1-17-2022 11:52am

How to Participate in Town Government - Week of January 16, 2022

Darlene Cancell Editor

Image by John Phelan from Wikimedia Commons

Below are ways to participate in upcoming meetings of town government. All are remote meetings with the exception of the School Building subcommittee meeting which is scheduled to meet in-person on Wednesday.

Of particular interest this week:

Select Board joins FinCom meeting at which articles for spring's Town Meeting are discusses
Zoning Board of Appeals holds public hearings on a number of resident petitions for changes to their properties

Dedham Westwood Water District Business Meeting via Zoom, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. Discussion will include interviews for final candidates for Treasurer, the Treasurer’s Report, Business Manager Report, Special Project Engineer Report, and an Executive Direct Report. There will also be an Executive Session to discuss a collective bargaining agreement negotiation strategy.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click "Join a Meeting" and enter Meeting ID 813 6049 8900 and passcode 066628. Alternatively, find your local number here to dial by your location.

Board of Assessors Meeting via Zoom, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. The Board of Assessors will note its plans to review FY 2022 real estate abatement applications. Also on the agenda is an Executive Session to approve Executive Session minutes to review FY 2022 real estate abatement applications.

To join the meeting, click here. Or visit Zoom, click "Join a Meeting" and enter Meeting ID 875 3134 5817 and passcode 124928. Alternatively, join by telephone, toll-free: 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276 or 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257.

There is separate log-in information for the executive session.

Finance and Warrant Commission meeting via Zoom, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Select Board will attend this meeting of FinCom. On the agenda are an update on recent Select Board meetings, citizens’ petition articles on senior property tax exemptions, and a preview of 2022 Annual Town Meeting warrant articles by representatives of Select Board, Planning Board and representatives of town staff. Discussion will also include the budget process and 2022 sub-committee assignments.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 847 8325 7398 and passcode 985930. Alternatively, call by telephone, toll-free: 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276 or 833-548-0282.

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School Building Committee Aesthetics and Design Subcommittee meeting (in person), Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. The subcommittee will finalize and make a recommendation on interior design to the full School Building Committee.

The meeting will be held in the Westwood Public Schools District Administration Professional Development Room at 220 Nahatan Street in Westwood.

Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing via Zoom, Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. The board will hold public hearings on different applications filed for five properties:

21 Edgewood Road - Matthew Scafidi requests a variance to construct a portico that would extend 5.5’ further into the currently non-conforming front setback, resulting in a 19.8’ setback where a 40’ minimum is required.

19 Pear Tree Drive - Bob Van Leeuwen and Maithili Rage request a special permit and variance for an existing accessory apartment of 1,668 square feet and 34 percent of overall floor area. This existing accessory apartment exceeds maximum size limitations of 900 square feet and 33 percent of overall floor area.

346 Gay Street – Robert Forrester seeks a special permit to demolish one of three garage bays in a detached garage and construction of an addition. The addition would result in a total of five garage bays with an accessory apartment on the upper level.

1665 High Street – Stephen M. Powell requests a special permit to replace a 1,218 square foot single-family home and detached garage with a 2,627 square foot single-family home and attached garage.

790 High Street – Eric Dana seeks a variance from a bylaw requiring storage of a recreational vehicle in the rear yard in a manner not substantially visible from the street. He request permission to store a recreational vehicle in the right side yard of the residential property.

To join any of these discussions before the Zoning Board of Appeals, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 898 5261 7232 and passcode 348283. Alternatively, join by telephone by calling, toll-free: 877-853-5257 or or 888-475-4499.