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Date: 1/11/2024
WESTFIELD — On the second day of the year, several city officials celebrated a few firsts.
For Kaitlyn Bruce, it was her first swearing-in ceremony as city clerk. Not so for her former boss, Karen Fanion, a veteran of several city inaugurations — but this was Fanion’s first time taking, rather than administering, an elected official’s oath of office. Fanion was elected in November to serve as the Ward 1 representative on the City Council, after Councilor Nicholas Morganelli opted to run for an at-large seat.
Other newcomers being sworn in for the first time included School Committee member Jeffrey Gunther and Municipal Light Board member William Parks, who represents Ward 4.
Although Mayor Michael McCabe is entering his second term in office, the Jan. 2 ceremony at Westfield High School was his first public inauguration, after the one scheduled in 2022 was canceled due to COVID-19.
In his inaugural address, McCabe said he is proud that in the past two years the city has repaved 30 streets and 17,000 feet of sidewalk, and can no longer be called “pothole city.”
He said $2 million in ARPA funds — coronavirus pandemic relief grants from the federal government — have been approved for repairs to the Arm Brook Dam, and said he would be asking the City Council for a similar amount for the Powder Mill Dam. He said repairs are underway at the Little River Levee, and construction will begin on the multi-use path on the Westfield River Levee.
McCabe also announced new plans for a new athletics track at Westfield High School, new handicap accessibility for Bullens Field and other planned improvements at the Babe Ruth and girls softball field, among others, in a major cooperative effort with Westfield Gas & Electric and other partners. He recognized Councilor Brent Bean II for “staying on top of this.”
Other goals mentioned were continuing to strengthen the city’s relationship with Westfield State University, Baystate Noble Hospital and MassDOT, particularly in fast-tracking a new design for Exit 41 of the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Returning officials sworn in to office included at-large councilors James Adams, Dan Allie, Bean, Cindy Harris, Kristen Mello, Morganelli and Richard Sullivan Jr.; and ward councilors Ralph Figy (Ward 2), Bridget Matthews-Kane (Ward 3), Michael Burns (Ward 4), John Beltrandi III (Ward 5) and William Onyski (Ward 6). Councilors serve two-year terms. In a brief meeting after the inauguration, councilors selected Beltrandi to serve as council president.
Incumbents Bo Sullivan and Michael Tirrell began their new four-year terms on the School Committee, alongside Gunther. There are three other School Committee members whose four-year terms expire at the end of 2025, and the mayor serves ex-officio as chair of the committee.
Also sworn in were incumbent Municipal Light Board commissioners Kevin Kelleher (Ward 1), Ray Rivera (Ward 2), Dawn Renaudette (Ward 3) and Robert Sacco (Ward 6), for two-year terms.
Nobody was sworn in for Ward 5 on the Municipal Light Board, as Commissioner Joe Mitchell was reelected in November but later that month resigned to accept the position of assistant general manager at Westfield Gas & Electric. An appointee to serve out Mitchell’s term will be chosen by the City Council and the remaining Municipal Light Board members.
Jayne Mulligan began a new six-year term as trustee of the Westfield Athenaeum, a position to which she won reelection in a contested race.