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WEATHER TONIGHT Passing clouds. Low of 32.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
We live in a mad and inspiring world.” — Ben Hecht
www.thewestfieldnews.com FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
VOL. 83 NO. 91
“I’ll tell you a secret.
75 cents
Arson suspected, resident arrested
Firefighters use the platform truck to attack a structure fire early this morning at 918 Granville Road in Westfield. The road was closed to through traffic for several hours as firefighters remained on the scene. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A city woman has been arrested in the wake of a fire at her Granville Road home early this morning. Gloria Dandeneau, 52, of 918 Granville Road, called a city emergency dispatcher at 4:13 a.m. today and indicated that she had started a fire in her closet. The woman said that she was the only person in the single family house and that she had sent her animals outside. Three fire engines and the platform truck responded under the command of Dep. Chief Mark Devine who reports that smoke was showing at the eaves of the house when firefighters arrived. Firefighters initiated an interior attack but were unable to control the blaze and Devine ordered the firefighters to leave the building and continued to extinguish the fire with an exterior attack on the fire. Det. Lt. David Ragazzini investigated the fire with assistance from a state trooper assigned to the Massachusetts Fire Marshal’s office and found that Dandeneau had indicated to other See Arson Arrest, Page 3
Westfield firefighter Dennis Dalton uses a hand tool to rip open the roof-line as fire continues to burn through the roof of a house located at 918 Granville Road. An early morning fire kept firefighters busy for several hours. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Council turf war averted By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Members of two City Council committees resolved the process of reviewing issues sent to both committees for consideration after taking the action of bringing a motion to the council floor without prior review by the second committee. The issue arose when the Legislative & Ordinance Committee brought out a positive recommendation to approve a special permit requested by the owners of the 99 Springfield Road property, needed to allow a business to be located in their building. The special permit application was submitted by Julie and Nabil Hannoush, who plan to move their existing business, Expert Fitness, from the Little River Plaza to the property they purchased from the owners of the former Balise dealership, with the intent to convert the property into a retail complex. There are currently two other businesses located in the former Balise car dealership showroom and repair building which is located in a Business B zone. Both of those businesses, Extra Innings, a batting cage with associated retail, and a cafe with a patio, are allowed uses in that zone. Expert Fitness is an allowed use only if the City Council approved a special permit as a place of assembly. Rob Levesque of R. Levesque & Associates, who is representing the couple before several boards and commissions, said Expert Fitness is a use that does not fit cleanly into any use defined by city ordinance. Levesque appeared before the L&O Tuesday to explain the reasons for special permit petition, providing information needed by that committee to give a 3-0 positive recommendation to the full City Council last night to approve the special permit with finding and conditions, prepared by Principal Planner Jay Vinskey, attached to that permit. The council did give a unanimous endorsement to the petition and approved the special permit by an 11-0 vote. See Turf War, Page 3
Council seeks restoration of state aid
chasing and cooking food,” she said. “We don’t want them just hibernating in their rooms. We want them to be responsible.” “They have to attend classes and earn passing grades while also evaluating their next step,” she said. “Are they going to Westfield State, Holyoke Community College, or getting a job? And we’ll help them with that.” A garden will be located in the backyard, as well, for the students to maintain. “There’s nothing more gratifying than to see tomatoes and cucumbers that you tended to, bloom,” she said. “These are students whose lives have been short-circuited, and we want them to get back on track.”
By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer City Council members voted last night to support a resolution seeking restoration of state aid to the city, which has been significantly cut in recent years placing a greater tax burden on property owners to operate the city and maintain its infrastructure. At-large Council Dan Allie made the motion to send a resolution approved by the entire council to House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) seeking legislative support to restore lottery revenue to its intended purpose and to restore Chapter 90 funding to repair and repave city roads. DAN ALLIE Allie, who found a sympathetic audience among his fellow councilors, said the state has systematically diverted funds, such as lottery revenues for its use and that it has increased taxes, increased its revenue, but at the same time cut aid to local cities and towns. “Local aid to the city has been cut by about a million dollars a year for the past five years,” Allie said while explaining his motion to pass a resolution. “This has placed a tremendous strain on our city budget.” “Local aid is vital to cities like Westfield, because it helps keep pressure off our local property taxes,” Allie said. “The lottery fund was created to provide revenue for services
See Domus, Page 3
See State Aid, Page 3
The former American Red Cross Westfield Chapter building. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
Domus defends ‘Our House’ By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – While funding has been secured for Domus Incorporated to turn the old Red Cross building on Broad Street into a house for homeless teens living in the city, questions have been raised by local officials and others in the community regarding the necessity and validity of the project. The facility, to be called “Our House”, is set to house ten teen residents and a resident manager who will oversee and supervise the young adults who will be occupying the home. “Homelessness is the major criteria, but they (the teens) have to want to finish high school,” said Domus Executive Director Ann Lentini. “They will come to
us with a sponsor who will guide them, because we don’t want any lapses in guidance.” Lentini said that sponsors could be teachers in school or parents of other students. “We will screen all potential sponsors, and so much of this is going through the guidance department at Westfield High School. We’ll be keeping in touch with sponsors and other mentors all the time,” she said. “We’ll have a resident manager who will live there and oversee everything and make sure residents follow the rules.” According to Lentini, the tenants of the home will each be responsible for tasks that will help prepare them for life after Our House. “There is a weekly schedule that is in the works, and students will take turns pur-
Board questions school administration increases By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK — The Board of Selectmen questioned salary increases for the school superintendent and business manager included in the budget approved by the SouthwickTolland-Granville Regional School District (STGRSD). Selectman Joseph Deedy reported this week that he reached out to School Committee Chairman James Vincent for a better understanding of the numbers. The board thought
the proposed increases were very high but Deedy discovered the board was comparing it to paperwork that was two years old. “It’s not six percent like we thought,” Deedy said. “It’s 3.25 percent for [Superintendent Dr. John] Barry,” said Deedy. Deedy told the board Vincent said the committee approved the increase because it wanted to entice Barry, who is of retirement age, to stay in his position through the renovation of the Southwick campus and see it to completion.
“He also said it is still $16,000 below the average of the other districts in the collaborative,” Deedy said. Selectmen questioned the size of the other districts in the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative in comparison to STGRSD, which include, Agawam, West Springfield, Ludlow, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, and Hampden-Wilbraham Regional. When Selectwoman Tracy Cesan asked if there was further explanation, Deedy said it
was explained to him that “Mr. Barry could retire at any time” and the committee wanted to keep him in his position. Cesan said she was not in favor of raises, especially when cuts were being made. A raise of two-percent was approved for Business Manager Stephen Presnal. Deedy said he was told that Presnal’s raise was due to completion of required credentials, among other reasons. See Increases, Page 3