This post expresses the views and opinions of the author(s) and not necessarily that of Westwood Minute management or staff.
Many of our fellow residents will cast their ballots today in the general election. Question 10, at the very end of the ballot, asks if the town shall be allowed to exempt debt for a new Fire Station 1 (FS1.) The FS1 Advisory and Community Engagement Committee (initially named the FS1 Steering Committee) is sharing some background on our work over the past year in order to assist Westwood residents in understanding the depth and scope that has gone into the Fire Station 1 project proposal.
After two failed votes in 2025 and criticism from the community over a process that felt “closed” to residents and feedback that project information was difficult to find, the Select Board took feedback that a re-set of the process and proposal was needed. The Select Board shared 8 potential options for a new FS1 and announced the formation of an all-resident steering committee to objectively assess fire department operations and potential sites.
All meetings were open to the public, recorded and shared by Westwood Media Center via YouTube. This approach allowed anyone who was interested in the project to watch the meetings at their convenience.
The committee toured the current FS1 and fire stations in neighboring communities to get a better understanding of how the department operates and the space constraints that needed to be solved. Through the work of the committee, we reduced the overall size of the fire station, reduced the number of offices and recommended a flat site which reduced the number of apparatus bays and building height.
The committee was tasked by the Select Board with reviewing all options and ensuring that all options were assessed consistently, grounded in data and aligned with operational needs, public safety standards and community expectations. Our recommendation of the former Deerfield School site to the select board received our unanimous support.
Was the process perfect? Like any new approach, we certainly had some difficult conversations and refined scorecards based on community feedback – as one example.
Did we deliver what we were asked to do? Based on feedback from many residents, the committee made every attempt to make ourselves available for feedback, questions and conversations.
As we head into today’s ballot vote, we have held over 90 public meetings and answered calls from many residents to “meet them where they are” - at the soccer fields, community meetings, the WYWC summer concert series, etc. The entire project team including Kaestle Boos Associates (design firm) and PMA Associates (owner’s project manager as required by Massachusetts law) hosted a booth at Westwood Day to meet residents, answer questions and listen to feedback. We also fielded many questions e-mailed to our committee.
We appreciate everyone who attended meetings, asked questions, shared feedback and engaged in productive dialogue. Our service to the Town of Westwood as the FS1 Advisory and Engagement Committee ends today, but the opportunity for feedback and questions does not end here.
Lastly, we are grateful to the Westwood Fire Department for their service in our community and their assistance offered throughout the process.
FS1 Steering Committee/FS1 Advisory and Community Engagement Committee
Ken Aries
Peter Bean
Sarah Cantley
John Cummings
Harry Davis
Paul Dullea
Nancy James
Jodi Petrucelli (Vice Chair)
Ford Spalding (Chair)
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