The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community. |
AGAWAM |
Month: November 2005
Change is coming, and it is needed. Though they differ on specifics, the governor, the Senate president and the speaker of the House all agree on that point. For the wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents, we must seize this once-in-a-generation moment.
Health insurance enables patients to access the preventative care that saves lives, so it is time to set ourselves on a path to affordable, meaningful coverage for everyone. It is at the heart of what hospitals stand for in this debate.
Coverage should take the form of expanded Medicaid for the needy and new, more affordable private health insurance.These options should truly meet peoples’ medical needs. Reform that offers benefits that are low and co-pays and deductibles that are high will not work.
There must also be a recognition that no matter how generous the benefits, no matter how broad the coverage, there will still be those who will fall between the cracks.There must be a safety net for them and for those who provide their care. The form of such a safety net can be debated, but there should be no disagreement about its necessity.It’s not realistic to assume that we won’t need a safety net once health reform becomes law. That will put vulnerable people in harm’s way.
As lawmakers focus on reform, one of the great challenges confronting them is affordability to consumers, businesses and taxpayers. As you might expect, in the current system, all sides try to reduce costs.But if a business chooses to cut expenses by dropping coverage for employees, we all end up paying for that choice as those employees become state-subsidized ‘free care’ patients. At the vast majority of good businesses that offer health benefits, some employees who are financially capable of enrolling sometimes gamble by opting out. And these aren’t the only “free riders.” The state has a track record of consuming services through Medicaid and paying for far less than the cost of those services.
That is why coverage for all requires ‘shared responsibility’ by all. Without it, the cost of caring for the uninsured will still be unfairly carried, in the form of higher premiums, by responsible citizens and companies. For state government, shared responsibility means stepping up with fair Medicaid payments.
For individuals, it means living up to the personal responsibility to purchase insurance.Reform can help make insurance more affordable, and it is fair to offer public subsidies to help those who find that insurance is just beyond their financial grasp.
Employers – including hospitals – that provide coverage to their workers should not have to bear the cost for those who do not. Businesses that are struggling to offer health benefits should not be put at a competitive disadvantage against those that are not making the same effort. It may also require assistance to small businesses that want to step up and do the right thing on health benefits.
Hospitals have a critical role to play in the affordability challenge. We support efforts to reduce administrative costs, to manage costs more effectively, and to be publicly accountable for the care we provide.Better information technology is a key component. We also know that, depending on the needs of a patient, care should be delivered in lower cost settings. All patients deserve the right care, at the right place, at the right time.
These lofty goals can be realized. But, it will take more revenue, whether it comes from tobacco money, gaming revenue, assessments on employers who do not provide coverage, or increased Medicaid reimbursements.
This is Massachusetts and this is the moment. With commitment, collaboration and, most importantly, leadership, we can make coverage for all a reality. Let’s do it.
Ronald M. Hollander is President and CEO of the Massachusetts Hospital Association. (781) 272-8000.
Go FIT Foundation Provides Youths, Women with An Exercise in Healthy Lifestyles
Susan Jaye-Kaplan knows what its like to be underprivileged. Orphaned at an early age, she lived with various relatives in Boston, and was on her own and on the streets before graduating from high school.
I knew what it was like to not have a roof over my head and not know where the next meal was going to come from, she told BusinessWest, adding that she was essentially going nowhere, and fast, until a mentor stepped into her life.
His name was Lippman Hart Geronimus. He was a bacteriologist at Beth Israel Hospital, and he came across Jaye-Kaplan as she walked around various offices and labs looking for a summer job.He found something for me to do, she said, adding that his help went well beyond a paycheck.
He made me say the same thing every day that I can do anything and be anything I want to be as long as I remain focused, hard-working, challenged, and honest.
Inspired by her own good fortune and how it was shaped by someone who gave her guidance and direction and helped her believe in herself, Jaye-Kaplan has dedicated much of her adult life to providing similar opportunities for others. A year ago, she and her husband founded the Go FIT Foundation, which provides health and fitness opportunities to economically underprivileged and underserved youth and women in inner city and rural settings.
The foundation conducts six-week programs designed to stress the benefits of walking and running. But its overall mission is to go much further.
Indeed, Go FIT is about more than helping an increasingly overweight population of young people and women learn about diet and exercise, said Jaye-Kaplan.
It also exists to provide guidance, show children that others care about them, and convince these young people that they should care about (and take care of) themselves.
The foundation has conducted 12 programs to date, at sites ranging from YMCAs to area inner-city schools to the Mass. Career Development Institute, and has received requests for dozens more. The early success of programs conducted in the Pioneer Valley, coupled with exposure in publications such as New England Runner and Runners World, has prompted requests for programs from across the state and, more recently, other areas of the country.
Taking Go FIT from a local to a regional and then national (and perhaps international) initiative is inevitable, said Jaye- Kaplan, noting quickly that she and the groups board of directors will move carefully as they consider expansion.
Like the young people involved in the Go FIT programs, the groups leaders will walk before they run.
Step by Step
Jaye-Kaplan doesnt hide her frustration as she talks about the overall fitness and athletic abilities of the youths she sees at Go FIT programs or the distinct lack thereof.
When they start the six-week programs, she said, participants do 30 minutes of walking and running in repetitions involving four minutes of walking followed by one minute of running and more than half simply are not up to it.
The poor conditioning is attributable to a number of factors, she said, including everything from improper diet to the influence of video games to the fact that parents living in many inner-city neighborhoods will not let their children out to play because the streets and parks (what few exist) are too dangerous.
Participation in a Go FIT program will not change a childs physique, weight, or endurance level, said Jaye-Kaplan. Six weeks will not change who they are today, but the hope is that their perception of who they are for themselves will change.
Were hopeful that we can change the way young people perceive what they can and cant do for wellness and life, she continued.
If they can look at one less day of television and one less day of fast food … if we can change the perception of what theyre capable of doing in their own minds, thats truly the beginning of what can happen for the rest of their lives.
This was Jaye-Kaplans vision when she and other members of the Pioneer Valley Womens Running Club, which she formed, started a ‘Walk to Run program that engaged area youths in programs stressing exercise and nutrition.
Conducted in conjunction with groups such as Girls Inc. in Holyoke and area YMCAs, the ‘Walk to Run programs used running as a way to get young people thinking about the long-term benefits of exercise and healthy eating habits for both the body and mind, she explained.
The running club was not in a position to expand ‘Walk to Run, said Jaye- Kaplan, so she and her husband created the Go FIT Foundation to carry on the mission and take it to a higher level.
The group received more than 80 requests for programs in its first year, she said, and it conducted as many as time and resources would allow. The sessions are carefully prepared, she explained, adding that there is a lengthy training regimen for mentors prior to each program. Each days session begins with a meeting in a friendship circle, she said, adding that there are speakers on subjects ranging from nutrition to dental hygiene, as well as exercise routines. Participants log their activities and their thoughts about them in Go FIT journals.
Students are given sneakers and Tshirts, said Jaye-Kaplan, but, ultimately, they take something more valuable with them come programs end appreciation of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Programs generally cost about $5,000, which covers clothing and footwear for participants and other expenses, said Kaplan, noting that corporate sponsors have helped offset those costs.
Incorporated last January, Go FIT has exploded onto the local health and education scene, picking up major corporate sponsors, energetic and community-minded board members, and considerable momentum along the way.
Carol Leary, president of Bay Path College and one of those board members, told BusinessWest that she became involved because she believes in Go FITs mission of both educating and mentoring young people and women.
The college has taken part in a number of the groups initiatives, she said, including a program for students of Springfields Beal School that took part on the campus, and a nutrition program designed to help Bay Path students make smart nutrition decisions.
These students are enjoying real independence, usually for the first time in their lives, she said. They can eat whatever they want; we want them to make smart, informed decisions about nutrition.
Leary said she has been inspired not only by GoFITs mission, but by Jaye- Kaplans energetic, imaginative approach to carrying it out.
By that, she meant the creation of what she called ‘concentric circles. Touch one person, and they are educated in a new way of thinking or a new way of behaving, he explained, then they will touch another person. And thats the brilliance of this program.
Those individuals who go through the program … their lives will be changed forever; they will always think about what they eat and about the value of exercise, she continued. And they will hopefully then touch another person their own child, a brother, a sister, a mother, a father who will hopefully be touched by the Go FIT philosophy.
Other area colleges and businesses have been similarly inspired. The list of sponsors and supporters includes Springfield College and Western New England College, Big Y, Reebok, Lenox American Saw, Health New England, Baystate Health, Spalding, and others.
Looking forward, Jaye-Kaplan said Go FITs early success and its strong base of support should enable it to expand its reach well beyond the Pioneer Valley. Already, the Boston Parks & Recreation Dept. has made inquiries about scheduling programs for dozens of sites, and Jaye-Kaplan anticipates handling that assignment in 2007.
Were getting calls from Wisconsin, Kansas, Tennessee, all over, she said. Its gratifying but also a little overwhelming. Were going to expand at a workable pace; we want to get all our ducks in a row.
The Finish Line
Jaye-Kaplan told Business West that many young people cry when their sixweek Go FIT programs end and she often gets teary eyed herself. Thats because she views those final sessions not as the end of something, but rather a continuation (hopefully) of a new and different outlook on health, fitness and life.
As she said, she cant take an obese child and make her fit and trim in a month and a half. But she can lay the foundation for a healthier life, and that is her ultimate mission. And shes going to take it take one child, and one step, at a time.
George OBrien can be reached at[email protected]
Health Care Providers Wait “ and Prepare ” for Avian Flu
The term ‘pandemic refers to any outbreak that crosses borders as it spreads; i.e., a regional pandemic or global pandemic. The term does not refer to the actual severity of the illness that spreads, but the swift response on the part of various countries across the globe to the current avian flu type H5N1, to be exact is an effort to avoid the worst case scenario: a lethal, wide-spread public health issue.
Winging It
Carol Wojnarowski, RN, manager of Infection Control at Holyoke Medical Center, said theres no way to tell if the danger associated with the flu virus currently on the global radar screen will increase, but said there is certainly cause for concern.
A strain of bird flu can exhibit either high or low pathogenicity, she explained, meaning it either exhibits a quick onset and the ability to kill an organism, or a slow onset and less likelihood to result in death.
The birds carrying the H5N1 virus in Asia and some parts of Eastern Europe have been exhibiting high pathogenicity, although only a handful of human cases have been recorded in remote areas of Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam to date.
Those humans who have contracted the flu are those who are coming in very close contact with these birds, Wojnarowski said.
We would be incredibly concerned if we started to see it spreading in the urban centers of those countries, because that would mean it was probably being passed from human to human.
In short, its the ease of spread coupled with a high pathogenicity that has government officials, including those in the U.S., on high alert.
The common flu viruses we have here now kill 36,000 people in the U.S. each year, she said. 90% of those people are over the age of 65, and usually die from pneumonia, which sets in after a prolonged illness.
With a flu that has a high pathogenicity (for humans), people dont have time to get to the pneumonia stage they get sick very quickly and die from their flu symptoms. Theres also the danger of younger, healthier people getting the disease and dying from it thats what happened during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, and thats what has people worried.
Further, since migratory birds are carrying the virus as much as fowl relegated to farms or contained areas, the virus has been seen creeping across the Asian continent steadily, another warning sign of an approaching pandemic.
Theres no question that these birds are moving, Brown said. The spread is directly related to their flight patterns.
Shot in the Dark
To address those concerns, a vaccine is currently in development for avian flu, although scientists are working with a moving target flu viruses tend to mutate easily, making vaccines ineffective.
If a flu virus mutates in a major way, it essentially becomes a new virus to which populations are susceptible, Brown explained.
So in addition to vaccine development, contingency plans are being put in place on various plateaus, from the federal level to the state level and within hospitals and communities across the country.
Some policies being drafted are simple and resemble those often recommended for dealing with traditional flu viruses avoiding the workplace when ill and constant hand-washing, for instance.
Hospitals are also working to stock greater numbers of masks, and create isolation wings or rooms and quarantine plans for the facilities, as well as for entire communities. They are also developing ‘surge plans, designed to help facilities handle the sudden onset of a number of patients that exceeds normal levels.
Wojnarowski added that all hospitals work closely with the Centers for Disease Control to report instances of flu hospitalizations and other instances of infectious disease.
If any patterns begin to develop, that ‘fish-net approach catches them early. In addition, she said the nation is also surveying poultry and migratory bird populations, in order to identify potential carriers of the virus.
Once the birds are sick, its too late the virus is already doing its damage, she said. The country is taking the monitoring and evaluation of these birds very seriously.
Referring not only to his own organization but the country as a whole, Brown added that hes seeing a greater response to this health issue than others in recent memory, such as SARS.
I think were responding better to this issue than we have in the past, he said. This flu has the potential to attack healthier populations than we are used to; its more virulent, and people could be more prone to respiratory failure. That prompts a lot of questions, from the availability of ventilators to staffing, and the discussions to answer those questions are happening.
Its important to note, Wojnarowski and Brown agreed, that the U.S. does not anticipate imminent danger from the avian flu, although the plans being put in place now are not being considered pre-emptive or kneejerk reactions; rather, they are examples of proactive measures.
Theyre a good test, said Brown. In regard to the vaccinations, as we develop vaccines were also developing better ways to make them. There has been a lot of collaboration with hospitals and the state. Disaster plans are becoming more streamlined, and any weaknesses are being pointed out and fixed.
There are also medications available that are likely to have some impact on this flu, he continued. People should remember to live their lives there are no restrictions on travel at this time, and people should feel free to eat chicken and other poultry. This flu may not be on its way this year, he concluded, but that doesnt mean it wont happen next year.
And he hopes it wont be news to anyone.
Beacon Hill Pushes for A Consensus on Health Care Reform
The fast track. Thats where the Commonwealths health care reform efforts currently sit, only temporarily stalled after speeding toward the point at which the House and Senate must hammer out a compromise between rival plans. While its true that the proposals have some similarities, they also have some major differences, especially when it comes to their effect on the business community.
When reached, that compromise will go to Gov. Mitt Romney, who has forwarded his own health care reform proposal, giving lawmakers three measures from which to craft a response.
It remains to be seen what the final draft of this, the most recent attempt at reform legislation in Massachusetts will look like. But legislators hope to have a plan in place by early January an ambitious goal, given that the House and Senate approved their respective bills on Nov. 3 and 9. But time is of the essence — and its a big part of the story.
A plan must be in place soon if the state is to qualify for $335 million in federal funding used as both the carrot and the stick in an effort to compel states to provide health insurance for more of their residents. According to Eileen McAnneny, vice president for Government Affairs for the Associated Industries of Mass. (A.I.M.), an original deadline of March 1 was set by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Studies (CMS), however the center recently requested that Massachusetts file its proposal by Jan. 15.
The state and federal governments have a binding agreement that all proposals are submitted at the absolute latest by March 1, she said, but since that agreement was made, CMS has requested that the work be done by Jan. 15. Some would argue that the request is not legally binding, but there are millions of dollars riding on this and it is probably best to honor that request. All states are currently working under the same federal guidelines that require health care reform packages be approved at the state level and later at the federal level, in order to receive federal dollars that have been earmarked for state health care programs by CMS. Its also money that is necessary for most states, including Massachusetts, to put new programs into place for the coming year.
Jeffrey Ciuffreda, vice president for Government Affairs with the Western Mass. Economic Development Council, echoed McAnnenys comments in regard to the importance of chasing those dollars. Were talking about matching funds for health care for all of the states, said Its roughly 50 cents on the dollar that came into the picture a few years ago when the feds said the states needed to start better controlling their costs and revamping their health care systems.
Theres some debate as to where that deadline will finally fall, but it has to be soon, he said. The original date was last year, but a waiver was granted to all states, so thats why there is such a push on now. The speed at which Massachusetts legislators have moved to craft their respective measures — not to mention individual provisions — has been cause for concern for some, who fear that a hastily drafted plan could lead to problems in the future, such as health insurance plans with high deductibles or penalization systems. In a statement issued on Nov. 1, Richard Lord, president of A.I.M., criticized the House for rushing its proposal.
A hasty process lends itself to errors, omissions, and unnecessary confusion, particularly when we are analyzing, reviewing, and digesting a proposal of this magnitude, he said. Later, on Nov. 9, Lord targeted the Senate, saying that A.I.M. was disappointed that this far along in deliberations, the current Senate bill has serious shortcomings. He went on to list several bullet points the organization had previously cited as important to a complete reform package, including a vehicle or entity to facilitate use of pre-tax dollars by individuals to purchase health insurance. Still, many, A.I.M. officials included, contend that garnering that $335 million is necessary in order to foster change in the health care system, and therefore the quick turnaround of the House and Senate bills is also essential, especially as the deadline approaches. We recognize the pressures, said McAnneny.
We understand the importance of submitting these proposals soon, so were certainly not asking the Legislature to take its time. Dr. Charles Cavagnaro, chief executive officer for Wing Memorial Hospital, and also a practicing physician, also underscored the importance of those federal dollars by pointing out that without them, health care reform will be delayed substantially in the future. It is not the plan that is important now, but the funding behind it, he said. Without it, we cant implement anything. That federal funding is important to the state and the legislators, and they dont want to lose it.
The Power of Three
The three rival health care reform initiatives have similar goals: increasing coverage to the uninsured — thus shrinking or eliminating the Uncompensated Care Pool — and streamlining the states health care system. All three plans, however, differ in several respects. Both the House and Senate bills followed an early, more global health care reform proposal set forth earlier in the year by the governor. That proposal included a mandate that all Massachusetts residents obtain coverage, either on their own, through a state-controlled program such as MassHealth, or through a low-cost-policy program.
It also advised improvement of the malpractice system and consumer access to health care provider quality and cost information, and increases in Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers. Both the House and Senate bills include some provisions similar to Romneys, however they also approach several issues, particularly the uninsured population, in different ways The House bill requires that people who can afford insurance purchase it, and would increase the number of people covered by Medicaid by tapping the tobacco settlement fund (in its entirety) a figure of about $255 million a year. The House bill also mandates that busi-ness owners provide insurance for their employees or pay into an insurance fund essentially, a tax is levied on employers with 11 or more employees employers with 10 or fewer employees are exempt.
This controversial provision has drawn fire from state business groups including A.I.M. Proponents of the new tax are characterizing it as a ‘fair-share assessment designed to require businesses that dont offer health insurance to pay into our health care system. This description is patently false, said Lord. By providing a carve-out to really small businesses (10 or fewer employees), the bill would exempt 95% of employers that do not currently provide health insurance to their workers from this new tax, estimated to cost $700 million annually. This bill is really about asking employers of Massachusetts that already provide insurance to foot the bill for health care expansion. Currently, only Hawaii uses a system similar to that contained in the House version, and Lord believes that such a move would hurt the Commonwealths already fragile economy. Simply shifting the burden to pay for an inefficient system is not reform, he said. Controlling costs is the linchpin for addressing access and accountability. We must examine the way that health care is delivered in this state and begin to reshape our delivery system into a more efficient, financially viable system that can be sustained over time without sizeable new contributions from the paying public each and every year. The Senate bill does not include such a mandate, but it does stipulate that employers who dont pay for health insurance cover the health care costs of those workers who receive health care services.
Romney opposes the employer mandate set forth by the House, but has said he wants legislators to move quickly to reach a compromise, in order to tap $335 million in federal money to fund the finalized plan. Ciuffreda said that Romney got the ball rolling with an early set of health care reform proposals, in part to meet the deadline for acquiring those federal funds, but stepped back while the House and Senate drafted their bills. He deserves the credit for getting this started by using the bully pulpit and fueling the fire, said Ciuffreda. There were three pieces to this debate and there are still many, many moving parts, but now it comes down to the House and the Senate, and the plan theyre going to decide on between them. While Romney has steered clear of threatening a veto of any legislation that proposes mandated health insurance for employers, or penalties for those who do not provide it, Ciuffreda added that the governor is likely to enter the ring again if the provision shows up on the draft of the bill that emerges from conference committee sessions. Hes firmly against that employer mandate, and if needed, thats where were going to see him weigh in, he said.
Drawing Distinctions
Arguably, Romneys proposal and the Senate bill are most similar in their approach to reform. The Senate measure is considered more cautious than that of the House; Ciuffreda explained that the Senate bill lays out a plan to cover about half of the states uninsured over the next two years, whereas the House bill proposes that 95% of that populations insurance needs be immediately addressed through the mandated insurance requirements.
The Senates bill could be considered conservative, while the House bill is more aggressive, said Ciuffreda. The House is trying to take 95% of a problem and solve it, but the Senate is trying to help 50% or 60% of the uninsured population and provide assistance, then look at how the plan is working in a couple of years.
That might mean that we have a better handle on who those people are in two or three years, he continued, and at that time its possible that an even better bill can be drafted. Not unlike the bills themselves, the impressions of professionals in health care of the current trifecta of legislation are varied.
Cavagnaro said hospital administrators support the general concept of reform as a step in the right direction. Its safe to say that all hospitals are united in believing that this is something that needs to be done, but we are not as united in how that should be done, he said. Cavagnaro noted, however, that most hospitals agree that the impetus behind each piece of legislation is a good faith effort to improve health care in Massachusetts. In general, all three versions have merit, he told BusinessWest. Im hopeful that all three parties will come to a compromise without trying to get each others goat. The bottom line is the health care system is broken across the country, he added, and it is particularly broken in Massachusetts, so its clear that something needs to be done.
Cavagnaro said the uncompensated care pool has become the crux of the issue for many of the Commonwealths hospitals. For some, it is a huge burden, he said. Its behind all of this legislation. Even a compromised bill would begin to address the needs of the free care pool.
Proceeding With Caution
And, he added that the speed at which the proposals have been drafted on Beacon Hill will likely contribute to a plan that will prove to have some holes. However, Cavagnaro said it could also be a necessary risk. It has definitely moved the discussion to a new level, he said. And it has put greater importance on it than has ever been there before. The attention to the matter alone is a step forward.?
What’s Next for Springfield’s Riverfront?
Tim Mulcahey says it all started with idle talk about building a facility for a CYO basketball program on a parcel near the former York Street jail.
That is how the ball started rolling toward formulation of an ambitious, still-evolving venture for Springfields riverfront. For now, its being called the bridge-to-bridge plan, said Mulcahey, a Longmeadow real estate developer, who has partnered with Dennis Serna, a Connecticut-based developer, and created an entity called the Connecticut Riverfront Development Corp.
The CRDC is currently looking at several pieces of property along a roughly mile-and-a-half long stretch between the South End and Memorial Bridges. These include the long-vacant prison, the former Basketball Hall of Fame, and a little-used recreational area called Riverfront Park.
The proposed CYO basketball facility was long ago put on the shelf, said Mulcahey, the long-time director of that youth program. But he, Serna, and some other players have moved on to bigger and hopefully better ventures.
They have joined forces with the Springfield Business Development Corp. (SBDC) in a proposal for the old Basketball Hall of Fame site that combines several elements, including a public market, a restaurant and some retail. That plan is one of two considered finalists for re-use of the old Hall, which has been closed and unused for three years.
Meanwhile, the CRDC is in the exploratory stage of a project to locate a hotel on the Riverfront Park site. The partners have signed a letter of intent with the city that gives them, in essence, an exclusive window of opportunity for that parcel.
Theyll have roughly the next three months to finalize plans for what Mulcahey describes as a destination hotel. Should a concrete proposal come forward, the city would then have 45 days to look it over and decide whether it earns a thumbs-up.
As for the old jail, Serna said several possible uses have been considered, and more are being formulated. For now, though, the jail is at least third on the to-do list for the real estate between the two bridges.
We started with the jail, and will probably still do something with that site, he explained, but as it worked out, the focus went north of the jail, because opportunities presented themselves there first.
Both Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan and David Panagore, deputy executive director of the Springfield Finance Control Board, welcomed the CRDCs initial plans for the riverfront, but cautioned that they have been and will continue to be closely scrutinized to ensure that they are both feasible and compatible with other economic development initiatives.
Were not going to hand over development rates on a speculative basis, said Panagore, who is now leading the citys economic development efforts. Were not going to give someone those rights for two years and say, go come up with a plan. Well hand over development rights when there are viable projects.
Ryan concurred, but said the level of interest in various riverfront parcels, especially the old Hall site, is cause for optimism. Its been quite a while since weve seen actual competition for development of that area, he said. Lately, most all of the development has come from the public sector; this a welcome turn-about.
Mulcaheny and Serna acknowledged that they are not big players when it comes to real state development. Their goals much easier to enunciate than their plans are merely to develop (or redevelop, as the case may be) an untapped asset in the riverfront, and give a beleagured city a boost.
We want to do something that will hope move Springfield forward, said Mulcahey. Were part of this community, were involved in it, and we want to see it prosper.
BusinessWest looks this issue at how this unique partnership plans to go about that assignment.
Money in the Bank
As they talked about CRDCs preliminary plans for the riverfront, Serna and Mulcahey were long on optimism but short on specifics, especially with regard to potential pricetags.
The riverfront should be a crown jewel, it should be a real destination, said Mulcahey, noting quickly that details of many components of the bridge-to-bridge project cannot be revealed due to various confidentiality agreements and also because some of the plans are still quite vague.
What is known is that CRDC is moving forward on at least two of the three (or more) phases of its broad riverfront development initiative. More will certainly be known by the end of this year or early next, said Mulcahey, noting that a developer should be chosen by then for the old Hall, and he and Serna will know if they can clear the many hurdles standing in the way of the hotel project (more on that later).
As for how the bridge-to-bridge concept and its first phase, the hotel came together, said Serna, it was a case of getting some unique perspective on the riverfront; in other words, a look from someone who doesnt see it every day.
They walked that entire length of riverfront, from the jail to the bridge, and simply fell in love with that park site, he explained, referring to a hotel-building entity he chose not to name.They said, this is where wed like to be.
Getting them there will be the mission for some unlikely partners who have some experience in construction and real estate development, but certainly nothing on the scale of Springfields riverfront.
Mulcaheys resume includes a variety of work in property development. He worked for Ohio-based Dairy Mart as a project supervisor and manager, and helped select and develop many sites in the Northeast and Midwest. Later, he worked as a project manager for a New York-based businessman, Andrew Stone, who developed a number of office buildings, industrial parks, and other ventures in Connecticut. From there, Mulcahey developed a project in Boston called First Atheneum Street, a large office project, before joining a Hartford-based real estate development firm.
Serna, meanwhile, also has a background in commercial real estate development. He started in Stamford, Conn., and later relocated to Manhattan, where he worked on several projects, before joining Starwood Capital Group. Based in Greenwich, Conn., SCG is a multi-faceted real estate group that specializes in hotels, among other things.
While the two partners would not identify the hotel-building entity they are currently working with, they have been linked in some published reports with Atlantabased Nylo LLC, a company launching a chain of small hotels with loft-style rooms.
Mulcahey would say only that what is being considered for the riverfront site is a new concept, especially in this market, and would be classified as a destination hotel.
While the Riverfront Park location offers sweeping views of the river and the historic Memorial Bridge, it is challenged in many ways. For starters, it is separated from West Columbus Avenue by a wide set of railroad tracks, used primarily by Amtrak for commuter runs.
This logistical concern has limited use of the park, said Ryan, noting that while the property is used as a park, it is not designated as park land, an important distinction because the latter would pose a much larger obstacle to development. Creating access to the proposed hotel either over or under the railroad tracks will be one of the main questions to be answered during CRDCs 135-day window for devising plans for the site, said Serna, noting that the partners have become convinced that there is a need for additional hotel rooms in the city.
A market demand study for Springfield, conducted by the Boston-based Pinnacle Advisory Group, revealed as much. It said that a growing inventory of tourist attractions and completion of the MassMutual Center should increase demand to the point where greater supply is necessary.
However, the reports authors concluded that downtown, rather than the riverfront, would be the better location for such a hotel.
Although both areas are viable options for new hotel development, the benefits of a downtown hotel outweigh the riverfront, the report stated. Furthermore, a downtown location would provide more benefit to the MassMutual Center, which is strategically important to future growth in Springfield.
Mulcahey acknowledged the reports findings, but told BusinessWest that the Riverfront Park hotel, as currently conceptualized, could become an effective link between downtown and the riverfront and accentuate current efforts to enhance the State Street corridor. It could become a great asset for Springfield.
Going Through Hoops
As could a new development on the old Basketball Hall of Fame site, which became the second race, as Mulcahey called it, that the CRDC found itself in.
Indeed, as they were conceptualizing the hotel project, the two partners also became involved in the ongoing effort to develop the old Hall, a project being overseen by the Springfield Riverfront Development Corp. (SRDC), the real estate arm of the Hall of Fame.
The SRDC has spent the past year or so hearing and weighing proposals on the old Hall. Among them is a plan conceptualized by the Springfield Business Development Corp. that centers around a public market, similar in many ways to the Portland (Me.)Public Market, which opened in 1998 and has had a strong impact on that regions economy.
Other proposals have included a fitness and sports complex, proposed by East Longmeadow developer Peter Pappas and a restaurant/retail mix forwarded by CRDC. That latter proposal has now been merged with the public market concept, said Mulcahey, noting that it and the Pappas complex are under what is considered final review by the SRDC.
We took the public market project and we enhanced it, said Mulcahey, adding that as it sits now (and few details were revealed) the plan calls for demolishing the old Hall and constructing a new building that would house the market, a restaurant, and several retail components in a facility to be built through a mix of public and private funds.
SBDC Director Michael Graney would say only that the development of the old Hall is a process, one that is ongoing, and with no firm timetable, although he expects a developer will be named soon.
Regardless of who that is, the CRDC will press ahead with other components of its bridge-to-bridge proposal, said Mulcahey, noting that there are other parcels, including the jail, to be considered.
Like others, he said the jail site offers promise, but its design limits what can be done with it. Thats a challenging building, but there are opportunities for things to happen there.
Panagore agreed, and said there is a strong possibility that all or major portions of the building will have to be razed if development is going to occur on that site. When asked if the city, and specifically the Economic Development Department would prefer one developer for the riverfront or a group of different teams, Panagore said the most important element is the quality of the proposals, not who is making them.
Were looking for viable projects, thats the bottom line, he said. Weve seen enough master plans on the riverfront, we dont need to see any more. What we need are sound, doable projects that make sense for the city.
Channeling Resources
Whether the CRDCs concepts fall into that category remains to be seen.
For now, the partners have a window in which to work on phase one of their initiative, while also focusing on other parcels to the south.
If their bridge-to-bridge vision can be realized, then the days of talking about the riverfronts great potential will finally be in the past.
George OBrien can be reached at[email protected]
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court. | |
Adon, Sergio E. Alderman, Laura B. Alderman, William N. Almodovar, Rosemary Attanasio, David Paul Attanasio, Pamela Jean Barabolkin, Dmitriy Barabolkin, Marie Ellen Bashaw, Gerald. J. Bauer, Karen L. Beauchene, Meghan M. Beyer, Jill Boothby, Mary Ann Boucher, Sandra A. Brow, Elizabeth M. Buoniconti, Theresa Cannamela, Audrey J. Capaccio, Mary E. Capaccio, Pasquale Cardona, Willy J. Carosello, Richard Cayon, James M. Ceccarini, Bridget Lynn Conley, Kenneth George Cyranowski-Grimaldi, Jane C. Dana, Scott D. Dana, Stephanie B. Davieu, Charles R. Doyle-Workman, John Charles Ducharme, Esther Figueroa, Wanda I. Flowers, Daniel Fogarty, Kelly Nicole Ford, Gary T. Ford, Gary T. Frenier, Margaret Gordon, Richard E. Gouvin, Bernice R. Griggs, Jeffrey L. Gubula, Matthew P. Gubula, Shana A. Hamre, Elizabeth A. Harris, Isaiah L. Heimsath, Steven M. Howland, Pamela J. Keller, Joan Kolosewicz, Loretta Jean Larkin, Thomas Francis Le, Hong Thi Le, Viet The Lee, Patricia A Lee, Xiong Chue Leigh, Denise A | Lewis, Jason E Littlejohn, Mark Maguire, Edward J. Messenger, Susan Diane Miller-Baker, Maryanne Morgan, Gordon Samuel Mularski, Peter J. Murphy, Ellen M. Nestor, Melissa Nevue, Thomas M. Newsky, Victoria B. O’Keefe, Edward F. Ortiz, Janet Otis, Lisette J. Paton, Christopher L. Paton, Katherine W. Perry, Russell D. Pixley, Sandra J. Provost, Anelda A. Punderson, Todd Breck Racine, Lori-Ann Renaud, Richard E. Renaud, Rosemary Rivera, Josue Robbins, Lori Jean Robbins, Mattie B. Rosado, Hector L. Rzonca, Daniel M. Sanchez, Betsy Santiago, Enrique Santiago, Rose M. Sargis, Thelma Celeste Sayers, Robin L. Schell, Yong S. Snyder, Lisa M. Sollecito, Andrew P. Stevenson-Mitchell, Sullivan, David W. Sullivan, Robert A. Taylor, Earlene V. Thomas, Karen A. Tucker, Catrese Shubrick Vega, Onelia Veloz, Rene Vicki, LaBonte Wallace, Joanne Wallace, LeRoy Wallis, Guy C Walz, Dawn Marie Walz, Glen Richard Wilkinson, Melissa Anne Young, Grace A. Morin, George C. |
Bank Named Philanthropic Corporation
EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Savings Bank was recently recognized by the Western Mass. Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the 2005 Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation of Western Mass. In other company news, the bank continued to experience steady growth in assets, deposits, loans, and capital during the third quarter, according to William S. Hogan, Jr., President and CEO. The bank’s total assets increased $28 million from a year ago, and an increase of $8 million over the last quarter. Also, total assets now stand at $656 million. The loan portfolio totaled $482 million at the end of September, an increase of $7.7 million or 6% for the quarter and $23.1 million or a 5% increase since the end of September last year. The bank also experienced a deposit gain of $13.1 million from a year ago. Advertising Club Sports New Logo SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Mass. has a new logo, created by Lilly Pereira of Bidwell ID in Florence. The logo was selected from more than 40 submissions sent to the Ad Club in response to a design contest last February. The Ad Club, celebrating its 90th anniversary, called for designs that would update as well as reflect the image and mission statement of the club. As the contest winner, Pereira will receive a one-year Ad Club membership and her logo will be entered into the 2006 Ad Club awards competition. Fair Trade Coffee Served At UMass AMHERST — UMass Amherst has joined the Fair Trade coffee movement by adopting Pura Vida, a fair trade coffee provider, as one of its coffee suppliers in the dining commons and other retail outlets on campus. Pura Vida Coffee sells Fair Trade, organic coffee throughout the United States. It was founded by John Sage and Chris Dearnley, and is based in Seattle, Wash. The partners actively promote a business model based on more humane capitalism built on economic fairness, environmental sustainability, and philanthropy. The mission of Pura Vida is to use capitalism to empower producers, motivate consumers, inspire business leaders, and ultimately serve the poor. The Dining services Department completed extensive market research that indicated that 59% of students agreed they would like to see Fair Trade coffee provided on campus. In addition to Pura Vida, dining services will still provide coffee from other suppliers, including local coffee from Rao’s, an Amherst coffee shop, New England Coffee and Starbucks. MassMutual To Pay $1.2B Dividend SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual Financial Group recently announced the distribution of nearly $1.2 billion to eligible participating policyholders under the dividend payout for 2006 – a double-digit increase over the 2005 dividend payout. Nearly all traditional life insurance policyholders will receive a 2006 dividend larger than or equal to the dividend they received in 2005. More specifically, more than 89% of traditional life insurance policyholders will receive a 2006 dividend at least 10% larger than they received in 2005, and 54% will receive a 2006 dividend at least 20% larger than they received in 2005. Dividends for a given policy are influenced by factors including policy series, issue age, policy duration, policy loan rate and changes in experience. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com. WNEC Named Employer of the Year; College of Distinction SPRINGFIELD — Western New England College (WNEC) has been honored as “Employer of the Year” by the Employers Assoc. of the Northeast in the nonprofit/over 100 employees category. Awards are based on several criteria, including effective communication, fostering employee input and feedback, encouraging professional development, fostering work/life balance, and promoting a positive, professional culture while valuing diversity and individuality. In presenting the award, the Employers Association saluted WNEC as an organization that values and respects its employees’ commitment to the organization. In other campus news, WNEC will be featured in Colleges of Distinction, a new college guide and Web site profiling some of America’s best bets in higher education. Based on the opinions of guidance counselors, educators and admissions professionals, Colleges of Distinction honors colleges that excel in key areas of educational quality. In order to qualify for inclusion, WNEC was evaluated for its performance in the Four Distinctions: “Engaged Students,” “Great Teaching,” “Vibrant Communities” and “Successful Outcomes.” Guidance counselors and admissions professionals around the country recommended WNEC in every category. WNEC was also noted for its active student body, devoted faculty, and academic programs based on developing collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills. WNEC will also be profiled in the forthcoming book, Colleges of Distinction, which will be published in 2006.The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law.
Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.
NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Todd Campbell d/b/a Millenium Painting v. Haydenville Woodworking & Design Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods and services: $11,500 Date Filed: Oct. 14
HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
The Street Lumber Co. v. Steven R. Wolf a/k/a Steven Wolf a/k/a Steve Wolf d/b/a Steve Wolf General Contractor Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $26,428.56 Date Filed: Oct. 28
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Marken Properties Inc. v. Millar Elevator Service Co. and Schindler Elevator Corp. Allegation: Breach of contract — Nonpayment of deposits on cancelled contracts and refund of monthly service charges on elevators that did not work: $21,008.65 Date Filed: Oct. 17
Hamel’s Creative Catering v. Hampshire Community Action Commission Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for services: $3,103.68 Date Filed: Oct. 24
CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Accutech Insulation & Contracting Inc. v. Target Restoration Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for services: $4,860 Date Filed: Oct. 21
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Properties of Elmwood Cemetery Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $8,656.90 Date Filed: Oct. 6
Bradco Supply Co. v. Ellsworth, Allen & Anthony Inc. and Gregory K. Coons a/k/a Greg Coons Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $3,226.24 Date Filed: Oct. 7
Clear Channel Communications v. Randy Sefton d/b/a Automotive Restylers of N.E. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for advertising: $9,345 Date Filed: Oct. 11
Everett J. Prescott Inc. v. J. D. Contracting Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for supplies: $16,582.24 Date Filed: Oct. 13
Associated Rubber Co. v. Paul-Martin Rubber Corp. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $5,217.44 Date Filed: Oct. 13
WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Tri-State Industrial Laundries Inc. v. Air Compressor Engineering Co. Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $10,472.38 Date Filed: Oct. 8
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2005. | |
AGAWAM | Inspirit Common Sprint Nextel Holyoke Pallet Co. M & J Painting |
But he told BusinessWest that, at the very least, it’s good to have some actual competition — and from the private sector, no less — for sites such as the old Basketball Hall of Fame. And we couldn’t agree more.
Nearly everything that has been developed in Springfield over the past several years — including the new Hall, the MassMutual Center, and the new federal courthouse now under construction, have been built with mostly public dollars. What Springfield needs is private investment, and it’s finally starting to see the potential for some on its long underutilized riverfront.
At the moment, there are at least two proposals still under consideration for the old Hall of Fame. One is for a sports and fitness center, and the other for a mixed use concept that includes a public market and restaurant.
Meanwhile, two partners who are now part of the public market complex, and who together formed the Connecticut River Development Corp., are gauging the feasibility of locating a hotel on the Riverfront Park site just south of the Memorial Bridge.
These are positive developments for Springfield, but we urge caution as the city mulls its options for the riverfront. This is an important piece of the economic development puzzle in Springfield and everyone is anxious for something to happen. But we think it’s far more important for things to be done right than for them to be done quickly.
Take the proposed hotel, for example. CRDC’s principals say the hotel-building entity they’re working with fell in love with the Riverfront Park site and wants to develop there.
That’s fine, but there are a number of logistical hurdles to be cleared before a hotel can even be considered; the biggest of which would be the railroad tracks that sit between the site and West Columbus Avenue.
And even if that access problem can be solved, does the city want to put another hotel on the riverfront when all indications are that downtown, specifically the area near the recently opened MassMutual Center, would make far more sense?
As for the public market concept, we’ve said before that it looks good on paper, but we’re not convinced that it can draw the high volume of traffic needed to make such a venture viable. The Springfield Riverfront Development Corp. (SRDC), the real estate arm of the Hall of Fame, has been weighing the public market concept for more than a year now, carefully considering whether or not it will work.
We encourage more of this due diligence because the old Hall of Fame is an asset that shouldn’t be developed (or torn down, as is now likely) merely for the sake of development.
The same is true of the old York Street Jail, which has sat idle for many years now, making the imaginative ‘Jail for Sale’ sign on its east wing a seemingly permanent part of the downtown Springfield landscape.
Like the old Hall, the jail seems destined for the wrecker’s ball, because its quirky design does not lend itself to easy redevelopment.
Razing the structure should open the door to a number of opportunities, but the city must carefully weigh what the next use will be.
Indeed, if Springfield’s riverfront is to become the destination everyone hopes it will be, it must draw people from across Columbus Avenue — and across the region. Ideally, locations like Springfield’s riverfront work best when people can work, play, eat, shop, and live there — and we believe this is the multi-faceted course the city should pursue.
Above all, patience must dictate the overall development process. People in Springfield talk about how long the old Hall of Fame has been vacant — three years — and they express frustration. Then they consider how long the jail has been rotting (more than a decade) and they really get frustrated.
But the task at hand is not to merely develop the riverfront, but to develop it properly. Thus, the city must proceed with caution.?
Super 60 Lunch The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield recently staged its annual Super 60 luncheon, an event to honor the region’s top-performing companies in the chamber’s Total Revenue and Revenue Growth categories. At left, Cordia Harrington, president and CEO of the Tennessee Bun Company and the luncheon’s keynote speaker, chats with Mark Morris, public relations manager for Health New England, and Peter Straley, president/CEO, Health New England, the event’s presenting sponsor. At right, Straley and Jay Primack, right, managing partner, Moriarty & Primack, PC (platinum sponsor), present a Super 60 plaque to Jim Sasenecki, president, Brookdale Associates Inc. the top finisher in the ‘growth category.’
Topping-off Ceremony Cooley Dickinson Hospital President Craig Melin, left, shakes hands with John Heaps, president of Florence Savings Bank, at a recent ‘topping off’ ceremony for the $50 million expansion project at the hospital. Employees and physicians of the hospital, donors to its Caring for the Future campaign, and nearly 100 members of the community attended the ceremony, which marked a milestone in a two-year project that started in April of 2005 that will add a four-story, 116,000-square-foot building to the hospital’s campus. The building will contain eight surgical suites, a wing of 32-single-occupancy patient rooms, a centralized laboratory, and central sterile supply area and an expanded Joint Branching Out Hampden Bank recently staged an open house for its newest branch on the mezzanine level of Tower Square. Here, Hampden’s president, Thomas Burton, left, chats with BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien. Commerce 2005 The Chicopee and Greater Holyoke Chambers of Commerce staged Commerce 2005, their fall trade show, on Nov. 3 at the MassMutual Center. Clockwise from top left: Andy Hogan, Kevin Hart, Marcos Garcia, and Sean Hogan of Hogan Communications do their best Blues Brothers impression; Martin Johnson and Gilbert Nieves greet visitors to the Citizens Bank booth; Bob Gaboury and Tim Haas of Holyoke Gas & Electric staff the utility’s booth.
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The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community. |
AGAWAM The Travel Group Inc., 375 BONDSVILLE Pure Water Solutions Inc., EASTHAMPTON Off The Map Inc., HAMPDEN Central Enterprises Inc., LONGMEADOW Vikam Associates Inc., NORTHAMPTON When Children Save The Day Inc., SOUTH HADLEY C.S.A. Restaurant Inc., SOUTHAMPTON Charles J. Hubbard Inc., SPRINGFIELD Albert Jolicoeur & Sons Inc.,
WILBRAHAM Celtegrity Corp., WEST SPRINGFIELD MRI Network- SCHC Inc., |
Over the decades, taxpayers had been promised lower property taxes in return for other revenue sources. So by 1980 we had a high income tax, a sales tax, a lottery, and high property taxes. Further, we were one of the few states with an automobile excise and something called school committee fiscal autonomy, which gave local schools any amount of money they requested regardless of the wishes of city councils or town meetings.
On top of this, instead of getting a fair share of state tax revenues in local aid, the cities and towns had to fund any new bright idea that came down from Beacon Hill. And on top of that, the courts had just ordered all communities to comply with the state Constitution and assess all property at its full and fair market value. Many homes were assessed much lower; people imagined the communitys existing tax rate being applied to their homes true value.
Between outrage at broken tax-relief promises and panic about the coming revaluation, Proposition 2 1/2 was born. Citizens for Limited Taxation (CLT) collected signatures on an initiative petition that limited property taxes to 2.5% of a communitys value, cut the auto excise from $66 per $1,000 to $25 per $1,000, gave renters an income tax deduction, repealed school committee fiscal autonomy, and forbade new unfunded state mandates on cities and towns.
Battle lines were drawn: CLT, the Mass. High Technology Council, the Mass. Auto Dealers Assoc., and the National Federation of Independent Business against almost everyone else. Leading opponents were the Legislature, the Mass.
Municipal Assoc., the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation, the Mass. Teachers Assoc. and other public employee unions, various human service organizations, the Mass. Council of Churches, the Catholic Church, and, incredibly, the Mass. Assoc. of Older Americans.
Union fliers featured either a picture of a gun shooting backward, titled “How Prop 2 1./2 Works,” or the heading “Cutting Taxes? Or Cutting Our Throats? Human service fliers featured a senior with a walker, a young man in a wheelchair, and a couple of minority kids looking terrified. There were debates galore, hours of talk radio devoted to the issue, yard signs, and bumper stickers.
The League of Women Voters held onesided forums that presented only its point of view: Prop 2 1/2 will cause drastic cutbacks to basic public services.
Nevertheless, the people passed Prop 2 1/2, 59%-41%.
Then the battle really began: public employee marches, demands for repeal. But the Leguslature, getting the message, decided to work with the peoples law. CLT teamed up with the MMA, legislative Republicans, and conservative Democrats to get more local aid. With Gov. Ed King promising a veto of any changes that would damage Prop 2 1/2, a sensible provision for new growth was added, and the two-thirds vote for an override became a majority vote for various kinds of overrides, intended for bonded projects or emergencies.
Local officials were more respectful of taxpayers whose support might be needed to pass them. Local aid increased almost every year. Opponents who prophesied the end of the world looked silly.
Back then, of course, it was impossible to imagine voters raising their own taxes for operating expenses and teacher pay raises.
Twenty-five years later, the property tax burden is still too high, at eighth in the nation.
The long-term goal, to get education spending off the property tax, has yet to be realized, But individual taxpayers have saved a bundle on both the property tax limit, the rental deduction, and the auto excise cut. Twenty-five years later, Proposition 2 1/2 is still cause for celebration.
Barbara Anderson is executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation, which created Proposition 2 1/2.
AIC Creates Scholarship Program for Springfield Homeowners
The section of the city includes portions of the State Street corridor, Mason Square, Tapley Street, and Roosevelt Ave., and is home to just over 4,000 of the citys 152,000 residents.
According to AIC president Vincent Maniaci, the program was designed to not only boost AICs enrollment numbers, but to also spur revitalization in the Bay Area.
We hope this will attract people to the area and have a positive impact on property values, he said, noting that if the program proves successful over the next year, the Bay Area will represent the first of several Springfield neighborhoods to benefit from the scholarship program, which essentially covers half of AICs annual tuition and does not preclude students from securing other loans, including federal loans.
Were going to approach this one neighborhood at a time, he said. But we hope to gradually build the program, and connect the dots from one neighborhood to the next, in order to bring them together.
Ryan expressed the same hope, and also called upon Springfields remaining colleges to follow AICs lead.
All of the colleges play a strong role in the city, he said. AIC has just gone beyond what anyone would have contemplated, creating a program we didnt even know was in the cards. Thousands of people could theoretically qualify … I hope that the other colleges will see fit to replicate this.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal also praised the program, calling it a bold, assertive move.
Over the past few weeks, several key people within the city of Springfield have been given an opportunity to say what they think would best help this city, and the colleges and their roles in our future come up again and again, he said. AIC is the first college in the city to do anything about it.
The announcement comes on the heels of the establishment of a dual admissions agreement between AIC, Springfield Technical Community College, and Holyoke Community College, which allows students applying to one of the two-year schools to simultaneously apply at AIC, and take advantage of significant scholarship opportunities. Maniaci said the programs are similar in that they were both designed to open up the four-year college experience to as many people as possible.
We are looking to incorporate a number of other partnerships and programs in the future, he noted, declining to offer specifics until the initiatives are firmly in place. There are two or three things that are definitely in the works right now, each designed to make us an integral part of the Springfield community. If its not good for Springfield, we shouldnt be doing it, and were not going to.
Ernestine Johnson, president of the Bay Area Neighborhood Council, said she and her fellow Bay Area residents are pleased to enter into a new collaboration with the school.
Over the years, we have all watched AIC grow and change. Now, were thrilled to be part of something new and exciting … all we can say is thank you.
Nurses Bring Unique Background to Practice of Law
As an administrator at Wingate at Wilbraham, a skilled nursing facility, and before that as vice president of Nursing for Noble Hospital in Westfield, Diane Fernald said she would often bump against the law in her work.
By that, she meant that, in addition to the obvious health care aspects to her duties, there were also legal issues everything from real estate questions to new state and federal regulations to matters of liability to contend with. The more she encountered these legal questions and answers, the more intrigued she became.
So, in 1994, she decided to do more than bump against the law; she decided to make it a new career.
That was the start of a sequence of events that eventually made Fernald part of the Health Care Practice Group at the law firm Morrison Mahoney LLP, which has offices in several major cities throughout the Northeast. Fernald is one of three (soon to be four) registered nurses working in the firms Springfield office who left that field to earn law degrees and now blend their talents in both realms to provide a unique level of experience to clients.
Indeed, the group, which also includes fellow RN/JDs Heather Beattie and Jill Lyons, is enabling Morrison Mahoney to expand its scope of work primarily in medical malpractice defense to areas that include regulatory compliance, managed care contracting, credentialing, licensing and privileging issues, peer review, practice formation and acquisition, risk management, and others.
The nurse-lawyers bring to each of these specialty areas a unique eye, said John Bagley, a partner with Morrison Mahoney. Were able to review regulations notjust with a lawyers eye, but with the help ofnurse-attorneys who can talk the talk, ifyou will, understand medicine, and alsounderstand the practical aspects, as well,he explained. So its not just a bunch oflawyers sitting around telling doctors howto practice medicine; its lawyers with theknowledge of how the real world of healthcare works counseling clients.
And by melding their experiences in health care and law, Beattie, Fernald, and Lyons, can offer some unique insight that can help clients after a suit has been filed, but also assist them avoiding claims, and thus the courtroom.
Were not just assisting clients in litigation, Bagley explained. Were helping them avoid litigation.
The Verdict Is In
Beattie recalled for BusinessWest one recent case involving a caregiver and a malpractice suit filed against her.
She cried for two hours; she just didnt believe that someone would question the care she gave and believe she was negligent, said Beattie. I explained to her how simple it is for someone to bring a lawsuit these days and how she shouldnt be upset by it
That case offers just one example of how attorneys with a background in nursing understand both the technical and emotional aspects of legal matters involving health care professionals. Thus, they can provide a level of service that someone with a JD (juris doctor, or law degree) and not a degree in nursing couldnt bring to the table, said Bagley.
He told BusinessWest that he and partner Dennis Anti recognized an emerging trend in the health and legal professions nurses going back to school to obtain law degrees and have expanded their practice to include many of these unique professionals.
There are many reasons why individuals choose to take that route, said Beattie, who worked as a nurse for 20 years mostly in neurosurgery and intensive care before earning her law degree from Western New England. Some get tired of the long hours, strange shifts, and lost holidays, she said, while others (and she put herself in this category)get tired of assisting 300-poundpeople out of bed.
But perhaps the biggest reason for the career shift is the growing number of opportunities for those who can place RN, JD after their names, said Fernald. The increasingly litigious nature of society has created some of these opportunities, she said, noting that long-term care, one of her many specialities (as both as a nurse and a lawyer) has found itself the target of a growing number of negligence suits.
But there are also new waves of rules and regulations that health care providers must live under, said Lyons, listing HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountabilty Act of 1996, as just one example of new compliance issues facing constituencies ranging from single-physician practices to health care systems.
To help providers navigate these increasingly treacherous waters, law firms are reaching out to individuals with a legal and health care backgrounds, said Anti, noting that Morrison Mahoney is setting the standard in this new hiring trend.
Were not creating a market for these services, he explained. The market was already there; were trying to meet a recognized need in the health care community.
Together, Beattie, Fernald, and Lyons have more than 70 years of work in nursing and health care administration to their credit. They pursued law degrees for different reasons, but Beattie might have spoken for all of them when she said, I wanted to pursue something I could do until I was 70 or 75.
A growing number of nurses are thinking in those same terms, said Fernald, noting that most law school classes now include at least one RN, and many have several. Meanwhile, many colleges have created courses or degree programs to address the emerging trend; Elms College in Chicopee has a new program in Legal Nurse Consulting.
There is a also a national organization for such professionals The National Assoc. of Nurse Attorneys, which has more than 1,000 members and dozens of chapters, the closest in Boston.
The reasons behind the surge in RN, JDs are many, said Bagley, but primarily, such individuals can offer a perspective and, therefore, a level of expertise that those without a background in health care cannot.
Dennis and I come from strictly a legal background legal education and legal training and, over the course of 20 yearsplus each, weve learned a lot of medicine, he explained. But the RN, JDs … theyve worked in those environments and that makes it easier for them to communicate with the client and advise the client on how to address these problems were seeing in these lawsuits.
Case Files
The three RN, JDs at Morrison Mahoney bring different strengths and layers of experience to the table. Fernald, who served as administrator of Wingate at Wilbraham for six years (1988 to 1994) and before that served the facility as director of Nursing, specializes in long-term care defense. This includes work with nursing homes, rehab centers, and assisted living facilities. She also handles medical malpractice defense, product liability, and professional liability representation.
She first worked with Bagley at the Springfield firm Egan Flanagan, and Cohen, and later worked for the Commonwealth as an attorney and Medicare program manager, handling Medicare and Medicaid appeals and thirdparty liability.
Beattie told BusinessWest that, while in law school at WNEC, she considered getting into criminal work. She interned at the U.S. Attorneys office in Hartford, and, later, in district court in Springfield. She opted, ultimately, for work that involved both of her professional degrees.
In 1999, she became the first RN / JD to join Morrison Mahoney, and since then has cultivated a multi-faceted practice that includes medical malpractice and product liability defense, general insurance defense, representation of physicians and nurses in Board of Registration in Medicine and Board of registration in Nursing complaints, and general health-law litigation.
Lyons became the latest addition to the team in June. A 2003 graduate of the Massachusetts School of Law, she did some consulting work for the Nashoba Valley Medical Center and also served as interim director of its emergency department. She later joined Worcester Medical Center as director of risk management and patient safety officer.
In those roles, she actually became a client of Morrison Mahoney, working extensively with Beattie and Anti. As the need for additional RN, JD at the firm became evident, work to recruit Lyons ensued and then escalated.
A fourth nurse/lawyer could be hired in the near future, said Bagley, noting that, while law firms are generally conservative when it comes to expanding staff, there is a definite need within the market for the unique blend of talents that RN/JDs can provide.
Together, the RN/JDs will help Morrison Mahoney achieve goals common to every law firm, said Bagley expanding the client list, while also providing a wider array of services to existing clients.
Final Arguments
As they talk about the health care profession and their work as nurses, Beattie, Fernald, and Lyons all use the present tense and with good reason.
Thats because while theyre all working a law firm, they are still nurses. In fact, as Fernald told BusinessWest, they are better nurses now than when they were in the field because of what theyve learned in their new profession.
But, ultimately, they are more than nurses. They are RN/JDs, and thus on the cutting edge of what would have to be considered a healthy career track literally.
George OBrien can be reached at[email protected]
Speaking is Only Part of the Communication Process
What is the gift in question? Listening! Sounds simple but in our fast paced, action-oriented world, listening has become a lost art. Listening is the foundation for effective communication. However, most of us are compelled to speak in order to feel valuable to the conversation. Speaking is usually the first word that comes to mind when people think about communication.
But speaking is only part of the process; listening is the other part and is even more important. When no one is listening, the words we speak are meaningless.
According to a James Madison University employer survey, 78% of the respondents indicated that listening effectively is very important to the success of their organization. Yet, less than 2% of the workforce is trained in listening skills.
Think about the last time someone tried to talk to you. While you may have heard the words they said, did you really listen to them? There is a big difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is physiological.
Our ears register sounds of all kinds the drone of an airplane flying overhead, music in the background, childrens laughter, the words someone speaks. Its what we do when we hear the words that make the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is passive; it just happens. Listening is active and requires energy.
Listening engages the mind and involves skill, patience and concentration. When you are truly listening, you must pay attention, interpret the words, understand or clarify them, and, if appropriate, respond to them.
While our intentions may be good, many of us encounter obstacles that interrupt the listening process. Noise, such as a jackhammer outside the office window or traffic noise when on a cell phone, may interfere with the ability to effectively listen.
Because our lives are so fast paced and time deficient, many of us have become multi-taskers. This diminishes effective listening. When we are trying to do too many things at once, we can become easily distracted.
Along with distractions are interruptions, such as the telephone, E-mail, people coming in and out of the room, etc.
Our assumptions or judgments also get in the way. Can you recall a time when you assumed you knew what someone was going to say, only to find out that you were wrong? Sometimes people fail to listen because they are too busy formulating their response even before the person is through speaking. Impatience is a serious obstacle to listening and can be caused by such things as style, status, gender or cultural differences, lack of interest, or even distrust.
Since many obstacles can hinder our ability to listen effectively, becoming aware of what gets in our way is a great start.
Improvement begins by assessing your listening behaviors. To improve your listening skills, have a reason to listen. Without a good reason for listening your mind might wander and you might become impatient. Do you need the information or have a general interest in the topic? Do you want to know the speakers ideas and opinions or does the speaker need an opportunity or chance to express themselves on an issue?
Participate in the process. Put all your energy into listening. Focus on the speaker; make them the only game. Listen not only to the words they say but to whats not being said. What does their body language say? Are they saying one thing while their body language reveals another? How about the tone of their voice? Become curious; look for clues and ask questions. Questions demonstrate your interest in what the other person is saying (or not saying) and can help the speaker to be more specific so you can understand better. Make them right.
Everyone is entitled to their feelings and opinions. While we dont have to agree with everything being said, we can respect, acknowledge and appreciate them. Let the speaker have their own style, be patient and dont interrupt. Give them the space to speak. W.A.I.T. before you respond.
W.A.I.T. is an acronym for Why Am I Talking? This can help you to regain focus on the speaker versus your response. Make it easy. Help the person relax by doing so yourself. This will help the individual feel comfortable in opening up and communicating freely.
Many times we feel that when people come to us with a problem or challenge, we need to help them solve it by providing answers and solutions. But oftentimes what they value most is the opportunity to talk it through and be heard. By effectively listening, you allow peoples busy, hectic worlds to slow down providing them with the time and space to quietly think things through to solve the situation or challenge on their own. Everyone benefits from good listening.
A good listener can help individuals gain clarity and focus and relieve stress. All of this can improve decision-making and get people into effective action.
Listeners create enhanced communication, strengthen relationships, and reduce conflict. Listening the rare gift most have been WAITing for this holiday!
Lynn Turner is an executive coach and owner of Ironweed Business Alliance, a coaching and consulting firm specializing in leadership development, team building and work/life balance strategies. She is also the host and producer of a local radio talk show/Web site Business Link Radio (www.businesslinkradio.com) ;[email protected]; (413) 283-7091.
For more on Effective Listening and Effective Communication:
Turner will be facilitating an American Management Assoc. University Program on Effective Communication Skills at Holyoke Community College. For more information about this five-night course starting Nov. 30 call (413) 552-2122 or visitwww.thecenter-hcc.org/ama.htm#communication
Insourcing: Foreign Companies, American Jobs
Nov. 17: The World Affairs Council (WAC) of Western Mass. will present a program Insourcing: Foreign Companies, American Jobs at the TD Banknorth Conference Center, 1441 Main St. in Springfield, from 5:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. Often lost in the outsourcing debate is the fact that nearly 5.5 million Americans — 190,000 in Massachusetts — are employed by U.S. subsidiaries of foreign businesses. Panelists will discuss the impact these businesses have on the local and national economies and how we might attract more foreign direct investment in our region. Tickets are $15 for WAC members, and $20 for nonmembers. For reservations or more information, call (413) 733-0110.
WNEC Tax Institute
Nov. 18: Updates on federal and state tax laws, new manufacturer deductions, section 1031 “like kind” exchanges and identity theft are topics of the 44th annualWestern New England College Tax Institute, planned from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in Sleith Hall on the college’s main campus, 1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield. To register or for more information, call (413) 782-1473 or visit www.wnec.edu/tax.
City of Bright Nights Ball
Nov. 19: The Spirit of Springfield’s 10th annual gala, the City of Bright Nights Ball, will be conducted at the MassMutual Center, sponsored by the MassMutual Financial Group. The evening of fine dining and dancing will also include live and silent auctions. The Boston Culinary Group, bringing in chefs from throughout New England, will serve a gourmet dinner featuring plank salmon and beef tenderloin. Tickets are $400 per couple with tables of 10 available for $2,000. For tickets or more information, call the Spirit of Springfield office at (413) 733-3800.
Economic Impact Awards
Nov. 22: The Mass. Alliance for Economic Development will host its second annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Gloria Larson, Chair, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, will be the Master of Ceremonies, with Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as the keynote speaker. Honorees include Kleer Lumber, Interprint and Suddekor from Western Massachusetts. Registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by the program and lunch at noon. For reservations and more information, call (781) 489-6262 or visit www.massecon.com.
Loan Fund Marks 15th Anniversary
SPRINGFIELD — The Western Mass. Enterprise Fund Inc. (WMEF), a non-profit community loan fund, marked its 15th anniversary on Nov. 4 .During its most recent fiscal year, the WMEF disbursed $556,000 to 11 businesses in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties. According to the projections of the borrowers, last year’s loans will create or retain 95 local jobs. WMEF provides financing and technical assistance to businesses and nonprofit organizations that may otherwise not qualify for traditional funding. For more information, call (413) 774-4033 or visit www.wmef.org.
Bradley Sees Double- Digit Monthly Passenger Increases
WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — September passenger traffic at Bradley International Airport soared by more than 15% over September 2004 (485,000) as more than half a million customers (560,000) used New England’s second largest airport. Overall, year-to-date passenger numbers are up more than 12% for the first nine months of 2005 over the same period in 2004. With new non-stop destinations including Los Angeles added in September and Salt Lake City coming on board in Dec., 21 additional daily non-stop flights have been added since August 2004.
SBID Receives Grant For Tree Planting
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Business Improvement District (SBID) and the Springfield First Church of Christ Congregational (Old First Church) have received a grant to plant 12 250-300-pound trees in the downtown area. The planting of these trees took place at the end of October and the SBID will maintain them for three years. This event marks the sixth year of the tree-replanting program that the SBID began in 2000. To date, 93 trees have been planted in downtown.
GSCVB Celebrates 20 Years
PIONEER VALLEY — The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) recently celebrated 20 years of promoting Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley as a visitor destination during its annual meeting at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Following the meeting, the Bureau’s charter members were recognized with a special poem and plaque that will be displayed at the GSCVB’s offices at 1441 Main St., Springfield. Former staff and Board members were also recognized for their contributions. Charter members recognized were AAA of the Pioneer Valley; the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center; Eastern States Exposition; Holiday Inn, Springfield; Hotel Northampton; MassMutual Center (Springfield Civic Center); MassMutual Financial Group; Old Sturbridge Village; Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc., and SER All American Exposition Services. Also, Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, Six Flags New England (Riverside Amusement Park); Springfield Marriott Hotel; Springfield Museums Association; Springfield Symphony Orchestra; Storrowton Village Museum; Thornes Marketplace; Tower Square (Baystate West), and Yankee Candle Company.
Jobless Rate Up in Region
SPRINGFIELD — The unemployment rate for the Pioneer Valley rose to 5.0% in September from 4.5% in August, according to the state Division of Unemployment Assistance. Statistics also show that the labor force decreased slightly in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties in September, and the number of unemployed people in the region was up slightly compared to September 2004. The labor force saw a decline, going from 348,400 in 2004 to 347,600 in 2005, while the number of unemployed people grew from 16,980 to 17,290. Officials at FutureWorks, a one-stop career center in Springfield, recently reported that regional employers posted 628 jobs in September which was down from 1,081 in August. State statistics show that the Greater
Springfield area added 700 jobs over the past 12 months, indicating a 0.2% increase to 297,800 jobs.
AGAWAM
Berkshire Agawam
63-79 Springfield St.
$100,000 — Remodel storefront
Olympic Mfg. Group
153 Bowles St.
$80,000 — Addition
AMHERST
Immanuel Lutheran Church
867 North Pleasant St.
$7,500 — Interior partitions
Mauro Aniello
30 Boltwood Walk 3
$6,500 — Renovate restaurant
CHICOPEE
Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$165,000 — Renovate kitchen
Munich Haus Inc.
13 Center St.
$3,000 — Repair exterior wall
Top Flite Golf Co.
425 Meadow St.
$52,300 — Increase size of golf ball swing lab
EAST LONGMEADOW
East Longmeadow High
School
180 Maple St.
$7,500 — Bleachers
HOLYOKE
South Street Plaza
209-235 South St.
$14,300 — Ronnie’s Restaurant
— Remove bearing block wall
NORTHAMPTON
Alexander Bykhovsky
159 Main St.
$8,000 — Remove and construct
non-bearing walls
City of Northampton
212 Main St.
$30,000 — Install rooftop units,
duct work and roof curb
City of Northampton
20 West St.
$187,000 — Renovate exterior stone
Clarke School for the Deaf
47-49 Round Hill Road
$1,600,000 — Add elevator
accessible entrance, bathroom, renovations
Laurel Ridge Realty Associates
312 Hatfield St.
$5,000 — Replace 10 exterior bulkheads
Paul H. D’Amour
162 North King St.
$95,000 — Construct wall,
mechanical room, roof-top equipment and store front
Richard W. Finck, Trustee
63 Main St.
$15,650 — Office renovations
Smith College
Elm St., Gillett House
$7,250 — Renovations
Suburban Linoleum Co. Inc.
63 Maple St.
$45,000 — Interior renovations for new offices
Valley Community Dev.
Corp.
3 North Main St.
$46,884 — Construct cafe in
existing
space
SPRINGFIELD
Amerada Hess Corp.
991 St. James Ave.
$155,000 — Build store
Diamond Affiliates
125 Paridon St.
$60,000 — Flagpole
Fountaine Properties
66B Industry Ave.
$72,000 — New entrance,
renovate dock area
Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$56,000 — Modify Suite 215
Shiloh Seventh Day Church
797 State St.
$15,000 — Renovate heating
and roofing
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave.
$2,788,705 — Construct new visitor’s center
WESTFIELD
PeoplesBank
281 East Main St.
$760,000 — Expand
Spalding Launches NEVERFLAT™ Basketball
SPRINGFIELD — Spalding recently introduced NEVERFLAT™, the first-ever ball with proprietary pressure-retention technologies guaranteed to hold air up to 10 times longer than traditional basketballs. The NEVERFLAT™ basketball, designed by Primo Innovations, is the only ball guaranteed to stay fully inflated for at least one year – with no additional air needed during that period. The basketball, with a suggested retail price of $39.99, hits store shelves in mid-November.
Hampden Bank Opens at Tower Square
SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bank’s new Tower Square branch office is the seventh in the bank’s branch network and provides a full array of convenient banking and financial services to individuals and companies headquartered at both the Tower Square and Monarch Place office complexes. The 1,000-square-foot facility contains a 24-hour ATM and Night Drop services area, teller and CSR stations, and private banking area. Also, there is space for financial services consultation through the bank’s Hampden Financial division affiliated with The Novak Charter Oak Group and MassMutual. The branch also features plasma screens, interactive kiosks and merchandising walls that inform customers of the latest products and services the bank offers.
Isenberg School MBA Program Receives Top- 10 Rankings
AMHERST — For the second consecutive year, the Isenberg School of Management’s MBA program has received two top-10 national rankings in the Princeton Review’s annual Best Business Schools publication, which ranks MBA programs in 11 strategic categories. In the 2006 edition – the Best 237 Business Schools – the Isenberg School’s full-time residential MBA program repeated last year’s ranking of fourth in the nation in the category “Best Professors.” At the same time, it improved its national ranking in the category “Best Overall Academic Experience,” from tenth to sixth.
3rd Quarter Net Loss for United Financial Bancorp
WEST SPRINGFIELD — United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, recently reported a net loss of $173,000 for the quarter ended Sept. 30. The results reflect a one-time after-tax expense of $2.2 million, which was incurred to establish and fund the new United Charitable Foundation. Excluding this charge for the charitable foundation, net income would have been $2.0 million for the three-month period, compared to $1.7 million for the same three-month period in 2004. Since the company’s initial public offering of common stock concluded during this quarter, earnings per share data is not being presented because it is not considered meaningful. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2005, net income amounted to $2.8 million compared to $4.3 million for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2004. The company’s initial public offering concluded on July 11, and raised $74.8 million in the offering, selling 7.5 million shares of common stock at $10 per share.
Paradise City Voted Favorite Arts Festival East of the Rockies
NORTHAMPTON — Paradise City Arts Festivals makes the 2005 list of America’s 10 favorite shows for the second year in a row, with a ranking of #2 nationwide, according to AmericanStyle Magazine. The publication’s December issue reveals their readers’ favorite shows of high-caliber fiber art and craft from across the country. Approximately 300 shows nationwide fit the description for high quality, collectible fine art and craft shows. Paradise City, the only organization of the top five with shows in the Northeast, was the clear first-place winner among gated indoor events. Also, Paradise City’s hometown, Northampton, was ranked #9 nationwide as a small city arts destination. Paradise City, founded in 1995, also was ranked #1 for the best arts festival east of the Rockies.
Belt Technologies Acquires Mississippi Company
AGAWAM — Belt Technologies recently acquired Clark Manufacturing, a belt manufacturer based in central Mississippi. The acquisition will complement Belt Technologies current offerings of steel belts to the robotics, semiconductor, packaging, medical and pharmaceutical industries. Manufacturing from the Mississippi plant will be moved to the Agawam facility where new product lines will be absorbed within the current manufacturing capacity, according to company officials. No terms of the sale were provided at press time.
The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and
organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law.
Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.
NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Energy East Solutions Inc. v. LaVera Cruzana Restaurant
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods and services:
$3,331.91
Date Filed: Oct. 7
HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Patrons Mutual Insurance Co.
of CT as surrogee of S. Michael Figarsky v. Cook Builders Supply, Hearts & Home Technologies Inc. and Valley Home Improvement, Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to do work in a workman-like manner:
$400,000
Date Filed: Oct. 7
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
The Darcy Co. v. Aekara Inc. d/b/a Red
Rock Pizza
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods and services: $1,372.87
Date Filed: Oct. 5
CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Instar Services Group LP d/b/a Action
Fire Instar Services Group v. John
Leslie and Robert W. Hawley, Jr. d/b/a
U-Save Quality Builders & Remodelers
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for services: $5,193.50
Date Filed: Oct. 17
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Electrical Wholesalers Inc. v. Kevin
Garibian d/b/a Garibian Electric
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods sold and delivered:
$2,760.47
Date Filed: Sept. 23
Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v..
M & J Co. Inc. d/b/a Roof
Remedy Associates Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for workmens comp insurance: $7,826.20
Date Filed: Sept. 27
Mountainview Landscapes & Lawn
Carev. Techni Products Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for lawn care services: $10,412.81
Date Filed: Sept. 27
Cordi Foods Inc. v. Crescenzo
Enterprises Inc. d/b/a Little Italy Pizza
Alligation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods sold and delivered:
$11,202.32
Date Filed: Sept. 28
HDC Three LLC v.. Harding of N.E. LLC
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to clean trash and debris: $20,000
Date Filed: Oct. 3
WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Salt City Inc. v.. Metro West
Management Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for road salt sold and delivered:
$16,818.04
Date Filed: Oct. 7
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2005. | |
AGAWAM Cigar by the Box Luis Auto Detail Sunny Enterprises LLC Unique Creations Embroidery AMHERST Amherst Martial Arts Bekapak Delta Organic Farm Holeshot’s Premium Tattoo KC’s Home DÈcor Masters CHICOPEE Bear Auto Brett’s Stump Grinding Ladies Workout Express N.E. Relocation Group Ron’s Services, Heating & Refrigeration Steven Hemphill CMMA EAST LONGMEADOW A.T.D. Cleaning Services Chocolate Works Lighthouse Liquors Stixx-N-Stones HADLEY Candy Stand Doubleday Farm Firehouse Sprint Tran’s World Food Market HOLYOKE The Black Sheep Harmony Hidden Hollow Floral Designs Kennedy & Williams Homes 900 Broadway Communications Prints Plus Inc. Tempos Inc. LONGMEADOW Animal Instincts Pet Sitting & Dog Walking OG Solutions NORTHAMPTON Blue Jar Software | Cassandra’s Clarity Data Services Mill River Woodworks Pioneer Naturopathic Medicine Sam’s CafÈ Village Antique SPRINGFIELD The Aged Polish Vodka Co. Around the Clock Home Care BSB Express Buck’s Electronics Clerk St. Press Computer Ambulance Dazzle Studio of Dance Field Spring Glitterz Girlz Nail Salon I Wireless JT Graphics Mary Kay New York Nails Pasquale Perrotta Smith Fashions Trans Border Marketing WEST SPRINGFIELD A to Z Moving and Storage Inc. Building News Service Denny’s Trading Fini’s Auto Sales Hallies Comet KJ Woodworking Mobil Auto Repair Oem Telematics Services The Ivanhoe West Springfield Mobil WESTFIELD Adam’s Power Services Bryant’s Auto Solutions Eternal Stone Works Ray Davidson’s Home Improvement Simplicity Salon |
These are merely allegations and, as always, there is a presumption of innocence. But at the very least, Goyette has embarrassed his city and further eroded the publics trust in officials not only in Chicopee, but everywhere.
There was much surprise at the news, and much anger as well. After all, BusinessWest did endorse Goyette for a second term as mayor, believing that he had the leadership skills and common sense needed to move the community forward. We, like many Chicopee residents, feel betrayed and misled.
We have seen time and again the strong, negative impact of corruption in Springfield. Former Mayor Michael J. Albanos actions have left the citys residents bitter, skeptical, and far less willing to give appointed and elected officials their trust. Meanwhile, it has left business owners wary about the community and hesitant to make the kinds of investments we know are needed if Springfield is to rebound. We were of the opinion that area elected officials had learned from Springfields problems and fully understood the high cost of corruption.
We were wrong. If the allegations against Goyette are true, then he, like so many members of the Albanos administration, put his own interests above the communitys and with possibly dire consequences.
We say possibly, because there is a chance maybe a goodchance thatChicopee will sufferthe same fate as Springfield. That it willbecome the butt of jokes and the subject ofcountless newspaper and magazine articlessuggesting strongly that the communitysbest days are well behind it, with federalagents announcing one indictmentafter another.
Chicopee has enjoyed a strong resurgence in recent years. The second-largest city in the Pioneer Valley has seen an influx of new businesses from manufacturers in the Westover business parks to national retailers taking up residence on Memorial Drive. Meanwhile, it has also seen a number of public investments in the form of new schools, including two high schools, a new city library, and many infrastructure projects.
The city is primed for continued growth, and it is our hope that the city will survive this recent embarrassment and the crisis of confidence that may ensue. As weve said many times, while it is important for this region to have a strong Springfield, we also need a strong Northampton, Westfield, Agawam, West Springfield and Chicopee.
But someone else is setting up shop in Chicopee the FBI. Indications are that investigators have been turning over rocks in that community, and they are finding some things. We can only hope that charges against Goyette represent the end, not the beginning, of real trouble for this proud city.
In the meantime, we also hope that what transpired earlier this month with Goyette is not forgotten, and that lessons are learned from this fiasco.
Indeed, the worst thing about Goyettes arrest, and his silence thereafter, is that it gives people cause to believe that this kind of behavior is commonplace; it gives people license to say, theyre all like that.
Well, theyre not all like that. The vast majority of the people serving cities and towns in our region are honest, hard-working people who have only their communitys best interests at heart.
Still, this would be a great time (just a few days after the local elections) to remind all those fortunate enough to gain the favor of voters that a vote is an instrument of trust, and that trust is not to be violated or in any way taken for granted.
Maybe, in some small way, Goyette did this region a favor by reminding everyone who serves local communities about the price that is paid when greed, arrogance, or poor judgment overtakes responsibility, and when power corrupts.
If Goyette is guilty, he will certainly pay a high price for his actions. Hopefully, Chicopee and this region wont suffer the same fate.