Town Council Approves $2.9 Million Bond Ordinance

The Westfield Town Council approved a $2.9 million bond ordinance at its regular meeting Tuesday evening. 

This ordinance will fund various capital expenditures including replacement of equipment and machinery, new communication and signal equipments, and new information technology equipment. Finance Committee Chair Councilman Sam Della Fera told Patch approximately $2 million will be used to pay for road paving and improvements for downtown (Lot 4, Quimby/Elm intersection) and all four wards.

The balance of the ordinance includes the following anticipated capital improvements, which are subject to change and/or final bidding, he noted: replacement of 25 parking paystations at a cost of roughly $300,000; a new front-end loader for the DPW at a cost of approximately $195,000; facility improvements to the municipal building, police department, fire stations, DPW building, United Fund building and train station steps (on town property) at a cost of roughly $150,000; replacement of police car computers, costing roughly $74,000; crosswalk and road striping around town, estimated at roughly $50,000; and miscellaneous DWC requests and police equipment, engineering for Mindowaskin Pond dredging, and required environmental monitoring at multiple town locations.

The council also approved General Ordinance NO. 2008. This amendment would limit the exterior renovations residents of Orchard Street and Walnut Street neighborhood are able to make on their houses. These limitations include the sizes of porches and that two-family residences appear as a single structure with a single main entrance. 

The floor was then opened to public discussion and questioning. One resident of the area asked what this ordinance would mean to his existing structure and if he would have to make changes to meet the new requirements. He was informed that all current residences would be grandfathered into the new rules and would not have to make any immediate changes. Following no further comments, the amendment was unanimously approved by the town council.

The next amendment was for General Ordinance NO. 2009 which addressed the salaries of various town officers and employees. The amendment was to fix the salary ranges for the various job titles in that ordinance. The floor was opened up to questions and following no further comments, was approved unanimously.

The third amendment, General Ordinance No. 2010 dealt with the Mayor and council members $1 salaries. The amendment would keep the current salary at $1 This amendment was also ratified by the town council.

The fourth amendment was to General Ordinance NO. 2011. This one addressed fixed salaries for both the police and fire departments. This ordinance was passed unanimously as well. 

The next meeting of the Westfield Town Council will be held Tuesday, June 18 at 8 p.m. at the Municipal Building.