WESTFIELD – Most items on the City Council’s agenda Thursday were referred to sub-committees for review and discussion. Chief among these was the third submission by Mayor Brian P. Sullivan of the $13 million bond for filtration and improvement to Wells 1 and 2, completion of filtration and improvements to wells 7 and 8, connection to Springfield water systems and replacement of the water tank on East Mountain Road, which will be discussed once again at a special joint subcommittee meeting on Tuesday.
Council President John J. Beltrandi, III asked that the bond be referred to the Zoning, Planning and Development (ZPD) and the Legislative and Ordinance (L&) Committees in a joint meeting.
Two councilors spoke up in favor of voting on the bond at the meeting. At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris said she was fully prepared to vote on it, although she conceded to the plan. Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr. commented that the City Council doesn’t manage electricity or natural gas, but councilors seem to think they can manage the water system for the city.
At-large City Councilor David Flaherty
At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty, who chairs ZPD said that he and L&O Chair, Ward 3 Councilor Ralph J. FIgy, Jr. have agreed to hold a joint meeting next Tuesday, May 22 at 5 p.m., and have invited the Department of Public Works and experts in engineering and water to speak at the meeting.
Flaherty said he had sent the DPW unanswered questions from councilors that fell into three broad categories: the quality of the water in Wells 7 and 8, an analysis of alternative options including a Holyoke interconnect, and the ability of the filtration plant planned for Wells 7 and 8 to do what it’s meant to do.
Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise asked why the bond was going to ZPD, and not to the Public, Health and Safety sub-committee.
At-large Councilor Dan Allie said nobody could explain why it was being sent to ZPD, except that Flaherty was “nice enough to step up.
“This is a complicated issue; it fits under Public, Health and Safety,” Allie said.
Beltrandi said it didn’t matter which committees got it, because it would be a joint meeting that all of the councilors would attend. A motion to send it to Public, Health and Safety failed to pass.
At-large Councilor Nicholas J. Morganelli, Jr. objected that the meeting date had been set just three business days after the Council meeting, which was not sufficient notice.
“I’m trying to do this right. It’s something I’ve been asked to do,” Flaherty said, adding, “I want to get this thing moving. I don’t want it to come out in the middle of budget season.”
“If we don’t have the answers, we don’t have the votes,” added Beltrandi.
“I think we made it clear that’s the stumbling block. We need to get those kinds of issues answered,” Flaherty responded. He said the money seems to be off the table; the main concern is whether the proposed filter system will work.
“I want to thank Council Flaherty for coordinating this with the Mayor. I hope this is an expert panel good enough to get the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,” quipped Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski. “I am a member of Public, Health and Safety, and I do not have a problem with it going to ZPD and L&O,” she added.
“The questions you have formulated, only committee members can ask,” Surprise said. He then made a motion to make the meeting a Committee of the whole, which passed with only At-large Councilor Brent B. Bean, II dissenting.
Other action taken by the City Council on Thursday included immediate consideration and unanimous approval for a transfer of $629,196 from the Health Insurance Benefits Account to the OPEB (Other Post-Employee Benefits) Designated Fund Balance account. The funds came from a Health Care Holiday for city employees during the month of May. In presenting the motion, Allie said the Council had pre-approved it last year.
Immediate consideration and approval was also given for a state grant of $32,000 for the Airport Department from the Mass DOT/Aeronautics division, under Airport Safety & Maintenance. Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski, who is the Airport liaison on the Council, said the funds would be used to purchase a snow pusher, and would require a city match of $8,000.
The appropriation of $77,625 of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for a down payment assistant program to be managed by Community Development passed unanimously. However, the appropriation of $85,000 in CPA funds for the Stanley Park Colonial Village was withdrawn without prejudice at the request of Stanley Park directors.
On Friday, Stanley Park Managing Director Robert C. McKean said the Board of Directors had decided to go forward with the renovations to the Grist Mill and Meeting House through fundraising and donations. “We will do the best we can with what we can,” McKean said.
Also withdrawn without prejudice was the request to approve a transfer of funds leftover from the Park Square Green bond to create pickle ball courts on the Municipal lot, on a motion by Bean.
Allie first reported that Finance had voted to keep it in committee for further study by the city, because the cost was going to be prohibitive and exceed the remaining bond funds. “This isn’t going anywhere,” Allie said.
Paul questioned the rationale of re-appropriating leftover bond funds, when the previous Finance committee, which he chaired, had spent more than two years cleaning up the bonds and returning unused money to the city. He said he favored a re-application for capital funds to create the pickle ball courts.
Also referred to ZPD was a zoning amendment from the Planning Board to revising the current medical marijuana zoning regulations to include recreational marijuana. A Public Hearing will be required.
