Read the full article by Manon L. Mirabelli (MassLive)
“WESTFIELD — A $1.3 million settlement hammered out between state officials and the federal government will be used to pay down the bond anticipation note related to water treatment that is due in June, the City Council voted Thursday.
The $1,350,917 is a reimbursement toward the $13 million bond the city took to institute a water remediation plan after Westfield water was contaminated by chemicals called PFAS from firefighting foam used at Barnes Air National Guard Base.
City Auditor Christopher Caputo told councilors he has been working with a bond adviser who urged the city to move forward.
‘If we wait until the next meeting on May 7 there won’t be enough time to get in the final numbers,’ he said. ‘We would like to renew the bond for one more year and apply these proceeds to the note.’
Ward 2 City Councilor Ralph Figy, who was the acting mayor when the funds arrived, said the timetable has moved up, and “the next bond sale will happen sooner rather than later,” during the last week of May instead of June.
At-Large Councilor Kristen L. Mello recognized U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, for negotiating the deal with the Pentagon…”