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Date: 5/7/2015
CHICOPEE – With several members of the City Council describing the choice as “tough,” the council voted to approve a zone change that would allow Westover Building Supply to move forward with its plans to build a garage to store its delivery trucks.
Only Councilors James Tillotson and Adam Lamontagne voted in favor of the residents living near the business.
“Nobody knows the neighborhood better than the neighbors and the vast majority are against it,” Lamontagne said.
Councilor Frederick Krampits announced that he originally supported the residents in opposition of the change, but after reflection decided supporting the change “would be the best option.”
He said, “We don’t relish when these things come up.”
The vote had been originally scheduled on April 7, but was postponed when a petition from residents was presented, triggering a vetting process that would determine if 10 votes, instead of nine, were needed to pass the change. At the next meeting, the vote was tabled because two councilors were absent and the council believed it would be unfair to the business to take the vote at that time.
The public speak-out portion of the meeting on May 5 lasted for more than a half-hour as supporters of the change filled the chamber for the first time. Supporters stressed the need to help a small business that had been in the city for decades.
Councilor John Vieau expressed the belief the garage would actually create a buffer to the noise about which neighbors have complained.
Ward 9 Councilor Gerry Roy, in whose district the controversy was taking place, said that while some neighbors had concerns, he questioned the motives of people who signed the petition, charging they did not actually understand the issue or were really against it.
Reacting to the issues of noise and traffic caused by the business, he said, “I see less noise and less danger with the new building.” Roy added the lack of a sidewalk on Telegraph Avenue “is probably the issue there.”
In other action the council approved three orders from Mayor Richard Kos that would make the café at the RiverMills Center operational. The councilors approved $3,995 for a point of sale register system, $2,000 for start-up supplies and create a revolving funds account for the center.
Council on Aging Executive Director Sandra Lapollo said the café manager has already been hired, and the plan is to have the café, which would serve beverages and snacks, open from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.
She explained to the councilors the idea is the café would be self-supporting, but added it may take several months to reach that goal.
The council also approved the purchase of three new trucks for the Department of Public Works at a cost of two at $53,254 each and the third at $39,636. Tillotson questioned the need for all three and voted in favor of only two of the trucks. He suggested one of the trucks be turned over to the students at Chicopee Comprehensive High School for repair.
Councilor Frank Laflamme said he personally inspected the trucks and said they were in need of replacement. The trucks had more than 100,000 miles and suffered from extensive rust.