Development in Wilbraham waits for business to pick up

Wilbraham Planning Director John Pearsall says the zoning map is not changing much.

Some retailing ventures may be in the offing

By Charles F. Bennett
Turley Publications Staff Writer

WILBRAHAM – From a planning and development perspective Wilbraham is seeing some nibbling around the edges but no big bites by companies moving in with development plans, retail or residential, according to town Planning Director John Pearsall.
In a wide ranging conversation last week Pearsall blamed the malaise on the economy, fallout from the storms last year and potential higher energy costs: “We’re in a period of transition and uncertainty, waiting for the economy to improve before any major retail companies come in to the Boston Road corridor,” he said.
Looming over the situation are several movements, said Pearsall, one local with a new discussion about the town’s vision of an updated Master Plan. And, one larger issue about globalization. “The globalization model could break down,” said Pearsall, “caused by higher energy prices,” which could force big companies to keep their operations in the United States rather than pay higher transportation costs to ship from overseas. That puts business on a more local level. “We already see it in Wilbraham. The Planning Department is receiving more and more business certificates by people who are working from home and using the Internet,” suggests Pearsall. They avoid commuting costs to downtown Springfield, for example. In planning lingo Pearsall called the trend, “live, shop and work local.” “It’s convenient and safer,” said Pearsall. Add to the mix the fear factor after the bad storms of 2011. People are finding out that in a disaster, going without power for a number of days, they are not as self-reliant as they thought they were and need to rely on their neighbors and town services more. This builds community spirit, said Pearsall.
The trend may influence the Wilbraham Planning Board and others like the Open Space Committee who will be asking for feedback from citizens about how they want to live for the next 30 years as part of an updated Master Plan for the next 30 years. (Watch for details in an upcoming issue of the Times.)
What’s in the Mix?
Pearsall provided an update on current business and zoning activity going on in town, satisfying some curiosity about rumors flying around, like what is going to happen with the Rice Fruit Farm store? Big box stores coming to Boston Road? What kind of development will go into the former Bennett Turkey Farm property?
Based on the lack of applications for permits or corporate queries, new development will remain relatively quiet on Boston Road. The developer who did have an option to buy five parcels fronting the road from Gregory’s to across from Post Office Park has given up his options to develop it for a Target or Kohl’s type store or auto dealer. Also, there is nothing in the planning for “mixed use” – residential combined with retail – development like Village Commons in South Hadley.
The Sunset restaurant was sold to the former banquet operators at the Hampden Country Club. At presstime they were applying for a liquor license transfer for an establishment called Dana’s Grillroom, after renovations are completed on the old building.
Pearsall said he has been contacted by the family that owns Cindy’s Drive-In in Granby for zoning advice over purchasing the Rice’s store. Some family members are residents of Wilbraham. It is their goal to reopen the farm stand store and run it as the late Jesse Rice did, selling cider, coffee and donuts, locally grown fruit purchased for the new owner of Rice’s orchards, providing breakfast and lunch and convenience items.
They would add to that a seasonal ice cream take-out operation. But the potential owners need an exemption from the Department of Agriculture to sell the produce purchased directly from the fruit farm owner across Main Street who bought the orchards from the Rice Estate. The Cindy’s owners need the exemption in order to open the business and get financing. Pearsall said he is actively pursuing the zoning exemption from the state. A purchase and sale agreement is pending, he said.
Another automotive repair business owned by Kenneth Bernard, now located in Springfield, wants to move into available space in the Citgo station next to O’Driscoll’s by the underpass on Boston Road. If approved he would hire more people and provide new jobs.
Condos?
Realtor Donald Flannery has met with the Planning Board, according to Pearsall, to sound them out about developing the former Bennett Turkey Farm property wedged between Main Street and the rear of Minnechaug Regional High School.
The town had the opportunity to buy the land when the turkey farm went out of business but declined. Flannery purchased the land, minus the farmhouses, and is looking into building a subdivision of condos. Perhaps single family homes with a 25 percent affordable housing component to it, said Pearsall. Nothing is concrete because Flannery is doing the groundwork first, said Pearsall.
A dental practice is looking into buying the land of the former lighting shop across from Post Office Park but is unsure, because of the condition of the building, whether they want to build a new structure on the site or remodel the existing one.
There is no progress at all in selling the vacant former Belli’s Nightclub across the street from the Alpha Oil complex. The word is the property is condemned, open to the weather and infested with animals. Also on hold is development of the former Family Wireless store across from the Big Y complex.

Charles F. Bennett can be reached at cbennett@turley.com.

Our neighbors and friends

Local businesses find ways to give back to their customers and the community
By Katie Landeck
Turley Publications Correspondent

Despite the “closed” sign hanging in the window, Euro Coiffure Salon was filled with somewhere between 150 and 200 people Nov. 17 getting free shellac manicures, washes and blow dries, eyebrow threading and wine.
That’s right. Free.
It was the salon’s first customer appreciation day. After an employee of the salon suggested it, owner Barbara Bocwinski decided to shut down the salon for a night and invited about 100 of her regular clients and their best friends to come in for a night of free pampering. She called the event Girl’s Night Out.
“I was thrilled with the event. I had so much fun,” said Bocwinski, who spent the night doing manicures “one after another.”
The event was Bocwinski’s way of giving back to the community and people who have supported her business, located at 1910 Wilbraham Road., for the eight years she has been in business.
“It’s not about taking, taking, taking,” said Bocwinski. “We live here. It’s about local money, local businesses and local people.”
According to Jocelyn Walker president of the Boston Road Business Association and advertising sales representative at the Times, Bocwinski’s focus on giving back to the community that she works in is an attitude reflected by many local businesses.
“I see it every day when I am out visiting the businesses,” said Walker. “People approach these small businesses because they see them as part of the community.”
Small, community businesses in Hampden and Wilbraham are constantly finding ways to work within the community to improve it and help in ways that many of the big box companies, such as Home Depot and CVS, do not.
“National stores take up national causes like Rays of Hope and then implement it at the community level,” said Walker. “It’s not like they are scrooges, it is just more difficult to get donations from them as in most cases the store manager can’t say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll give you a $100.’”
Hometown Charities
When corporate companies are asked for a donation, stores have to fill out a form and send it on to their corporate office to approve the funds, a process that could take months.
“I think it is probably a lot easier to say no to a donation when you are in a 19th floor office don’t have the personal contact with the community,” said Mary Bandouveres who owns the Village Store in the center of Wilbraham.
The Village Store, at 462 Main St., caters the town’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies at a discounted price, in addition to letting community groups use their space and fielding donation requests from hometown charities.
“We give out a lot of donations,” said Bandouveres. “At first we tried to tailor them, but now we give out a standard gift certificate for lunch for two. We feel that keeps it fair.”
According to Bandouveres, many people come to the Village Store regularly, particularly older people. It has gotten to the point where if an older person does not come in for a few days, she has started to ask their friends and family about them.
It is this contact with the community that makes giving back so important to her. “They spend there money with me all the time, so I feel I have a responsibility to give back when they need something.”
Quality of Life
However, for some people giving back to the community is not about responsibility, but about improving the area they live in.
The Gaudreau Group, at 1984 Boston Road is one of the biggest contributors to the community. Annually, they donate about $100,000 to organizations such as the Rotary Club, the Scantic Valley YMCA and other groups that come asking. In addition to financial contributions, employees often help to staff local events. After the tornado hit, owner Jules Gaudreau himself brought out his chainsaw and headed to Fountain Park.
But to Gaudreau, it is not about giving back, it is about investing in the community.
“I don’t like the term ‘giving back’ because it implies that I took something that I didn’t earn,” said Gaudreau who has served as president of the Wilbraham-Hampden Rotary Club, named a Paul Harris Fellow, and is a chair of the YMCA Scholarship Committee. “It’s about investing in the future of the community. Every generation owes it to the one before to step up and make the community better.”
Drawing inspiration from people such as the late Larry Fountain of Wilbraham, who was a philanthropist-businessman and helped to found Fountain Park, Gaudreau has taken it upon himself to help improve Fountain Park and Post Office Park.
“We have made the community better,” said Gaudreau.
This is something Gaudreau does not see the larger companies doing.
“Large companies do nothing. They don’t feel any obligation to give back to the community and why should they?” said Gaudreau.
As a self-described small business, Gaudreau admits that the $100,000 he gives can “hurt,” but he feels that there is “a lot that needs to be done.”
But, not all of the small businesses can donate thousands of dollars a year. Most in fact can’t.
Support Scholarships
Quinn’s Fine Jewelry, 2040 Boston Road, donates jewelry and gift cards to the schools, the Minnechaug Scholarship Fund and other local charities.
“We do whatever we can, but we are not in a position to do a lot,” said store owner Denise Quinn who lives in town with her husband.
Quinn is a strong believer in the “think local, buy local” movement that encourages consumers to shop at local stores before heading to the big box stores. An example would be buying jewelry at Quinn’s rather than at a major national retailer in the area.
“We live in Wilbraham, have our store here, have put three kids for the school here and shop here,” said Quinn. “We would not be here without the support of our local community. That is what keeps our doors open.”
This unshakeable bond between community and business may just be what is driving this local charity-giving culture.
“When small businesses give back, it is almost like an ad,” said Walker evoking the “paying it forward” philosophy. “Hopefully people in the community will remember that and give back in turn.”
In the meantime, restaurants such as Abudanza, Donovan’s Irish Pub and Horizons and retailers including Inside Out, Chefranelle, It’s All About Me, Hodge Podge donate to fashion show fundraisers, and Baystate Dental won an award for giving free dental care for battered women as well as supporting Rick’s Place, DARE and the Jimmy Fund.
In Hampden LaCucina de Hampden House both Richard Green Insurance both collected toys for needy children at the holidays. Hampden Engineering Group, owned by the Flynn family supports many projects including concerts by the Old Post Road Orchestra.
In a strong community spirit, local banks such as Hampden Bank, Monson Savings and Country Bank are giving back by donating to various town projects for children and seniors.
“Banks are huge in supporting the community,” said Walker. “They put just as much money into community events as they do advertising their services, sometimes more.”
After their first customer appreciation day, Bocwinski decided she would “definitely” do another one.
“It’s a way to say ‘we love you.’ It’s about giving,” said Bocwinski.

Will you make the news in 2012?

As we enter this New Year, we want to take this opportunity to remind our readers that the single most important feature of this community newspaper is you – your stories, your events, your achievements, your struggles, your ideas and opinions.
As your paper of record, we attempt to cover all general news stories, which include Boards of Selectmen and the School Committee meetings as well as spot departmental meetings, with coverage determined by the issue’s relevance to our readers. We also cover major community news and personality profiles, but we are more than open to suggestions of other features about Wilbraham and Hampden– the communities we cover – and their many interesting residents. Our loyal advertisers provide funding for this comprehensive coverage.
News About Town
Still, with a small staff, we rely on and welcome your submissions. Whether you’re an “old hand” at submitting news items and announcements to the Times or it’s a new idea that you are considering for the first time, we want to provide you with some tips that streamline the process.
If you want to announce and promote an event, consider “News About Town.” In addition to breaking news, this section is intended to promote the activities of your clubs, churches and volunteer-driven organizations, free events and fundraisers that benefit the communities in our coverage area. Include a brief explanation of the event, the date, time, location and contact information. Our News About Town pages includes activities at the libraries and major Minnechaug events.
As a free service for our readers, we print birth, engagement and wedding announcements and announcements about a milestone anniversary, major birthday, military achievement and educational honors and awards. Photos to accompany these announcements are always welcome.
We are committed to maintaining a strong presence in our schools, both in terms of classroom, student and faculty features and sports, but we need advance notice. Please contact Times Editor Charlie Bennett with coverage requests at least two weeks in advance of a scheduled event by either calling 413-682-0007 or via email at cbennett@turley.com. If we can’t be there, we welcome your submitted stories, briefs and photos.
We want to know your business. Local businesses and merchants are institutions in our towns, just like schools and libraries. Without them, there are no towns. We will feature coverage for businesses that are new, have a major expansion, are moving, closing, under new management or ownership, celebrating a milestone anniversary or have been thrust into the news realm. Merchants can request that coverage through the editor, or for our existing advertising clients, through the Times Advertising Rep Jocelyn Walker at 413-682-0007 or via email at jwalker@turley.com.
We love letters to the editor and guest columns and consider them the soul of this newspaper; however, we don’t print what we can’t prove – if you allege something we must be able to verify it. We always encourage readers to celebrate our communities in letters to the editor. We only print signed letters that include contact information for verification purposes.
Unlike our daily competitors, we don’t charge a penny to print obituaries and accompanying photos. We also print death notices that are confirmed through a funeral home.
Our Sports Editor Dave Forbes and his reporters and photographers cover select varsity school games weekly as well as youth and adult sports leagues. To help us expand our sports coverage, we rely on coaches and players to send in their photos and write-ups. You can email Dave Forbes at dforbes@turley.com for more information.
There are multiple ways to send us your stories, announcements, photos and letters: via email – send your submissions in Word format and raw digital photos in jpeg format as attachments to cbennett@turley.com; via regular mail – send hard copy submissions and photo prints to The Wilbraham-Hampden Times, 2341 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. If you would like your photos returned, please include a self-addressed envelope; via fax – send your written submissions to 413-682-0013.
To request coverage or to obtain more information about how to submit stories, briefs and photos, contact Editor Charlie Bennett at 682-0007 or via email at cbennett@turley.com.

Who has authority over the new Minnechaug being used as a shelter in an emergency?

Fallout over shelter issue
By Janet Wise
Turley Publications Correspondent

WILBRAHAM – In the last issue’s ‘Question of the week,’ the Wilbraham-Hampden Times asked readers whether they thought the School Committee or the Wilbraham and Hampden Boards of Selectmen should control how the new Minnechaug will be used as a shelter.
(At presstime 100 percent of the respondents at wilbrahamtimes.com said “The Selectmen.”)
Undoubtedly, many taxpayers in Wilbraham and Hampden would have liked to have been offered a third choice: “Neither, the building belongs to the residents who are paying for it.”
Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District Superintendent Scott Chapman and school committee member Peter Salerno, however, cite Massachusetts State Law chapter 71, and say that the school committee, as the governing authority, has the responsibility to determine the use of the new high school.
And at the December 13 school committee meeting, Chapman indicated that there are safety, liability and capacity issues that need to be investigated before any decisions can be made about using Minnechaug as a shelter. At that meeting, a temporary subcommittee was appointed to look at the issues over the next couple of months and then present their findings to the school committee.
Salerno reports that “The school committee, to the best of my knowledge, is not resisting the use of Minnechaug as a shelter; however, it’s a question of legality.”
According to both Wilbraham Selectman Chairman Patrick Brady and Fire Chief Fran Nothe, though, that’s not the case.
Brady stated last week, “We agree that the school committee is responsible for the new Minnechaug under every situation except under a declared state of emergency,” which is when the school would be needed as a shelter.
In that event, the only person who could commandeer any building — public or private — for use as a shelter would be the town’s Emergency Management Director, who is Nothe.
Brady also added that it’s a moot point until the school has been issued a certificate of occupancy by Wilbraham’s building inspector, Lance Trevallion.
Involved in the Decision
Upon further investigation, it appears that although Nothe would be the one to decide what building or buildings will be used as shelters during a state of emergency, if Minnechaug is one of them, the school committee and the building inspector would also be involved.
According to Massachusetts State Publication 780 CR, which covers building regulations and standards, in order to use a school or other building as a shelter, a form as well as a temporary emergency use permit application would need to be filed by the person or governing body charged with the care of the space — in this case, a designee from the school committee. The building inspector would then issue a temporary “emergency use certificate of occupancy.”
At the Dec. 13 school committee meeting it was discussed that the new Minnechaug building has more than adequate generator capacity in place to light the kitchen and run the refrigerators, boilers, pumps, and sewage grinders, as well as provide half lighting of the gymnasium, cafeteria and library.
This generator capacity represents an upgrade from the original one planned and was unanimously approved at a February, 2010 meeting of the building committee, including Chapman, to insure that the new Minnechaug would be able to be used as a shelter if necessary.
Nothe pointed out, there is no building within 500 miles of Wilbraham that meets the “incredibly high standards” that FEMA has set for a shelter. However, the new Minnechaug building is on the town’s emergency plan list as a potential shelter resource.
Best Interests
All parties agree on one thing, as Nothe puts it: “I think we all have the town’s best interest at heart.”
Salerno echoes this sentiment and indicates that the school committee intends to revisit the formulation of the shelter subcommittee at next week’s Jan. 10 school committee meeting to put a charter together that would invite not only selectmen from Wilbraham and Hampden, but also public safety officials from both towns so that everyone will be involved in the discussion.
While it’s clear that the new high school will be able to provide residents of the community with an emergency shelter should the need arise but all parties to the issue hope that it’s not required for quite some time—if at all.

Correspondent Janet Wise can be reached at j_mac4@hotmail.com.

2011 – A stormy year

The Times reviews the top stories of 2011.

The Year in Review

By Charles F. Bennett and Katie Landek
Turley Publications Staff Writers

Wilbraham and Hampden endured a difficult year in 2011, one storm after another. But through it all, neighbors helped neighbors and the towns’ well-trained first responders and Department of Public Works employees earned kudos by being there when disaster struck.
Both towns survived a tornado, microburst, hurricane, flooding – and like a cold slap in the face – the freak Halloween Weekend Nor’easter put our resolve to the test. Insurance companies and utilities like National Grid and Charter Communications didn’t fare so well making some enemies of those who they were supposed to serve.
Others, like the hometown-owned Northern Tree Service and the Hampden Board of Health’s Jane Budynkiewicz and Senior Center supporter Chrissy Cesan stood out in helping others.
This newspaper’s reporter sat in on what became regular emergency management meetings led by Wilbraham Selectmen, Patrick Brady, James Thompson and Robert Boilard and saw first-hand how vulnerable people and property were being helped with recovery efforts.
Wilbraham’s emergency managers Fire Chief Fran Nothe and Capt. David Bourcier went without sleep. Off duty firefighters flocked to the fire station on their days off. And after the October storm Hampden Selectman Richard Green said, “This storm was an issue for everybody.” In a sign of optimism, the new Minnechaug Regional High School, under construction only yards from ground zero of the tornado and the microburst, escaped damage.
In other news James Thompson was re-elected selectmen, a murderer of a Hampden women received life in prison, Minnechaug alumni held a 50-year reunion; Gazebo Park was purchased by the town of Wilbraham, Friendly’s filed bankruptcy, Hampden got new street signs, Wilbraham formed a 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee and selectmen heard a proposal for a new senior center.
Here is the Times news staff’s selective list of the news making events of 2011:
Tornado
The first thing you noticed 24 hours after the June 1 tornado hit Wilbraham and Hampden with 90 mile- per-hour winds, besides the destructive landscape and damage done to homes, was the smell of pine from ripped-apart evergreens on Tinkham Road across from Minnechaug Regional High School.
It seemed that a line in the sand had been drawn at the Minnechaug-Mile Tree School Driveway. Beyond that invisible line homes and trees suffered spots of major damage and changed the landscape in the area. The new high school under construction had minimal damage said Building Inspector Lance Trevallion.
That late afternoon Minnechaug students on their way to the Prom at the MassMutual Center in Springfield found that the tornado hit Court Square at the same time the students were headed there for their prom. Times photographer David Miles, there to cover the prom, was swept up in the storm. The storm blew in from Westfield, crossed the Connecticut River, through the center of Springfield and took a path to Southbridge causing a line of damage all along the way.
Hampden Selectman Vinnie Villamaino was driving in his truck on Bradley Road in Springfield, one of the hardest hit areas of the city. “A (hot) wire hit me pretty good, and in split seconds I knew I was in trouble so I took the wheel, said, ‘I’m not dying here,’ put the hammer down and just left.”
If one were to walk the entire length of Wilbraham Road in Hampden to the end of Main Street in Wilbraham that Wednesday night, all you would have seen in the darkened towns were tiny flickers of candlelight through the windows and flickers of hope that things would get better.
The Wilbraham Fire Department was at the center of the damage at the corner of Main Street and Tinkham Road, doing well being checks and cutting downed trees to free people trapped in their homes.
Mutual aid arrived from many towns outside the area including National Guardsmen with chain saws. For months to come there were many stories of tornado recovery and of people of good will who helped those who were affected.
October Storm
The second biggest story of 2011 was the October Halloween Nor’easter that shocked both towns. Mother Nature unleashed its fury in Wilbraham Oct. 29 when a freak nor’easter hit the entire East Coast dumping over a foot of snow in Wilbraham and in Hampden.
The weight of the wind-driven snow, piling up on trees with their leaves still on, was so heavy that virtually every street in Wilbraham had limbs down, some tearing down utility lines according to Selectmen Chairman Brady.
Typical of many in Wilbraham, resident Mike Drumheller, who has a home off Boston Road, was helping relatives clear a path to their house on Lance Lane, which had downed trees all over the lawn. “This looks like a tornado hit,” said Drumheller.
He said their family was waiting it out until the power comes back on, sleeping in front of the fireplace together.
“After the storm was over, it was pretty scary hearing the ‘pop’ of tree limbs breaking. A tree hit the house, destroying our grill and hot tub. On Saturday night we slept in the basement but it got down to 53 degrees, so the next night we huddled around the fireplace to keep warm. But we are keeping our spirits up,” said Drumheller at the time.
Once again emergency management officials and selectmen held meetings to coordinate restoration of power, which went out all over town, for some, as long as a week. Unlike the tornado which kept to a narrow swath through town, the October storm affected almost everyone in both towns. Just like after the tornado and microburst tree debris had to be picked up at the tree belt in many neighborhoods.
With widespread power outages plaguing the two towns, the Hampden Senior Center became an emergency shelter where residents from both towns could come to warm up and have a hot meal no questions asked.
“Our door was open,” said Board of Health Coordinator Jane Budynkiewicz, who helped to run the shelter.
Despite the mess of power lines and stress outside, things were pretty relaxed inside the shelter.
“Everybody’s working together to help everybody else,” said Budynkiewicz while the shelter was still operating. “”We’re having fun. We’re trying to make it a party.”
In fact, it was a party on Monday, Oct. 31. Plans had already been in the works to throw a surprise part for Art and Audrey Bulger, who were celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. Since everyone was already at the Senior Center, the party organizers saw no reason to not go ahead with the celebration.
Microburst
Like a recurring bad dream, which the Times called “Strike 2”, a severe storm hit Wilbraham July 27 with high winds, rain and large hail, eight weeks and a half-mile away from where the June 1 tornado had plowed through town.
The storm was unexpected; it came from Ludlow into Wilbraham around 4:30 p.m. on a northwest to southeast track and headed for the same general area struck on June 1.
About a half-mile away from the Tinkham and Stony Hill Road areas just recovering from the first tornado, Hunting Lane (off Main Street near United Church) suffered wind damage with trees and wires down.
Hunting Lane resident Susan Hintze said anonymous good Samaritans cleared the lane of downed trees. “They worked on the street during the night,” she said. Later they were identified as landscapers Brian Sullivan, Mark Theocles and their friend Rob Kokosvyna. Sullivan said people were trapped in their houses. They worked through the night using the headlights of their trucks to illuminate the scene. Other neighbors armed with flashlights offered help.
Again first responders and DPW staff helped people recover. Again, the new Minnechaug was spared damage. This time the storm struck an area bordered by Springfield Street, Stony Hill Road, Tinkham Road and Main Street. Hard hit areas included Federal and Bittersweet lanes, Winterberry and Ripley streets. Again selectmen and emergency managers held meetings to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts. Nothe remarked, “Unfortunately, we are getting good at handling these weather disasters.”
Memorial School
Although Wilbraham no longer needed Memorial School other towns and school communities did.
History was made at the Feb. 8 Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee as a landmark decision made by school officials gave a whole new meaning to the idea that it takes a village to raise a child.
Following a winter of historic snowfall causing structural damage to the roof of the Mapleshade Elementary School in East Longmeadow, the Wilbraham Board of Selectmen and the School Committee voted unanimously to extend an offer to lease Memorial Elementary School in Wilbraham as a temporary replacement for the Mapleshade students for the remainder of that academic year. Mapleshade School had to be closed because of its unsafe roof conditions.
The tornado did extensive damage to Cathedral High School in Springfield. An outdoor ceremony held Sept. 18 by the Hampden-Wilbraham School District formally welcomed Cathedral High School to its temporary home at Memorial School. Cathedral is leasing the school this year and probably for the next.
Tornado Relief
All through the summer and for the rest of the year repercussions from the June 1 tornado affected Wilbraham. The President declared a federal disaster area. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) set up a temporary office at Wilbraham & Monson Academy. The DPW used the Times and the town website to publish schedules for picking up tree debris, some of it huge logs and stumps. They were stored in a vacant field at Post Office Park with a camera recording each truck load for FEMA so there could be a visual record that the town could use to ask for reimbursements from FEMA at 75 percent.
A Tornado relief fund was set up, and a committee chaired by former selectman David Barry directed donated funds in the amount of $93,000. Wilbraham resident Bill Lyons gave $25,000 himself and banks, businesses and individuals chipped in large amounts.
There were many complaints from both tornado and microburst victims about nitpicking and poor customer service by insurance companies. But, some victims received checks right away. Others were still fighting it out at year’s end. The Rotary Club and the Trees Bring Hope program set up funds to replace trees on the town tree belt to be planted in the spring.
Sen. Gale Candaras and Rep. Angelo Puppolo asked the Legislature and the governor to come up with a supplemental budget to aid cities and towns hit by the storm. The governor signed it in the fall and released $1.75 million to Wilbraham for recovery by the end of the year.
Gazebo Park Purchased
Selectmen Thompson, Brady and Boilard, after meeting with the town counsel, and a member of the Planning Board, the DPW director and a church official unanimously decided to support a move that would have the town buy Gazebo Park from Wilbraham United Church for $125,000. The price was determined by an independent real estate appraisal of the 1 ½-acre plot, which is mostly zoned “residential” according to town Planning Director John Pearsall. The Annual Town Meeting in May approved the purchase. Two large homes could have been built on the property in the center of town. Now it remains open space for all to use.
Tucker Takes Over From Stratton
The Wilbraham Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to offer the police chief position to Capt. Roger Tucker of the town’s own police department to replace Chief Allen Stratton who retires at the end of the year. After 70 candidates applied for the job, a grueling assessment center was held Dec. 10.
Selectman Robert Boilard said he voted for Tucker because he felt that the straightforward, no nonsense, well respected Tucker could work with the selectmen and the Finance Committee. A man of few words Tucker admitted he kept his mouth shut and his ears open. “That’s my style,” he said.
Thompson Re-Elected
Unlike the Wilbraham Town Election the year before when Boilard and David Barry were involved in a tie for selectmen with Boilard winning in a runoff, James Thompson was re-elected unopposed in the May 21 elections.
He was nominated by the Democratic Caucus April 13. Town Clerk Beverly Litchfield, herself re-elected, was disappointed by a low turnout of 3 percent.
Murder Sentenced
The Springfield man charged with murdering Hampden woman Valerie Girouard was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in October.
The murderer, Jesus Gilberto Garcia, had been dating Girouard’s daughter, Mariah, for a little over a year until nine days before the murder. Angered by the break up, he had allegedly broken into the house at 90 Main St. with intent to rape Mariah. Girouard, who Garcia reportedly viewed as a second mother, died protecting her daughter. Garcia stabbed her eight times with a kitchen knife. He was sentence to eight additional years for the attempted rape of Mariah.
Friendly’s Bankruptcy
Readers were warned about it by The Wall Street Journal that week. Friendly’s Ice Cream Corp., the town’s biggest employer and taxpayer, filed for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy in Delaware Oct. 5. But its chairman and CEO Harsha V. Agadi told the Times, Wilbraham will see “minimal changes.”
“There is no doubt we are in business and will remain in business,” he said. “We will continue to be the largest employer in Wilbraham.” Agadi said the home office will continue to support Wilbraham nonprofit organizations and fundraisers. “We will absolutely continue,” he promised.
Minnechaug 50th Reunion
While a new school was being constructed next door, the Minnechaug Classes of 1961, 62 and 63, dubbed “The Return of the Original Falcons”, celebrated their 50th Reunion at the Sept. 16 homecoming football game on Friday night where they presented a plaque to be mounted at the new school.
They held a reunion banquet at Hampden Country Club on Saturday night and a brunch Sunday morning at the Country Club of Wilbraham. Facebook was used to contact all classmates still living. A memorial wall was erected at the banquet noting deceased class members.
Prior to the reunion, at a School Committee meeting, members of the 50th Reunion Committee, co-chaired by Judi McDonald Theocles and Roberta Marco Albano and aided by former Selectman John Lovejoy, helped open the Minnechaug Time Capsule sealed in the wall of the old building in 1958.
The capsule revealed a 1957 Annual town report for Hampden and one for Wilbraham, a report of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District Planning Committee, a local daily newspaper article touting the plans of the Minnechaug campus and in a clean manila envelope. There was a carefully handwritten essay by Minnechaug graduate Jean Soderberg who had suggested the name “Minnechaug”. Albano read the essay out loud.
Band Gets a Marimba
As a gift of sorts for the Minnechaug Marching Band’s annual performance at the Hampden Memorial Day Parade, the Hampden Lions Club with some help from the Hampden Selectmen, purchased an $8,000 marimba for the band.
A marimba is a mallet instrument with a 4.3 octave range, basically an oversized xylophone. However, the South African instrument uses rosewood bars giving it a very different sound according to band director Margaret Reidy.
“It is mellow and warm, very different from the shrill bell set or piercing xylophone,” said Reidy. The instrument made its grand premier at the May 17 Spring Concert with a performance of “Afro Blue” played by Nick Falcetti.
250 Committee Formed
The Board of Selectmen appointed a committee to help celebrate the town’s 250th Anniversary in 2013, co-chaired by former selectman Kevin Moriarty and Peach Pageant Coordinator Patti Diotalevi.
But first the committee needed a logo to put its brand on anniversary events so a subcommittee chaired by Roberta Albano and Charlie Bennett of the Times held a contest to pick a logo.
The winner is Jennifer Guidara, 28.
When Guidara saw a notice in the Times this summer for the logo contest, she cut it out, but given her busy schedule, forgot about it. It wasn’t until friend and former boss, Amy Scott of Wild Apple Design and a board member of the Boston Road Business Association, reminded her about it this fall and encouraged her to apply that Guidara went to work on it and submitted her design just before the contest deadline of Oct. 15.
The contest was judged by a committee which included professional graphic designer Katherine Cardinale of Hampden.
New Street Signs in Hampden
Hampden gave its streets a facelift this year when they replaced their dinky four inch lettered street sign, with new ones that featured six-inch letters, a reflective surface that made the signs easier to read at night and town logo.
The project, which was started in 2004 when Highway Superintendent Dana Pixley first approached the Board of Selectman, responded to changes in federal regulations requiring all street name signs to be increased in size and to be made of a highly reflective material by 2012.
As it turned out, Hampden did not actually have to replace the signs as only towns with posted speed limits greater than 40 miles per hour were mandated to replace the signs, but Hampden replaced the 155 signs anyways.
Pixley said many of the existing signs were in disrepair so “it made sense to replace them all.” The old signs were sold as scrap aluminum.
Hampden Road Repairs
Hampden smoothed over some of the holes and bumps on Main Street, South Road, Mountain Road and even the Highway Department’s parking lot when the town received $410,747 for roadwork from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division’s Chapter 90 program.
“I was in awe when he got that much (in Chapter 90 Funding).” Selectman Vinnie Villamaino said.
Some residents were not as impressed when reconstruction on Main Street from Somers Road to White Birch Apartment slowed down traffic for about a week.
However, the project did make substantial improvements to the 4,480-foot stretch of road including replacing the catch basins and cross culverts, installing sub-drainage along the northwest side to collect runoff, reclaiming and repaving the road, installing a new guardrail along Gerrish Parish, repainting traffic markings and stabilizing the road’s shoulder.
Minnechaug Football Season
The Falcon football team battled their way to the playoffs this year only to fall to Central 22-14 in the semi finals on Tuesday, Nov. 29. The team was led by senior quarterback Gregory Heineman who had been a starter since his sophomore year.
Adams Cemetery
Historical, broken graves in Adams Cemetery were repaired by Oct. 3 as a part of efforts to restore the historic cemetery after the June 1 tornado tore through it.
The cemetery was listed among Massachusetts Most Endangered Resources for 2011 by Preservation Massachusetts based in Boston after the storm broke several headstones.
Baby Delivered
A typical 911 call led to an atypical day for Hampden Police Sgt. Joseph Henry who delivered 7 –pound, 7-ounce Veralynn Freya Estes at noon on Sunday, Nov. 13 with the help of Officer Scott Trombly.
When responding to the call, Henry quickly realized the mother, Mandy Este, was not going to make it to the hospital in time, so he delivered a healthy baby girl in the mother’s own bed.
Puppolo Promoted
State Rep. Angelo Puppolo (D-Springfield) moved up in the House this year with two committee appointments: Ways and Means Committee in February and into a leadership position as vice chairman of the House Committee on Personnel and Administration in December.
Colleens
Demonstrating their Irish heritage, Kayla Peloquin, 20 of Wilbraham was crowned this year’s Springfield Colleen and Gabrielle A. Moriarty, 17, also of Wilbraham was named to the Colleen’s Court. The girls rode in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade and formally attended various activities throughout the year including a visit to Green Meadows School in Hampden.
‘Gypsy’
A sizzling presentation of “Gypsy” produced by the Hampden Theater Guild graced the stage of the Hampden Country Club March 18. “Gypsy,” directed by Mark Giza told the story of famed burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee, played by Kiernan Rushford who starred in last year’s “Chicago.”
Census
A quick glance at the 2010 U. S. Census figures show Wilbraham is a growing well-educated town with a 5.54 percent growth rate dominated by females with a racial breakdown of 96 percent calling themselves “white” with a median family income of $102,557. The average age of a Wilbraham resident is 48 1/2.
Hampden is not all that different according to the census which shows well-educated town dominated by females with a racial breakdown of 99.5 percent calling themselves “white” and a median family income of $90,789. The only major difference is instead of being a growing town, Hampden lost 32 people since the 2000 census bringing the town’s population down to 5,139 people.
Teachers Honored
Five teachers were standouts in New Teacher and Outstanding Teacher of Excellence categories at the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District this year.Last year’s winners included: Danielle Dugre, a school adjustment counselor at Soule Road School who won the “new teacher” category. The Outstanding Teachers of Excellence award winners are: Kathleen Disa, a first grade teacher from Green Meadows Elementary School, Jessica Paris, a second grade teacher from Stony Hill Elementary School, Lianne Pennington, a special education teacher at the Wilbraham Middle School, and Patricia Regan, a reading specialist at Mile Tree Elementary School.
Public Health Nurse
Lee Giglietti replaced Claudia Considine, RN, who held the position for 10 years and retired last March, as Wilbraham’s new public health nurse. “It’s like taking over for a rock star,” is how she described replacing the highly-regarded Considine.
Peach Queen
After a one year hiatus, the Wilbraham Peach Queen Pageant returned this summer to name Olivia Bones the new queen on June 25. Her court consisted of Nicole Asselin, first runner up Marissa Halpin, Brieann Bateson and Charlotte Lawson.
Circus Smirkus
The Big Top popped up in Post Office Park July 22 and July 23, for two days of high flying acrobatics and wacky clowns. The annual event, which took place next to a scarred landscape of tree debris from the tornado, benefitted the Wilbraham Hampden Academic Trust.
Dr. Moriarty Named
Dr. Kevin Moriarty, of Wilbraham, was named president of the Hampden District Medical Society at the May 3 meeting at the Springfield Country Club.
Moriarty is the chief of Baystate Medical Center Pediatric Surgery and medical director of Pediatric Trauma and Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery.
Minnechaug Tour
Residents of Hampden and Wilbraham were treated to a sneak peek of the new Minnechaug when Public Access (WPA) Channel 19 aired a narrated tour of the new building on Nov. 8. The building is scheduled to open next year.
Senior Center Proposed
The Friends of Wilbraham Seniors have raised over $40,000 for the construction of a new senior center, which they say is too small to accommodate the needs of seniors. Their proposal was listened to by the Wilbraham Board of Selectman Nov. 21.
Business of the Year
Countryside Auto Body of Wilbraham was chosen as the Best Business of the Year by the Boston Road Business Association. The auto body repair shop is owned by Troy Hamel who was congratulated by Sen. Gale Candaras.
Heroes
Wilbraham Hometown Heroes Kathleen Barry and Davin Robinson were honored by the Pioneer Valley Red Cross at ceremonies March 17 for responding in a lifesaving situation.

Janet Wise, Joan Paris, Courtney Llewellyn, Tyler Witkop, Dave Miles contributed to this compilation.

Charles F. Bennett can be reached at cbennett@turley.com.