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5-04-2026 11:26pm
Westwood Voters Approve $125.5M FY2027 Budget, Advance Study of Three Potential Locations for Fire Station 1
Darlene Cancell
Editor
A majority of voters have approved a balanced budget for FY2027 for the Town of Westwood and have voted to move forward with investigating three potential sites for a new Fire Station 1 by funding a feasibility study, following Westwood’s Annual Town Meeting on Monday evening, May 4.
Balanced Budget Passed with Help of Free Cash
Voters approved an operating budget of $125.5 million for FY27, representing a 4.3 percent increase over the previous budget, with an estimated impact to residential tax bills (based on a home valued at $1,250,705) of a 3 percent increase.
Notably, according to the town’s supporting documentation, the 3 percent property tax increase approved by voters is the lowest percentage increase in the last five years. It is also among the three lowest year-to-year percentage increases over the past decade.
Spending down the town’s available free cash as a funding source for various items in this budget may have contributed to moderating the impact to taxpayers.
The discussion preceding the budget’s approval was one of the longest discussions of any of the 31 articles under consideration - and it was a short discussion, with only a handful of commenters. A few residents raised the general concern that voting against the budget as presented in Article 3 does not seem feasible at Town Meeting, even if one disagrees with parts of it, as “[t]he cake is baked,” according to the perception of a few.
Upon a question of procedure, however, Moderator Jim O’Sullivan clarified that amendments can be proposed to articles (including the budget), so long as they are presented in writing, ahead of time. It is possible to come to Town Meeting and strike an item out of the budget, he confirmed.
The vote following the Article 3 discussion reflected residents’ overwhelming support of town officials’ proposed budget, with Yes votes numbering 199 and No votes numbering 34.
Voters Approve Funding for Fire Station 1 Feasibility and Schematic Design for Three Locations
The longest discussion centered on Article 22, a request from Select Board that residents approve $325,000 to pay for feasibility and schematic design services for studying the siting of Fire Station 1 at three possible locations, including cost estimates, environmental review, traffic analysis, public outreach, and other related professional services. In presenting the article, which names the three locations of interest as the existing Fire Station 1 on High Street, the Deerfield Elementary School property on Deerfield Avenue, and the town-owned, landlocked parcel behind Starbucks at 736-738 High Street, Town Administrator Connor Read carefully noted that Article 22 does not represent selection of a final site, final design, construction funding, or tax increase.
To be funded by free cash, Article 22 was intended to be responsive to the community’s desire for greater participation and transparency in the decision-making related to building a new FS1, he noted.
Resident discussion against Article 22 included objections that the feasibility study is unnecessary. One resident raised the point that a previous feasibility study has already been performed for rebuilding on the existing site of Fire Station 1. A few others argued against Article 22 for the expenditure, noting that senior citizens are concerned about increased taxes and that capital spending in Westwood needs to be controlled. A few others advocated for the “open spaces” of the Deerfield School and the landlocked property sites, which they believed should be preserved and protected from development.
On the flip side, a proponent noted that firefighters “who go home with bloody noses from the mold” deserve “a shot.” To underscore the reasonableness of Article 22, he pointed out that voters had just approved giving School Committee $435,000 in litigation expenses for a “personnel blunder,” as he referenced voters’ approval of Article 15 (an appropriation from free cash for school litigation).
At one point in the lengthy discussion, a motion to move the question and stop public discussion was made. The resulting vote on the motion showed that the room was evenly split, with 167 residents voting to continue the discussion and 168 residents voting to move on. Because the vote fell short of the two-thirds required, the discussion continued.
In the end, voters approved Article 22, with Yes votes numbering 238 and No votes numbering 69.
Airbnb Rentals Curbed with Residency Requirement and Occupancy Limitations
Article 30, which amends the town's bylaws regarding short-term rentals also generated some notable, though brief, discussion. In setting forth reasons recommending that voters approve Article 30, the Finance and Warrant Commission has noted that the bylaw amendment would require property owners of short-term rentals to reside on the property for at least nine months of the calendar year, helping to ensure that primary use of the property is as a residence.
Proponents explained with some emotion that living next to a home being used as an Airbnb rental has caused extreme stress and worry due to the constant turnover of unfamiliar occupants and concerns about safety and security. Opponents argued that the bylaw change is unnecessary and cumbersome to enforce for a small town like Westwood, and that more thought is needed before any decision is made. In electronic voting, voters approved the bylaw amendment.
Monday night’s almost three-hour-long meeting was notable for the increased communication between town officials and residents compared to recent past town meetings. There was also a seemingly greater level of civility in the discussions.
Outcome of Articles 1 through 31
Article 1: FY26 Budget Adjustments by Transfer ($405,000) – unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 2: FY26 Budget Adjustments by Appropriation ($1,516,000) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 3: FY27 Operating Budgets (Appendix “D”) – majority electronic votes in favor; Yes 199, No 34
Article 4: Appropriation ($1,830,500) – Municipal Capital Improvements - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 5: Appropriation ($1,280,000)-School Capital Improvements – majority voice vote in favor
Article 6: Appropriation ($760,000)-Sewer Capital Improvements - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 7: Appropriation ($2,435,000)-Additional Capital Improvements (Free Cash) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 8: Appropriation ($1,180,000)-Additional Capital Improvements (Meals and Hotel Tax) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 9: Appropriation ($553,000)-Additional Capital Improvements (Other Sources) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 10: Appropriation ($125,000)-Stabilization Fund FY27 - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 11: Appropriation ($680,000)-Special Education Reserve Fund - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 12: Appropriation ($1,615,000)-OPEB Liability Trust Fund - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 13: Rescind Unissued Debt Authorization ($233,205-Hanlon (Pine Hill) Elementary School-Planning/Design) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 14: FY26 Budget Adjustments by Appropriation ($345,000) – majority voice vote in favor
Article 15: FY27 Appropriation School Litigation ($435,000) – majority voice vote in favor
Article 16: Citizens Petition-General Bylaw Amendments-Chapter 138, Town Meeting Section 138-7, Rules of Debate, F. G. &H. - majority voice vote in favor of indefinite postponement
Article 17: General Bylaw Housekeeping Amendments - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 18: Local Option-Acceptance of M.G.L. Chapter 200A, Section 9A (Disposition of abandoned funds) – majority voice vote in favor
Article 19: Transfer of Land (Obed Baker House Wetlands) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 20: Transfer of Land (Deerfield School) – two-thirds voice vote in favor
Article 21: Establishment of Injured on Duty Reserve Fund ($200,000) - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 22: Feasibility and Schematic Design Funding for Fire Station 1 ($325,000) – two-thirds electronic vote in favor; Yes 238, No 69
Article 23: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Animal Daycare - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 24: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Adult Day Care - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 25: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Indoor Commercial Recreation - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 26: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Battery Energy Storage Systems – two-thirds voice vote in favor
Article 27: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Definitions – two-thirds voice vote in favor
Article 28: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Administrative-Research-Office (ARO) District - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 29: Zoning Bylaw Amendments Relative to Dimensional Regulations - unanimous voice vote in favor
Article 30: Zoning Bylaw Amendments and General Bylaw Amendments Relative to Short-term Rental Properties – two-thirds electronic vote in favor; Yes 141, No 35.
Article 31: Housekeeping Amendments - unanimous voice vote in favor
