Foerst Presents Multiple Ideas to Council

Tuesday's Town Council code review committee report was a catch all of policy proposals surrounding several areas of town operations.

Councilman Jim Foerst, the committee chairman, uesd the report to touch on several areas of town policy. The committee handles a variety of town issues from land use to laws to government operations.

Foerst brought forward legislation amending the town's compliance with the state Open Public Records Act. The amendments cover concerns raised by Town Clerk Claire Gray regarding what she sees as individuals using information about members of the public to make money. The Gray amendment will allow the clerk's office to withhold information not in the public interest to disclose. A vote is likely next week.

The committee then responded to the suggestion that had been made previously by Councilman David Haas.  He suggested that a park be named for the late Virginia Apgar. She is most famous for created the Apgar Test, which is a method of assessing the health of newborn babies.  This test decreased rates of infant mortality around the world. Haas had suggested the park on Windsor and Central Avenues. 

However upon further investigation it was discovered that this park belongs to a Girl Scout troop and there is a plaque in place attesting to this fact.  Therefore the committee suggested that perhaps a corner close to where she had lived could be named for her.  Council members suggested that maybe the Girl Scouts would like to take this project on and have their park named for this important Westfield resident.  The code review committee will continue to study the issue and work with Girl Scouts to develop a plan.

Foerst indicated the committee is close to completing work on a long awaited change to the town's handicap access ramp laws. The current laws require a resident to seek zoning changes for temporary handicap access ramps on homes, either for residents or guests.

Foerst said there has been enough demand for easier access for temporary ramps to allow for the rewriting of the law. In past meetings, Foerst said the delays in developing the new law were based on the need to balance issues of what a temporary ramp was.

Final passage of the ramp law is expected in coming weeks.