The Westford Select Board held a packed late September meeting, covering a wide range of town business, including the departure of Town Manager Kristen Las, a detailed review of Westford’s residential and commercial tax burden, updates on the Boston Road reconstruction project and plans to advance a major sidewalk project connecting Westford’s schools.
The meeting also included approval of a common victualler’s license for a new Jersey Mike’s restaurant at 160 Littleton Road.
Town Manager Kristen Las Departs
The meeting marked Town Manager Kristen Las’ final meeting with the Select Board.
“I just want to thank the board members and members of the public, the staff for my time here in Westford,” Las told the board. “It’s been incredibly rewarding.”
Board members took turns recognizing Las’ accomplishments during her tenure, which included development and implementation of Westford’s strategic plan, management of major town meetings and contentious budget issues, and recruitment and retention of town staff.
Select Board members also praised her ability to remain composed during difficult periods, communicate clearly and keep the town focused on both long-term goals and day-to-day operations.
Members described Las as a leader who gave credit to staff and helped create a welcoming environment at Town Hall.
With Las’ departure, the October 1 transition to interim Town Manager Mike Edwards marks the beginning of a new chapter for the town administration, while several of the longer-term projects discussed at the meeting – including tax policy, Boston Road reconstruction and pedestrian infrastructure – will continue into 2027 and beyond.
Edwards also thanked Las for her leadership and mentorship.
“I’m very sad to see her go,” he said, while expressing confidence that the systems and direction established during her tenure would allow the town to continue moving forward.
Tax working group examines split tax rates
A major portion of the meeting was devoted to a presentation by the Westford Tax Working Group, which has been examining the distribution of the town’s property-tax burden between residential properties and commercial, industrial and personal property, collectively known as CIP.
Select Board member Elizabeth Sawyer and Finance Committee member John Fryer, joined by resident Megan O’Connell, presented extensive findings from the Westford Tax Working Group. The group was established in June and has held 15 meetings of at least 90 minutes each, according to Sawyer.
The group is revisiting an issue last examined by Westford in 2018: whether the town should adopt a split, rather than a single tax rate.
Under a single tax rate, all property classifications are taxed at the same rate. A split rate allows the town to establish different rates for residential and CIP properties.
The working group emphasized that changing the tax structure would not increase the amount of money collected by the town. Instead, it would shift how the existing tax levy is distributed among property classifications.
The group also noted that state definitions classify multifamily and apartment properties as residential, regardless of their size or ownership.
That distinction became important during the discussion, because a large apartment complex can be treated as residential for tax purposes even though it may be owned by a business.
Residential tax burden has increased
John Fryer, a member of the Finance Committee and the Tax Working Group, presented data comparing Westford with 41 peer communities.
It showed a substantial increase in the average residential tax bill over the past decade, while the average industrial tax bill declined.
The working group found that Westford’s industrial base has changed significantly. Between 2017 and 2020, the number of industrial parcels declined by six, or slightly more than five percent, while their total assessed value declined by nearly 20%.
Some properties that had previously been classified as industrial, have subsequently become residential developments, further shifting the town’s overall property-tax base.
The group noted that Westford’s residential share of the tax base has increased from roughly 85% in 2018 to about 90% today.
Fryer said only a small number of Westford’s 41 peer communities showed a similar decline in average industrial tax bills.
The working group is examining whether a modest split tax rate could be used not primarily to redistribute a large portion of the existing burden, but as one possible tool to slow future changes in the relative shares paid by residential and CIP properties.
The group is also studying a second potential tool: a residential exemption.
Unlike a split tax rate, which affects the relationship between residential and CIP properties, a residential exemption operates within the residential classification.
The working group did not ask the Select Board to adopt a specific tax structure at this meeting. Instead, members requested additional time to examine the options in combination and gather more information.
Select Board members asked the group to examine several additional questions, including whether higher taxes on large apartment properties could ultimately affect rents, how other communities have implemented residential exemptions and what administrative burden such a program would place on Westford’s assessing department.
Chief Assessor Steve Clark said he had not previously worked in a community with a residential exemption. He noted that residents would likely have to apply for the exemption and that implementation could involve thousands of applications, particularly in the first year.
The Working Group plans to return to the Select Board with additional information before the Westford’s annual tax classification process later this year.
Infrastructure updates
Town Engineer Jeremy Downs provided updates on two major projects.
On Boston Road, work between Main Street and Crown Road is nearing completion, with the Crown Road to I-495 section expected to take about two more months. Substantial completion is now projected for June 2027. The town is advocating for Saturday work (with public notice) and interim skim coating on unfinished sections.
The board also unanimously authorized the engineering department to advance the Pleasant Street and Patton Road sidewalk project from preliminary design to final design.
The proposed project would construct approximately 2,600 feet of five-foot-wide asphalt sidewalk between Palermo Street and Rooks Way. It would include new crosswalks, curb ramps and pedestrian improvements near the Cameron Senior Center, as well as changes to the Pleasant Street and Abbott Avenue intersection.
The project would ultimately create approximately 2.5 miles of continuous sidewalk connecting Blanchard Middle School and Westford Academy.
The project is currently in preliminary design. If funding is approved, construction could potentially occur in 2028, although officials emphasized that the schedule is not yet final.
Funding for the design modification is expected to come through Chapter 90 funds.
Billboard donation and affordable housing milestone
The Select Board also discussed a proposed billboard donation agreement that would provide the town with $200,000 up front and $50,000 annually for 30 years, along with other potential municipal benefits. The agreement would not itself authorize a billboard, which would still require Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approval.
Long-term Town Moderator Ellen Harde questioned whether the town had precedent for negotiating such an agreement before a billboard application had been decided, noting that she did not recall a similar situation during her decades in Westford. The discussion also touched on the town’s affordable-housing progress, with officials noting that Westford’s subsidized housing inventory has reached slightly above 12%, while the number of units requiring ongoing monitoring and administration has tripled since the town’s affordable-housing work began.
Special Town Meeting preparations
The Select Board supported placing two articles on the Oct. 26 Special Town Meeting warrant: a petition for an additional on-premise all-alcohol license for The Gutierrez Company’s redevelopment at 5 Technology Park Drive, and the specialized energy code general bylaw amendment with an effective date of January 1, 2028.
Clean Energy and Sustainability Committee member Andrea Peraner-Sweet addressed developer concerns about grid capacity, development impacts, and costs, adding that detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that are all-electric would generally not trigger the specialized code. The board voted unanimously to recommend the article with the later effective date to reduce mid-project redesign burdens. A public session is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. (in-person and remote).
During the Open Forum portion of the meeting, resident Megan O’Connell urged the board not to recommend the specialized energy code, citing potential added costs for detached ADUs and sharp increases in school repairs estimates for Abbott, Day, and Robinson schools.
The board reviewed the full 10-article warrant, set the order, and signed it.
One Response
“ […] what administrative burden such a program would place on Westford’s assessing department.
Chief Assessor Steve Clark said he had not previously worked in a community with a residential exemption. He noted that residents would likely have to apply for the exemption and that implementation could involve thousands of applications, particularly in the first year.”
1) how about financial burden of excessive residential taxation placed on Westford homeowners? The ones that are paying for everything including salaries and benefits on Town of Westford employees.
2) if chief assessor doesn’t have a necessary experience, hire someone who does.
3) right let’s create more obstacles for residents to get tax relief by warning that thousands of people will apply. Somehow this never comes up when thousands of Westford residents are paying millions in combined real estate taxes every year.
4) here’s an idea: decrease residential tax rates, stop asking for more money and bring in more businesses to optimize tax revenues.