Saturday, November 21, 2009

Boating defendant pleads not guilty

SPRINGFIELD – A Southwick man has entered pleas of not guilty to three charges in connection with a September boat crash on the Congamond Lakes that seriously injured a Southwick selectman.
Robert Danczak, of 17 Oak St. in Southwick, was not in the Hampden County Superior Court courtroom for his arraignment Wednesday morning. His attorney, Thomas Kokonowski, entered pleas of not guilty on Danczak’s behalf to a felony charge of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol with serious injury and negligence and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the boat, for injuring two passengers in Selectman Nicholas Boldyga’s boat. … Click to Subscribe!
DAVE CANTON

Board nixes stop sign request

SOUTHWICK — The Board of Selectmen rejected a bid to put a three-way stop sign at the intersection of Depot Street and Sheep Pasture Road Monday evening after the town’s emergency responders said it could create traffic tie-ups that would affect their response times.
A citizen request for a three-way stop sign at the intersection was heard in a public hearing. While the intersection met two of three MassDOT guidelines for sign placement, Police Safety Officer Sgt. Kirk Sanders and Fire Chief Don Morris said they were not in favor of the plan.
Morris said he was concerned that the intersection, less than 100 yards from the town’s fire station, could create traffic backups that would extend to the station, creating a barrier to his fire apparatus quickly exiting to an emergency. … Click to Subscribe!
DAVE CANTON

Council approves PVEC requests

WESTFIELD — The City Council voted Thursday night to amend city ordinances, approving requests proposed by the Pioneer Valley Energy Center proponents.
That decision, to allow three ordinance changes, came after nearly four months of discussion, a public hearing conducted in August and the positive recommendation of the Planning Board, which conducted its own hearing and review of the proposed changes.
And it required a joint meeting of the Planning, Zoning & Development Committee and Council’s powerful Legislative & Ordinance Committee with Dan Howard, executive director of the municipal Gas & Electric Department to hammer out the final details of the proposed changes.
City Council committees began their consideration of the ordinance items related to the $400 million Pioneer Valley Energy Center project at the July 2, 2009, session of the council. … Click to Subscribe!
DAN MORIARTY