MAYOR'S UPDATE:

WEEK ENDING MAY 5

I want to begin by thanking the Human Relations Advisory Commission (HRAC) and the Washington School community for hosting a Walk the Chalk event to share messages of kindness, positivity, and inclusion. Thanks to all who came out to reinforce the importance of welcoming all in our community! 

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, which is a great reminder of the vast contributions made by the AAPI community here in Westfield. We are so fortunate to have the Westfield Area Chinese American Association (WACAA) here in town, an organization that has devoted countless hours of volunteer service to Westfield. The WACAA worked alongside many other community organizations over the years, including our Human Relations Advisory Commission, to help educate the community as we continue to prioritize an environment of diversity and inclusivity for all who live and work here. 

As a reminder, the Town Council meets on Tuesday night. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

GATEWAY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

This week I was invited to provide public comments to the Gateway Development Commission in support of several resolutions that would allow for the Gateway Program to move forward, ultimately providing a new Hudson River Tunnel that would enable a peak one-seat ride into NYC for Raritan Valley Line commuters. 

As Co-Chair of the Raritan Valley Line Mayors’ Alliance, I, along with 32 other mayors from Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, and Middlesex Counties, continue to be vocal advocates for improved RVL service and a peak one-seat ride in order to improve the quality of life for commuters, the economic prospects for our communities, and overall property values for all of our residents. 

The RVL Mayors’ Alliance is thrilled with the progress over the past few months for the Gateway Program and its core component, the Hudson Tunnel Project, and we remain encouraged to see significant momentum reflected in President Biden’s visit to the region and his announcement of the $292M Mega Grant. The recent announcement of an improved procurement strategy for the Hudson Tunnel Project to advance early work by dividing up the contracting packages is especially promising. Dividing the Civil Works construction package from one package into four ensures a robust and competitive bidding pool from the industry leaders that will enable this project to be built. The demonstrated partnership between the GDC and the private sector is what will enable this transformative project to ultimately get done.

As a former 20-year commuter myself, I know first-hand how the stress of an unreliable commute impacts families, and I’m grateful to the GDC and project partners for their continued work and commitment to bringing this long overdue project to fruition.

OPEN QUIMBY

Open Quimby returns this weekend! The popular pedestrian plaza, featuring expanded outdoor dining and retail space, entertainment, and wellness programming, is back for another exciting season, following the success of the last three years. The one-way traffic pattern on Quimby is now in place, and will be fully closed to cars on Tuesday nights in July and August during the Sweet Sounds Downtown Music Festival. 

Public Works has also been busy getting the parklets ready for participating restaurants, as we anticipate the warm weather and outdoor dining that draws many residents and visitors. In addition to Sweet Sounds and Girls’ Night Out (Thursday, May 11), the DWC will provide a range of Open Quimby programming in the coming months. 

GREEN TEAM EVENTS

Battle of the Drains Competition with Berkeley Heights

The Battle of the Drains is on! Berkeley Heights has challenged Westfield to an Adopt-a-Drain competition that kicked off on April 22 and will run through May 31. Sign up online to adopt a storm drain in your neighborhood and help keep it clear of debris and prevent pollution from entering local waterways. Participants in the challenge can then enter the estimated debris collected, which will determine which municipality wins the challenge.  

In 2020, Westfield became the first municipality in the state to launch the Adopt-a-Drain program. This volunteer-driven initiative acts as a supplement to the ongoing efforts of our Department of Public Works to regularly maintain the 3,000+ drains throughout Westfield. For more information on the Adopt-a-Drain program and how to enter the Battle of the Drains, visit the Adopt-a-Drain website and find out how easy it is to help keep our watersheds clean.

Parks Clean-Up at Tamaques and Brightwood

On Sunday, May 7, join the Green Team by volunteering to beautify Tamaques or Brightwood Park. Families, teens, Girl/Boy Scout troops, and other community groups are welcome. Additional information and registration is available at bit.ly/2023-Parks-CleanUp.

BRIGHTWOOD PARK DAY

Join The Friends of Brightwood Park for Brightwood Park Day on Saturday, May 6!  The day will include a variety of events and activities – a birding walk, mediation/forest bathing, a photography walk, history tour of the park, nature walks, a pollinator gardens tour, presentation on gardening with native plants, children's nature class, a fairy house hunt, and much more. Please come out and enjoy one of Westfield’s most beloved open spaces from 7:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Some activities require pre-registration and a small fee. For more information, visit The Friends of Brightwood Park's website.

PROJECT PLAYGROUND FUNDRAISER

Please join the Lincoln School PTO for an evening of art and fun as they raise funds for Project Playground! The event will take place on Thursday, May 11, from 7:00 - 9:00, at Roig Collection in Downtown Westfield. Beverages and bites from Tavola and Farinolio will be served. 

Project Playground is an initiative to create more accessible and more inclusive playgrounds for the community on the grounds of the Lincoln School. Visit the Lincoln PTO website for event ticket information and for more information on Project Playground. 

SPRING FLING

On Sunday, May 7, don’t miss the annual Spring Fling street fair from 10:00 - 5:00, organized by the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Central Avenue between East Broad and North Avenue will be transformed into a marketplace of vendors, crafters and retail establishments, along with food vendors, entertainment, and a Kids Zone with rides and inflatables. Enjoy the street fair and be sure to visit our downtown businesses throughout the day!

VIETNAM VETERANS REMEMBRANCE DAY

The Westfield Veterans Fund will join veterans’ associations across the state to observe New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day with a ceremony on Sunday, May 7, at 2:00 PM at the Vietnam War Memorial in Memorial Plaza. Vietnam veteran Jack Ford will be the guest speaker, and Westfield High School student Sarah Hobbie will be the vocalist for the ceremony. Please join the community in honoring those who served in the Vietnam War.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH PROGRAM

The Westfield Regional Health Department and SAGE Eldercare are sponsoring a free educational session at the Westfield Memorial Library on Tuesday, May 16, at 10:00 AM, for adults age 55+ with long-term health conditions, as well as their caregivers. Participants will get the support they need, find practical ways to deal with pain and fatigue, discover better nutrition and exercise choices, understand new treatment choices, and learn better ways to talk with doctors and family members about health issues. For more information, please contact Amy Lewis at 908-789-4070 ext. 4080, or alewis@westfieldnj.gov.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH

At our last Town Council meeting, we kicked off Historic Preservation Month by introducing ordinances to historically designate three homes in Stoneleigh Park, one of Westfield's oldest and most illustrious historic neighborhoods. Ranging from a Georgian Revival to a Spanish Colonial to a Tudor, they beautifully represent the ideals set forth by the Tremaines when they designed this enclave in 1905. The Planning Board approved these designations at their recent meeting, and they will be referred back to the Town Council for a final vote on Tuesday night. You can read the full histories of these historic properties on our website. Many thanks to the HPC for their ongoing dedication to preserving Westfield’s historic homes, and to these homeowners – Marielyce Watner of 3 Stoneleigh Park, Aaron and Donna Keith of 5 Stoneleigh Park, and Donald Furrer and Katherine Spikes of 18 Stoneleigh Park – for voluntarily designating their homes. This will bring our total number of properties designated under this administration to 13, which is the most in Town history. 

In addition, the HPC is celebrating National Preservation Month with May Madness, a bracket challenge pitting historic home designs against each other in a style showdown. Each week, the public is invited to vote for their preferred architectural styles ranging from classical to Victorian to modern. Results will be updated as the bracket narrows from Sweet 16 to the Elite 8 and Final Four, with the winner announced at the end of May. Using the recently updated Design Guidelines for Historic Sites and Districts as its resource, the bracket will feature 16 different architectural styles found throughout the town. For more information, visit westfieldnj.gov/hpcmaymadness. 

THANKING OUR CROSSING GUARDS

Many thanks to BRAKES for hosting  the annual Crossing Guard Breakfast last week, where I was joined by many community leaders to express our gratitude to our dedicated crossing guards for keeping our children safe. I was joined by School Superintendent Dr. Gonzalez, Police Chief Battiloro, Town Administrator Jim Gildea, Police Sgt. Tom Ostrander, Coordinator of School and Community Relations Mary Ann McGann, the six elementary school principals, and many BRAKES and PTSO reps. 

The Town’s crossing guard program has been managed by ACMS for four years and reached its stride this year after the pandemic disruption – now operating at full staffing capacity. As a result, our Police Department no longer spends its valuable time and resources manning crossing guard posts, but instead on their primary law enforcement duties. This is exactly the outcome we had always hoped for and intended. 

The comments from the crossing guards said it all…they love our kids (and the dogs too!), and are grateful for the support from our community.

NEW JERSEY FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA FUNDRAISING EVENT

Join the NJFO for their “Fully Charged and Fancy” event on Friday, May 12, featuring Westfield residents Meaghan B Murphy, Editor of Woman’s Day Magazine and author of A Fully Charged Life, and Stacy Lilien, President of LoveShackFancy, a boutique of charming and whimsical clothing and accessories. The afternoon includes a gourmet lunch and a Q&A session, with all proceeds benefiting the New Jersey Festival Orchestra. For additional information and tickets, visit the NJFO website.

WPD AND WFD YOUTH ACADEMIES

Our Police and Fire Departments are excited for their respective Youth Academies this summer! 

The second annual Fire Department Youth Academy is open to Westfield residents age 14-18, and will run from June 27-29 at Westfield Fire HQ and Station #2. Cadets will learn lifesaving skills, firefighter tactics, and the different steps needed to pursue a career in the fire service. All Cadets will also receive their CPR certification. To apply to this free program, please pick up an application in the Westfield High School Guidance Office, or visit our website to print the application and email it to fireprevention@westfieldnj.gov. The deadline for submissions is May 19. 

The Police Department Youth Academy will be held July 10-14, and is open to Westfield residents entering grades 9-12. Youth Academy students will start each day with a basic military drill and physical fitness activities to be led by a certified Westfield Police Department Physical Fitness Instructor and current John H. Stamler Police Academy Drill Instructor. Students will then head into the classroom for specialized instruction on criminal, juvenile and motor vehicle law, as well as an introduction to the court system, crime prevention and criminal investigations. They will also receive basic first aid instruction and CPR certification. The curriculum will include special guest speakers and demonstrations from various other law enforcement and public safety agencies. Applications for this free program can be found at wpdnj.org/youthacademy, and are due by May 17.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

Planning is underway for the Memorial Day Parade! As always, this beloved Westfield tradition is led by the Martin Wallberg American Legion Post 3 to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. The Town is assisting the Legion by collecting parade participant information on our website. 

The parade route will be the same as last year with a later start time, beginning with the traditional remembrance ceremony at 10:00 in Memorial Plaza, and will then proceed down East Broad Street and turn left on North Euclid, ending in Mindowaskin Park, where all members of the public are invited for a fun gathering with music and refreshments. The Westfield Police Department will escort all participating veterans to Fairview Cemetery for the annual solemn service to be held there. The American Legion will also host its annual barbecue with music and entertainment. Additional details will follow in the coming weeks.