On Feb. 19, the City Council approved a series of free cash appropriations totalling $2.3 million that had been requested by Mayor Michael McCabe.
Page 3
SOUTHWICK
Snow removal costs
climbing but are yet to exceed last year
With one snow event after another over the last two and a half months, the DPW continues to rack up snow removal costs, but as much snow as the town has gotten, there’s a possibility the cost won’t exceed last year’s.
Page 4
BLANDFORD
DCR acquires 218 acres in Blandford
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation on Feb. 25 the acquisition of 218 acres of forested land in the town of Blandford.
Page 5
Senate adopts legislation for call duty firefighters
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — It’s been said that words matter, and in the case of creditable service legislation filed by state Sen. John Velis, changing “the” to “any” will affect call firefighters across the state if adopted by the House and signed by the governor.
“We’ve been fighting for this for a long time,” said Russ Anderson, who spent 17 years as the fire chief in Southwick and Granby, Connecticut.
The change Velis filed legislation for will allow call firefighters to move from one department to another without losing creditable time that is used to calculate retirement pension compensation.
“This legislation ensures that firefighters who become full-time can receive creditable service for their time as call firefighters regardless of what Fire Department they worked at,” the Office of Senator Velis posted in a statement.
In plain language: A parttime call firefighter, who was with the Granby Fire Department for five or more years, can take five of the years accrued with them if they are hired full-time at another department.
Currently, that is not allowed by state law because of one word, “the,” which means the only way a call firefighter can accrue five years of service is if they stay at that department.
If they were to take a fulltime position at another department, they would start from zero.
Westfield Fire Chief Patrick Egloff said that happened to a firefighter who was hired by the department from another department and wasn’t allowed to bring his service time with him.
Because of that, he said, the
firefighter eventually went back to their original department.
Velis is seeking to change the “the” to “any.”
The current law reads: “the retirement board shall credit as full-time service not to exceed a maximum of five years that period of time during which … a reserve, permanent-intermittent or call fire fighter was on his respective list and was eligible for assignment to duty subsequent to his appointment; and provid-
ed, further, that such service as a permanent-intermittent or call fire fighter shall be credited only if such permanent-intermittent or call fire fighter was later appointed as a permanent member of the fire department.”
Egloff and Anderson said, if the legislation is adopted, it could help with retention rates and recruitment of firefighters.
“That would definitely help,” Egloff said.
The Westfield Fire Depart-
ment has struggled with hiring and keeping firefighters.
A new Civil Service program called the “Local Registration Program” lets municipalities appoint entry-level police and fire positions through the local registration program without taking the exam and waiting for an opening.
Interestingly, the current restrictions do not apply to police officers who move from one department to another.
State Sen. John Velis Reminder Publishing submitted photo
STRM: Gionfriddo and Sullivan discuss the upcoming Big Broadcast
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
SOUTH HADLEY — On the latest episode of “So That Reminds Me,” hosts Ryan Feyre and Dennis Hackett sat down with Mount Holyoke College Jazz Ensemble
Director Mark Gionfriddo and Maureen Sullivan, who handles PR for the Big Broadcast, to discuss the upcoming event on Saturday, March 7. According to the organizers, performances for the event are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in Chapin Auditorium at Mount Holyoke College, 50 College St.
This year marks the 21st year of the showcase, which Gionfriddo started because he thought it would be fun to do something “a little bit different.”
“We were noticing that there was really nothing like this around, and especially for a college jazz program to put something like this on is really kind of unusual right from the bottom up of writing the whole thing and costuming it, and they do the hair and the makeup and all of that stuff,” he said.
Gionfriddo, who is reprising his role as bandleader “Matt Morgan,” and the college’s jazz ensembles are polishing the best Big Band songs, solos and commercials from the 1940s.
“It’s kind of our idea of what it would be like to be in the audience of a 1940s radio variety show; this one particularly happening at a remote location,” Gionfriddo said when describing the show.
The idea was conceived after students approached Gionfriddo about how the theater department at the college only conducts a musical every four years. They asked if he ever thought of doing a semi-theatrical production.
Gionfriddo used to produce a show with a cabaret group in the 1990s called “Puttin on the Ritz,” which was a fictitious radio variety show that took place at a radio station where singers would appear as “stars” of that era to sing on the air.
After he began directing in the Jazz program at Mount Holyoke College in 1999, Gionfriddo said he felt like himself, and his students were ready to take on a similar project. The Jazz Ensembles produced the first “Big Broadcast” in 2006.
Regarding the location of the broadcast, Gionfriddo said Chapin Auditorium looks “very, very period.” He later found out that The Glenn Miller Band performed on the same stage as the Big Broadcast in February 1939.
The Glenn Miller Band and
Andrew Sisters are two bands that Gionfriddo says he focuses on for the production, among other artists of the time period.
Besides the music from the 1940s, Mount Holyoke College students help write the show, including the introductions and outros for TV22 meteorologist Brian Lapis, who emcees as “Fred Kelly.” The students also select period commercials and news stories from the period for the production.
Gionfriddo mentioned how it is a great way for the students to learn about music and stories from the 1940s.
During the first few years of the show, he said a majority of the crowd were those who grew up in the time period of the 1940s and 1950s, but as the years have gone on, more students have attended the performance, with some expressing interest in helping.
Sullivan talked about the audience and atmosphere from the past few years, sharing, “I have to say that over the years being in the front of the house that people, when they come in, that they’re just in such great moods. People are happy to be there, and it’s always a great audience.”
She added, “Some of these songs from the Great American Songbook have been done by a
lot of artists over the years, so I think that younger people would be surprised to hear some of them and realize, ‘oh actually I know that song.’”
Gionfriddo also talked about why the focus of the production is on the 1940s. “We like the [1940s] because big hairstyles, and there was a lot of stuff going on,” he stated. “Obviously it’s very, very different from contemporary times, so it’s very interesting because some of the student, they’re kind of like, ‘oh, wow there’s a lot of stereotyping, there’s a lot of provincial, some of it is rather offensive,’ but they
all understand that it’s kind of a historical piece, like a typical theatre piece.”
At the beginning of the program, the Big Broadcast makes sure to note that they are not glorifying or promoting the themes of the time period, according to Gionfriddo.
Tickets are available at the Odyssey Book Shop in South Hadley, and online at mhc.ludus. com and at the door.
To hear the full episode, visit thereminder.com/our-podcast or search “So That Reminds Me” on your favorite podcasting platform.
Settlement negotiations between Westfield, police officers stall
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — The city of Westfield and 17 current Westfield Police Department officers have been unable to reach a settlement after the officers filed a lawsuit against the city alleging they should have been paid “regular wages” when attending the police academy.
“At this point, things have stalled,” said Springfield-based attorney Jeffrey Morneau with
Connor & Morneau, who has been representing the officers who filed the lawsuit against the city in Hampden County Superior Court in September 2024.
However, he said on Feb. 23 that a settlement is “not off the table.”
The two sides have been in settlement discussions for several months, and in November, both asked the court to hold off on any further action in an attempt to reach a settlement.
On Friday, Morneau and the
attorneys defending the city, Boston-based firm Seyfarth Shaw, filed a motion with the court to reinstate the deadlines for filing motions and briefs to the court.
“This is to set up a schedule so there is no further delay,” Morneau said.
In the joint motion, both sides have “differing positions as the appropriate interpretation and application of certain key legal concepts,” according to the filed motion.
Morneau said now the
city and the officers will file briefs with the court to resolve those issues.
“We’ve asked the court to decide matters of law and determine who’s right,” he said.
In a related wage-and-hour case lawsuit filed by Westfield Police officer Efrain Luna in U.S. District Court, alleging the city had violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act by not paying him overtime, both sides have also asked the court for additional time to sort out legal issues before continued settlement negotiations.
“[There are] sophisticated questions about the manner in which the city paid overtime to the police officers. To facilitate their efforts to resolve this matter, the parties have exchanged a substantial volume of data relating to the pay practices implicated by plaintiff’s claims in this matter, which require evaluation by professionals with expertise in quantitative analysis,” according to the federal lawsuit.
That has delayed both from engaging in negotiations, according to the lawsuit.
Both have “continued to confer [and] believe that they have reached at least a preliminary common understanding of the quantitative issues implicated by plaintiff’s claims, and are now in a position to undertake a substantive negotiation,” according to the lawsuit.
They are also assessing whether a mediator may be necessary to continue the negotiations, according to the lawsuit.
The September 2024 lawsuit filed by the 17 officers against the city had three separate complaints referred to as counts.
Count 1 alleged that officers attending the police academy should have been paid the same wages as regular officers since they had been “appointed” to the position of “police officer” and the city was “obligated” to pay regular wages.
Count 2 was that the city didn’t pay the officers regular wages earned within seven days of the end of the pay period while they were attending the academy.
The lawsuit is essentially asking
the court to find that the officers attending the academy should have been paid at least $21 an hour instead of $19 per hour while enrolled.
And in Count 3, the officers alleged that the city was obligated to pay them because “valuable services were provided to the city” — it is called a claim for quantum merit. Count 3 also says the officers had a “reasonable expectation” of compensation for services, the city accepted the services provided by the officers, and a reasonable person would have expected compensation.
The city, through Seyfarth Shaw, denied the allegations in Count 1 — that the city was obligated to pay the officers regular wages — by questioning the legal conclusions used in the lawsuit.
For Count 2, the city again denied failing to pay the wages earned within seven days of the end of the pay period and denied that the officers were entitled to damages.
For Count 3, the city denied that the officers had provided “valuable services” to the city because the allegation was “vague” and that the officers were paid what was owed to them.
The city also said it acted in good faith and with reasonable grounds to believe it was not violating the law.
It also made a motion to dismiss the officers’ lawsuit, which was denied last May.
In Luna’s lawsuit, he alleges the city hadn’t paid him “time and a half” rates for work in excess of 40 hours in one week since July 2021.
According to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, law enforcement personnel are exempt from being paid overtime rates if the municipality opts in to what is known as a 29 USC § 207(k) exemption. With that exemption in place, officers must work 171 hours in 28 days, or more than 42.75 hours in a seven-day work period, before an employer must pay the higher rate.
Luna alleges the city has not established or adopted a 207(k) work period exemption,
See SETTLEMENT on page 3
Maureen Sullivan (front left) Mark Gionfriddo (back left) sits down with “So That Reminds Me” hosts Ryan Feyre and Dennis Hackett. Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
Council approves $2.3 million in free cash appropriations from mayor
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
WESTFIELD — On Feb. 19, the City Council approved a series of free cash appropriations totalling $2.3 million that had been requested by Mayor Michael McCabe, following positive recommendations from the Finance Committee, chaired by City Councilor Daniel Knapik.
The largest item approved was $2 million from free cash for the athletic field capital construction account for costs associated with the construction of the athletic fields at Westfield High School.
Knapik said the City Treasurer-Collector Matthew Barnes discussed the item with the Finance Committee and the plan going forward. He said this appropriation, which was covered by $2 million already received by Westfield Gas & Electric for the fields via in lieu of taxes payments that had gone into free cash, would be used to pay down the debt before the city sells its bond obligation for the fields, saving money on interest in the future.
“So the rough number would be from 11 million and change, down to 9 million, is what they were anticipating,” Knapik said. He said the future payments by G&E won’t go through free cash.
Once it gets advertised and becomes a long-term debt obligation, there will be an account where the ILOTS can be paid and dumped into that account, and they should not appear again in free cash, according to Knapik.
City Councilor Kristen Mello said it was not too late if the mayor, the School Committee, athletic director or superintendent were interested in any other ways of saving money. “Choose natural grass, which will prevent injuries, prevent flooding, and avoid having all that storm water end up in the Powder Mill Brook, whose dam has not yet been rehabilitated. I support safe, healthy fields. It’s not too late for real grass, and we did just buy that spanking new mower, I’m
just saying. Thank you,” Mello said, referring to an appropriation of $24,314 from free cash for the purchase of a zero-turn lawn mower, approved at the Feb. 5 meeting.
In response to another question, Knapik said once the debt is set up, the account for the ILOT payments will be set up. The appropriation passed unanimously.
Also approved unanimously were appropriations of free cash, in the amounts of $11,900, $44,500, and $170,720 to the Health Department for costs associated with repairs to the landfill groundwater monitoring well, as well as engineering and construction costs for landfill cap repairs.
Knapik said apparently, periodical sloughing comes from the landfill cap due to erosion and rain events, and the costs for repairs are required to make sure the cap is in good order.
Also unanimous was an appropriation of $18,000 from free cash to the Animal Control Department for the replacement of the heating and cooling systems at the animal shelter.
City Councilor Cindy Harris, a member of Finance, said Animal Control Officer Margaret Terkelsen requested the funds to replace heating units in the animal shelter that stopped working in the fall. She said the cooling units were still functioning, but would go above 85 degrees, above state-mandated temperatures. She said three mini-splits were installed.
Harris said the appropriation request from free cash, listed at $27,000 on the agenda, would be amended to $18,000, because the property owner agreed to cover $9,000 of the cost, per Knapik’s request.
Knapik thanked owner William Lawry, saying it was not part of the lease and could have been refused.
Later in the meeting, the council also voted to accept gift donations totaling $3,782 to the Animal Control Department to enhance the quality of stay for the animals at the shelter,
in the amounts of $2,713 from Rainbow Rescues, $500 from Martin Luber and Alicia Johnston, and $569 from Rocky’s Ace Hardware.
Also approved was $9,500 from free cash to the City Council to reframe historic portraits hanging in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Harris said the funding will be used to properly display past, present and future City Council portraits, in a tradition dating back to 1924.
Harris said the former facilities director notified the city clerk that there had been no place to hang portraits in the chamber after 2017 due to the placement of air vents. She said a decision was made to reframe the portraits to the smaller sizes before 1996, which would create more room. Funding for the project was turned down by the Mass. Historical Commission, and was not eligible for funding by the Community Preservation Committee. Westfield Technical Academy also did not have the ability to take on the job.
Harris said the City Council’s budget only has a line item for legal ads and stipends, thus the request for free cash. The funds will reframe photos from 2008, 2017, and 2018 to 2023, and will include the frames, glass mats, calligraphy, assembly and labor.
“It’s a small ticket item compared to the millions of dollars that are coming out of free cash since the beginning of the year, so I’m willing to vote yes on it because it is a small ticket item, but I think in principle, all avenues should have been exhausted,” said City Councilor Nicholas Morganelli, Jr., who asked if there was a list of funding sources that had been tried.
Council President John Beltrandi III said the city clerk had exhausted all other avenues of funding.
“I mean, in hindsight, obviously they should have stayed with the smaller sizes to begin with because you could have projected that,” said City Councilor Dan Allie, a printer by trade. He also recommended adding anoth-
er row on top of the current rows.
“At that size, you might be able to get a row that wouldn’t impinge on people getting to their seats, so that may give you a few more years,” Allie said, adding, “They haven’t been hung up the whole time since I’ve been here,” before the unanimous approval. The final approval of $49,918 from free cash to the Personnel Department was to digitize payroll documents for retention in accordance with state laws. Harris said the money will be used for a vendor that specializes in digitizing records, which, according to state mandates, must be retained for 50 years. She said currently, the records are stored at Abner Gibbs, and the city is hoping to sell that building.
When questioned by Mello about having personnel records and information stored in the building, Knapik said that before they were at Abner Gibbs, they were stored at Ashley Street School. The motion passed unanimously.
and therefore, he should qualify for overtime rates under the same rules that govern most wage-earners.
The city, through Seyfarth Shaw, answered that allegation and over 20 others in its response, including whether the city had “adopted” or “established” the 29 USC § 207(k) exemption.
“[The city] denies the allegations … responding further … that it did establish an alternative work period under 29 USC § 207(k) exemption,” according to the city’s response.
In one of the complaints in Luna’s lawsuit, he alleges the city is “an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce,” which is a required provision of the federal statute that defines which workers are entitled to overtime.
The city responded that it “denies the allegations … because it is not a commercial enterprise and is not regularly engaged in the production of goods.”
As another justification for the lawsuit, Luna alleges he worked for more than 40 hours in at least one workweek, which the city said it was unable to respond to because the allegation is “vague” and that Luna failed to identify any week or weeks he worked more than 40 hours.
According to the city’s response, Luna’s “entitlement to overtime, if any, is based on an alternative work period” as defined by 29 USC § 207(k), “not based on a 40-hour workweek.”
Westfield City Council portraits in Council Chambers; some of which will be reframed to make room for more.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK
— With one snow event after another over the last two and a half months, the DPW continues to rack up snow removal costs, but as much snow as the town has gotten, there’s a possibility the cost won’t exceed last year’s.
“It’s been one heck of a winter,” said DPW Director Rich Bosak on Feb. 24 as the town’s plows continued to push the snow that fell on Feb. 23.
There had been expectations of considerably more falling, but Bosak said most of the town got between six and eight inches.
And while most of the snow
fell on Feb. 23, Bosak said the town’s crews and private contractors were on the roads on Feb. 20 and 21 to clear a small storm that swept through.
In addition to thanking the DPW crews and private contractors for their hard work, Bosak wanted the Southwick Police Department to be recognized for their help.
“They were our eyes out there,” he said.
Bosak has been preparing reports about the cost of each storm, and when in front of the Select Board in January, the monster storm that left 18 inches on the ground had just barreled through the region.
“It’s going to be a big one,” he told the board about
the estimated cost on Jan. 26, which held its meeting remotely because Town Hall was closed that day.
On Feb. 24, Bosak said the total cost of that storm was $83,667, which included $56,965 for private contractors, $14,172 in overtime and $12,530 for 121 tons of salt.
He estimated that the Feb. 23 storm will cost a bit more than half of the Jan. 25 storm.
Less than two weeks after the monster storm, an inch of snow fell on Feb. 7, which cost a total of $25,644, including $8,420 for private contractors, $4,716 in overtime and $12,530 for 121 tons of salt.
Each year, Town Meeting approves $111,500 for snow and
ice removal, using that figure as essentially a placeholder in the budget because there’s no way
Snow removal costs climbing but are yet to exceed last year Gem Marina asks Planning Board to convert boat slips to
By Cliff Clark cclark@thereminder.com
SOUTHWICK
— The Planning Board closed a public hearing on a request by the owner of Gem Marina at 141 Congamond Road asking it to modify its special permit to allow it to convert four of its transient-use boat slips, which now total 16, to increase the number of long-term slip rentals to 28.
“I’m looking to add marina rental slips, four in total, and I’m hoping that’s not a problem,” said Gem Marina owner Kenneth Eggleston during the board’s meeting on Feb. 24.
If the board approves the request, which it appeared to be leaning toward, the marina will have 28 long-term slips for rent and 12 for use by those who temporarily park their boat at the dock to visit the restaurant, which closed several months ago.
The total number of available slips remains at 40.
Eggleston’s request was contingent on having adequate parking for the increase in the number of rental slips.
The special permit he is operating under allows one-half of a parking space for every longterm rental slip, so he needed to identify two parking spaces.
“At this time, we have 62 parking spaces, of which only 60 are needed,” he said while the board looked at a site plan map identifying the two addi-
tional spaces.
The DPW was asked to weigh in on the request and did so in a letter sent to the board by its director, Rich Bosak, which was read into the record by Planning Board Chair Jessica Thornton.
“DPW has no comments specific to the change requested under this application,” wrote Bosak.
However, he wrote, there were several waste receptables on the north side of the building that appeared open, a possible violation of the special permit, and a waste cooking oil receptacle.
Eggleston said he had expected the former tenant of the building to have gotten approval for the waste grease receptacle.
Thornton said she was unsure about how to go about approving a waste grease receptacle, but reminded Eggleston that as the owner of the special permit, it was his responsibility and not the tenant’s.
While Fire Chief Richard Stefanowicz also sent a letter to the board about the department’s concerns, he attended the meeting remotely.
“My only concern was that we maintain some type of fire lane access, and it would make sense to keep that fire lane on the approach to the Fire Department connection for the sprinkler systems,” he said, adding that he didn’t know if the permit had a designated open access fire lane.
Thornton read into the record
a response prepared by Levesque Associates, Inc., which said no fire lane needed to be identified.
“The applicant had previously gone through extensive Planning Board review, including review by the Fire Department on the parking lot arrangement and vehicular access for the site. While we appreciate and respect the Fire Department’s comprehensive awareness of safety, the applicant is unable to alter the current parking configuration to accommodate a new fire lane,” according to the letter.
Eggleston said that a truck loading area, which is only used twice a week, provided access to the Fire Department connection for the sprinkler system and wondered if that might alleviate the Fire Department’s concern.
Stefanowicz said that would work.
When Thornton asked if there were any comments from the public about the special permit request, Kurt Saunder, who owns Saunders Boat Livery Inc., spoke in favor of the request.
“And I also wanted you to know that Mr. Eggelston did not ask me to come here and speak it tonight,” Saunders said.
Thornton said the board would have a written decision prepared for its next meeting on March 10.
Last February, Eggleston’s special permit was modified to allow him to add four rental slips
to estimate what will end up being spent.
The owner of the restaurant and Gem Marina at 141 Congamond Road requested a modification of his special permit to convert transient boat slips to long-term rentals. The total number of boats that can dock there is not changing. It remains at 40.
to the northern dock, which is adjacent to the Middle/South Pond culvert. Those four slips were the four lost when the town appealed Eggleston’s Chapter 91 permit in 2023, which is required by the state when installing permanent or long-term use structures on any of the state’s navigable waters.
The town alleged the northern dock could be a safety issue for boats moving through the culvert.
After mediation, Eggleston agreed to reduce the length of the dock by four slips, but after two years of operation, he would be allowed to request of the harbormaster the installation of those four, which Police Chief
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
and Harbormaster Rhett Bannish agreed to.
Eggleston’s Chapter 91 permit allows the marina to have as many as 49 slips. When Eggleston bought the building at 141 Congamond Road in 2022, he spent the better part of a year updating the building while seeking a new tenant to run the operation. It was Fusion Bar & Grill that opened there first, and then its name was changed to LakeView Tavern, which closed in October.
He said at the Planning Board meeting that he hopes the restaurant has a tenant and opens this summer.
The Southwick DPW continued to clear the roads on Feb. 24 after the Feb. 23 snowstorm.
Reminder Publishing photo by Cliff Clark
HILLTOWNS
DCR acquires 218 acres in Blandford
By Amy Porter aporter@thereminder.com
BLANDFORD — The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced on Feb. 25 the acquisition of 218 acres of forested land in the town of Blandford, which will now be permanently protected. The land acquisition, located west of the Chester-Blandford State Forest, strengthens the connection between existing conserved properties.
The acquisition marks the latest phase of the Blandford CrossPike Nature Connector, a conservation initiative led by the global environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy in collaboration with DCR and the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to conserve land that fills gaps between larger blocks of protected conservation land along this section of the MassPike.
“This project strengthens an important wildlife corridor for the region and protects the biodiversity that make(s) our forests resilient,” said DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. “By conserving this land, we are safeguarding important habitat, supporting species movement, and reinforcing the natural systems that sustain clean water, healthy forests and vibrant ecosystems for generations to come. We are grateful to our partners at the Nature Conservancy and Department of Fish and Game for their collaboration in protecting this important landscape.”
In the first phase of the initiative, The Nature Conservancy purchased 580 acres of land in July 2025 from a private seller with the intent to sell the land to DFG and DCR for preservation.
The Feb. 25 announcement of the 218 acres acquired by DCR is a portion of that original property. The property was acquired through DCR’s Land Protection Program, which is dedicated to conserving land integral to protecting wildlife, conserving natural and cultural resources, and providing recreational opportunities to the public.
A portion of the land had been part of a former Christmas tree
farm. Today, the area is primarily forest, largely populated by sugar maple, hemlock, birch and ash trees. The land also features rocky streams, which contribute to the water quality of Sanderson Brook and the Westfield River further downstream. DCR staff have found numerous signs of wildlife on the land, including deer, moose, turkeys and bears, according to the announcement.
The Nature Conservancy has an agreement to transfer the remaining 362 acres of the property to the Department of Fish & Game while keeping an easement over a portion of it to help facilitate upgrades to culverts and other structures, like fencing, to protect motorists and wildlife along that stretch of the MassPike, according to Richard Cavanaugh, TNC Land Protection Manager.
“There are many land and water features in this area that justify this investment and that will help a myriad of species. The Blandford Cross Pike Nature Project area is located entirely within the Westfield River watershed, an area that offers one of the best opportunities for large-scale forest and aquatic system conservation in southern New England due to the abundance of intact forests and high-quality rivers and streams,” Cavanaugh said, pointing out that there are four brooks there that are important because they are used by reproducing coldwater fish to meet one or more of their life history requirements.
“Protecting the upland areas of the property will not only support numerous game and nongame wildlife species but will also support active forest management activities and the creation of young forest habitat opportunities. In particular, it is prime habitat there for New England cottontail, which is currently threatened by habitat loss due to development and forest succession, as well as competition with Eastern cottontail,” Cavanaugh added.
Blandford Town Administrator Cristina Ferrera said the town was supportive of the purchase, and according to a DCR spokesperson, wrote a letter of support for the project in the grant
ally be damaged, either by a direct plow strike or by heavy, wet snow being pushed into a single box or bank of boxes along the right-of-way, Bosak said.
So far, the town has spent about $312,500 on snow removal. If Bosak’s estimate holds, that would be about $355,500 minus the $111,500 placeholder for a balance of $244,000.
That is over $26,000 less than the $270,000 allocated last year, which, added to the placeholder of $111,500, meant taxpayers were on the hook for $381,500.
With spring only 24 days away, it’s possible taxpayers will spend less for snow removal than last year.
But there is more forecast for later this week.
Over the past 10 years, the town has spent an average of $300,000 each year to keep the streets clear, which totaled $3 million.
However, the final cost has been as high as nearly $411,000 in 2018 and as low as $141,500 in 2016, according to the town’s Finance Committee annual report.
When plows are out pushing snow, mailboxes will occasion-
According to the town’s snow and ice policy, mailbox owners should check the post annually to ensure sturdiness and that the box is securely attached to the post.
Plow drivers are required to report when they believe they have damaged a mailbox. But there are occasions when the drivers don’t know they’ve hit one.
“Provided the mailbox does not intrude or hang over onto the paved portion of road, if a mailbox is damaged, the homeowner shall report this to DPW at 413569-6772 within 36 hours of the storm to ensure proper investigation by the DPW director or his/ her designee,” according to the town’s policy.
Bosak said when there is a report made, the department will investigate to determine if the cause of damage was from a plow strike, pushed snow, or if the post was rotted or cracked.
application.
“Land is a finite resource; it is the one asset that cannot be replicated or replaced. Blandford is a beautiful rural community, and opportunities to permanently preserve its natural landscape are both rare and highly valued. The acquisition aligns with the community’s long-standing commitment to protecting its rural character and environmental integrity,” Ferrera said.
She said the land will be available for passive recreational purposes, providing residents and visitors with expanded access to natural open space. “As increasing amounts of land in the region are developed for commercial energy and solar projects, the availability of undeveloped land for public enjoyment continues to diminish. Having a substantial and permanently protected area available for passive recreation enhances its overall value to the community,” Ferrera said.
“Beyond recreational benefits, the preservation of this land supports ecological diversity, protecting fields, forests, water resources and wildlife corridors. It provides both environmental and community benefits, reinforcing Blandford’s identity as a rural town committed to conservation and responsible stewardship of its natural resources,” she added.
Asked about the tax impact of the purchase, Ferrera said while it is true that state-owned land can reduce a municipality’s taxable base, any change in revenue, positive or negative, is felt in a small town. The town will receive payment in lieu of taxes from the DCR for the priority.
“That said, this should be viewed as a balanced tradeoff rather than a simple loss. If the land was previously classified as farmland, its tax contribution may already have been limited. More importantly, the community gains permanent protection of a significant tract of land,” Ferrara said.
“One reason TNC is pleased to have plans to transfer the property to its state partners is that the town will receive PILOT payments from the state,” said Cavanaugh.
Asked how much state-owned land is in Blandford, Ferrera said based on the data she could find, there are approximately 2,958 acres of land in Blandford that are state-owned and managed by agencies such as the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Department of Fish and Game. She said that acreage makes up about 9% of Blandford’s total land area. “This only reflects land that is explicitly state-owned,” she said, and not other permanently protected land such as the watershed area.
“Blandford residents have made their priorities clear through votes and public engagement; they wish to protect the town from overdevelopment, particularly large-scale commercial energy projects. Preserving this acreage ensures that it remains protected in perpetuity and is accessible for passive recreation. In that respect, the acquisition reflects and honors the expressed will of Blandford voters to safeguard the town’s landscape and rural character,” Ferrara said.
All of the agencies involved said the land will be open to the public for recreation. Cavanaugh said while there are currently no formal trails or parking areas there, “Both DCR and the DFG make their land holdings open to the public, which is another reason The Nature Conservancy is pleased to partner with them on this project.”
Tassistro
Classified Account Managers: Roxanne Miller-Longtin, Evan Marcyoniak, Shannon Spada
Sales Support: Carolyn Napolitan
Financial Department: Nancy Banning
Maddie Szemela looks to pass the ball.
Angelina Pilecki puts up
shot.
Genieva Cataldo fires a pass over Taeghan LaPorte.
Audrey Amaral is heavily defended as she targets the basket
Comp's Caitlin Belanger and St. Mary's Maddie Szemela fight for a rebound.
St. Mary's Leilani Baez Montanez goes up for a basket.
Audrey Amaral fires up a shot inside the paint.
Saints' Josephine Hicks slips past Colts guarding her.
Leilani Baez Montanez works to maneuver past Kelsey Morrissette.
In Senate, Moulton would focus on affordability, abolishing ICE
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD
— U.S. Rep.
Seth Moulton wants the Pioneer Valley to know that he has a plan.
Moulton, who is running to unseat U.S. Sen. Ed Markey this fall, visited three cities in the Pioneer Valley as part of a listening tour. The Feb. 20 stops in Holyoke, Springfield and Westfield gave Moulton a chance to present himself to voters outside of the 6th District, which includes Salem, Gloucester and Andover. Roughly 35 people gathered at Socialite Coffee Bar in Springfield to hear Moulton’s positions and share their concerns.
“I don’t think we can afford to wait six more years for new leadership,” Mouton told them. While he said that he had “great respect” for Markey, he added, “There comes a time to pass the torch to a new generation.” Markey was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976, two years before Moulton was born. He has served in the Senate since 2013. Moulton was elected to the U.S. House of Representa-
tives in 2014. Moulton laid out the issues he sees in the country. “There’s really two Americas,” he said. “There’s an America for the wealthy and the well connected, with the airline miles and the hotel perks and the tax loopholes, and if you’re really wealthy, you get to fly your private plane to Washington and get a pardon for any law you break.”
He continued, “And then there’s America for everyone else. That’s struggling to pay rent, that maybe has a college graduate that just moved back home because he or she can’t get a job, that’s turning down their thermostats as it gets cold out because they can’t afford their electricity bills or their gas or oil bills.”
Moulton presented himself as a more progressive candidate than Markey with messaging that will resonate with voters. “Everyone knows we’re opposed to Trump,” he said. “But we also have to stand for something ourselves.”
His three-pronged affordability platform focuses on housing, health care and education, which he said are “human rights.”
Referring to President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act, by its nickname, Moulton said, “Obamacare dramatically expanded health care. Millions of Americans have health care, so it’s a huge step in the right direction, but it’s not perfect.” Moulton is in favor of a public option. “That means that you can have Medicare if you want it. It doesn’t mean we’re going to force you onto Medicare,” he said, adding that a public option would drive down the cost of commercial health insurance plans and improve the efficiency and outcomes. He said, “We need that force in the market because health insurers, frankly, are extracting way too much out of the system.”
Moulton also spoke about eliminating pharmacy copays, saying their purpose is to ensure people don’t abuse medicine. “But we should trust our doctors to just give you the medicine that you actually need,” he said, adding that there is inequality built into how much people pay based on what insurance they have.
Moulton later told Reminder
Every week we will provide you with a complete listings of deaths from the preceding week from throughout Greater Springfield. We are doing this as a convenience to our readers in case you miss an obit in the daily paper. We hope you find this useful and that you will refer to it weekly.
AGAWAM
Theresa J. O’Malley
FEEDING HILLS
Lewis J. Gonet
Lambert R. Ollari
Robert H. Yon
SOUTHWICK
Donna R. Hess
Marilyn Moore Riddle WEST SPRINGFIELD
Edward J. Barstis Jr.
Roberta M. DeMarco
George G. Frigo
Philip A. Greene
Cheryl A. Howard
David D. Ramsdell Mark Roulston
Carolyn T. Russell Ralph R. Schmidt
WESTFIELD
Mary Julia Counter
Wanda M. Folini
Harriet Gilman
Maureen C. Matulewicz
James Paul Meagher
Wanda A. Rudat-Palmer
Publishing, “I think the reality is a lot of Republicans look at Democrats and say, ‘All they want is Medicare for all.’ And this is a compromise. A public option is not Medicare for all. I actually think it’s a better compromise because it preserves competition.”
A teenager asked Moulton about the dismantling of the Department of Education. While not in favor of eliminating the department, he told them that the 50-year-old department has not changed much even though education has. He said he was in favor of universal preschool and expanded vocational training, because people ask for it. While computer programmers might have jobs taken by artificial intelligence, he said plumbers would always be needed. When rebuilding the department, he said, “We got to rebuild it for the future, for the jobs for the next 30 years.”
The representative also called for the abolition and prosecution of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “You can’t be above the law if you think you can enforce the law,” he said. He touted legislation he has sponsored to allow people to sue ICE officers for violating their constitutional rights and to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
Moreover, Moulton pointed to legislation he had introduced that would prohibit federal troops in polling places without congressional approval, as Trump
ally Steve Bannon has pushed for. Federal law already prohibits this and punishes anyone who “has under his authority or control any troops or armed men at any place where a general or special election is held” with a fine and not more than five years in prison, as well as disqualification from holding office.
Moulton said he is “absolutely” concerned that the Trump administration may try to invalidate of otherwise influence the 2026 election. “I think it’s a very legitimate threat. And that’s why I’m proposing legislation to address this. We’ve got to be all on our toes and doing what we can to fight it.” He admitted it would be hard to secure enough votes to pass it but said making elected officials declare their position furthers the discussion. “It’s very hard to argue that we should have troops in our election centers,” he said.
Taking a poll of the room, Moulton asked how many people could describe the Democrats’ immigration policy. No hands went up. He laid out his ideas, including streamlining legal immigration as an alternative for those who would otherwise come into the country through other means. For those already in the United States, particularly those brought here as children, he was in favor of a pathway to citizenship.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who is running for Senate, speaks with voters at Socialite Coffee Bar in Springfield.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
DINING ENTERTAINMENT
Agawam Cinemas to premiere new cult horror movie “Dark Places”
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
AGAWAM — On March 14, the local independent film production company Xposse Productions will be premiering “Dark Places” at Agawam Cinemas at 7 p.m. Tickets can be found for $9.75 on Agawam Cinemas’ website.
The film follows college student Natalie Parker, who grew up homeschooled and is now nervously on her own for the first time. When she meets and begins dating another introverted student, Jason Evans, college professors begin to be murdered. The two team up to figure it out, which leads to an attempt to take down the cult behind it all.
Writer and Director Geno McGahee is an award-winning filmmaker based out of Western
Massachusetts and is the mind behind “Dark Places.” He first picked up a camcorder at 12 years old and released his first feature-length film, “Evil Awakening,” in 2001.
“I was always a writer, so I ended up seeing a film called ‘Galaxy Invader,’” McGahee said. “It’s a terribly low budget film, but it’s terribly charming as well … it’s really silly but it made me want to film.”
He got the idea while working on the set of one of his friend’s films, a romance comedy, where he also met the star of “Dark Places,” Lindsey DeLand.
“This idea came into my head of something darker, of putting them into a scenario where there was a looming force,” McGahee said. “It was a moment of inspi-
ration. I’ve always wanted to do a good cult movie. Many years ago, I made a cult movie, but I wasn’t experienced enough to really get the message out that I wanted.”
McGahee said he’s always been a fan of horror movies and cult films like “Race with the Devil,” so making a film like this has always been in the back of his mind. As far as his approach went, he said it was “Scream” inspired.
“Directing and shooting it, it was such a great experience,” McGahee said. “I have the best team in the world. We’ve worked together now for five years, this great group of people I’ve assembled. Every shoot we do is just like, I won’t say a party atmosphere, but it feels like a family atmosphere.”
He added that putting a film
together is always a crazy process with the ups and downs, from getting the schedules right and shooting in the forest through 20-degree weather. At one point during filming, the person in charge of the film’s gore couldn’t make it to the set. This led McGahee and the team to get creative with how certain things were shot, resulting in “the most impactful death scene that I’ve ever shot,” according to McGahee.
McGahee utilized places to film all over Western Massachusetts, such as a Holyoke school, as well as the Enfield Mall in Connecticut. He said he is a low budget guy, making films out of his own pocket, so he relies on the kindness of other people allowing him to use their homes or businesses.
He said he is super excited for the premiere and to have something to present to an audience. He also looks forward to getting back with the team behind “Dark Places” to see it on the big screen.
“It’s open to the public, so it’s nice to get feedback from people that weren’t involved,” McGahee said. “It’s a super exciting night. I love premieres because it’s just a party, you don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to set up lights, you don’t schedule anything, you just get to show up.”
He thanked the entire team behind “Dark Places,” and Agawam Cinemas for their generosity in holding the premiere. The film will stream on Tubi, Fawesome and Amazon Prime Video.
When asked by a voter what he would do differently from Markey, Moulton said Markey and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have not put forward “an aggressive agenda on affordability.” He said, “It’s all next generation leaders coming up with these ideas.” Among them, he named himself, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and newly elected Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
“We also, as Democrats, have to look ourselves in the mirror and said, ‘Why are we losing touch with working people?’” He said many people see the Democratic party as being for the “ultra-rich and the ultra-poor.” He said the party only began talking about affordability in the past year.
“I am not going to get elected on a platform of next generation leadership in Massachusetts and go to Washington and support Chuck Schumer,” as leader of the Senate, Moulton said. “I don’t think people look at Chuck Schumer and think, ‘He’s going to figure out AI,’” Moulton said, adding that he is concerned with the issue because it will affect future generations, including his young children. He said, “I’m thinking about where we’re going to be in a century, not just where we’re going to be in six years.”
Moulton does not think that an emphasis on “next generation leadership” will split the Democratic party. “I think Democratic unity really matters, and I’m very proud to have a lot of voices in the Democratic party,” he said. “If we really want to win, we need
to reach out to some of these independents who do feel alienated who used to vote Democratic, you know, a lot of these union guys who voted for Obama and then voted for Trump, and say, ‘Hey, you’re welcome back in, we want you.’” Democrats may not agree on everything, he said, but it is important to “build a team.”
In 2018, Moulton started the Serve America political action committee to support Democrats running for congressional seats held by Republicans across the country. Since its inception, 24 of those candidates have been elected and another four are mounting challenges in the 2026 race. Moulton said, “We can have better leadership here in Massachusetts, but if we don’t win majorities in the House and Senate, we’re not going to be able to advance this agenda.”
Moulton, who is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was asked how he feels about Trump’s use of the military and how his actions have “eroded” NATO.
“It’s hard to think of something that frustrates me more,” Moulton told the person. He said the trust in the military has fallen since Trump’s first term began in 2016. “He is directly abusing the military for his own purposes,” he said, referring to National Guard troops being sent into American cities. He referenced a 2018 quote by the president, who said the American soldiers buried at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery were “losers” and the Marines who died in the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood were “suckers.”
“What’s lacking in Washington isn’t intelligence, it’s just courage. It’s the courage to take
the right vote, to do the right thing, even when you’ve got political pressure in the other direction,” Moulton said. “And it really pisses me off, frankly, when I see colleagues of mine show a lot
courage in a
comfortable seat in the Senate or the House of Representatives than our 18-yearold soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, guardsmen show every single day on the front lines.”
