How to Participate in Town Government – Week of February 27, 2022 (Updated 3/3/2022)

Image by John Phelan from Wikimedia Commons

Updated 3/3/2022 - Information for Friday's School Building Committee meeting (via livestream) has been added and corrected; 3/2/2022 at 11:45 a.m - Thursday's meeting of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee has been added. Cancelled meetings have also been noted.

Following are meetings of Town of Westwood government this week and opportunities for public input. Topics of particular interest include:

• Monday: Select Board discusses articles for Town Meeting, Gay Street sidewalks and more.
• Tuesday: Finance & Warrant Commission holds a public hearing on town meeting articles, including proposed changes to zoning bylaws on permitting for solar arrays and nonconforming structures and a new mixed use, multi-family housing district.

Additionally, note that beginning Monday this week, the mask mandates for Westwood's schools, buses, and town buildings are lifted. As of February 28th, masks will be optional in these settings.

Select Board Meeting via Zoom, Monday, February 28, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Select Board will discuss 2022 Annual Town Meeting articles, Gay Street sidewalks, Charter Review Committee appointments, poet laureate and teen poet laureate positions, an update on the FY 2023 budget, authorization to use mitigation funds – fire station feasibility study, and more.

There will also be an executive session to discuss strategy for purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, including Hale Education.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 825 0168 3500 and passcode 755397. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing, toll-free: 833-548-0276 or 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499.

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

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Recreation Commission Meeting via Zoom, Monday, February 28, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. On the agenda are a review of bylaws, 2021 Town Report, Westwood Day, and an update on pool deck resurfacing, among other items.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 840 7535 5395 and passcode 186643. Alternatively join by telephone by dialing, toll-free: 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276.

Youth & Family Services Advisory Board Meeting via Zoom, Monday, February 28, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. CANCELLED. The discussion will include updates on Wentworth Hall, staffing needs, Westwood Public Schools and community liaisons and updates, Recognize a Youth Award and WY&FS student board member interviews.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 861 0694 5009 and passcode 114895. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing a number based on your current location, available here.

Finance and Warrant Commission Public Hearing via Zoom, Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. FinCom will hold a public hearing on citizen’s petition articles on senior property tax exemptions and 2022 Annual Town Meeting warrant articles. Members of Select Board, Planning Board, and town staff are planning to attend. FinCom will hear presentations, ask questions, and then open up an opportunity for questions from the public and press.

Public comment will be heard on proposed warrant articles regarding:

• Citizen’s petitions for senior property tax exemptions
• Proposed amendments to the town bylaws to create a mixed-used and multi-family residence overlay district
• Permitting and approval of solar arrays
• Zoning amendments regarding nonconforming structures
• Disposition of the historic Obed Baker House and adjacent town-owned property,
• Acquisition and disposition of real property,
• Zoning amendment for 394 and 396 Providence Highway
• Construction for bringing a portion of Porter Street up to town standards

A brief description of these topics is available here.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 870 9565 4542 and passcode 843484. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing, toll-free: 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276.

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

Board of Assessor’s Meeting in-person, Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. CANCELLED. This meeting will be held at the Jaillet Meeting Room in Westwood’s Police Station at 588 High Street. On the agenda are signing “apportionment of tax on divided real estate,” Verizon personal property agreement with DOR, review and vote on FY 2022 abatement applications.

Finance & Warrant Commission Public Hearing via Zoom, Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. This is a continuation, if needed, of FinCom’s public hearing on March 1, 2022.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 893 5890 7906 and passcode 246620. Alternatively, to join by telephone, dial toll-free: 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276.

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

Pedestrian & Bike Safety Committee Meeting, Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. The committee will discuss a Gay Street Sidewalk, recruiting new members, and Westwood Community Trails. It will also hear updates from Police, Public Works, and Planning.

To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 864 3044 7115 and passcode 624774. Alternatively, to join by telephone, dial toll-free: 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276.

School Building Committee meeting livestream, Friday, March 4, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. The committee will vote on removing insulation from the proprietary item list, among other action items. There will also be discussion about playground equipment and shading element (east side).

To view a livestream video of the meeting, click here.

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