Year in review: 2015’s memorable momentsDate: 12/30/2015 Editor’s note: With the New Year upon us, the staff of Reminder Publications took a look back and compiled a list of some of the top stories and trends that helped shape the Pioneer Valley in 2015. Feel free to share your thoughts or memories of the past year by either emailing us at news@thereminder.com or connecting with us via social media on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReminderPublications), Twitter (@TheReminderMA) or Instagram (@reminderpublications).
Sullivan, Reichelt take mayoral elections
WESTFIELD – Westfield and West Springfield voted in two new mayors, Brian Sullivan and Will Reichelt, respectively, while Agawam brings Mayor Richard Cohen back for a sixth term. Elections in all three towns took place on Nov. 3.
Sullivan took about a 1,000-vote victory over his opponent Mike Roeder in the Westfield election. Roeder also ran against Mayor Daniel Knapik in 2013, losing by about 300 votes.
The sitting City Council president said he could not have come this far without help.
“Tonight’s victory was a show of community involvement and cooperation, and the people that asked to help me showed up and helped and they did. It was a good day,” Sullivan told Reminder Publications. “It’s been great support. That’s why I am where I am. Family, friends and the support just showed up today. They’ve been there for 10 months for me and they really came through.”
Reichelt took West Springfield by nearly a thousand votes over state Rep. Mike Finn. Reichelt, who has served as the town’s attorney under Mayor Edward Sullivan, said hard work and visibility through social media, community events and throughout town made up the core of his campaign.
“It was a great day. I’m thrilled. We worked really hard this past summer, not just me. It was everyone – my brother, my family. It was an absolutely fantastic campaign. I loved it. I had a blast and I look forward now to being the mayor,” Reichelt said.
He also said the five-point plan, which has served as the core of his platform, showed residents what they could expect from him once he takes the mayor’s seat. Reichelt’s plan breaks down to being accessible, approachable and accountable, creating a safe community, supporting quality education, business development and fighting blight.
In Agawam, Cohen was able to stave off a write-in campaign started by business owner William Clark. This marks Cohen’s sixth term as mayor.
The City Council race that saw 17 candidates ended with all but one incumbent being re-elected. Councilor Dennis Perry was voted out, and Richard Theroux has been elected onto the council. Theroux has spent the last 32 years as the city clerk but will leave the post in January for a job in the private sector. He has previously served on the council.
Westfield State selects Torrecilha as next president
WESTFIELD – After a troubled history with previous presidents, Westfield State University has ended a 10-month search, recommending Dr. Ramon Torrecilha as its candidate to lead the school.
The Board of Trustees decided on Torrecilha on Oct. 28, and he was interviewed by the Board of Higher Education on Dec. 1.
Torrecilha was up against Dr. Linda Vaden-Goad, the vice president of Academic Affairs at Framingham State University, and Dr. Damian Fernandez, chief executive officer of Ethical Culture Fieldston School. Fernandez withdrew as a candidate on Oct. 27.
Torrecilha has served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at California State University Dominguez, where he currently is a sociology professor. He previously worked as executive vice president of Mills College, including two stints as acting president.
Agawam celebrates official opening of School Street Park
AGAWAM – After years of waiting, residents of Agawam can say that School Street Park is officially completed.
The town celebrated the official grand opening of the park on July 1 with special guests and entertainment. Though parts of the park have been open since 2008, the second phase’s completion marks the end of construction.
The addition to the School Street Park includes 40 acres of land, a spray park, a band shell for entertainment and a pavilion. In total, the second phase of the project cost $2.2 million, a combination of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds and a PARC grant from the state.
Residents came out in full force to enjoy the first official day at the park. Kids ran around in the spray park, while families set up chairs to watch Good Acoustics perform as part of the SummerFest concert series.
Michael Richard named West Springfield superintendent
WEST SPRINGFIELD – After final interviews had been concluded on April 2, Michael Richard was announced as the permanent superintendent for West Springfield Schools.
Richard has served as the interim superintendent since Dr. Russell Johnston left the district last summer for a position with the Commonwealth’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The School Committee selected Richard by a vote of 4-3 over Jennifer Willard, the director of Human Resources for Westfield Public Schools. Doug Dias, the principal of Medway High School, was one of the three finalists for the position but withdrew from contention before the voting took place.
Though Richard said that waiting for the School Committee to make its final decision was nerve-racking, he was thrilled to be able to continue his work as the permanent superintendent.
Noble, Baystate sign letter of intent, explore partnership
WESTFIELD – The field of health care has been shifting, and two local hospitals have decided to roll with the waves.
The boards of trustees for Noble Hospital and Baystate Health announced on March 5 the signing of a letter of intent that would allow the hospitals to explore Noble becoming a part of Baystate.
This move would cement an already existing relationship between the entities, but both sides agreed it would also strengthen it.
Senior Vice President of Community Hospitals for Baystate Dennis Chalke said that making this move would work to serve both Noble and Baystate.
“It’s a win-win relationship. I think it will do a lot for Noble and I think it will help Baystate in terms of providing services to the region of Westfield and surrounding communities,” Chalke said. “I think it’s something that it’s just evolving because of health care reform.”
Agawam agrees to Games and Lanes purchase, sale agreement
AGAWAM – The ongoing Games and Lanes issue has taken one step closer to a resolution. Site Redevelopment Technologies, a Foxboro company that cleans up brownfields and sells the properties to be developed, signed a purchase and sale agreement for the property on Oct. 16.
The sale agreement is contingent upon what, Mayor Richard Cohen said, will hopefully be the last round of indoor air quality testing by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which needed to be done in colder weather.
However, Site Redevelopment Technologies has already begun to clean up the site.
Games and Lanes has been a problem for the town for more than 25 years after it was discovered that dry cleaning chemicals entered the groundwater near the property. The town has worked with the owner to remove contaminated soil, install a pump and treat system and continue testing to identify the extent of the contamination.
Sullivan: Town will save with solar partnership
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Edward Sullivan announced at the Town Council meeting on Jan. 20 that West Springfield would be making another green initiative.
West Springfield has formed a partnership with Kearsarge Energy, a renewable energy project developer. This partnership would form what is called a net metering credit purchase agreement (NMA), which is “designed to reduce electricity costs for the public entity while providing consistent energy payments to the project owner over the term of the contract,” according to the town’s contract.
Credits that are earned will be used toward the electric bills at town buildings, such as the new high school, gas stations and streetlights, as well as other areas in town. By using solar energy to offset the cost of traditional the power traditional electric companies provide, West Springfield will save, Sullivan said.
The town spends roughly $1.5 million annually, but the NMA will help cut that total down. Ultimately, West Springfield is expected to save $110,000 to $190,000 annually over 20 years, which would amount to $2.3 million to $4 million in total savings by the time the contract expires, according to Sullivan.
Westfield School Committee accepts Russell School lease
WESTFIELD – The School Committee voted unanimously to accept the lease agreement for Russell Elementary School with the town of Russell on May 18.
The lease begins July 1 and will run for 18 months, with the option to extend for up to three six-month periods. The $250,000 annual payment will be made directly to the town of Russell.
The move to Russell Elementary comes at the end of an agreement between the city and Westfield State University. The city will move out of Juniper Park Elementary School, which is owned by the university, because of the department of education’s need for the facility.
The new lease has been designed to accommodate the tentative construction schedule of the new school at the corner of Ashley and Cross Streets, Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion told Reminder Publications when terms of the lease were decided in March.
Irish Cultural Center moves from Elms to former Elks Lodge
WEST SPRINGFIELD – After years of inactivity, the former Elks Lodge will have a tenant. The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England (ICC) announced it will move from the Elms College Campus to its new home on Morgan Road.
Mayor Edward Sullivan and Sean Cahillane, president of the Irish Cultural Center Board of Directors, addressed a crowd of public officials and fellow board members at the facility on July 28. The two sides agreed to and signed a 20-year lease and a proclamation.
Sullivan said the new home of the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England benefits both the city and the organization.
“This is a great day for not only the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England, but for West Springfield to bring the community together.” I know that it is going to serve and enrich West Springfield as we weave them into the fabric of our community,” Sullivan said. “This is going to be a win-win for all concerned. I’m just delighted to partner up.”
Complaints surface about Agawam Motor Lodge, town investigates
AGAWAM – Several town departments met June 9 to discuss the public safety issues surrounding the Agawam Motor Lodge, Mayor Richard Cohen said. Representatives from the Fire Department, Police Department, coding enforcement and Health Department were in attendance.
Complaints regarding the safety and health standards of the building were brought to the town’s attention from a news report, which cited concerns of those living in the Agawam Motor Lodge, Cohen said.
Bedbugs and questions of the building being up to health and fire code were among the primary complaints. According to Cohen, the Fire Department inspected the building on June 8 and said it was up to code.
The Agawam Motor Lodge had been housing tenants of a condemned building in Springfield, Cohen said. The landlord has since moved the tenants to La Quinta on Congress St. in Springfield.
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