March 1 Public Hearing: Changing Elected Positions to Appointed Ones, Town Property Disposition, and Amending Zoning Bylaws (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, the in-person meeting of the Finance and Warrant Commission, originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 28th, has been moved to Wednesday, March 1st. The meeting will be held in the Westwood Main Library at 7:00 p.m. This article has been updated accordingly.

Westwood residents have the opportunity to provide input into proposed warrant articles up for vote at May's Town Meeting, when Westwood's Finance and Warrant Commission holds the first of two public hearings on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 7:00 p.m, in the Community Meeting Room of Westwood's Main Library at 660 High Street.

As of this posting, issues on the agenda include:

• Changing the positions of town treasurer and town tax collector from elected to appointed positions

• Disposition of town-owned property at 47 Willard Circle

• Amending Westwood's Zoning Bylaw Sections 4.1.6, 4.3.2, and 7.3 related to Earth Material Movement

• Amending Westwood's Zoning Bylaw section 6.3.5 and 6.3.6 related to dumpsters

• Amending Westwood's Zoning Bylaw Chapters 321 (Retail Stores and Food Establishments0 and 342 (Solid Waste) related to dumpsters

• Housekeeping amendments to correct errors or inconsistencies and to clarify Westwood's Zoning Bylaw.

At FinCom's March 1st meeting, sponsors  of the above warrant articles will present their proposals, and residents will have an opportunity to give input.

FinCom could issue a recommendation on disposition of the warrant articles at this meeting or at any of FinCom's  upcoming meetings in March.

FinCom also has scheduled a second public hearing on March 28th at 7:00 p.m. on the additional subject of Town of Westwood finances and budget. That meeting also will be held at the Westwood Main Library, and residents can expect to hear presentations on the town's proposed operating budget and funding for capital improvements in municipal, school, sewer, and other areas. There will also be opportunity for public input.

The issues up for discussion at the two public inputs are expected to come before town residents for a vote at Westwood's annual Town Meeting on May 1, 2023.

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