MAYOR'S UPDATE: AUGUST 13

What a way to kick off the week when Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Town Hall on Monday to discuss the impact of improved infrastructure in our region with Congressman Tom Malinowski and various mayors from the Raritan Valley Line Mayors’ Alliance. I had the privilege of moderating this roundtable discussion and sharing my experiences as a previous long-time commuter, as well as those of residents along the RVL who are rightfully demanding improvements after years of our train line being overlooked.

I am very proud of co-founding the RVL Mayors’ Alliance and the important bipartisan mission we share to improve the quality of life for our constituents. This week’s event and the subsequent passage of the new federal infrastructure bill in the Senate brings the promise of Gateway, new Hudson River Tunnels and a one-seat ride, and a brighter future for our residents and communities. Thanks to all of you who signed petitions, cheered us on at rallies at Track 5 in Newark, and called your legislators -- all of which gained the attention of state and federal officials and resulted in our Transportation Secretary choosing to come to Westfield. That’s a big deal! We still have work to do, but Monday was a great day for our community!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

COVID-19 UPDATE

The delta variant accounted for 90% of positive tests sampled in New Jersey in the most recent four-week span available ending July 24. Earlier this week, Governor Murphy reported that of New Jersey’s 4,332 positive tests between July 20-26, nearly 18% were so-called breakthrough cases of those who had been fully vaccinated, which is up from previous weeks. Of the 378 coronavirus patients admitted to the state’s hospitals in that time, 97% were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. And of the state’s 21 coronavirus deaths in that time, all were either of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people — the second consecutive week of no deaths among vaccinated people.

Locally, 26 cases were identified in Westfield between August 6 and August 12. Of these 26 cases, the age ranges are broken down as follows:

Age 9 and under: Four cases
Age 10-19: Two cases
Age 20-29: Seven cases
Age 30-39: One case
Age 40-49: Five cases
Age 50-59: One case
Age 60-69: Two cases
Age 70-79: Two cases
Age 80-89: Two cases
Age 90 and above: No cases

As it takes time to obtain breakthrough case information, we will include that data in the monthly reports.

The state’s seven-day average for new confirmed cases is up 29% from a week ago and up nearly 400% from a month ago. The statewide transmission rate is 1.32.

Statewide, vaccination rates have decreased 5% from last week’s rate, with an average of 17.1K doses administered per day. Nearly 5.4 million New Jersey residents (59.3%) are fully vaccinated.

In Union County, 362,420 (65% of the total population) have received one dose of vaccine, and 319,862 (57.4% of the total population) are fully vaccinated.

In Westfield, 95% of those 65 and older, 95% of those 30 and older, 96% of the adult population (18+), and 76% of the entire population has been vaccinated with at least one dose. Fortunately, the percentage of fully vaccinated residents continues to increase, reflecting 91% of those 65 and older, 90% of those 30 and older, 90% of adults (18+), and 71% of the entire population.

Any resident interested in receiving the vaccine can call the Health Department at 908-789-4070.

POLICE UPDATE

Chief Battiloro reports the following notable incidents since my last update:

August 5
It was reported that a business located on the 200 block of W. North Avenue was burglarized during the early morning hours. A review of security camera footage indicates that a male person entered the business via its front door at approximately 1:18 AM. It appears the subject forced entry into the premises, as damage was observed to its front door. Among those items reported missing from within was about $80 from the cash register.

August 6
A resident of Breeze Knoll Drive reported the theft of his 2021 silver Infiniti from the driveway of his residence. A review of security camera footage indicates the vehicle was stolen at approximately 10:05 PM. The resident reported that one of its key fobs was previously lost or stolen. The vehicle was subsequently recovered the following day in Newark by the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force.

August 10
A resident of the 900 block of Irving Avenue reported that her 2017 BMW was burglarized during the overnight hours. The vehicle was left unlocked at the time of the incident. Approximately $40 in cash was reported missing.

There have been 19 vehicles reported stolen to date in Westfield, 17 of which have been recovered. Chief Battiloro reports that keys or key fobs were apparently used to steal 90% of those vehicles.

Please continue to take appropriate action to protect your property and report all suspicious persons, vehicles and/or activities immediately to the police via 9-1-1. Westfield remains a very popular target for property crime. Chief Battiloro advises that officers responding to your reports of suspicious vehicles, persons, and activities have undoubtedly prevented additional property crimes.

ROAD PAVING

It was another very productive week for road paving, as our contractor is moving quickly and the weather has been cooperating! I want to thank everyone for your patience with the road closures and detours necessary to complete this work, which we anticipate resulting in 18 miles of newly paved roads in 2021!

Since my last update, the following roads have been milled and paved:

Boynton Avenue (Myrtle to end)
Elizabeth Avenue (Central to Boynton)
Pine/Boynton (Ripley to cul-de-sac)
Hardwick Avenue (entire length)
Cedar Street (entire length)
Cambridge Road (entire length)
Avon Road (entire length)
Eton Place (entire length)
Welch Way (entire length)
Grandview Avenue (Roger to Twin Oaks)
Tice Place (Clifton to Montauk)
Lambert Court (entire length)
Bayberry Lane (entire length)

In addition, we expect Rahway Avenue (Summit Court to Town line) will be complete by the end of today.

Our next round of work, which we expect to begin next week, will be on the following roads:

Radley Road (entire length)
Pine Court (entire length)
Radley Court (entire length)
Kirkview Court (entire length)

Milling will be followed by paving and striping. As always, all work is weather permitting.

As a reminder, our multi-year paving plan lays out approximately 40 miles of roads to be paved through 2024, which, in addition to the nearly 29 miles we paved in 2018-2020, represents about 69% of the Town’s total road mileage -- an unprecedented paving undertaking. You can see the plan and follow our progress on the Town website.

STREET SWEEPING

Public Works has completed its summer street sweeping pass on all Town roads over the last six weeks, as well as a second pass on some of the most highly traveled roads. They will return after the fall leaf collection process is complete, and they continue to sweep the Downtown area several times each week throughout the year as weather permits.

SEPTEMBER 11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

Please plan to join us on Saturday, September 11, at 8:30 AM for a community gathering to observe the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and remember the 12 Westfield residents we lost that day. The ceremony will be held rain or shine, and will take place at the Town’s memorial site on North Avenue and East Broad Street.

THE RETURN OF THE COFFEE KIOSK!

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, we voted unanimously to award a contract to Boxcar for the use of the coffee kiosk in the South Avenue train station parking lot in response to a call for bids. I am very excited about the potential that Boxcar can bring to this space, starting with coffee sales and concierge services, as we begin to see increased usage of the lot and the gradual return to commuting. Boxcar is looking for suggestions from the community on which services would be most helpful, and you can provide your input on their Facebook page.

ADDAMSFEST

We heard some great news this week from the AddamsFest team as they released dates for their main events! Keep your calendars open for the return of the Masquerade Ball on October 1, Charlie’s Ale House on October 16, Dudley's Drive-In on October 22, the Optimist Club Halloween Parade and DWC Costume Contest on October 24, and the Lantern Sail at Mindowaskin Park on October 30. The Haunt Your House Contest and Wicked Windows of Westfield will also be back, along with some additional events to be announced in the coming weeks.

The team is planning for most events to be outdoors, and we will of course make any adjustments as needed to prioritize public health. For all of the latest updates, follow AddamsFest on Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to their emails.