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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
VOL. 83 NO. 224
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
Comcast negotiation nearing endgame By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The city’s telecommunications needs are in transition as it negotiates with Comcast for a new contract, the term of which will impact the availability, and quality, of local programming. The Cable Television Committee members discussed the technology involved in expanding the number of the city’s local broadcast channels for live community radio and television programming last night against the backdrop of the Comcast contract negotiation, Peter J. which may limit or Miller Jr. expand public access capabilities. Community Development Director Peter J. Miller Jr. said the recently submitted compromise counterproposal to Comcast, which responded Monday, listed concerns about the city’s contract proposal. Miller said there are only a couple of issues, several of which have been at the forefront of the negotiating process, which have yet to be resolved as the two parties enter a new agreement. Miller said the term duration of the proposed contract, the customer service center on East Mountain Road, and an increase in the number of local access channels have been the focus of the contract talks. The City’s position on the term of the contract is that telecommunication technology is evolving so rapidly that a shorter duration, five years, is in the city’s best interest, while Comcast has countered that it needs a longer term, closer to the 10-year duration of previous contract, to recoup its investment in the city. “It’s been just the past week or two that we’ve reengaged with Comcast, picking up where we left off in the summer,” Miller said Mayor Daniel M. Knapik stepped into the negotiation process, offering Comcast a counterproposal and compromise, a seven-year term, but with a requirement to maintain the customer service center for at least half of that duration and that the number of local access channels increases. Comcast responded Monday, Miller said, seeking an eight-year contract. The two sides are planning to meet within the next few weeks See Negotiation, Page 3
“There was never a nation great until it came to the knowledge that it had nowhere in the world to go for help.” — Charles Dudley Warner 75 cents
Memorial foundation tackles drunk driving The Westfield Shops entrance located at East Main Street. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Parking lot paving allowed By Dan Moriarty Street property owners for paving Staff Writer parking without first applying for WESTFIELD – The a determination of applicability, a Conservation Commission voted process that requires the applicant 5-0 last night to close an enforceto submit calculation of elevation, ment order opened when the flood water displacement, and, if managers of the Westfield Shops needed, compensatory storage. paved the entrance to their East The two property owners Main Street mall without seeking involved in the earlier enforceprior permission. ment orders had milled, or ground The Conservation Commission down, the existing surface of the is empowered to review all activlots so that the new asphalt was at ity within a flood plain and given ROB LEVESQUE the same elevation, meaning there jurisdiction by federal and state was not displacement of floodwalaw to seek compensatory storage of flood ter nor the need for compensatory storage. water displaced by any activity, such as pavDevcon had not milled the entrance to ing. their mall and the question was if the new The commission issued an enforcement pavement surface was at a higher elevation, order to Devcon Enterprises, the third enforcement order issued to the East Main See Paving, Page 3
Critics: Gas tax question will harm roads, bridges By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD — Opponents of a ballot question that would repeal a new law linking future increases in the state gas tax to the rate of inflation say the question would undermine efforts to fix crumbling Massachusetts roads and bridges. Under the law the gasoline tax jumped 3 cents, from 21 cents per gallon to 24 cents. The ballot question would leave the 3-cent hike in place, but eliminate the portion of the law linking future increases to inflation.
Opponents of the question, including construction companies and unions, have already pumped more than $950,000 into the effort to defeat the measure. Supporters have raised less than $70,000. At-large City Councilor Dan Allie has been working for over a year to get the question placed on the November ballot, gathering signatures and distributing flyers regarding all manners of taxation and the state of the Commonwealth’s roads. Again a candidate for State Representative in the 4th Hampden District this fall,
Allie believes there are better ways to fix the state’s roads, specifically by increasing local aid to fiscal year 2007 levels and to ask the state to increase funding for road maintenance and repair. “This past March, the state passed a $12.5 billion bond bill, but the Governor only allocated $200 million for the entire state for road maintenance, which is not very much money,” said Allie. “We have a significant increase in the gas tax. There is still money remaining from a $3.5 billion
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The untimely – and unnecessary – death of a local girl has brought grief to her family but they are working to honor her memory with positive responses to their tragedy. Evan Bard, 20, died in a Canton car crash on May 10, 2013, when her intoxicated former boyfriend smashed the car he was using to drive her home from a wedding. Sean E. Jackman, 25, of Stoughton, pleaded guilty to one charge of vehicular homicide while operating under EVAN BARD the influence of liquor recently and was sentenced to a three to five year term in state prison. Bard’s father, Todd, grew up in the Birch Bluffs neighborhood of the city and, although currently an Agawam resident, has strong ties to his hometown, where much of his family remains. He said recently that “the issue is what do you do after you go through this sort of tragedy” and, for him, the answer is to work to make them avoidable, in part by making the consequences of such crashes severe enough to “ scare enough people not to want to drink and drive.” He said that currently in Massachusetts “the laws are quite lenient” so “you can get off in one or two years if you severely injure or kill somebody.” He said that, in his family’s experience, the person responsible for their loss was so clearly See Foundation, Page 7
See Gas Tax, Page 3
Nominations sought for women who lead with heart SPRINGFIELD – The American Heart Association is holding a search to find woman who are inspirational, heart healthy role models to become one the 2015 Go Red Leading Ladies of western Massachusetts. Nominations are now being accepted through October 10 and are open to women of all ages. Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet many women still do not know their risks and consider it to be an older man’s disease. To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease, the AHA created Go Red For Women. The Go Red For Women movement raises awareness of heart disease and empow-
ers women to reduce their risk by learning the steps to prevent it. “We are looking for women who take the time to be active, eat healthy and maintain a positive attitude to be part of this poster campaign”, said American
Heart Association Communications Director, Mary Ann Burns. “The women selected will help to create awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women. By sharing this message, women may make positive changes in their lives that can make a difference tomorrow.” Women chosen for the 2015 campaign will participate in a professional photo shoot and will be featured on a poster display that will travel throughout western Massachusetts bringing attention to the leading cause of death in women – heart disease. Throughout the year, many See Nominations, Page 3
Ghost hunting group to investigate Southwick Town Hall By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Something strange has been happening at Town Hall, and it has nothing to do with town business. Reports of things going bump in the night prompted the Cultural Council to seek out the Agawam Paranormal Society to conduct a little ghost hunt on the property. Cultural Council member Patricia McMahon requested permission from the Board of Selectmen this week to schedule the event on a weekend in January. McMahon said she came across the group at a library event. “They are a paranormal investigative group
that goes to historic buildings and records anything that goes on,” said McMahon. Southwick Town Hall was built in 1928 and was once a school. Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart told McMahon there is a lot of documented history available on the building and pointed her to a longtime resident who is the town’s unofficial historian. Administrative Assistant Sondra Pendleton told McMahon she would love to attend the ghost hunt and said she has seen odd things while in the building alone. McMahon said the Society would compile its findings into a report for the Cultural Council. “They will also make a presentation that
will be open to the public,” she said, adding there was no cost associated with the investigation. According to its website, Agawam Paranormal is a family and friends based team that conducts investigations locally, at the request of a client, for both commercial and residential sites that are suspected of having paranormal activity. “We use a vast array of equipment and experience to attempt to capture evidence supporting the client’s claims of paranormal activity at their location. While this team does believe in a scientific approach towards any investigation, it is also a fact that some people are more sensitive to a spirit’s presence and as
such we also do have a psychic/medium on our team full-time,” states the site. Selectmen Joseph Deedy and Russell Fox approved moving forward with the event.
www.agawamparanormal.com