HomeCATNews UpdatesLocal GovernmentVIDEO: Actions taken by Select Board members on July 28.

VIDEO: Actions taken by Select Board members on July 28.

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BoS ACTION TAKEN Agenda 07/28/2020 Page 1 of 5

TOWN OF WESTFORD BOARD OF SELECTMENĀ 

TOWN HALL 55 Main Street WESTFORD, MA 01886 Telephone (978) 692-5501 Fax (978) 399-2557

 

MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, July 28, 2020 7:00PM Meeting will be held virtually- instructions are below

  1. 7:00 PM Call to OrderĀ 
  2. 7:00 PM Pledge of AllegianceĀ 
  3. 7:02 PM Open Forum/FAQ/AnnouncementsĀ 
  4. 7:05 PM Public Hearing ā€“ Pole PetitionĀ 
The truck belong to a crew of National Grid subcontractors while thousands of Westford customers waited for power to be restored. PHOTO BY JOYCE PELLINO CRANE

Request from Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid, job no. 28900070, to install 1 SO Pole at 26 Palermo Street beginning at a point approximately 25 feet east of the centerline of the intersection of Pine and Palermo Street and continuing approximately 500 feet in an easterly direction to support guy wire from rotted tree ā€“ Paul Pellegrini, National Grid Approved 5-0Ā 

  1. 7:10 PM Public Hearing ā€“ Electrical Conduit PetitionĀ 

Request from Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid, job no. 29059671, to install approximately 1400 feet of duct bank from existing MH#6 at Concord Road to new MH#10 at Hildreth Street; install (3) 2-way manholes and (1) 3-way manhole; install riser to Pole 72 on Hildreth Street; underground electric tasks: establish ground grids, racks, and arms for future cable and manhole labeling at new manholes ā€“ Paul Pellegrini, National Grid Approved 5-0Ā 

  1. 7:15 PM Consent Agenda- Requests to approve the following:Ā 
  2. Road Closure Request:

Event: Wedding Location: 9 to 11 Lillian Road Applicant: Cathy Order Date: Sunday, October 4, 2020 Time: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM Approved 5-0 subject to public safety recommendations ii. Town Common and Bandstand:

  1. Event: Free Community Yoga Event to Benefit the MA COVID-19 Relief

Fund Applicant: Melissa Matheson and Scott Cassa, Wellbeing Fitness Date: Saturday, August 15, 2020 (Rain date: Saturday, August 22, 2020) Time: 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM Approved 5-0 for Sunday, August 16, 2020 or Saturday August 22, 2020Ā 

  1. Event: Westford Celebrates Womenā€™s Right to Vote

Applicant: Emily Teller Date: Sunday, August 23, 2020 through Saturday, August 29, 2020 Request to display purple and gold lights on the trees of Town Common and Town Hall Approved 4-0-1 (Kost abstained) to display the lights at the police station, old center fire station, the J.V. Fletcher Library, Parish Center for the Arts, and First Parish Church United, in addition to the above locations listed, from Sunday, August 23, 2020 through Thursday, August 27, 2020, subject to the applicant receiving all partiesā€™ approvals c. Event: Flying High Dogs! With Mike Piazza

Applicant: Nancy Boutet, Head of Youth Services, J.V. Fletcher Library Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2020 (Rain date: Thursday, October 15, 2020) Time: 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM Approved 5-0 subject to public safety recommendationsĀ 

  1. 7:25 PM Discuss establishing a charge for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group and consider makeup of membership Discussion continued to the SB meeting on 8/11 The Westford School Committee is holding an online listening session on race and ethnicity in Westford on 7/29 at 7 PM which you may register for at the following link: Race in Westford Schools: A Student and Alumni Sharing Session Copper and Cobalt is also sponsoring an online forum on race and anti-racism on 7/29 at 7 PM which you may register for at the following link: Forum on Race and Anti- Racism EventĀ 
  2. 7:55 PM WestfordCAT financial update and a request for an extension to provideĀ 

the Select Board with their 2019 financial audit at a later date ā€“ Kristi Bates, WestfordCAT Board of Directors, President ā€“ Sarah Fletcher, WestfordCAT Acting Executive Director ā€“ Jack Wang, WestfordCAT Board of Directors, Treasurer Voted 5-0 to approve WestfordCATā€™s request for an extension to provide the 2019 financial audit to the SB no later than November 30, 2020Ā 

  1. 8:10 PM Request from the Recycling Commission for support to apply for a technicalĀ 

assistance grant through the MA DEP to assist the town with conducting further analysis into potentially implementing a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program in the future for trash and recycling ā€“ Corey Groves, Recycling Commission Approved 5-0Ā 

  1. 8:25 PM Old/New BusinessĀ 
  2. Request for a proclamation recognizing August 15, 2020 to be India Day and

encourage all residents to join the Indian Community to celebrate/commemorate the 73rd Anniversary of Indiaā€™s Independence ā€“ Noorain Buxamusa on behalf of India Association of Greater Boston Voted 3-0-2 (Peraner-Sweet and Kost abstained) to approve a recognition for August 15, 2020 to be India Day and encourage all residents to join the Indian Community to celebrate/commemorate the 73rd Anniversary of Indiaā€™s IndependenceĀ 

BoS ACTION TAKEN Agenda 07/28/2020 Page 2 of 5

  1. Discussion and possible vote to dispose of remaining bond monies that were

established for the construction of Rome Drive Extension ā€“ Jeff Morrissette, Director of Land Use Management ā€“ Jonathan Silverstein, Esq., KP Law Approved 5-0 to authorize the town to seek a Home Rule Petition at the upcoming Special Town Meeting to disburse escrow funds to Rome Drive Extension residents iii. Request to appoint Vidya Raman to the Cultural Council as a full member for a

term expiring on June 30, 2023 ā€“ Anita Tonakarn-Nguyen, Chair, Cultural Council Approved 5-0 iv. Request to appoint Noelle Donovan to the Conservation Commission as a full

member for a term expiring on June 30, 2023 ā€“ Carol Gumbart, Conservation Resource Planner Approved 5-0 v. Request to approve 2020 annual reappointments for committee and board

members as listed in the meeting packet Approved 5-0Ā 

  1. 8:40 PM Board Reports/UpdatesĀ 

Select Board Member Clay announced the next TSSTF meeting will be held Thursday, 7/30 at 8:30 AM, where they will be reviewing candidates to fill the vacant resident-at- large positions and make a recommendation for appointment at the 8/11 SB meetingĀ 

  1. 8:45 PM Town Managerā€™s ReportĀ 
  2. Announce a donation received from Dr. Dheeraj Pamidimukkala and Dr. Vahila

Pamidimukkala of two Clorox Total 360 System Electrostatic Sprayers ii. Request from the Engineering Department to accept a grant in the amount of

$105,000 for the Abbot School Pedestrian Improvement Project awarded from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Approved 5-0 iii. Request from the Health Department to accept Public Health Emergency

Preparedness funds and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) grant funds from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to pay the salary of the Upper Merrimack Valley MRC Program Coordinator for Fiscal Year 2021 in the amount of $46,210 Approved 5-0Ā 

  1. Request from the Council on Aging to accept a grant in the amount of $2,500 for

assistance with weekly food distribution and ā€œgrab and goā€ meals awarded from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation COVID Relief Fund v. Request from the Fire Department to support applying for a grant to assist with

funding approximately 90% of the purchase price to replace their front-line pump from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program vi. Request approval of the following:

  1. Contracts:
  2. Collective Bargaining Agreement with Local #3021 International

Association of Fire Fighters for Fiscal Year 2021 Approved 5-0Ā 

  1. UNIVAR, Harcos Chemicals, Inc., Holland Company, Monson Companies, Inc., and Harcross Chemicals, Inc., for water treatment chemicals for Fiscal Year 2021 at the unit pricing listed in the meeting packet, as requested by the Water Department

BoS ACTION TAKEN Agenda 07/28/2020 Page 3 of 5

  1. Purchase Orders:
  2. Telenet, Inc. to install a Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA) system at

Westford Academy and Nabnasset School in the amount of $83,537.39, as requested by the Facilities Department 2. AAA Laser for printer toner in the amount of $32,000, as requested by the Approved 5-0Ā 

Technology Department 3. Comcast for two PRI based phone connections in the amount of $13,000,

as requested by the Technology Department 4. The Dirt Doctor for the grinding and removal of tree and brush debris from the May 2020 microburst in the amount of $14,000, as requested by the Highway Department

  1. 8:50 PM CorrespondenceĀ 
  2. 8:55 PM AdjournmentĀ 

Options available to access the Board of Selectmen meeting remotely:Ā 

  1. Register to watch the meeting through the GotoWebinar website at:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6586095949397547534. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. There are basic instructions on how to use GoToWebinar available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ3Xwwgbd8YĀ 

  1. WCAT will be broadcasting the meeting live on channels 9 (Comcast) and 34 (Verizon).

They also will be streaming the video online. Please see their website for more details: www.westfordcat.org.Ā 

BoS ACTION TAKEN Agenda 07/28/2020 Page 4 of 5

Board of Selectmen Correspondence July 28, 2020Ā 

Incoming Correspondence: IC 01 07/20/2020 Office of the Inspector General Notice Relative to Settlement

Payment to the Town of Westford

If any member of the public wishing to attend this meeting seeks special accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact our office at 978-692- 5501 extension 1 or email to tmaa@westfordma.gov.Ā 

BoS ACTION TAKEN Agenda 07/28/2020 Page 5 of 5

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