LONGMEADOW – Michelle Marantz, chair of the Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group, informed the Longmeadow Select Board of movement in the gas pipeline issue.

“Eversource recently told me that they will move forward with the old Columbia Gas plan to build a high-pressure pipeline starting at a proposed metering station on [Longmeadow Country Club (LCC)] property and ending in Springfield.” She said that Eversource plans to announce the pipeline route and get feedback from the town beginning in July.

Eversource confirmed to Reminder Publishing that it is “evaluating options for a Western Massachusetts Reliability Project,” which includes the pipeline through Longmeadow. The project seeks to serve 58,000 customers in Agawam, West Springfield, Southwick, Springfield, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow and Chicopee by replacing the existing pipeline, which Eversource Spokesperson Priscilla Ress described as “aged” and “a significant risk” of future outages. She said the company is exploring safe service to customers “while balancing environmental impacts and cost.”

Marantz stated that Eversource’s plans ignore the state’s 2021 climate bill, “An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy,” which sets an emissions reduction mandate of 50 percent by the year 2030. She also balked at the company’s declaration that it is working toward a “clean-energy future.”

She emphasized the potential danger of pipelines by citing the Marshfield Pipeline Fire and held up Easthampton as a model the town should aspire toward. Its municipal buildings are scheduled to run on 40 percent solar power by August.
Middle School Buildings

The Select Board approved two statements of interest presented by Assistant Superintendent Tom Mazza. The documents detail the issues with Glenbrook and Williams Middle Schools and request that they be considered by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for funding. While the schools are being submitted as two separate projects, if selected, a feasibility study will be completed and a combined, single school may be determined to be the best solution, Mazza said.

Gold voted against the statements because they contained language describing the schools as “structurally unsound or otherwise in a condition seriously jeopardizing the health and safety of school children.” Although he understood the language was written by the MSBA as part of the criteria for funding, he said it “potentially opens up to a lot of liability.” He added, “If we believe that, the schools need to be shut down.”

Mazza acknowledged, “In terms of health and safety, yeah, there most certainly are challenges every day that we deal with.” He cited the HVAC system, the condition of which led to Glenbrook shutting down for half a day during the recent heatwave. He said the conditions are one of the three or four reasons the school district selected as to why the funding was needed.

Gold asked if the district had a “plan b” in case the MSBA rejected Longmeadow’s requests, as they have four times in the past. Mazza explained that the $30 million refurbishment presented by Superintendent Marty O’Shea at a previous board meeting is the plan b. It would bring the schools up to code, but not address any of the inadequacies of the 70-year-old buildings.

“The question is, is that going to be money well spent down the road for having a building that still doesn’t provide us the ability to have the educational opportunity for students,” Mazza asked rhetorically.

Liquor Licenses

Multiple businesses came before the board for public hearings on liquor license transfers or changes to existing ones. Business owner Jignesh Patel applied to transfer the liquor license from Andre & Andre, Inc., former owners of the Four Seasons Wine & Liquors, to him as Seasons Liquor, LLC. Gold made a point to warn Patel that his license would be revoked if he was caught selling to minors. The business at 793 Williams St. is in the vicinity of the high school. “I’m not making this as a threat, just as a comment.” Patel assured him that he has identification scanning machines to ensure age. Lachiusa added that serving intoxicated people can also put his license in jeopardy. “Yes, it’s the law,” Patel responded.

Kathleen Breck, a member of the board of directors for the Longmeadow Country Club, requested an adjustment to the club’s liquor license, allowing alcohol to be served on the entire course. The plan is to begin cart service to each of the holes. As Shaker Road bisects the course, the club would also require a transport license.

Marantz questioned crossing a public way with a drinks cart and said it was dangerous, but Breck reiterated that half of the holes are on the opposite side of the road from the clubhouse.

Gold again expressed concerns about minors accessing alcohol, in this case by using their parent’s club membership ID number. He noted players between the ages of 18 and 20 use the course. “Special precautions or actions need to be considered,” Gold stated. Breck said that the cart will be managed by a bartender who would ask for ID “for anyone even close to underage.” State law requires people appearing under the age of 40 to be ID checked.

The third entity with a licensing request was Longmeadow Hospitality. The company was looking to add alcohol sales to their patio customers. The Meeting House has had patio service at the 827 Williams St. location for three years and Lachiusa said there had been no noise complaints in that time. The license changes were approved for all petitioners.

Committee Interviews

The board conducted a series of interviews as it looks to fill seats on the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), Board of Health (BOH), Parks Board, Historical Commission and Capital Planning Committee, among others. Board members received some pushback on questions asked of two candidates.

Gold asked resident Pete Landon, who was applying for the CPC, whether he considered himself a “disrupter.” Landon said he didn’t appreciate the characterization. Later, Marantz asked Bob Baevsky why the BOH didn’t provide guidance to the board on the 2020 Annual Town meeting though he said he understood that the state had not given guidance to locals boards of health.

“I’ll challenge you directly and say that the state did give guidance and that, in fact, the BOH followed, almost to a T, the state guidance at all levels when it came to the pandemic, when it came to decision making.” He went on, “We did not establish our own, unenforceable regulations and we, in fact, followed as best we could CDC guidelines and state guidelines for Town Meeting, for graduations, for any big events and for the use of town facilities.”

The interviews were scheduled to continue at the following meeting.

COVID-19 and Ambulance Service

Fire Chief John Dearborn announced that over 10,000 Longmeadow residents, 80 percent of eligible residents, had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, there was only one active case in the town. With these metrics in mind, Dearborn requested that the Select Board rescind the state-of-emergency order, which they did unanimously.

Moving forward, town offices will be reopened to the public, though masks will still be necessary for unvaccinated people. The Adult Center and Veteran’s Services will remain closed for the time being, but appointments are available. In-person municipal meetings will not be conducted in the police or fire department meeting rooms as Simmons said it poses a public safety challenge. Potential locations are being considered.

Dearborn also told the board that the ambulance service collection rates are at 94.7 percent. The charges for the Advanced Life Support 1 (ALS1) service have increased by 9 percent. Dearborn explained that the increase was related to equipment costs. He said 70 percent of transport calls use ALS1. There is a fund for people who have used the service but cannot afford to pay the out-of-pocket cost associated with it. This is a relatively rare circumstance, he said, which happens a couple of times per year.

Lifeguard Shortage

To address the lifeguard shortage that has forced the closure of Bliss Pool this summer, Gold proposed the town sponsor an American Red Cross lifeguard class and waive the fee for people who then work for the town. “Maybe we could open up a second pool for July and August,” he suggested. Longmeadow Town Manager Lyn Simmons replied that the town has already reached out to the Red Cross to pursue the class, but had not yet heard back. She explained that the 40-hour courses are limited to 10 people, and even if all 10 came to work for the town, it would still “barely have enough people to open the pool.” Simmons said of the nationwide shortage of lifeguards, “We are a casualty of that, but we are not alone.”

Final Thoughts

Lachiusa shared some food for thought with his colleagues regarding capital projects that lie ahead. “We have five buildings that we need to make decisions on in the next five to seven years,” he told the other board members. These include the two middle schools, the Town Hall and Meeting House, which both require work to make them accessible to people with disabilities, and the Greenwood building, half of which sits empty.

Former Select Board member Marie Angelides thanked outgoing member Richard Foster for his experience and the work he has done, particularly as a proponent for road and sidewalk upkeep and the new Department of Public Works garage, scheduled to be open June 24.