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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
— LUCILLE BALL
www.thewestfieldnews.com THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 196
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Commission fills dispatcher vacancy SOUTHWICK TRACK POWDER MILL SCHOOL
School playground relocation requested By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Planning Board is considering a request from the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional schools to relocate the playground at the Powdermill Middle School, which is now an intermediate school. Town Planner Alan Slessler said the school department approached him to make sure they did not need any special permits to move the playground, which includes two swing sets and a climbing structure.
“They want to move it south by the gymnasium,” Slessler said. The reason for the move is the area floods in rainstorms. Located next to the parking lot on the Feeding Hills Road side of the building, the playground becomes a mud field when it rains. “Since they won’t be disturbing more than an acre of land they don’t need a stormwater review,” said Slessler. “They want to demolish the playground and move it south.” The other concern is that the playground is on top of the septic.
“So it shouldn’t be there anyway,” said Slessler. Planning Board Chairperson Roz Terry said there is no need for a site plan review and she does not see any problems with the request, but because there are several new board members she wanted to extend a vote to approve until the next meeting. “We have such a new board that I want to hold off and everyone can take a look at it,” she said. The board is set to meet again Sept. 8.
Westfield gets early learning grant money BOSTON – The Baker administration this week announced $13.4 million in grant awards to 89 cities and towns, including Westfield, to provide supports to families with young children from birth to age eight. The Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grants promote the early learning and healthy development of young children through parent/child literacy playgroups, family support programs, and professional development for educators. “The Coordinated Family and Community Engagement networks play a critical role in helping to provide a continuum of learning that gives children a strong foundation for academic success, which has enormous value for families, communities and the Commonwealth as a whole,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These grants help communities provide important resources to families that support their young children’s early learning and development, including literacy playgroups, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities, art and music education, and family support groups,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. The 89 Coordinated Family and Community Engagement networks across the state provide beneficial early learning opportunities for young children accompanied by their parents or families in community-based settings such as libraries, museums, adult education centers, homeless shelters, and public schools. The CFCE networks also provide programming for parents and families that increases their capacity to support their children’s learning and development, and helps their children transition to kindergarten or elementary education. “Engaging families across the Commonwealth in their children’s early learning is a key strategy to ensuring that Massachusetts’ next generation has a solid foundation for success,” said Department of Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber. “These grants support families across Massachusetts by providing access to high-quality early education opportunities. The CFCE networks support families in increasing their knowledge of, and accessibility to, highquality early education and care programs and services, through direct services and referrals to a range of local resources including early childhood special education and early intervention. In 2014, the CFCE networks served more than 100,000 families across the Commonwealth. For the directory of CFCE networks by location visit EEC’s website (http://www.eec.state.ma.us/ ChildCareSearch/CFCE.aspx). In addition, many of the CFCE’s offerings are posted on the Brain Building in Progress campaign’s calendar of activities (www.brainbuildinginprogress.org).
Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, top left, Democratic legislative leaders Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, center, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, right, face reporters during a news conference January 12 outside the governor’s office at the Statehouse in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Earned Income Tax Credit increase signed BOSTON – This week in a signing ceremony at the State House, Governor Charlie Baker was joined by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Senate President Stan Rosenberg and stakeholders to enact a fifty-percent increase in the Massachusetts Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for over 400,000 working individuals and families in the Commonwealth. “Since day one, Lieutenant Governor Polito and I have been clear about our priorities to make Massachusetts great and extend the benefits of a growing economy to more individuals across the Commonwealth,” said Baker. “Today we are proud to deliver critical tax relief for over 400,000 hardworking individuals and their families who drive economic development and growth in the Commonwealth. I’m grateful for the leadership of Senate President Rosenberg and Speaker DeLeo who along with their colleagues, worked with us to increase a tool as effective as the Earned Income Tax Credit in support of our families who See Increase, Page 3
By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Public Safety Communications Commission took action Wednesday at a special meeting to fill an emergency telecommunications dispatcher vacancy. Police Chief John Camerota said the vacancy was created when the Police Commission appointed Jullian Koziol, who has served as an emergency response dispatcher for the past three years, to serve as the police department’s domestic abuse clerk. That appointment created an opening in the ranks of the emergency dispatcher corps. “We lucked out,” Camerota said. “A former dispatcher who left for greener pastures decided that those pastures are JOHN not as green as he thought, so he is CAMEROTA reapplying for the emergency response Police Chief dispatcher job. He has all of the necessary training and is ready to go.” The commission voted to hire Jason Ronan to replace Koziol who will assume her domestic abuse prevention duties on Monday, Aug. 10. Camerota said that he anticipates Ronan will have a similar start date. Public Safety Communication Director John Medley said that two other people are currently completing the state mandated training as well as on-the-job training program and are expected to join the emergency dispatcher corps by the end of the month. “Jason Ronan is filling a vacancy, effective this month and we have two people in training to be certified as emergency telecommunication dispatchers, so we should have a full complement (of dispatchers) by the end of the summer to reduce overtime,” Medley said. Camerota said that the lack of properly certified dispatchers has required that department to be “using a lot of overtime.” The Public Safety Communications Center is located next to Barnes Regional Airport and is co-located with the city’s Technology Department. The City Council approved an ordinance creating the Public Safety Communications Department which combined the dispatcher functions of the Police and Fire departments. The state further regulated emergency dispatcher procedures and training. The state Public Safety Department “is charged by statute (M.G.L. c. 6A, § 18B) with establishing certification requirements for enhanced 911 telecommunicators, including but not limited to, emergency medical dispatch and quality assurance of emergency medical dispatch programs in the Commonwealth, and with establishing standards requiring public safety answering points to have certified emergency medical dispatch personnel or to provide emergency medical dispatch through certified emergency medical dispatch personnel.” Meanwhile, officials say a Lawrence 911 dispatcher is under investigation for hanging up on several callers who did not speak English. WBZ-TV reports the dispatcher, whose name has not been released, has been placed on paid leave and could lose her job. Police Chief James Fitzpatrick says dispatchers are supposed to get a translator on the line if they’re having difficulty understanding a caller. He says residents should not hesitate to call 911 even if there is a language barrier. Fitzpatrick says one caller who may have been in need of help and was hung up on never called back. Mayor Dan Rivera says the dispatcher’s actions could have put residents in harm’s way. According to U.S. Census estimates, more than one-third of Lawrence’s residents speak English “less than very well.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
MassWorks Program helps communities invest in infrastructure and economic development BOSTON – This week, Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash highlighted the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, an integral part of the Baker-Polito administration’s continued commitment to investing in communities and building a platform for economic growth across Massachusetts. “I am proud of our ongoing commitment to MassWorks, and the
vital role it serves in our communities,” said Baker. “Investments in local infrastructure and community-based economic development efforts are key to the continued growth of the Commonwealth.” “We are committed to deepening partnerships between the Commonwealth and its municipalities, and MassWorks is a key part of these efforts,” said Polito. “By partnering with cities and towns to make strategic infrastructure invest-
ments, we will ensure the strength of all our communities.” Baker toured CitySquare, an ambitious redevelopment of Worcester’s downtown core that was unlocked by MassWorks infrastructure funds. The tour highlighted the Baker-Polito administration’s commitment to supporting local economic growth. The Baker- Jay Ash serves as the Polito administration’s 2016 capital Secretary of Housing and Economic Development See MassWorks, Page 3 for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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