Bravo West Springfield! Bravo Brian J. Griffin!

West Springfield town councilors stick to stand on casino committee

Published: Saturday, October 13
Sandra Constantine, The Republican

Brian J. Griffin

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Despite criticism from the mayor, Town Councilor Brian J. Griffin said Friday he intends to remain “proactive” about the negative impacts a casino in Springfield could have on the community and continue his work with the newly formed Ad Hoc Casino Mitigation Committee.

Griffin was elected chairman of the committee Friday by its other two voting members, town councilors Angus M. Rushlow and John R. Sweeney. Town Council President Kathleen A. Bourque serves in an ex-officio capacity on the committee.

Earlier in the week, Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger issued a press release chastising councilors as being negative in their approach by using the word “mitigation.” The mayor also said instead of forming a committee, the councilors should go to seminars and other regional meetings about plans for a casino in Springfield as he has done.

“We’d be far ahead of the curve if we plan for it,” Griffin said of the possibility a casino will be built in neighboring Springfield. There are proposals on the table to have a casino on the south and north ends of Springfield as well as one off Page Boulevard.

The committee’s first order of business will be to invite Neffinger to a meeting, according to Griffin.

“We hope we have a good response from the mayor. We can work together to have a better West Springfield,” Griffin said.

Bourque had a similar take on the issue.

“We are just trying to be proactive. We’ve been proactive for 11 years,” she said. “We’d be happy to work with the mayor on this.”

Griffin and Bourque said a casino in Springfield would affect such areas in the city as public safety, housing and schools.

As for Neffinger’s contention that there is little to no money available for mitigation, Griffin said there is money available for neighboring communities to negotiate agreements with casinos from the $400,000 in nonrefundable money developers must put up to apply to build a casino. [Griffin has done his homework, unlike Mayor Neffinger!]

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/west_springfield_councilors_st.html