Residents, councilors press Chicopee to back Westover Job Corps as closure looms

Several residents urged the Chicopee City Council on Tuesday to endorse keeping Westover Job Corps open, saying a closure would cost local jobs and remove a training option for young people.

Resident Junior Knight told the council, "I think it's important for the city council to have a resolution that says, we support keeping Westover open." He said workers and young people would be hurt if the program closes and that he had circulated a draft resolution to council staff.

Other speakers including Lisa Bienvenue, Julie LaRue and Sue Nimchick told the council they had direct experience with Job Corps and called the program valuable for job training and youth development. LaRue said she had referred people to Job Corps when working in addiction medicine and urged the council to support the program.

Councilors expressed support during committee remarks and said they would act. Councilor Arriaga said he stood behind Westover Job Corps, and other councilors echoed that sentiment. The mayor told the council at the end of the meeting that the legal department had received a draft and was revising it: "We were sent 1, but we have to change a little bit in it, and that'll be ready for the next meeting for us all to sign." The council did not take a formal vote on a resolution at Tuesday's meeting.

Speakers asked the council to act quickly; some framed the issue as one that threatens jobs and services for local youth. Councilors encouraged residents to continue outreach while staff finalized a legal-ready resolution for formal council action.