Subscribe to our mailing list and consider following WestfordCAT on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for daily updates from Westford’s hometown source for news.
WESTFORD — Special Town Meeting is just two weeks away, with a number of important articles up for a vote.
What is Town Meeting?
Town Meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, where the citizens of a town act as its legislature. Residents will have the opportunity to voice their support or concerns for a number of articles, and choose whether or not to enact the proposed articles on the Warrant.
Voters may attend as much or as little of the meeting as they would like and are not required to speak in support or opposition to an article.
Register to vote
The deadline to register to vote in any Massachusetts election or Town Meeting is 10 days before the election or vote. Voters must register by 8 p.m. on Oct. 7.
Check out the Warrant
In a 4-0 vote, the Select Board closed and finalized the Warrant in a Sept. 27 meeting. This year, 11 articles will appear on the Warrant:
Article 1 will approve unpaid bills from the previous fiscal year. No unpaid bills are held by the town at this time – this article will be dismissed.
Article 2 would approve fiscal year 2023 budget adjustments.
Article 3 would approve fiscal year 2023 budget transfers.
Article 4 would approve a number of capital appropriations.
Article 5 would appropriate funding for the construction of a new municipal building at 51 Main St.
Article 6 would appropriate funding for the J.V. Fletcher Library expansion.
Article 7 would reduce the amount raised by taxes in fiscal year 2023.
Article 8 would decrease the membership of the Affordable Housing Trust from 11 members to nine members.
Article 9 would amend zoning bylaw provisions.
Article 10 would change the name of the Tax Possession Sale Committee to the Tax Possession Disposition Committee.
Article 11 would authorize the Select Board to sell two parcels of land on Pine Tree Trail and Byrne Avenue.
A number of additional resources, including the town’s Free Cash Uses and Available Funds can be found online.
Where and when to vote
Voting will be held in-person on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. Special Town Meeting will be held in the Westford Academy gymnasium. A floor plan of the event can be found below.
Local journalism is vital to our communities. As other publications shift focus toward regional journalism, WestfordCAT continues to provide high-quality hyperlocal reporting to our town, free for everyone to read. So — we have a small favor to ask. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, helps us sustain our journalism and keep our community informed. Please consider supporting WestfordCAT for as little as $1 on PayPal.
You must be logged in to post a comment.