Westfield Ward 6 City Councilor Bill Onyski (WNG file photo).
This has certainly been a beautiful, and busy, autumn. We have had great weather and I sure hope that it stays this way before winter hits.
On November 14, I attended a presentation by Chris Herren regarding his drug and alcohol addiction at the Westfield Technical Academy. This was part of a series of events to help bring attention to the opioid crisis that is happening in Westfield and all across the country. It was one of the most entrancing lectures that I have ever been to. Chris’s candor, honesty, and story had many audience members in tears.
The evening revolved around Chris’s rise to fame from a local Fall River basketball player to a star with the Boston Celtics, all while battling the demons of addiction. Chris’s fall from fame came just as quickly but he has now been sober for eight years.
Although the crisis has been out of the headlines recently, it still exists. Our EMTs and Firefighters are regularly saving the lives of overdose victims who otherwise wouldn’t be afforded another chance.
Thanks to Chris Herren, the City of Westfield, and the organizers of the event for keeping this issue in the forefront.
The Veteran’s Day Parade on November 11 was a tribute to our Westfield Veterans who graciously and selflessly served, and still serve, our country. I can’t give enough thanks to the one percent of the population who sacrificed their time, their family, and often their lives to support the freedom of the other ninety-nine percent of the nation. The city, and I, are proud of the Veterans and thank you for your service!
On November 2, a Public Meeting was held to discuss the installation of lights at the Paper Mill baseball and Sadie Knox softball fields. I’m thankful to the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council President Bean for sorting through the details and scheduling a meeting on short notice. Westfield Little League did a nice job presenting the plans and addressed the concerns of neighbors around light overflow into back yards and noise. It’s good to work together to take care of the small issues before they become a problem. The Westfield Little League committed to making any necessary adjustments to the fixtures to keep the light on the fields and out of neighbor’s yards.
An application for a special permit for a Bed and Breakfast on Susan Drive was denied at theNovember 18 City Council meeting. The neighbors had valid concerns regarding the additional traffic that would be generated through a completely residential area. Although the additional traffic count may not be substantially increased, the additional traffic would all be generated by those unfamiliar with the neighborhood. For those who have travelled in the Susan/Eastview/Irene Drive area, I’m sure you can attest to the blind ninety degree corner and steepness of the roads leading into the neighborhood. The city will also review the Bed and Breakfast concept as its definition has a broad range that needs to be clarified.
The Legislative and Ordinance Committee worked with our Legal Department to modify the smoking policy on city property. Currently, there is no smoking in city buildings or parks. This may be extended to cover all city property including all grounds and parking lots. Generally, the ordinance will exclude street sidewalks or roadways. It’s unfortunate that this ordinance change is needed. One would hope that individuals would show common courtesy when it comes to smoking but that doesn’t always happen, hence, the proposed ordinance change. This will be discussed further in a Legislative and Ordinance Committee meeting so check the meeting schedule and agendas on the city website.
I will be holding Ward 6 office hours on November 29, 2016 from 5:00PM to 7:00PM at the Hampton Ponds Association Building on North Road. Please stop in at any time between 5:00PM and 7:00PM to ask questions or discuss issues that might be on your mind.
On a personal note, I’d like to wish my Mom a Happy 92nd Birthday! Love you Mom!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for taking time to read this. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 413-568-7747.
