Editor’s note: Candidates were invited to record a Candidate’s Minute and answer a provided set of questions. Some candidates have expressed interest in recording a Candidate’s Minute or answering our provided questions but have not submitted them to WestfordCAT at the time of reporting. Expect updates to candidate information through May 1.
WESTFORD — A number of contested races and ballot questions are up for consideration during the May 2 Town Election.
How and where to vote:
Though early voting was not held this year, voters had the opportunity to request a vote-by-mail ballot. Additionally, voters may still request an absentee ballot by noon on May 1.
Polls will open at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. If a resident is in line to vote by 8 p.m., they will still be allowed to vote. Voters in precincts one, three, four and seven will vote at Westford Academy and voters in precincts two, five and six will vote at Stony Brook Middle School.
Voters can view a sample ballot online.
Candidates:
A number of contested races are on the ballot, including three candidates running for two open Board of Health seats and three candidates running for two open School Committee seats.
Board of Health
- Michele Pitoniak-Crawford (incumbent)
- No response was received at the time of reporting.
- Maeghan Hughes
- Getting to know the candidates: Maeghan Hughes
- Declined to record a Candidate’s Minute.
- Alesia Raczelowski
- Getting to know the candidates: Alesia Raczelowski
- Unable to record a Candidate’s Minute at the time of reporting.
School Committee
- Meghan O’Connell
- No response was received on questions at the time of reporting.
- Candidate’s Minute: Meghan O’Connell
- Valery Young (incumbent)
- William McDonald
A number of additional, uncontested races are up for consideration as well.
Select Board
- Thomas Clay (incumbent)
- Chris Barrett
- Getting to know the candidates: Chris Barrett
- Unable to record a Candidate’s Minute at the time of reporting.
Housing Authority
- No one has filed nomination papers for this position.
Library Trustees
- Lynn Clermont (incumbent)
- Caroline Roache
- No response was received on questions at the time of reporting.
- Unable to record a Candidate’s Minute at the time of reporting.
Town Moderator
- Angela Harkness (incumbent)
Planning Board
- Darrin Wizst (incumbent)
- No response was received at the time of reporting.
- Joan Croteau
- Getting to know the candidates: Joan Croteau
- Declined to record a Candidate’s Minute.
For additional information, watch WestfordCAT’s coverage of the League of Women Voters Candidates Night.
Ballot questions:
A number of ballot questions are also up for consideration by voters.
Question 1: Authorize a debt exclusion for 51 Main St.
Shall the Town of Westford be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2‐1/2, so‐called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued for the construction of a new municipal building located at 51 Main Street, including demolition of the existing building, constructing, furnishing and equipping a new building, rerouting and extending fiber optic cables and equipment to 30 Patten Road and 39 Town Farm Road, and securing the current technology offices at 1 East Prescott Street, and all other costs incidental and related thereto?
The Select Board voted unanimously to approve the proposed ballot language.
Context:
The question would create a debt exclusion for funding for a new town center building at 51 Main. St.
Funding for the project was dismissed at an October Special Town Meeting on procedural grounds and was rejected by voters during a March 25 Annual Town Meeting.
The debt exclusion question appeared on a Nov. 8 Special Town Election ballot where it failed by approximately 500 votes.
If the question gains majority support on the ballot, a Special Town Meeting will be held within 45 days for voters to reconsider appropriating funding for the project.
The proposal was unanimously recommended by the Select Board and recommended in a 5-3 vote by the Finance Committee during a Feb. 16 meeting ahead of Annual Town Meeting in March. The project is slated to cost $12.4 million.
Curious about the project? Watch WestfordCAT’s coverage below.
Question 2: Authorize a debt exclusion for the Blanchard Middle School roof replacement
Shall the Town of Westford be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one‐half, so‐called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds to be issued in order to pay the costs of replacing the roof at the Lloyd G. Blanchard Middle School, 14 West Street, Westford, MA 01886?
The Select Board voted unanimously to approve the proposed ballot language.
Context:
The question would create a debt exclusion for funding for the roof replacement project at the Lloyd G. Blanchard Middle School.
Residents voted to appropriate $6.5 million in funding for the project at the March 25 Annual Town Meeting. The project is included in the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Accelerated Repair Program.
Projects in the MSBA’s Accelerated Repair Program are eligible for up to a 48.05% reimbursement from the MSBA. Historically, the town has received between 44.5% and 45.98% from the MSBA for repairs to Abbot Elementary, Day Elementary and the Col. John Robinson School.
“Blanchard Middle School has been plagued by roof leaks for the past several years and there have been a number of losses in the building over that time,” Director of Facilities Jeff Goodwin said. “That has contributed to the town having higher insurance deductibles during that time.”
Question 3: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Shall the Westford Select Board declare the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day, superseding local references to Columbus Day, and recommend that it be observed by the people of Westford, with appropriate exercises in the schools and otherwise, to acknowledge the history of genocide and discrimination against Indigenous peoples, and to recognize and celebrate the thriving cultures and continued resistance and resilience of Indigenous peoples and their tribal nations?
The Select Board voted unanimously to approve the proposed ballot language.
The Select Board declined to take a position on the question during an April 25 meeting. The School Committee endorsed the measure in a 4-1 vote during a March 13 meeting.
Context:
The question was originally proposed as a Citizen’s Petition during an Oct. 18, 2020 Special Town Meeting. Voters rejected the proposal by three votes but later referred the resolution to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for further consideration.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee hosted a survey which found 64% of 784 respondents opposed renaming the holiday.
A number of respondents cited concerns of the change diminishing the impact and achievements of Christopher Columbus.
“However, the elevation of the concerns and desire for justice of one group of people does not always necessitate the lowering and/or erasure of another,” one anonymous respondent wrote.
They continued, “it is not a zero-sum game. We can celebrate and even reasonably critique any holiday without always resorting to extremes, including removing it entirely from our collective consciousness.”
A number of cities and towns, including Boston, Bedford, Belmont, Newton, Provincetown and Wellesley among others have adopted measures that would supersede Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.
WestfordCAT hosted School Committee Chair Chris Sanders and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vice Chair Joe Diamond to speak their work on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily represent those of WestfordCAT, its employees, its volunteers, its board members, its donors or its sponsors.
Community producer Kathy Lynch hosted Anthony DiLeo to speak on his support for Columbus Day.
This is community-produced content and does not necessarily represent the opinions of WestfordCAT, its employees, its volunteers, its board members, its donors or its sponsors. Community-produced content is not affiliated with WestfordCAT News.
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