MAYOR'S UPDATE: JULY 16

Thanks to everyone who came out on Tuesday for the return of our in-person Town Council meetings! I’m thrilled that we were able to adopt the redevelopment plan for the Handler Building on North Avenue, which will be restored and converted to a vertical hydroponic farm by Westfield residents Greg Redington and Michele Modestino. You can read more about the benefits of this site as an economic driver and what it means for attracting new businesses in my Letter to the Editor.

With summer in full swing, don’t miss Open Quimby, the Farmers Market, the annual Sidewalk Sale event, and the new Public Art exhibit (more details below) in Downtown Westfield!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

COVID-19 UPDATE

Regional Health Officer Megan Avallone reports that the state now has two regions in a low activity level, while the rest of the state -- including our Central East region -- is in a moderate activity level. Locally, Westfield continues to show a low level of activity.

The state’s seven-day average for new confirmed cases is up 55% from a week ago and up 84% from a month ago. The statewide transmission rate is 1.24, the highest it has been since November 25. The Delta variant of the virus has become the predominant strain in New Jersey, and public health officials have stated that it is a threat especially to unvaccinated residents.

More than 5.15 million people who live, work, or study in New Jersey have now been fully vaccinated. In Union County, 340,734 residents (61% of the total population) have received one dose of vaccine, and 302,060 (54% of total population) are fully vaccinated.

In Westfield, 95% of those 65 and older, 94% of the adult population (18+), and 74% of the entire population has been vaccinated with at least one dose. In terms of those fully vaccinated, the data shows 90% of those 65 and older, 88% of adults (18+), and 69% of the entire population.

POLICE UPDATE

Chief Battiloro reports the following notable incidents:

On July 10, at approximately 2:21PM, it was reported that a black 2019 Audi A5 with a NY registration was observed exiting the rear private parking lot of Echo Lake Country Club on the 500 block of Springfield Avenue. A subsequent review of video surveillance footage determined that two male occupants exited this vehicle and were pulling on door handles to parked vehicles. One of the suspects was described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black ski mask. No vehicles were successfully entered and the black 2019 Audi A5, which was determined to be previously reported stolen, subsequently fled the premises.

On July 12, at approximately 9:13AM, a 2011 Honda CRV was reported stolen from the driveway of a residence located on the 20 block of Doris Parkway. It was left unlocked with its key inside the vehicle at the time of the theft. Additionally, an unlocked vehicle on the 40 block of Doris Parkway, as well as unlocked vehicles on the 700 block of Carleton Road and the 1000 block of Rahway Avenue, were also reportedly burglarized.

On July 14, at approximately 9:25AM, a resident of Bennett Place reported his 2013 S550 Mercedes was stolen during the overnight hours. A police investigation determined it was left unlocked with its key or key fob in it at the time of the theft.

In the Westfield area:

On July 10, during the afternoon hours, a 2020 Land Rover Range Rover was reported stolen from the parking lot of a commercial business located on the 1100 block of Route 22 West in Mountainside. It was left unlocked with its key fob in it at the time of the theft. Additionally, an unlocked Lamborghini SUV was burglarized.

And, just this morning, at approximately 5:15AM, a 2012 Mercedes Benz E350 convertible was reported stolen from the parking lot of the 7-11 convenience store on Mountain Avenue in Mountainside. Its ignition was left running with its convertible top down at the time of the theft.

There have been 15 reported vehicles stolen to date in 2021, 12 of which have since been recovered.

Chief Battiloro continually reiterates that unlocked vehicles with keys or key fobs in them are the contributing factors of just about every single vehicle theft. Please take appropriate action to protect your property. This means locking your vehicles, removing your keys/key fobs, and hiding your valuables. While the police do their part, it’s imperative that we all continue to do ours. Thank you for your diligence.

For a more detailed account of police activities, please see the weekly Police Blotter, which is posted every Tuesday on the Westfield Police Department’s website, as well as on their Facebook (@WestfieldNJPD), and Instagram (@westfieldnjpd) pages.

EDISON FIELDS PROJECT

Thank you to the many residents who took the time to come out on Wednesday night for our neighborhood meeting regarding the Edison Fields project. It was important for us to hear from this group of residents in their own forum so that we can collect all of the feedback and concerns that are specific to the homes near Edison.

As I’ve continued to reiterate, this is really just the beginning of the process, and the public input phase is a major component of driving this project’s ultimate outcome. The concept that has been presented is just that -- an initial concept -- and one that was developed based on recommendations from the Strategic Parks Plan and the Recreation Commission. Before any further studies are conducted on specific elements of the concept, it’s important for the public to weigh in where they would like to see more detail so our resources can be allocated accordingly. And that is where we are now. We are collecting feedback that will determine our next steps.

Some excellent and very thoughtful points were made at this week’s neighborhood meeting, and more work needs to be done before we are in a position to put forth a final concept for consideration -- one that will reflect the input we receive. In that spirit, the first meeting for the general public will be held on Wednesday, July 21, in the Edison School cafeteria at 7:00PM, and I look forward to hearing from residents, athletic leagues, and other user groups to help us shape the best path forward.

PAINT BY THE POND

Last call to register for tomorrow’s Paint by the Pond event in Mindowaskin Park! Union County residents of all ages with special needs are invited to participate tomorrow from 11:00AM - 2:00PM. Paint by the Pond encourages participants to express themselves and create art by painting cardboard model houses that will be floated on the pond. I’m thrilled that we can bring this free event celebrating accessibility and inclusivity back to Westfield! Pre-registration is required online.

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PUBLIC ART INITIATIVES

Don’t miss the new Westfield Public Arts Commission exhibit, “Through the Lens: Community,” featuring photo submissions from residents and local artists that convey what community means to them. You can find the exhibit on the sidewalk along the Central Avenue side of the Rialto.

If you’d like to get involved with the next Public Arts Commission project, the submission deadline is July 21 for the Central Avenue Mural Gallery, a community mural that will be displayed on both sides of the underpass on Central Avenue. This mural will be completed in panels, with a “Welcome” theme on one side, and a “Charles Addams” theme on the other. For more details, including submission guidelines and stipend information, please visit the Town website.

Many thanks to the Public Arts Commission and AddamsFest for sponsoring this initiative to beautify another public space in Westfield.

TALKING GREEN WITH KARMA AND VOLTA

Did you catch my Facebook Live earlier this week with Volta Charging and Karma EV? It was an exciting day as we celebrated the extension of our sustainability efforts with the activation of six new EV charging stations that are free for resident and visitor use, and have been installed at no cost to the Town. You can find them in municipal lots 1 (by Trader Joe’s), 2 (near the Fire Station), and 4 (behind Baron’s). We also learned that Karma will be opening its doors in early August in the previous Vine Ripe space, which will be an exciting new addition to the Westfield business community! You can read the full announcement about the charging stations on our website.