Massachusetts State Senator Michael Rush and State Representative Paul McMurtry on September 6th have announced their support for a “yes” vote in Tuesday’s upcoming election in Westwood on September 9th, which would authorize implementing the funding mechanism necessary to raise the $38.1 million needed to build a new Fire Station 1 under proposed plans.
Specifically, Westwood residents will cast their votes on the question of whether to allow the construction of a new Fire Station 1 on High Street to proceed as a debt exclusion from Proposition 2 1/2.
“Westwood’s families and firefighters need this critical update to ensure improved safety infrastructure for both residents and firefighters,” said Senator Rush, who serves as the Senior Majority Whip in the State Senate. “Tuesday’s vote presents a key opportunity to do the right thing in the most cost effective way to bring Westwood’s safety apparatus into the 21st century by voting yes.”
Representative McMurtry, who serves as the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, said, “The proposed design for Westwood FS1 has been thoroughly vetted by all of the relevant boards and commissions in town and I strongly endorse voting Yes on Tuesday so that this urgent project can get put into motion.”
“The safety of our residents and firefighters is a cornerstone of our community and the current building simply does not allow for that. A new station is not just an improvement, but deeply necessary to our fundamental values,” said Rep. McMurtry.
The FS1 Committee made the announcement on behalf of the state delegation. The committee is made up of Westwood residents who support the new fire station and are campaigning for it.
The committee highlights that the current fire station was built in 1948 when Westwood was nearly one-third of the size it is today, with significantly fewer commercial and residential buildings.
FS1 Committee, along with Westwood Fire Department staff, Westwood Select Board, and proponents of the proposed design for a new fire station have long noted that the existing fire station on High Street suffers from structural failures, and does not meet the needs of a modern fire operation.
At Town Meeting on May 19th, with over 700 registered voters attending, residents approved building a new fire station at a cost of $38.1 million. In a vote tabulated by a standing count due to malfunctioning electronic voting equipment, there were 503 "yes" votes (75%) and 164 "no" votes (25%).
However, at the ballot box for a Special Town Election on June 3rd, Westwood residents rejected the funding mechanism required to cover the $38.1 million cost of the new FS1 project. There were 1,236 "no" votes (54%) and 1,056 "yes" votes (46%).
Before the proposed new fire station design was presented to Westwood residents for a vote in May, it had been approved or endorsed by all of its reviewing boards, including the Finance and Warrant Commission, Select Board, Zoning Board, and Conservation Commission.
Given the split votes of June 3rd and May 19th, Westwood Select Board has decided to present the June 3rd question to residents for a revote. The three members of the board strongly support the advancement of the proposed FS1 project to completion. On September 9th, voters will have the opportunity once again to cast their votes at a Special Election, and decide whether to approve the project’s funding mechanism.
Thanks to FS1 Committee for sharing its news with Westwood Minute.
Updated 9/8/2025 at 10:38 a.m.
As we get ready to vote tomorrow on the FS1 project, I’d like to thank Senator Rush and Representative McMurtry for their support. I was familiar with this project for quite some time and really felt compelled to do additional research when I heard the project referred to as “a showpiece” and “completely over designed.” I watched replays of information sessions, followed online commentary, and took a tour of the existing undersized and unsafe FS1. I also read repeated narratives comparing other fire station projects to Westwood’s design – particularly Lexington. It’s my understanding that Lexington is now having challenges with insufficient space and is evaluating building a third fire station. As a community, let’s not find ourselves in that undesirable and expensive scenario in the next 5-10 years.
We’re fortunate to have a 30 year Westwood resident who is a retired Brookline fire chief. I trust his judgment re: requirements and share his thoughts on the project below. Thank you, Chief Ward.
As a long-time Westwood resident, and a public safety official who served as the Chief of the Brookline Fire Department, I have evaluated this proposed station from both the perspective of a taxpayer and a public safety expert, and I am urging Westwood residents to support the building of a new main fire station and vote YES on Tuesday, September 9th. I am in a unique position to set the record straight on the proposed size and scale of the new fire station - which is fully appropriate for Westwood today and into the future.
I served on the Brookline Fire Department for 35 years and I understand the needs of a busy fire department like Westwood's in keeping residents safe. It is an awesome responsibility and one that I know Chief Steve Lund, and all members of the WFD, take with the utmost seriousness. As a fire safety expert, and a former Chief, I also understand well the critical importance of having a fire station which is both safe and mission ready.
I have followed the extensive discussions and have reviewed the design plans for the proposed new station in Westwood and they are well-tailored for meeting Westwood's needs; I appreciate the urgency in implementing this plan which has been in the works since 2013 - particularly given that the apparatus floor is crumbling and the station has no modern, up to code and industry best practice decontamination area.
To be clear, the proposed building is not oversized. It is the right size for the department's programmatic needs, and designed appropriately for the land and topography on which it will be built. The new station includes the necessary components for a modern fire station tailored to Westwood's needs - including the 5 apparatus bays, the mechanics bay, training space for our 48 member department, decontamination area, administrative space and of course living and dining quarters for our firefighters to use.
The Town of Westwood has provided ample information on fire stations in "comparable" towns since the start of public process on this project many months ago. Of course, each town's needs are based on their unique circumstances. Medfield, for example, has a combined fire/police station that is a bit larger than our proposed station - which reflects the fact that Medfield's fire department is about half the size of Westwood's, answers only about 35% of the calls Westwood does per year, and is a town which (unlike Westwood) has no proximity to a highway, nor any rail station or major commercial area. Like many other communities, Medfield's topography allows for a drive-through facility, where apparatus can respond from either end of an apparatus bay. Given the topography of the chosen site for the new Westwood station (at its current location), which was selected, after careful consideration, to maximize critical response times, our proposed station requires greater square footage, with a built in basement level, in order to meet maintenance and programmatic needs (and does not allow for drive-through bays). The new Southbridge station which has been referenced is also being built in a community without a highway or rail station and, while it is about 3,000 sf smaller than our proposed station, by my math with a standard 3% escalation rate per year, it would cost a bit more today than the proposed cost of Westwood's project.
I applaud Westwood's town leaders for their due diligence in bringing this urgent ballot initiative back for a further vote so that we as residents have the opportunity to make an informed decision and take advantage of the extended construction bid for this extensively vetted and cost-efficient project. Please join me in voting YES on Tuesday, September 9th.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rob Ward
Brookline Fire Chief - Retired
For full disclosure, sharing that I'm a member of the FS1 Committee as well as a member of Westwood's Long Range Financial Planning Committee.
Circle the wagons...
Didn't read about either of them providing any money to offset the cost.
FYI - There was no malfunction in the electronic tabulation system at Town Meeting. The Town Moderator stated at the Meeting that he didn't trust electronics. Alluded to the possibility that someone could vote more than once. And why were we given the FOBs upon checking in?
More subterfuge.
While everyone in Westwood is entitled to their vote - I have a problem with this endorsement and its publication in the Westwood Minute. Neither of these politicians live in Westwood and neither are familiar with the totality of issues surrounding FS1. But they were contacted by the political committee formed to support FS1; a committee that was organized by the same man who is the chair of The Committee to Re-Elect our current Select Board Chair. They were then given a one sided view of the issue and asked for their support. The FS1 Committee then contacted the Westwood Minute and gave them the article, which they published in full. While there is nothing technically illegal or improper about doing this, it is not a good look for our town officials and select board. Many of us already feel like we are being strong armed instead of listened to - and this does not help.
Thanks, Jodi, for the comment. Just want to clarify - it's true that some information in this article was based on information from a press release issued by FS1 committee. However, please note that Westwood Minute contacted Sen. Rush's and Rep. McMurtry's offices for confirmation of their positions, and did in fact, receive confirmations.
The article excludes information from the press release that Westwood Minute was not in a position to verify.
This article includes additional information independently obtained, which did not appear in the press release, as well.
I just saw a news story on WBZ about the challenges fire stations across Massachusetts face, highlighting in particular the conditions in Fall River where they are looking at a $1 million patchwork renovation effort. I believe our representatives should be working to obtain funding that supplements what towns can pay--in the same way the Pine Hill School was made possible in part by state funds.
The SB could start by inquiring to Representative McMurtry and Senator Rush for supplemental funding. After all, they did endorse the Project.
On a quick Google search, here's what came up for supplemental funding for fire station building:
Federal funding opportunities
Massachusetts state funding
Legislative Earmarks stands out for me as it relates to McMurtry and Rush. Where have they been all these years in attempting to generate funding?
Vote NO
NO = Select Board must listen to residents
NO = Stop the hijack
NO = Building a Westwood for everyone
What did they have to lose by endorsing it? McMurtry lives in Dedham. Rush lives in West Roxbury. Neither of them were going to have to foot the bill. Although associating themselves with the Town Administration in this instance may cost them politically as it should cost the Select Board for ignoring the first vote.
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