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This image takes the cover of the existing Comprehensive Plan from 2020 and gives it an updated edit in anticipation of changes expected around 2025.
11-15-2022 11:56pm
A Recusal and a Disclosure by Select Board Members, and Reviewing Actions Under Westwood's Comprehensive Plan
Darlene Cancell
Editor
At Select Board’s meeting last week, in a nutshell: Chair Robert Gotti recused himself from all deliberative processes involving Hale Education; and Select Board reviewed status of action items from the 2000 Comprehensive Plan, with an eye toward making future changes between 2025 to 2027.
Select Board Chair Recusal from Matters Involving Hale Education
Shortly after convening the meeting, under an agenda item marked “Disclosure Regarding the Chair of the Select Board,” Mr. Gotti recused himself, asking Town Administrator Christopher Coleman to text him about the time to return.
In Mr. Gotti’s absence, Town Counsel Patrick Ahearn noted that, “In an abundance of caution, I have advised Chairman Gotti to recuse himself from any and all deliberative processes having to do with Hale Education at this time. We are in the process of obtaining an opinion letter from Special Counsel to offer an opinion as to any potential conflict of interest. As part of that process, we are required to send a copy of that letter to the State Ethics Commission and they will review it and let us know their findings. When the process is complete, we will disclose the outcome either way,” stated Mr. Ahern.
Neither Mr. Ahearn nor Mr. Gotti gave any further reason for Mr. Gotti's recusal.
However, the State Ethics Commission provides advice to public officials in matters concerning the state’s Conflict of Interest Law. Generally speaking, the Conflict of Interest Law prohibits members of a “Board of Selectmen” from: (1) taking official action in matters that may affect the official’s personal or family financial interests; (2) actions that impart a perception of impropriety; and (3) actions as an agent or attorney on behalf of anyone other than the town that the member of the Board of Selectmen represents.
Select Board Member Marianne LeBlanc Cummings also took the opportunity to make a disclosure. She noted that her husband, John Cummings, has had seasonal employment with the Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) which is a potential partner with Westwood and/or Select Board.
That Ms. Cummings disclosed her husband’s employment as a possible conflict of interest could be in anticipation of the scenario where the Town of Westwood accepts Hale Education’s (Hale) proposal to purchase a conservation restriction on hundreds of acres of Hale property. If that happens, the town could partner with The Trustees to hold and monitor Westwood’s conservation restriction. Such a partnership could present expertise with cost savings to the town, compared to the town having to manage the conservation restriction on its own.
Ms. Cummings noted that the State Ethics Commission has advised her that she may participate in matters regarding The Trustees and should file a disclosure form. She noted filing a disclosure form on October 19th.
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Reviewing Status of Implementation of Action Items from 2020 Comprehensive Plan
The Select Board heard a status update on Westwood’s Comprehensive Plan from Nora Loughnane, Westwood’s Director of Community and Economic Development.
The Comprehensive Plan, adopted by Westwood’s Planning Board on December 15 2020, replaced the Town’s Comprehensive Plan of 2000, and was prepared by a Westwood Master Plan Steering Committee of 16 residents. An additional 29 others from town departments and organizations who provided resources and data.
At Select Board’s meeting, Ms. Loughnane reviewed a multitude of action items assigned to Select Board, as set forth in the Comprehensive Plan’s Implementation Table under subject categories of Land Use, Town Centers, Housing, Economic Development, Natural and Cultural Resources, Community Facilities, Open Space and Recreation, Transportation and Sustainability and Resiliency.
Many action items have not yet been completed, but Mr. Gotti noted that some action items were well under way. He pointed to the rehabilitation and reuse of the Obed Baker house as an example.
A small selection of action items from many more in the Comprehensive Plan include:
- Fostering community gathering places and prioritizing open space protection acquisitions (Land Use);
- Future use of the Deerfield School property (Town Center);
- Exploring programs for energy efficiency and renewable energy (Housing);
- Supporting development of Islington Center (Economic Development);
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the historic structures demolition bylaw (Natural and Cultural Resources);
- Mentoring and recruiting new members to boards and commissions with an emphasis on underrepresented populations (Community Facilities);
- Investigating a new, multi-purpose, indoor recreation center (Open Space Conservation and Recreation);
- Design path/sidewalk on Gay Street and traffic calming solutions for safety (Transportation);
- Phase out fossil fuels and develop a climate action resiliency plan (Sustainability and Resiliency).
Ms. Cummings observed that action items under the category of Sustainability and Resiliency were notably almost all high priority items. She stated her hope that a climate action resiliency plan be developed and urged a study of the benefits of adopting the Community Preservation Act.
Ms. Loughnane responded that developing a climate action resiliency plan is “our number one goal.” She expects that work to begin when the vacancy for a new Town Planner is filled.
Regarding the Community Preservation Act, Ms. Loughnane noted that it could result in both costs and benefits to the town.
Ms. Loughnane expressed a hope to update the Comprehensive Plan in with changed priorities and timetables sometime between the years 2025 to 2027. In the meantime, she noted that entities in town have been asked to give status updates to Planning Board on their assigned action items.
Planning Board is facilitating and driving implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, stated Ms. Loughnane. She noted that Planning Board is expected to do an annual review every May, but said staffing issues have presented an obstacle. A review of the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Chart is currently on the agenda for Planning Board’s December 13, 2022 meeting, she said.
Updated 11/16/2022 at 11:39 a.m. A reference to "Hale" should have been instead to "The Trustees." A correction has been made.
