How to Participate in Town Government - Week of April 10, 2022 (Updated)

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Image by John Phelan from Wikimedia Commons.

Updated 4/12/2022 at 11:30 p.m. New entries for meetings of the School Committee Start Times Subcommittee and the Permanent Building Subcommittee, both to be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, have been added. Additional agenda items have been added to the meeting of the Conservation Commission.

Select Board, Planning Board, the Conservation Commission and other government bodies meet this week. A few items of special interest to note:

  • Monday - In advance of May's Town Meeting, Select Board this week discusses the possibility of reducing the number required for a quorum.
  • Tuesday - Planning Board holds a public hearing on a request to substitute a five-story, 75,000 square foot hotel on undeveloped land instead of the three-story, 40,000 square foot office building that been approved in the University Station Master Development Plan.
  • Wednesday - Conservation Commission discusses a potential tree policy/ordinance bylaw and a potential Conservation Land Management Plan. 

    Select Board meeting via Zoom, Monday, April 11, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Select Board will discuss and could take action on a reducing of the number constituting a quorum. In a Notice of Public Meeting, the Select Board noted that it could potentially “reduce the size of the quorum to as little as 10% of the normal quorum.”

    Also on the agenda is School Committee’s request to submit a Sheehan School Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The town’s Energy Manager will provide an update on electric vehicle charging stations and there will be a discussion about the Westwood Community Choice Electricity Program.

    The Chair’s Update includes the topic of town and school administration support of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement. Select Board member John Hickey will be recognized.

    The Select Board will also enter an Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations and collective bargaining.

    To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 890 3705 0475 and passcode 200464. 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 be livestreamed by Westwood Media Center and broadcast on Comcast Channel 12 and Verizon Channel 42.


    To stay in the loop with daily, local news, subscribe to Westwood Minute!


    Dedham-Westwood Water District general business meeting via Microsoft Teams, Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Among other items, topics of discussion include financials and warrant, business operating reports, new and existing projects, annual comprehensive leak detection, March PFAS sampling and a meeting with Representative McMurtry.

    To join via Microsoft Teams, click here.


    Planning Board meeting and public hearings via Zoom, Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. Public hearings will be held on a request to modify the University Station Master Development Plan by allowing for a five-story, 75,000 square foot hotel instead of a three-story, 40,000 square foot office building. There will also be continuation of discussion regarding changes to zoning amendment articles for Annual Town Meeting. Also on the agenda are a Request for Minor Modification of Limited Environmental Impact & Design review & Earth Material Movement (EIDR-EMM) Approval for Hanlon-Deerfield Elementary School Project and a ANR Plan for 32 Autumn Drive.

    To join, click here. Or, visit Zoom, click “Join a Meeting” and enter Meeting ID 841 1571 3172 and passcode 388003. Be prepared to enter email and full name. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing, toll-free: 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499.

    This meeting will also be livestreamed by Westwood Media Center.


    School Committee Start Times Subcommittee meeting,  Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. This in-person meeting will be held at Westwood High School in the Professional Development Room at 220 Nahatan Street. The Start Times Subcommittee will discuss parent feedback on forum for adolescent sleep and community surveys, criteria to evaluate options, and transportation logistics.


    Permanent Building Subcommittee meeting via Zoom, Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. The Permanent Building Subcommittee will review and discuss scorecard submitted for general contractors and file sub bid contractors. It will vote on recommending a list of pre-qualified general contractor and file sub bid contractors to the full Permanent Building Committee.

    To join, click here. Or visit Zoom, click "Join a Meeting" and enter Meeting ID 817 4539 0817 and passcode 582072. Alternatively, join by telephone by dialing, toll-free: 888-475-4499 or 833-548-0276 or 833-548-0282 or 877-853-5257.


    County of Norfolk Advisory Board on Expenditures Public Hearing on Proposed Budget for FY 2023, Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. This in-person meeting will be held at the Norfolk County Agricultural High School, 400 Main Street, Walpole. For information regarding the proposed budget, click here. Details are available at the Office of the County Commissioners, 614 High Street, second Floor, Dedham, between 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

    Any citizen may provide written and/or oral comments and suggestions about the proposed budget at this public hearing.


    Conservation Commission meeting via Zoom, Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. At the time of publication of this article, no log-in information has been provided for what is being called a “Remote Meeting.” However, a physical location is provided as the “Champagne Meeting Room - 50 Carby Street, Westwood."

    A potential tree policy/ordinance bylaw and a potential Conservation Land Management Plan will be discussed, along with oversight of existing conservation lands. See this link.

    Action will also be taken on Requests for Certificate of Compliance for Islington Center, 1012 High Street, 7 Little Boot Lane, and 124 Mill Street. An informal discussion is on the agenda for 10 Orchard Circle. Also on the agenda are an extension request for 45 Clapboardtree Street, and requests for minor modification at 36 Woodridge Road and 790 Gay Street.


    Testing voting equipment for 2022 Annual Town Election, Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. The Town Clerk has issued notice that testing on voting equipment will take place on Thursday in the Office of the Town Clerk at Westwood Town Hall, 580 High Street. The Town Calendar indicates testing is scheduled for the period of 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.


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