MAYOR'S UPDATE:
WEEK ENDING MAY 27

We close out this week with very heavy hearts following Tuesday’s massacre in Ulvade, Texas – the 27th school shooting so far this year. Like you, I’m angry and heartbroken that a teenager armed with an AR-15 assault rifle was able to walk into Robb Elementary School and murder 19 children and their two teachers. The enormity of this evil and horror remains incomprehensible, yet it's a reality we continue to allow to happen in this country. We cannot become numb to this barrage of killings over the past decade, and we cannot accept that this is a permanent feature of American culture. We cannot lose hope in humane and rational governance.

So what can we do?

• Reach out to our congressional leaders (Congressman Tom Malinowski, Senator Cory Booker, and Senator Bob Menendez) to demand passage of national common sense gun laws, including an assault rifle ban and background checks which are overwhelmingly supported by most Americans.

• Consider donating to Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization born out of the Sandy Hook massacre which has been working with legislators for years to pass reasonable gun safety laws. I am proud to have signed on to their Mayors Against Illegal Guns pledge immediately after taking office in 2018. 

• This tragedy has caused severe mental distress for some. If you or someone you know is in need of a mental health resource, you can contact the NJ Mental Health Cares Helpline at 1-866-202-HELP (4357). In the event of a mental health crisis, please call the Caring Contact Caring & Crisis Line at 908-232-2880. 

Chief Battiloro has been in contact with School Superintendent Ray Gonzalez to reassure him that the police will continue to patrol all of the schools, which includes random and unannounced security checks at each school several times a day. 

My prayers go out to the many families in Texas who will be burying their children this week instead of putting them to bed tonight. We cannot consider ourselves a civilized society if we allow these massacres to continue. I implore you to join me in taking action.

On a separate note, I want to once again extend my thanks to the many residents who joined us both in person and online for Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting. As I said that evening, I remain grateful for the level of community engagement on The Sophia at Prospect and Ferris. And although we will not all agree on the details, such as scope and scale of this project, I am confident that we all share a common interest in moving our town forward and ensuring it’s a place for all of us to enjoy for years to come. If you missed it, I issued a Letter to the Editor to local news outlets on Wednesday, which provides some additional background and context about the project’s process and benefits – and why it has my support. In terms of process, the redeveloper must go before the Planning Board for site plan reviews before the building’s details receive final approval.

It was also great to see so many residents at Pizza with the Police on Thursday, and at the Historic Preservation Commission's Coffee at the Kiosk on Wednesday morning. As National Preservation Month comes to a close, it’s an important reminder of the ongoing work to be done to preserve and highlight Westfield’s history.

The weather looks great for the return of the Memorial Day parade on Monday, and I look forward to seeing you there as we bring back this community tradition to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The traditional solemn ceremony to honor our fallen heroes will begin at 9:00 AM in Monument Circle. The parade will immediately follow, beginning on East Broad Street and turning left on North Euclid, ending in Mindowaskin Park. The Westfield Police Department will then escort all participating veterans to Fairview Cemetery for the annual solemn service held there. All residents are invited to join the American Legion at 1003 North Avenue between 12:00 and 4:00 for a barbecue, family games, music, and entertainment. 

Many thanks to the American Legion for hosting the day’s events, to the organizers Joe Mindak and Jim McDonald, and to Fairview Cemetery & Arboretum for their generous funding to help honor the lives lost in service to our country. For full event details, visit our website. 

As we head into Memorial Day Weekend, I’m so pleased to share an important initiative by the Westfield Veterans Fund, with support from the Town, to launch the Westfield Veterans Banner Program, which will honor our veterans with banners throughout our downtown area. You can read all of the details below, and I look forward to the community engagement and support for this project to show our ongoing gratitude to our neighbors who have served.

Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend!

GOLD STAR STREETS

• Archbold Place, named after Private Nelson S. Archbold, Jr.
• Brown Avenue, named after Private George E. Brown
• Cacciola Place, named after Private Domenico Cacciola
• Cauefield Place, named after Private Bernard Cauefield
• Coleman Place, named after Second Lieutenant Coleman T. Clark 
• Cowperthwaite Place, named after Private Harold Frederick Cowperthwaite
• Dunham Avenue, named after Private Ernest F. Dunham
• Hanford Place, named after Sergeant Robert C. Hanford
• Hort Street, named after Lieutenant Nathaniel Hort
• Hyslip Avenue, named after Private Edward Hyslip
• Palsted Avenue, named after Corporal Axel Thomas Palsted
• Raymond Street, named after Private John Raymond Clark
• Reese Place, named after Private Walter Dilts Reese
• Salter Place, named after Salter Storrs Clark, Jr.
• Saunders Avenue, named after Lieutenant Stuart Benton Saunders
• Stevens Avenue, named after Sergeant Henry Carrington Stevens
• Tice Place, named after Corporal Raymond Smith Tice
• Wallberg Avenue, named after Private Martin Wallberg

THE WESTFIELD VETERANS BANNER PROGRAM

The Town of Westfield is proud to partner with the Westfield Veterans Fund, a locally established 501(c)(3) organization, to introduce the Westfield Veterans Banner Program, which will honor local veterans with banners displayed in Downtown Westfield.

Phase 1 of this program will begin on July 4, when the first 30 banners will be displayed on poles adjacent to Monument Circle, along East Broad Street, North Avenue, and South Avenue. The service details for these initial 30 veterans have been identified and verified through the resources and cooperation of the Westfield Historical Society. 

Community sponsorship opportunities are now available to fund the cost of the banners. Donations can be made directly to the Westfield Veterans Fund. The suggested donation is $125 (the cost of a banner), although any amount is appreciated and helps the Westfield Veterans Fund make these banners a reality for the community. 

The banners are expected to remain on display from July 4 through Veterans Day, and will then return annually each Memorial Day. In the coming months, a submission process will be made available, where residents can provide service information about additional veterans to be included in subsequent phases of the program as it continues to grow.  

Thanks to Councilwoman Dawn Mackey and to resident volunteer Jen Blasi for their work on the Town’s behalf to assist the Westfield Veterans Fund with this important community effort.

PRIDE MONTH

June is Pride Month! Join us on Thursday, June 9, at 5:00 PM, to raise the Pride flag at Town Hall. We will then walk to the rainbow crosswalks with our participating middle and high school students, and gather for a photo as we have done the past few years. I’m looking forward to celebrating the inclusive spirit of Westfield -- all are welcome to attend!

GET TO KNOW COUNCILWOMAN EMILY ROOT

Meet our newest Councilwoman, Emily Root! Councilwoman Root was sworn in last month to fill a vacancy in Ward 1 and was recently appointed to serve on the Public Works Committee, as Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee, and as the Council liaison to the Downtown Westfield Corporation. 

Councilwoman Root moved to Westfield in 2000 with her first husband to a home on Edgewood Ave after finishing graduate school. When her husband unexpectedly died of cancer in 2009, it was her neighbors that helped her get through those tough days, and Westfield became not just a community, but a family.  

Emily threw herself into growing her successful speech pathology private practice in Berkeley Heights but then lost 50% of her client base in the first few months of the pandemic. She worried how she would stay open after 17 years, but with some creative thinking and staying the course  today, thankfully, her business is thriving. 

In 2015 she married PR consultant Bruno Tedeschi and moved to a home on Mountain Avenue with two amazing stepkids.

Emily comes from a law enforcement family. Her dad was a police Lieutenant before changing careers and joining the State Department to work in Diplomatic Security in American embassies around the world. Living abroad gave her a profound appreciation for being an American, while also experiencing  firsthand the importance and value of public service which is what inspired her to serve on the Town Council. 

We are fortunate to have someone of Emily’s caliber join us on the dais. Her life experience as a young widow has made her resilient, independent, and compassionate which will make her an empathetic advocate for Ward 1 residents. As a business owner, she will bring a valuable perspective to the DWC Board as someone who understands the struggles of small business owners. 

You can follow Councilwoman Root on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or email her at eroot@westfieldnj.gov. She would love to hear from you! Emily will also be setting up opportunities to meet directly with her Ward 1 constituents in the months ahead. Please say hello if you see her in Town this summer where you’ll find us at Sweet Sounds on Open Quimby on most Tuesday nights.

TOUR DE WESTFIELD

Our resident community biking event, Tour de Westfield, is back for its second year! Save the date for Sunday, June 12, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, for activities that include a three-mile family bike parade led by the Westfield Police Department, a WPD Bike Safety Rodeo, the Tour de Tots for younger children on tricycles, and the Bling Your Bike contest. This year we are featuring a new activity for our more adventurous bikers called the Tour de Tricks, where children nine and older can learn how to jump a curb or see a wheelie demonstration up close. Jay's Cycle will also be on hand to perform safety checks on your bike

Entertainment will be provided by The Spinners, and food for purchase will be available from local businesses. Based on last year’s turnout, we are expecting a great day! Advance registration is required, which can be found on our website.

Thanks to the Recreation Commission & Department for organizing this event, in collaboration with the Westfield Police Department, Green Team, Bicycle Advisory Board, BRAKES Coalition, and Downtown Westfield Corporation. 

WESTFIELD DAY CARE CENTER 5K

Join the Westfield Day Care Center on June 12 for their 5th Annual 5K Race and Family Fun Run in Nomahegan Park! The 5K Race is designed for runners, joggers, and walkers. For those looking for a fun family day out, they will be also hosting a Family Fun Run around Nomahegan Park's pond – or you can participate virtually. 

All proceeds will benefit WDCCs children's enrichment programs and Scholarship Fund, for families who are in need of financial assistance. For more information, visit their website.

SUSTAINABLE JERSEY GRANT

This week, Sustainable Jersey announced the thirty-five New Jersey municipalities, schools and school districts selected to receive a Sustainable Jersey grant funded by the PSEG Foundation. I’m pleased to report that Westfield received one of the seven $20,000 grants – the highest amount awarded – for the Green Team’s application to install “bike oases” within the downtown area that can be used to house bikes while residents go shopping. Each oasis is expected to include places for residents to rest, charge phones, and make bike repairs – further advancing our efforts to make Westfield more bicycle-friendly as part of our sustainability platform. Thanks to Karrie Hanson and Jay Goldring for their work on the successful grant application. 

MATTRESS DISPOSAL RETURNS TO THE CONSERVATION CENTER

The mattress disposal program will re-open at the Conservation Center on Saturday, May 28, at the cost of $35 per item for each mattress or boxspring. A single-use permit is required for this service, which can be purchased online. Thanks to DPW Supervisor Rich Eubanks for identifying a new disposal vendor to bring this popular program back for residents.

In addition, the Center now accepts string lights for recycling in the electronic waste program – free of charge, no permit required. 

WESTFIELD NAMED AS A 2021 TREE CITY USA COMMUNITY

We are honored to be selected once again as a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation. This program celebrates the importance of a sustained tree canopy and the improved care of vital trees in a community. Many thanks to the DPW and the Tree Preservation Commission for their work to help us achieve this designation.

MEMORIAL POOL OPENS JUNE 4

Our wonderful Memorial Pool staff is busy preparing to kick off another fantastic season on Saturday, June 4! As a reminder, the hours for June 4 through June 22 are 4:00 - 8:00 on weekdays, and 10:00 - 7:30 on weekends. From June 23 through September 5, weekday hours are 12:00 - 8:00 (kiddie area opens at 10:00 AM) and weekends are 10:00 - 7:30.

Thanks to a very enthusiastic response from the community, membership is now filled to capacity for the season. If you are interested in joining the wait list, visit our website.

CROSSING GUARDS

Following my update last week regarding labor shortages and COVID infections impacting our crossing guard staffing levels, the Town will continue to focus its current available resources on the posts with the highest pedestrian volume, which are those closest to the schools. As a result, the following posts will be unstaffed for the abbreviated school week of June 1 - June 3:

• Elm Street/Walnut Street
• East Dudley Avenue/Lawrence Avenue
• Kimball Avenue/Mountain Avenue
• Boulevard/Clifton Street
• Boulevard/Park Street
• Boulevard/West Grove Street
• Central Avenue/Cambridge Road (HAWK Light)
• Clifton Street/Central Avenue/Sycamore Street
• Scotch Plains Avenue/First Street

We apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause, as we preserve sufficient police staffing levels for ongoing public safety needs and any unanticipated emergencies. We remain in ongoing contact with All City Management Services (ACMS), who manages our crossing guard program, as they continue to train new recruits to fill some of these vacancies as quickly as possible.