How to Participate in Town Government - Week of February 6, 2022

Image by John Phelan from Wikimedia Commons

This week offers eight meetings of town government which the public can participate in. Of particular interest:

• Monday: Select Board hears a presentation from Planning Board on the state's Draft MBTA Compliance Guidelines for Multi-Family Zoning Districts. SB also reviews the proposed FY 2023 budget, discusses a traffic study, and enters executive session to discuss disposition of property owned by Hale Education.
• Tuesday: SB attends the Finance & Warrant Commission meeting to discuss the FY 2023 budget.
• Thursday: School Committee considers a change to its mask policy that could make masks optional in some school buildings. It also discusses the school district's proposed FY 2023 budget.

Permanent Building Committee Meeting via Zoom, Monday, February 7, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Discussion topics include reorganizing the committee, Hanlon pre-qualification members, Compass project Manager and team, Wentworth Hall invoices, and new business and public comments.

To join, click here. Or go to Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 825 4628 8730 and passcode 159195. Alternatively, dial by telephone, toll-free: 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276 or 833-548-0282.

Select Board Meeting via Zoom, Monday, February 7, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Planning Board will attend this meeting to discuss the state’s Draft MBTA Compliance Guidelines for Multi-Family Zoning Districts. Among other items, discussion will include the proposed FY 2023 budget and a possible vote to accept, amend, or remove warrant articles planned for the 2022 Annual Town Meeting.

Also up for discussion are the Pond Street/Clapboardtree Street Traffic study and municipal ownership of the former Westwood Lodge Property.

Select Board will enter an executive session to discuss collective bargaining, as well as a strategy for the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of property including property owned by Hale Education.

To join, click here. Or go to Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 818 0788 0921 and passcode 154625. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing, toll-free: 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276 or 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257.

This meeting will also be livestreamed by Westwood Media Center and broadcast on Comcast Channel 12 and Verizon Channel 42.

Support hyperlocal news. Subscribe to Westwood Minute's FREE email newsletter!

Historical Commission Meeting via Zoom, Monday, February 7, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. The commission will discuss a possible extension of a demolition delay period, along with other items.

To join, click here. Or go to Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 879 3491 8893 and passcode 145641. Alternatively, join by telephone, toll-free: 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499

Finance & Warrant Commission Meeting via Zoom, Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Select Board will attend this meeting that includes a presentation on the FY 2023 budget. Presenters include Superintendent Emily Parks, Westwood Public Schools Director of Business and Finance Lemma Jn-baptiste, Assistant Town Administrator/Finance Director Pam Dukeman, and Town Administrator Chris Coleman.

To join, click here. Or go to Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter meeting ID 824 7413 6811 and passcode 718885. Alternatively, join by telephone, toll-free: 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276.

This meeting will be livestreamed by Westwood Media Center here and broadcast on Comcast Channel 12 and Verizon Channel 42.

Dedham Westwood Water District Board Meeting
via Zoom, Tuesday, February 8 2022 at 6:30 p.m. On the agenda are reports by the treasurer, business manager, and operations manager. There will be a report by the executive director about authorization for the director to sign contracts.

Action items include a task order with Weston & Samson on tank mixers, venting systems and aerators, on-call engineering PFAS and TTHM water system analysis, and design and procurement of 2022 water main replacements. Action will be taken on a task order with Woodard & Curran for design of the MCC Replacement at White Lodge Treatment Plant.

There will be an executive session to discuss collective bargaining negotiation strategy.

To join, click here. Or go to Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 885 1515 1154 and passcode 091949. Alternatively, find your local number and dial by your location:

+1 646 558 8656 (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 (Chicago)
+1 720 707 2699 (Denver)
+1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 (Houston)

Westwood Commission on Disability Meeting via Zoom, February 9, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. The commission will discuss the statement
on diversity, equity and inclusion adopted by Select Board and the Human Rights Task Force. It will also consider workforce development, HP parking violations, status of adult programs, mental health services, and the Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

To join, click here. Or go to Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 832 8288 5913 and passcode 834335. Alternatively, join by telephone, toll-free: 888-475-4499 or 877-853-5257.

Community Aggregation Working Group Meeting via Zoom, February 9, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
Topics to be covered include review and revising draft video script and a draft CCE press release. To join, click here. The passcode is 062800.

School Committee Meeting in-person and via Zoom, Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be conducted in hybrid format. 

Among other items,  a possible change to the face mask policy will be discussed and voted on. If the policy change is adopted, then masks become optional for students and staff in school buildings where there is a combined vaccination rate of at least 80 percent among students and staff. 

The superintendent's proposed FY 2023 budget will also be discussed. Its approval is also on the agenda, along with an opportunity to provide public comments on the proposed budget.

In-person attendance will be at Westwood High School’s Josepha Jowdy Little Theater at 200 Nahatan Street. To connect via Zoom, see below. School committee members may be attending either in-person or remotely.

To join online, click here. Or to go Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 886 0908 5308 and passcode 502807. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing: +1 929-205-6099 or +1 301-715-8592 or +1 312-626-6799 or +1 669-900-6833 or +1 253-215-8782 or +1 346-248-7799

This meeting will be livestreamed by Westwood Media Center here.

If this was helpful, subscribe to Westwood Minute's FREE email newsletter!

You may also be interested in: 

-Highlights from Select Board Meeting of January 24, 2022

-Westwood Follows Dover in Recommending Preservation of Open Space at Hale

-Twelve Open Seats in Town Government as April's Election Approaches