Four candidates interviewed for Zoning Review Committee

Date: 6/12/2012

June 11, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

EAST LONGMEADOW — The Planning Board interviewed four residents interested in joining the Zoning Review Committee at its June 5 meeting.

Ned Schwartz, Chassity Miller, William Fonseca and Mary Flahive-Dickson each came in front of the board to state their cases as to why they would be an asset to the committee, which is charged with reviewing and making recommendations for changes to the town's current zoning by-laws.

The interviews became necessary after the five-member committee lost three of its participants, however, Planning Board Chair George Kingston said that he believed the committee could contain more than five members in the future.

Schwartz, a resident since 1992 and retired professor from Western New England University's College of Business, said his primary goal was to help East Longmeadow establish a brand for itself to new residents.

"My overall objective is to initiate a multi-pronged strategy to brand East Longmeadow," he said. "It would be nice if East Longmeadow could develop a very clear and succinct and marketable brand so that we can define easily and well just exactly what we'd like to be as residents of East Longmeadow and hopefully attract that kind of person into East Longmeadow so we can sustain home prices, which would make residents happy and would have a budget benefit because the higher the tax base, the easier the budgeting process would be."

Kingston pressed Schwartz to elaborate, asking him what he believed East Longmeadow's brand should be.

"Given that the school budget is 50 percent of the town budget, I would think that would be the best place to start," Schwartz said. "I would like to see us take the approach that our school system pays attention to the individual student in a way that most towns don't."

Schwartz admitted he had not been to any Planning Board meetings or public hearings in the past and had no direct experience in zoning, but said that because he was now retired, he had the time and opportunity to familiarize himself with the material.

Miller, a resident for three and a half years who recently earned her master's degree in social work, said she wished to join the committee because as a newer resident with children in the school system, she wanted to be active in the enhancement of the town.

While stating she had no direct experience with zoning, Miller cited her attention to detail and ability to work with multiple agencies as strengths that could be useful in such a position.

She added that she believed that East Longmeadow needs to continue to be pro-small business.

"I think that in order for East Longmeadow to thrive, we need the businesses, especially the small businesses," she said. "In terms of meshing [residential interests and business interests] it's important for us to grow as a town while still keeping our town and our ideals as individuals."

Miller also echoed Schwartz's sentiments that the town needs to look at its image, especially when it comes to the schools, using the alleged assault on a student by teacher Barbara Galanek as an example.

"That is now the outside image of East Longmeadow," she said. "We now have bullies in our schools that are teachers."

Fonseca, a School Committee member, said the by-laws need modernization to keep up with the town's growth.

"Looking over the by-laws, it has been since the 1960s since they have been really looked at, hashed over and modernized and I think that's where we are," he said. "The town is growing, budgets are growing, tax base is shrinking at times. I think we need to modernize what we have and strengthen what we have — not re-invent the wheel, just bring it up to date."

Fonseca added that he believed there should be a clear definition between residential and business zones and the town should strive to make it easier for businesses to come to town.

"I never want to deter businesses because that's our tax base. That's our future budget," he said.

Fonseca also said he believed the process and by-laws associated with special permitting is one area that needs attention in order to eliminate ambiguity.

"I think we need to strengthen this because I've read it and it seems a little fuzzy at times," he said. "It goes on a case-by-case basis. I believe that there is a way that we can probably design some language to make it a universal fit."

Flahive-Dickson, a registered nurse with an MBA who runs a home healthcare business in Chicopee and has been in town for four years, said she brought a wealth of civic background, having served on the Forest Park Civic Association and Concerned Citizens for Springfield.

She said she has read the laws and has watched meetings to get up to speed with the issues the Planning Board addresses and said the town's ability to attract new businesses is a concern for her.

"One thing that does concern me is the business draw that the town either has or doesn't have," Flahive-Dickson said. "The tax base for the town of East Longmeadow for business is about half of what the city of Springfield is. I think it is a business-friendly town, but it could be more of a business-friendly town."

She added she hoped to keep residential zones and business zones clearly separated.

She also stated that the town is not very child-friendly.

"One of my concerns is that the kids who leave school in the afternoon have very little to do, so they do hang out in the center," she said. "There's not all that much for them to do. They crowd into the Dunkin Donuts, they crowd into the Starbucks, and they crowd into the convenience store."

Kingston explained that at a future meeting, the Planning Board would go into executive session to discuss the candidates in order to make its decision on whom to appoint.