We can’t keep raising taxes. 2.5% every couple of years is okay,” Surprise said. He also said that the city is lying to its employees about future benefits through OPEB (Other Post-Employee Benefits), which he noted is a $264 million liability, with only $50,000 in the fund. He said the few hundred thousand the Mayor talked about putting in OPEB this year won’t make a dent. “If we don’t fund that account, the amortization of debt is an avalanche waiting to happen,” Surprise said, adding that everyone should look at this closely.
In his closing statement, Atkocaitis repeated that he’s been in business a long time, which makes him a good leader. He said he’s not afraid to take on the big problems, and never ran away from a project in his life. Referring to OPEB, Atkocaitis said, “That (264 million) is preparing for Armageddon. We would only need it if everyone retired at the same time.” He said city councilors are “our elected leaders,” and as the Ward 3 “guy,” he would be “the voice of your neighborhood. I think I am that leader for you,” he said.
“I’ve been the Ward 3 Councilor for two years, and make it my mission to represent you,” Surprise said, repeating that he had voted against all tax increases. He said the city doesn’t have a tax problem, it has a “spending problem.” He said he is involved in ArtWorks, and talked about the new small businesses that have come to town that “don’t bring in big tax dollars, but make it a nice place to live.” He also said out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, Westfield has the sixth highest commercial property tax rate. “Thank you for voting for me last time. I hope to see you at the polls on November 7,” Surprise said.
After the meeting, Surprise said the forum was good. “I think I got most of my points out,” he said.
Atkocaitis also said that he was feeling pretty good, calling it “very positive.” He said he was able to let people know that he is a “solutions provider,” about his business background, and that having a live audience and being televised was helpful.
