WESTFORD – The Select Board opened its Jan. 27 meeting by recognizing town staff and volunteers for their response to a historic winter storm.
Town staff praised for snowstorm response
During opening remarks, Town Manager Kristen Las noted that the Department of Public Works, facilities, and other town staff logged more than 50 hours responding to prolonged snowfall and extreme cold. Residents were thanked for their patience as crews focused first on road safety and will continue with snow bank removal and sidewalk clearing in the coming days.
Police & ICE policy clarification
In response to a resident question, the Select Board Vice Chair, Chris Barrett, reiterated the Westford Police Department’s policy on immigration enforcement. Per the department’s publicly available training brief, Westford police do not undertake immigration-related investigations or routinely inquire about immigration status during normal operations, unless it is directly relevant to an investigation. The department will cooperate with federal ICE officials when formally requested and will notify them in serious criminal matters.
Holocaust Remembrance Day recognized
January 27 marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Joe Diamond of Westford’s DEI
Committee thanked the Select Board and School Committee for previously designating January as Holocaust Education Month and for adopting a working definition of antisemitism.
“It is Holocaust Remembrance Day,” Diamond said. “It’s a solemn day, a day to remember, a day for hope.”
Diamond highlighted recent DEI efforts and emphasized the importance of reporting antisemitic incidents to the police department and noted rising antisemitism statewide and nationally.
Select Board members and School Committee Chair Katherine Clear expressed appreciation for the committee’s work and reiterated the town’s commitment to education and awareness.
WestfordCAT budget and newspaper praise
WestfordCAT Executive Director Sarah Fletcher presented the station’s latest financial review and FY26 budget, noting the station’s strong financial position. The Select Board-approved budget includes funding for two new positions: a news copy editor and a youth and community education director.
The new roles are expected to expand local news coverage and develop media literacy and community programming, particularly for middle school and teen audiences.
Board members praised WestfordCAT’s newspaper and local news efforts, calling it an outstanding source of local information and expressing hope for expanded distribution.
J.V. Fletcher Library renovation & expansion update
Project managers for the J.V. Fletcher Library renovation reported that construction is approximately 20 percent complete, with steel erection and concrete work underway. The project remains on schedule, with substantial completion targeted for November 2026 and a planned public reopening in January 2027.
Financially, the $32.5 million project remains within budget. Approximately $7.1 million has been spent to date, and only about 4 percent of the contingency funds have been used. Officials noted that unused contingency funds would reduce the town’s borrowing needs.
The expanded library will increase the building from roughly 22,000 to 35,000 square feet. Temporary library remains open at 515 Groton Road; programs relocated community wide. Fundraising continues to reduce taxpayer burden. No Select Board action requested at this time.
NMCOG Annual Report
Representatives from the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) provided their annual update, highlighting ongoing and upcoming work in Westford and across the region.
Westford-specific support included waste reduction program assistance, Green Communities reporting, open space and recreation planning, MBTA Communities zoning assistance, site plan review process, traffic studies, and the Boston Road construction project. Regional efforts highlighted stormwater management, culvert assessments, housing strategies, and bicycle and pedestrian planning.
Board members praised NMCOG as a “silent partner,” advancing major town priorities.
Annual Town Meeting Warrant review
The Board reviewed the draft warrant for the March 2026 Annual Town Meeting. One citizen petition was received before the deadline (seeking to repeal Pay-As-You-Throw).
Town Moderator Angela Harkness suggested grouping energy-related articles (energy fund, specialized stretch code, Blanchard School solar PILOT) for voter convenience. The Board agreed conceptually.
The School Committee requests to consider moving Annual Town Meeting later (April/May) to allow more meaningful public engagement during school budget deliberations sparked extended discussion. School Committee Chair Katherine Clear cited limited public input in December/early January due to holidays and late state budget clarity. Harkness and staff noted past studies found attendance largely topic-driven rather than date-driven, and significant changes require careful research and public input.
The Board reached consensus to continue the discussion at the next meeting on February 10, leaving the warrant open. The Board will review existing studies, consider a structured short-term process, and decide whether to pursue a bylaw change or specific date shift for this warrant.
Banner requests and license conversion approved
The Select Board unanimously approved banner requests for the 2026 Annual Town Meeting, Annual Town Election, and the Westford Kiwanis Apple Blossom Festival.
The Board also approved a liquor license conversion for JJ’s Place at 223 Groton Road, allowing the business to upgrade from a beer and wine license to an all-alcohol license under changes to state law. Owner Joshua Johnson said the change will allow for menu expansion, including offerings such as mimosas during weekend breakfast service.
The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for February 10, 2026.
