WESTFIELD – After Department of Public Works Director David Billups refused an invitation to answer questions about Wells 7 and 8 at the July 2 Westfield City Council meeting, the council hosted a lengthy discussion with Mayor Don Humason over the process and residents’ water concerns.

Humason said that he and Billups were not prepared to answer the questions at this time. He added the other concern was the ongoing litigation regarding Wells 7 and 8.

He said, “There were some issues with some of the questions over some concerns on our part about the city’s ongoing litigations about the wells and other things. So, we just felt like we weren’t prepared to answer the questions at this time.”

Humason added that he did not see the email from the City Council with questions until just before the meeting.

Councilor Kristen Mellow said she was upset with the way the mayor’s office handled the refusal and said, “That letter was insulting, you received my questions, residents took their own time to make those questions and you are in violation of the charter by not answering those questions and I am furious.”

While Humason explained that there were some questions that would not have been answered at the time of the meeting Councilor Dave Flaherty said that the council followed the correct protocols, provided the questions in a timely manner, and should have gotten an answer to some of the questions.

“To outright not give us the answers because someone doesn’t want to give it isn’t the right thing to do,” Flaherty said, “To say you’re not coming when we followed the protocols is not good at all. It does a disservice to everybody who elects the City Council and does a disservice to our role as a City Council, we have a right to ask this stuff.”

With water quality being a pressing issue for the City, Councilor Nick Morganelli said he was upset that residents would not get answers to their questions.

“I was disappointed for the residents that won’t get to hear answers to their questions. And I commend the councilors and residents that submitted their questions. I hope we can get answers to the questions for residents as soon as possible,” he said.

One of the resounding sentiments from the Council, including Councilors Flaherty, Dan Allie and John Beltrandi, was that the council could even question Billups in executive session in order to at least get some answers to their questions about the wells.

In order to avoid the mayor missing any emails in the future, Councilor James Adams recommended that when a councilor makes a motion to bring in a department head, they call the mayor’s office to make sure it goes through.

While the main questions were not answered, Councilor Michael Burns said that he received a report that the water in the wells were safe and Department of Environmental Protection approved. He said, “I just wanted to let the general public know the water is safe and the DEP did approve it.”

Ultimately the Council agreed to host a special meeting to question Billups at a date to be determined since the next regular meeting is on Aug. 20.