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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 83 NO. 27
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014
See Special Permit, Page 3
— Eddie Rickenbacker
75 cents Gov. Deval Patrick, center, cuts a ceremonial ribbon at Barnes Regional Airport as state, local and military dignitaries join the celebration. Patrick was on hand to speak on the new 9,000-foot runway project that was recently completed. (Photo by
Special permits bridge gap By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a dimensional special permit to construct an aerial pedestrian bridge linking two buildings of a business complex Wednesday night. Frank and Kari DeMarinis currently own a majority of the businesses and buildings located on separate building lots at 209 and 217 Root Road. The couple petitioned the ZBA for relief of zoning which requires a minimum of a 15-foot side yard setback to construct the free standing bridge connecting two structures. Frank DeMarinis said the pedestrian bridge will connect the Learning Center and Dance Center building with the Roots Gymnastics building. “The bridge will help unify the whole concept,” DeMarinis said. “It will connect the second floor of the gym with the dance studio. This will be a free-standing structure, a separate structure.” The eight-foot-wide, 94-foot -long bridge will span across the parking lot and eliminate foot traffic between buildings. DeMarinis said that the plan was reviewed by Fire Department officials to ensure sufficient height to allow the passage of emergency apparatus beneath the proposed span. The pedestrian bridge will have a clearance of 11 feet, eight inches.
“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”
Frederick Gore)
Governor cuts ribbon at Barnes WESTFIELD – Governor Deval Patrick Friday joined federal, state and local officials to celebrate the completion of the new runway at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport and Barnes Air National Guard Base. The completion of the runway fills a critical infrastructure need to the airfield used by civilians, industry and the military, and brings opportunities for continued economic growth to the region. “This infrastructure investment at Barnes will bring jobs and economic development, strengthening the region and our military bases,” said Patrick. “The completion of this runway is a validation that our growth strategy to invest in education, innovation and infrastructure to create opportunity is working.” The airport is used by both the public and military and is owned and operated by the City of Westfield. The runway infrastructure work benefits Rectrix Aviation, Gulfstream Aerospace and other aviation users of the airport. Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport is
home to Gulfstream Aerospace’s Northeast Aircraft Repair Service Center. In 2011, Patrick celebrated the expansion of Gulfstream Aerospace at the airport, which invested $20 million in a new hangar that accommodates their G650 jets. The expansion project created 100 new jobs, retaining 130, and 200 construction jobs in Westfield. The state provided a $1.1 million MassWorks grant and a $3 million MassDOT Aeronautics Division grant to facilitate Gulfstream’s growth. “I thank the Federal Aviation Administration, MassDOT, the National Guard Bureau and the City of Westfield for providing the funding for this important project,” said Senator Ed Markey. “This an excellent example of governments working together on all levels to strengthen one of our Commonwealth’s great assets, the Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport and Barnes Air National Guard Base. Fixing this runway was essential for both military and civilian use, and shows our state’s commitment
to Massachusetts Air National Guard. Governor Patrick has wisely dedicated state resources to key infrastructure like Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport, and these investments will continue to bring economic growth to the region.” Major General L. Scott Rice, foreground, of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, provided a close-up tour of an F-15 aircraft during a visit yesterday by U.S. Congressman Richard E. Neal, far left, Richard K. Sullivan Jr., secretary Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, second from left, Gov. Deval Patrick, second from right, and Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik, right, during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of a new 9,000-foot runway at Barnes Regional Airport. (Photo by Frederick Gore) The runway also services the Barnes Air National Guard Base and the 104th Fighter See Governor at Barnes, Page 8
Patrick visits Advance Manufacturing By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Advance Manufacturing is generally a noisey place, as the high-precision manufacturing company located on Turnpike Industrial Road produces all manner of parts for the defense and aerospace industries, with machines whirring and humming all around the building. But Friday the building was buzzing for a different reason, as Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick dropped by to tour the facility, one of many around the Commonwealth who will benefit from a recent Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education initiative being put forth by his administration. Version 2.0 of “Expanding the Pipeline for All: Massachusetts’ Plan for Excellence in STEM Education” was announced on November 13 at the state’s annual STEM summit in Foxborough, and is designed to breed a brighter future for manufacturing in Massachusetts by increasing student interest in STEM fields, student achievement among all Pre-K-12 students, the percentage of skilled educators who teach Pre-K-12 STEM classes, and the percent of students completing post-secondary degrees or certificates in STEM subjects. It also seeks to align STEM degree and certificate attainment with corresponding opportunity in STEM-related fields to “match the state’s workforce needs for a STEM talent pipeline”, which is music to the ears of Advance Manufacturing Production Manager Jeffrey Amanti, who said that
finding employees has become a challenge. “It’s becoming difficult to find skilled employees,” he said. “We need more kids to go through the vocational high schools. Right now, kids are opting into computer fields, but the actual number of kids who are turning parts, cutting metal, is dwindling. It’s a very technical field and it’s not something you’re going to go to a couple hours of school and learn.” Amanti’s company is turning out such parts as periscopes, latches for submarines, landing gear, jet engine assembly and disassembly components, as well as parts for spacesuits and the oxygen system on the International Space Station. “We’re glad to see he (Patrick) has focused on vocational education and trying to get people into these trades, it’s huge for us,” he said. “We hope that he focuses on some of the lower level high school trade schools, as well as the community colleges, as most of our employees come out of the high school level.” Clement “Clem” Fucci, the head of the Manufacturing Technology Department at Westfield Vocational Technical High School, who personally taught many of the 200 people employed by Advance, was also on hand for Patrick’s tour and spoke about the value of the initiative. “We’re looking for the funding to keep up with the latest technology so we can support companies like Advance Manufacturing,” Fucci said. “Our See Advance, Page 8
Contractor’s project review continued By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Conservation Commission voted earlier this week to continue a public hearing on a proposal to construct a contractor’s yard on Medeiros Way. Business owner Jay Virgilio is currently operating his construction business at a leased facility just a short distance from property he purchased on Medeiros Way, formerly called Summit Lock Road, with the intent to build his own facility on the 22-acre site at 86 Medeiros Way, a short distance
east of Timberswamp Road. Virgilio ran afoul of environmental protection laws when he clear cut the site five years ago, leaving only one large beech tree standing on the site. The Conservation Commission, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, all stepped in and issued enforcement orders and conditions. The Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program determined that much of the land
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was a priority habitat for the Northern Box Turtle and required restoration of the wetland and habitat. Tuesday night engineers Jeffrey Collingwood and David Cameron from the Northampton office of Stantec Consulting Inc. presented detail of Virgilio’s plan to construct a building, parking and a contractor’s yard on 4.77 acres of the land. The project has to be less than five acres to avoid triggering a more stringent environmental review. Collingwood said the building
Southwick Superintendent of Schools John D. Barry, left, explains an illustrated drawing of the newly redesigned Woodland Elementary School to Massachusetts Secretary of Education Matthew H. Malone, center, and State Rep. Nicholas Boldyga during a tour of the school district Friday. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Education Secretary impressed with Southwick school project By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – State Secretary of Education Matthew H. Malone toured the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional schools Friday morning and was impressed with the unique campus renovations. Before the tour, Malone met with Superintendent John D. Barry and State Rep. Nicholas Boldyga, and was later joined by State Sen. Donald F. Humason while touring Granville Village School. Malone said he frequently visits schools across the state and has been to all but one county in the Commonwealth. “I have been to schools everywhere but Nantucket, and I am scheduled to go there this spring,” said Malone. “I have visited 100 school districts in my first year as secretary.” Malone said he was impressed with the renovations at the three schools on the Southwick campus and lauded the 7-12 combined middle and high school that is being built. See Education, Page 5
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