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Mayor responds to ‘frustrating’ Council meeting By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Mayor Brian P. Sullivan called Thursday night’s City Council meetings “very frustrating.” Seven department heads, including the Mayor were invited to the Finance Committee and, he said, “not a single one of us was ever addressed by the councilor who asked us there to answer questions.” He said that was evidenced by the fact that they sat around for two hours, and at the end of the night, everything was tabled. The department heads had been invited to go over line by line the $1.5 million in reductions that the Mayor presented to the City Council on October 19. At the time, he had asked for immediate consideration of the reductions, but the matter was sent to the Finance Committee. “I tried to make my office and City Hall very available for discussions that I thought were going to happen last night,” Sullivan said on Friday. “Unfortunately, political games were played, and at the end the only people that were affected were the citizens of Westfield who did not get to see the reduction in the budget, and therefore a tax decrease.” Sullivan was also accused on the Council floor of playing politics by the timing of the proposed budget reductions. He answered that charge, by saying, “the reason I sent that in is that we’re four months into the fiscal year, which is enough time to look at the budget and see areas I can cut. It’s a timing thing. The Council needs to make the cuts so they have the final numbers on what the budget is to set the tax rate at the end of November or early
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City CFO position changes sent to L&O Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan. (WNG file photo)
December, when they get all the final numbers from the Department of Revenue.” The Mayor made the point that he is running unopposed. He said he promised that he would manage the budget, and “that’s what I’m doing.” Sullivan believes that in two weeks, the Council will find the means to accept the reductions. “They all know as well as I do, all these moves are in the best interests of the citizens in Westfield,” he said, adding, “I find it interesting that the four Councilors who tabled the budget found it in their powers to pass the police cars, and they say my motive was a political one.” He also admits that he is all for “going toe-to-toe on politics. But when it spills over and affects city workers and residents, that’s not politics anymore,” Sullivan said. The Mayor said Friday was another day, and he wanted to thank the department heads for showing up and “doing what they do best, working in the best interest of the City of Westfield.”
By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – The first item tackled by the Finance Sub-Committee agenda on Thursday in a short meeting before the public hearing on the medical zone was the draft ordinance adding a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position for the City of Westfield. Chair Robert A. Paul, Sr. read the ordinance as presented out of City Council to the Finance Committee. Member At-Large Councilor Flaherty said he had made several amendments to the ordinance since it came from the council. The other member of the Finance Committee, At-Large Councilor Matthew T. VanHeynigen was also present. “You as a Finance Committee can make recommended changes to the ordinance. You can’t amend it in sub-committee. Then it goes to L&O,” said City Solicitor Susan Phillips, who was in attendance.. Flaherty read two changes that he had made. The first was to change appointing officer from Mayor to City Council, and the second to change “for a term of three years” to “for a term not to exceed three years.” A motion was made to recommend the
Southwick traffic delays for paving project By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – On Thursday, the Southwick Police Department sent out a notice making residents aware that Baltazar Construction would be conducting the final paving for the Feeding Hills Road project. The paving, which started on Friday and will resume on Saturday from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., will be on Feeding Hills Road from Powder Mill Road to Hudson Drive, During paving traffic will be cut down to one travel lane for both east and west travelers. The police department states there will be major traffic delays in this area and drivers are urged to avoid the area. The contractual deadline for Baltazar to complete the project is March 2018, but DPW Director Randy Brown expects the majority of the project to be finished in November.
Traffic delays may occur on Saturday with the paving occurring for the Feeding Hills Road project. (Photo courtesy of Southwick Police Department)
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Westfield City Council (WNG file photo)
changes. “When you say not to exceed three years, what does that mean,” asked At-Large Councilor John Beltrandi, also present. He asked if it meant subject to reappointment by the Council. Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell commented that everyone in the room except for her has been saying to hash these things out in subcommittee. “This would be a good time,” she said. “It could be confused as a joint meeting,” Phillips responded, adding, “Then you could be subject to an open meeting law violation.” “We can ask a question but not deliberate, because there is a quorum of the City Council here,” Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski said. Phillips concurred, saying she couldn’t have said it better herself. “This is a perfect example of a committee taking on a task that they’re not supposed to be doing. Come to L&O,” said Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Figy, who chairs
the L&O committee. The motion to recommend Flaherty’s changes went to a vote, with Flaherty and VanHeynigen voting yes, and Paul. no. “What I want to do is move the ordinance as received to L&O with the one amendment,” Paul said. Flaherty objected, saying they would not be able to deliberate in L&O. Phillips said the three members of Finance could deliberate, and then the three members of L&O could deliberate. Flaherty said he had more changes to the ordinance under duties and responsibilities, which had to do with the percentage of time the CFO would give to the Council. VanHeynigen asked when the amendments were made, and Flaherty said he made them for the meeting. A 2-1 vote on those changes were made, with Paul dissenting. Flaherty then made the motion to transfer the ordinance to L&O as amended, which passed 3-0.
Woman previously arraigned on illegal disposal of body, other charges back in court
Artist rendering of MGM’s proposed Springfield casino, as view from Main Street.
MGM holding jobs event in Westfield By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—MGM Springfield will be holding an employment workshop for interested Westfield residents next week. Residents are invited to the Westfield Senior Center for a free employment workshop on Thursday, Nov. 9, starting at 6 p.m. The event is being held in conjunction with the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and will provide residents with opportunities such as free classes on job search skills and information on MGM jobs. According to an October 20th in The Westfield News, the event will last about 2 and a half hours, and will provide those in attendance with free classes by Dr. Stacy McIntosh, author of three books that include topics on job search skills, including interviewing, applications, resumes and the search itself. The event will have three sessions, titled “Opportunities at MGM,” “Mastering the Job Interview” and “Keeping Your Job.” For more information and to register, you can email a.danahey@cityofwestfield.org, pbussell@westfieldbiz.rg or suptsofc@schoolsofwestfield.org.
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—A Westfield woman arrested and arraigned on charges related to an alleged disposal of a full-term fetus in May had her case continued until January. Shanna Sharples, 38, of Westfield, had her case continued Friday at Westfield District Court. The new pretrial conference date is now scheduled for Jan. 3, 2018. Sharples was arrested on Oct. 3 on the charges of improper disposal of a body, three counts of obstruction of justice and one charge of child endangerment stemming from an alleged disposal of a full-term fetus in May. She was arraigned on the charges Oct. 4 at Westfield District Shanna Sharples, picture Court. provided by Westfield Sharples had a $10,000 bail posted Police Department. on Oct. 11, and has had pretrial conditions with GPS monitoring placed. According to Hampden County Assistant District Attorney Jane Mulqueen in Westfield District Court during Sharples’s arraignment last month, police reported that Sharples had checked into Baystate Noble Hospital on May 4. According to the statement of facts by police, this was due to a possible miscarriage, which was reported in The Westfield News on Oct. 4. In the Oct. 4 article it was reported that Mulqueen said Sharples reported to the hospital with a placenta and umbilical cord in a plastic bag. During the arraignment, Mulqueen said that doctors reported that a “full-term or near full-term fetus would have been attached.” Police searched Sharples’s apartment and the Twiss Street Transfer Station as part of an investigation into the matter. The transfer station was closed for several days during the investigation. No body was reportedly found from the searches, but police did report finding bloody clothing in trash that was reportedly believed to be used to clean a bathroom. Charges were later brought forward.
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