EAST?LONGMEADOW – The East Longmeadow Town Council met on Aug. 8 and Town Manager Denise Menard brought up various positive additions as well as issues going on in the town including the formation of a Zoning Bylaw Review committee, the town testing positive for West Nile and the upcoming kindergarten class size.

Zoning Bylaw Committee
Menard announced that along with Director of Planning and Community Development Robyn Macdonald, she’s planning on forming a Zoning Bylaw Review Committee. Currently, they’re looking for individuals who are interested in joining the group.  For those who are interested, they’re encouraged to contact Menard at 525-5400 ext. 1100 or Macdonald at 525-5400 ext. 1700.

Strategic Plan and Community Development
The town’s strategic plan has not been revised since 1996, and Menard expressed the need to update it.  Additionally, Menard and Macdonald met with the owner of Design Professionals Peter DeMallie in an effort to learn his perspective on community development.

“He had a number of good suggestions including adding a page to our website that would be used as a resource by businesses interested in locating in East Longmeadow, and to have the planner become involved in resources in the region such as the New England Knowledge Corridor Economic Development Council of Western Mass. and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission,” Menard said.

Menard believes making these changes would help to grow the town’s network base and will expand the thinking of the community.

Health Director
Aimee Petrosky, East Longmeadow’s Health Director, has been selected to join the Massachusetts Environmental Health Association.

“This is a really exciting development for Western Mass. as we have very limited representation on statewide environmental health programming and this puts East Longmeadow in a better position for grants, other state resources and consideration in hosting conferences and trainings,” Menard explained.

She believes that Petrosky’s position on the Massachusetts Environmental Health Association will further the East Longmeadow Board of Health’s vision to be a standout community in Western Massachusetts.

“She [Petrosky] continues to be growing a good reputation as a go-to person in the whole Western Mass. region,” Menard said.

West Nile
Along with 59 other communities in Massachusetts, East Longmeadow tested positive for mosquitoes that carry West Nile, according to Menard.  She shared that the Health Department has made an increase in their trapping efforts.  Additionally, deet wipes are available in the town offices and were distributed at National Night Out and given to other town organizations.

Flu Vaccination Clinic and Hazardous Waste Collection Day

This years flu vaccination clinic will be taking place on Oct. 4 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall parking lot.  Not only will the flu vaccination be offered, but the pneumovax, the tdap vaccination and the shingles vaccination will be available as well.  Last year the clinic sold out of all of their vaccinations, and the town hopes this happens again.  All of the vaccinations are free or subsidize for insured or underinsured residents.

Sept. 9 will be the Household Hazardous Waste Regional Collection day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham at 621 Main Street.  If residents would like to participate in this, they’re required to schedule an appointment with the Health Department in advance.

Kindergarten Class Size
The kindergarten class size for the upcoming school year has reached nearly 24 children per classroom.  Currently, a discussion is being had as to whether or not an additional classroom for this year should be made so that the class size is smaller.  If this is approved, the additional expense to hire a teacher for the year would be funded from an existing revolving fund related to a previous kindergarten program.

According to East Longmeadow School Committee member Bill Fonseca, since June roughly 25 new families have registered for kindergarten.  There is also potential for two additional families joining the school system.