Westwood Wire - April Edition

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Westwood Massachusetts

April 2018 Edition

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Letter from the Town Administrator

Happy Spring!

I would like to begin with a special thank you to our Public Works and Public Safety Departments for their coordinated responses to the multiple March snow storms, especially the storm on the 8th which brought down many trees and disconnected power to over half the residents and businesses.  The Emergency Management Team opened the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and was able to coordinate DPW and Public Safety response throughout Town.  Through the hard work and dedication of our employees, the Town was able to maintain communication with Eversource and restore power to a significant number of households in Westwood by the early evening hours.  

Now that we are into April, we can finally look forward to the spring weather.  And with that, I would like to bring your attention to the most important items in this issue.  While all of the reports and events from our departments are important, the Annual Election and Town Meeting are where your civic duties are truly put to work.  

The Annual Town Election will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, April 24th.  Polls will be open from 7:00am to 8:00pm.  Contact the Town Clerk's Office at 781-326-3964 if you have questions regarding where to vote. All voters are encouraged to participate in the election.  

There have been questions whether the rescheduling of Town Meeting and if the Selectmen have the authority to do so.  It is true that our Town Charter calls for Town Meeting to be held on the first Monday in May, however, Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 39, Section 9 (M.G.L.c.39, s.9) provides the authority to the Selectmen to vote to reschedule the date of Town Meeting as long as the date had not yet published in a signed warrant.  The Selectmen's vote on April 9th to reschedule Town Meeting to Wednesday, May 30th and subsequently signed the warrant calling for Town Meeting to be held on that date.  Therefore, there will be no Town Meeting on May 7th.

Further details related to the rescheduled Town Meeting can be found in this edition of the Westwood Wire.  We hope you share this information with others and encourage residents with questions to contact the Selectmen's Office at 781-326-4172.

We look forward to your participation at the 2018 Annual Town Meeting on May 30th and hope you enjoy the spring weather as we have all been patiently awaiting it!

Sincerely,

Mikes sig

Michael A. Jaillet
Town Administrator 


Save the Date

Local Election
April 24th

Recycling Day
April 28th 

Drug Take Back Day
April 28th 

Fishing Derby 
May 12th

FinCom ATM Meeting
April 23rd 

Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony
May 28th 

Annual Town Meeting -
May 30th 

 


Important Links

2018 Annual Town Meeting Information 

2018 Annual Election Information

Find My Voting Location

Annual Town Election

Vote
  • Tuesday, April 24, 2018-Annual Town Election, Polls will be open from 7:00am-8:00pm
  • Thursday, May 10, 2018-Last day to register to vote for the Annual Town Meeting-online, by mail or in the Town Clerks office.  We will be open from 8:30am-8:00pm to accommodate those residents who wish to register to vote in person.

Am I Registered to Vote? – click hereto check your voter status

Where do I vote?  Click here to see what Precinct you will vote in

 

Polling Locations:                        

PCT 1-Council on Aging-60 Nahatan Street

PCT 2- Sheehan School-549 Pond Street

PCT 3-Hanlon School-790 Gay Street

PCT 4-Downey School-250 Downey Street

 


Annual Town Meeting - Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at Westwood High School Gymnasium

ATM 2018

The 2018 Annual Town Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 30th at 7:30pm in the Gymnasium at Westwood High School.  Registration will begin at 6:30pm.

Pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 39, Section 9 (M.G.L. c.39,s.9), the Board of Selectmen voted to reschedule Town Meeting to May 30th.  This provides more time for the Board of Selectmen to reach an agreement on the terms of a Disposition Agreement related to four Islington parcels.  It also enables the Finance and Warrant Commission to have more complete information as it reviews the project and makes a recommendation to Town Meeting.  

At its meeting on April 9th, the Board of Selectmen voted and signed the 2018 Warrant and directed that it be published and distributed around Town.  Details of the Selectmen's Vote have been published on the Town's website.    

The full warrant can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

2018 Annual Town Meeting Warrant

The Finance and Warrant Commission meeting will be held on Monday, April 23rd at 7:00pm in the Community Room at the Library.  The Finance and Warrant Commission will be discussing its recommendation on the articles.  

Town Meeting Important information


Westwood Little League Parade this Saturday, April 28th

Little League

The Westwood Little League parade will be Saturday, April 28th from 8:45am to 10:30am from the Hanlon School to Morrison Field.  

 *Field Games * Concessions * Special Guest Appearances

 Westwood Little League Website


What to do with tree limbs on your property?

The Town does not pick up brush, branches, and limbs unless they fall from a tree that is on property owned by the Town.  Please call the Westwood Fire Department at (781) 320-1060 for more information on private burn permits. You can also call a local contractor in your area for information on removal and disposal.  The DPW has already completed clearing fallen branches and limbs it is responsible for from the previous storms.  Please do not push branches or brush from your property to the curb as the DPW will not pick them up.  

How to Obtain a Burn Permit

Contact the Fire Department about Burn Permit applications at 781-320-1060

Visit the Fire Department at 637 High Street to fill out a permit and pay the $10.00 fee


Adopt-A-Hydrant becomes first initiative for Fire Department’s Neighbors helping Neighbors Program

Hydrant

When Chief Deckers came to Town, he made a promise during his official pinning ceremony “to place the Town and the Fire Department (FD) first, to ensure that we have the proper resources, knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide extraordinary service to the community”. To fulfill this promise he started to research ways to proactively reduce all types of risk in the community. Several areas of concern immediately surfaced as potential risks: emergency response using proper resources, handling of increased incident call volume, and a difference in the perceptions of the services offered by the FD to the community. 

Continue Reading


Recycling Day - Saturday, April 28 from 8:00am to 12:00pm

Recycle

Westwood Recycling Day is sponsored by the Department of Public Works and the Westwood Environmental Action Committee (WEAC)

Saturday, April 28, 2018

8:00am to 12:00pm

50 Carby Street (Public Works)

Cash or Check only

For a list of items you can bring and pricing, click here.


Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony

memorial day

Join us on Monday, May 28, 2018 at 10:00am along High Street for the annual Memorial Day Parade!  Ceremony to follow.  Check the Town's website for more details soon!


Library materials delivered to your doorstep!

Book delivery

Doorstep Delivery available beginning April 2018 for homebound library patrons living in Westwood.

Beginning in April 2018, the Westwood Public Library, Westwood Council on Aging and the Westwood Public Library and Friends of the Library will be partnering to offer a delivery option to provide library materials for Westwood residents who are unable to visit the library due to illness or physical disability. This service is available to residents who have permanent long term or short term disabilities.

Materials will be delivered to your home by a library or COA volunteer for a three-week period. We can select items for you by title or provide you with a selection based on your reading interests and preferences.

Items available via Doorstep Delivery for homebound residents include:

  • Books (Regular or Large Print)
  • Audiobooks
  • DVDs
  • Music CDs
  • Magazines

For further information or to get started with Homebound Delivery, please contact Karen Gallagher, Head of Library Circulation Services at 781-320-1049  (kgallagher@minlib.net).

We are also actively seeking volunteers to provide delivery service.  Please contact Karen Gallagher at the Library if you are interested!


Roy London Humanitarian Award Ceremony - May 2, 2018 at 7:00pm at the First Parish Church Hall

Roy London

Census Information

The Annual Town Census was sent to each household in January and a second mailing is being sent out to those households who have not yet returned their census.  If you have not returned it please do so; Failure to return the Census may cause a voter to be designated as inactive on the voting list (M.G.L, Ch.51, § 4). If you did not receive one please contact the Town Clerks office or click here to download  form and either scan it back to census@town.westwood.ma.us or mail to the Town Clerks office, 580 High Street, Westwood, MA  02090 


National Drug Take-Back Day

Dispose of your unused and expired medications 

Saturday, April 28th from 10:00am to 2;00pm at the Westwood Police Department, 588 High Street

Take Back day

Annual Fishing Derby - Saturday May 12th from 7:00am to 11:00am at Buckmaster Pond

Fishing Derby

Dog License Update

The deadline for 2018 was March 31, 2018 per town bylaws

If you no longer have a dog please contact the Town Clerk’s office so we may update our records townclerk@townhall.westwood.ma.us

  • You may license your dog by mail, provided you include a copy of a current rabies certificate and a self-addressed stamped envelope.  If you are licensing your dog for the first time, proof of spay or neutering is also required.
  • You may license your dog online by clicking here.
  • Dogs ages 6 months and older must be licensed.
  • Licenses are valid from January 1, 2018 until December 31, 2018.
  • You must license your dog on an annual basis.
  • If you own more than 4 dogs this is considered a “Personal Kennel” per MGL c. 140 §136A. 
  • You must go through a special permit application process through the Zoning Board of Appeals to license a kennel.   
  • If you have not licensed your dog on or before March 31, 2018  a fine of $25.00 will be imposed, per town bylaws §184-10,B.(1)

Licensing Fees are as follows:

  • Residents 70 years of age or older, with proof of age, will be exempt from the Annual fee for one dog per household; late fees may apply if dog (s)are  not licensed on or before March 31, 2018
  • Dogs not Neutered or Spayed:     $15.00
  • Dogs Neutered or Spayed :          $10.00
  • Kennel fees-please contact the Town Clerk’s office
  • Late fee $25 per year that dog has not been licensed.

 
Please be sure to include the correct licensing fee.  If you are unsure, Please contact the Town Clerks office at 781 326-3964.