Fire-station study on tap for Westford Town Meeting on Saturday

WESTFORD -- Town Meeting Saturday will ask members to consider 35 articles, ranging from annual budget items to a window-replacement project at the Col. John Robinson and Norman E. Day schools, and a study for a new center fire station.

Under Article 11, the town will ask for $4,101,750 to complete the design, bidding and construction phases of two window- and door-replacement projects at the schools, which includes costs for hazardous-material removal.

At fall Special Town Meeting, the Permanent Town Building Committee estimated new windows for the Day and Robinson Elementary schools would cost around $2 million. Officials said in meetings this year the cost went up because of hazardous materials found at the school.

Tom Mahanna, Building Committee chairman, said if the town doesn't pass the article, Westford will have to pay about the same for abatement of the materials found at the schools. Through the Massachusetts School Building Authority, the town will be eligible for a 46 percent reimbursement from the state for the project.

Article 12 will ask residents to consider appropriating $50,000 for a Fire Department study to determine reconfiguration or reconstruction for the center fire station and whether the town should bring in a fourth fire station. The feasibility study would also look at consolidating emergency-communications operations and relocating the Technology Department to the center station.

An article related to this failed last fall, when the town was asked to consider $350,000 for a similar study. Voters voiced concerns over the placement of a proposed new site for a station on Boston Road, and some criticized the high cost and impact the move would have on the feel of the town.

The town will additionally consider the budget for fiscal 2015. Article 16 proposes a total operating budget of $102,050,389, which would increase to $108,780,670 if all proposed articles at Town Meeting are adopted Saturday. Last year's budget was $103,585,538, according to the Town Clerk's Office.

Additional articles on the warrant include Article 5, which will ask members whether to approve $250,000 in expenses for perchlorate contamination. Article 9 asks for about $4.1 million in capital appropriations, including $225,000 for Main Street road design, $99,005 for town building-security improvements and $325,000 for the replacement of school computers.

Article 10 is related to more than $2.8 million for repairing the roof at the Nashoba Valley Technical High School; Article 23 will ask voters to establish an annual fee for the licensing of dogs for $15 to $20; Article 28 will be on whether to adopt a general town bylaw related to medical-marijuana dispensaries coming to town.

Town Meeting will be at the Abbot Elementary School at 25 Depot St. Saturday at 10 a.m. There will be a lunch break at 12:30 p.m. If the meeting does not finish Saturday, it will be continued until Monday and will start at 7 p.m.

Read this article:
Fire-station study on tap for Westford Town Meeting on Saturday