MAYOR'S UPDATE:
WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 16

It has been another busy week in Downtown Westfield as we continue to see the incredible momentum building with new businesses! This week, I had the opportunity to attend two more ribbon cuttings. Congrats to Maya Thai Eatery on their official grand opening, after being in business for several months to excellent community reviews! This amazing restaurant is located at 235 Elmer Street (in the former Xocolatz location) – it’s a must-try for authentic, fresh Thai food and a great new addition to Westfield’s expanding dining scene. In addition, Francis Henri opened today at 258 East Broad (in the former Westfield Creamery location), and offers unique clothes and gifts for children featuring Australian and European brands. We’re thrilled that they chose to establish their first physical storefront location in Westfield to complement their successful online boutique, providing yet another great retail experience for residents and visitors.

Just a few doors down, we heard some very exciting news this week from the Center for Creativity at the Rialto, with the announcement of a $5M donation! This transformative gift, by a Westfield resident wishing to remain anonymous, will allow the Center to finalize its long-term plans to reinvent the historic Rialto building as a community-focused arts center, and acts as an important preliminary spark for its anticipated capital fundraising campaign. The gift will also allow the Center to complete critical short-term repairs to allow limited interim programming. I’m always amazed by the generosity of our residents, and look forward to seeing this beloved Westfield landmark reopen as an anchor for our emerging arts scene. To read the full announcement, visit their website. 

Also this week, local artist and Westfield native Ricardo Roig announced the establishment of a non-profit “giving gallery” that he’s creating at the Center for Creativity at the Rialto. The Heartwork Non-Profit Art Space will feature Art for All Workshops, a Children’s Drawing Gallery, and a Giving Gallery featuring professional artists. For those interested in volunteering and being a part of this community space, contact Ricardo and Michelle Roig at 551-349-3772 or info@roigcollection.com.

Speaking of our downtown, I would like to invite you to attend the next Town Council meeting on Tuesday, September 20, when HBC | Streetworks Development will be presenting their development proposal to the Town Council for the Lord & Taylor site and the north and south side train station parking lots. This potentially historic public/private partnership is the culmination of over three years of collaboration, guided not only by our top flight team of redevelopment professionals, but more importantly, by various community groups and the public input from the Master Plan Re-examination. 

You can tune in to the Town Council meeting at 8:00 to watch their presentation by streaming it live on Facebook or attending the meeting in person. While this initial presentation is explicitly for the governing body, it will kick off a town-wide community engagement process led by HBC | Streetworks Development, the details of which they will be sharing on Tuesday evening. 

It’s an exciting time for our downtown and I look forward to your participation! The end result will only be as good as the input they get from you. Hope to see you on Tuesday night!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

FIRE PREVENTION MONTH

October is Fire Prevention Month! The Westfield Fire Department will kick off Fire Prevention Month this year by opening their doors on Saturday, October 8, with an open house for the public from the hours of 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

Throughout the month, the Westfield Fire Department will provide fire safety awareness to families, students, seniors and the community. To schedule a visit to your class, school, organization, or block party, call Fire Prevention at 908-789-4145, or email fireprevention@westfieldnj.gov.

CELLULAR IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSAL

In case you missed it, earlier this week I provided an update on the cell tower initiative which was first brought up in February 2021, which involves the exploration of placing a cell tower on Town property. 

As you may recall, we originally issued an RFP for cellular providers to place a cell tower adjacent to Houlihan/Sid Fay fields based on a letter we received from AT&T at the time, expressing an interest in this placement.    

We took the request seriously based on a number of factors, including the desire to address poor cellular reception on the southside but also because of our need to address the long-standing parking and pedestrian safety issues at Houlihan/Sid Fay field –  the lack of adequate parking, a restroom, and ADA compliance at the facility. In return for allowing a party to install a cell tower, the Town would require the provider to pay for some of these necessary improvements – an innovative solution to solve these issues at no cost to taxpayers –  in addition to annual lease payments for the use of the property.

In March 2021, at the recommendation of the Code Review and Property Committee, the Town issued an RFP to bring on a consultant, at no cost, to advise the Council on negotiations with interested wireless providers – which ultimately resulted in a bid for lease of a communications facility issued in July-August 2021 to cellular providers and tower operators, which yielded no bid responses. 

Recently, we have received some carrier feedback that placement of a cell tower at the Conservation Center on Lamberts Mill Road would better close the coverage gap that exists in a large portion of the southwest area of Westfield. In working with our consultant, we have issued a new bid for this location with a required $100,000 donation to our Parks Improvement Fund, with recurring annual lease payments, still allowing the Town to fund the necessary improvements at Sid Fay/Houlihan through this cell tower license. 

Both wireless carriers and residents alike have repeatedly cited a need to improve cellular service in the southwest section of town, specifically Lamberts Mill to Willow Grove Road and Clifton Street, inclusive of Tamaques and Jefferson Elementary Schools. These areas have been identified as having wireless service gaps, specifically in the interiors of homes and buildings – a concern I hear increasingly from residents. Additionally, boosting coverage in this area would improve the reliability of our emergency response network for our first responders.

As I mentioned when we first explored this issue, it’s important to consider that if we don’t approve a location on Town property, the providers have the option to go to an alternate site on private property, either in Westfield or in close proximity in a neighboring town. This would improve the coverage BUT eliminate Westfield from being able to reap any of the investment or revenue benefits.

We understand there are many sensitivities when it comes to cell towers. However, knowing that a cell tower in the vicinity may be inevitable, it is prudent to take a proactive and engaged approach to ensure that we maximize the benefit to Westfield taxpayers AND maintain controls in the process. In this case, we have the opportunity to resolve a long-standing safety issue at Houlihan/Sid Fay field and additionally reap the benefit of having someone else cover the costs of these improvements. 

We will provide updates after any cellular provider responses are received from the bid in October, at which time the issue would come before the Council with the opportunity for public input. No contract will be awarded unless it is recommended by the consultant, passes muster with our Town governing body, and adequately addresses questions or concerns from our residents.

In the meantime, for additional information, please refer to the FAQs on our website.

WESTFIELD MEMORIAL LIBRARY UPDATES

Small Business Seminars
Strong, vibrant local businesses are an important part of the Westfield community. Westfield Memorial Library is partnering with the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce and SCORE Metro NJ to provide support and resources for Westfield area business-owners through an upcoming series of seminars. From understanding and attracting customers, to financial planning and social media marketing, mastering these skills is critical to the short and long-term success of every small business.To register, or find more information, visit wmlnj.org and browse the events calendar.


September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month
Libraries play a crucial role in the education and development of children, offering a variety of programs to spark creativity and stimulate an interest in reading and learning. Through access to technology, media resources and educational programs, a library card gives students the tools to succeed in the classroom and provides people of all ages opportunities to pursue their dreams, explore new passions and interests, and find their voice.

At Westfield Memorial Library, patrons of all ages can find a variety of educational activities, including story times, lectures, craft programs, music and theater performances, small business seminars, and much more.

During the month of September, Westfield residents of all ages are encouraged to register for their own library card. This card unlocks a world of free resources including personal and professional development with LinkedIn Learning, language development with Mango Languages, and streaming movies and film with Kanopy.

As a special courtesy, every Westfield resident who registers for a new library card during the month of September will receive a commemorative water bottle. For more information, visit wmlnj.org or call 908-789-4090.

UPCOMING EVENTS

BLOCK PARTY INFORMATION 

It's block party season! Before hosting your neighborhood gathering, be sure to follow the Town's procedures to obtain all necessary approvals. The last day to hold a block party is Monday, October 10. You can find full details, as well as a fillable application, on our website.