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Planning Board Vacancy, Other ways to get Involved in Town

by Dave Atkins


from the Town web site...

Interested in serving in local government?

If you would like to serve the Town of Westwood on one of the following committees: Communications & Technology, Conservation, Council on Aging, Cultural, Health, Historical, Recreation, Youth & Family Services, as well as the recently established Roy London Award Committee, which will choose a worthy recipient who has served the community, please contact the Board of Selectmen’s office at 781-326-4172 by July 3, 2009.

Henry Gale, a long standing member of the Planning Board, has indicated that he is moving to another community and will be stepping down from his membership on the Planning Board. If you are interested in being considered to fill the expected vacancy on the Planning Board, please contact the Board of Selectmen’s Office at 781-326-4172 by July 3, 2009.

Submitted by Dave Atkins on June 12, 2009 - 12:12pm
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Comments

2 good candidates

Submitted by Dave Atkins on June 13, 2009 - 8:03am.

We just had an election where 4 candidates competed for 2 open spots on the Planning Board. If Jason Lee or David Feyler is still interested in serving, it seems to me we have an opportunity to appoint someone who has already been through the election process recently and whose opinions and qualifications are well known.

Will the Board of Selectman ignore the voters again?

Submitted by David Feyler on June 15, 2009 - 5:42pm.

My name is David Feyler, and I have submitted my name to the Board of Selectman as a potential replacement candidate for the Planning Board seat of Henry Gale. If you support my efforts please visit www.davidfeyler.com to see how you can help. This is not the first time this situation has occurred. A couple years back, Mr Gale stepped down from the Planning Board and the Board of Selectman appointed Bruce Montgomery. This vacancy left by Mr. Gale the first time occurred after an election in which Joe Toffollini came within 40 votes of winning the election. Mr. Gale actually sent a letter to the Board of Selectman in support of appointing Mr. Toffollini to the Planning Board during his first resignation. I understand the Board of Selectmen desires to control what happens when it comes to Westwood Station, but by supporting Mr. Rafsky and Mr. Olanoff, they know that if CC&F ever has to come back for a Special Permitting extension, they have the people on the Planning Board that will support CC&F. I'm not against Westwood Station, nor do I live on that side of town. What I am against is the size and scope of the Westwood Station project, and we're no closer to going vertical now, than we were on Election Day. If CC&F can't get their 1.5 billion dollars, you would think they would downsize the project to something that can be funded and expanded over time. We are looking at two overrides this coming Election year. One will be for the new library that will add an approximate $150.00 on to the average taxpayers bill if passed. The second we will be looking at an operational override. If we go forward with the last proposed override figure of 3.2 million, that's another $549.00 that each household will have to pay. The town is collecting fewer taxes from the property that CC&F owns then they did before they purchased the land and buildings. Is that fair to our residents? I respectfully ask for your support in my appointment to the Planning Board. To support my candidacy, please visit www.davidfeyler.com for more information on how you can help. You may also respond to my post right here on the Westwood Blog, and I'll get back to you with a response. What I hope happened last time Mr Gale stepped down will not happen again. Unless the Board of Selectman is willing to do a special election then they should not ignore hundreds of voters and feel their 3 votes count more.