We'll be updating live from here at Town Meeting! For a recap of Day One, check out our overview.
7:00 p.m. - We're underway!
7:06 p.m. - We're to questions on Article 15. For more information on the warrant articles, check out documents on the town website.
7:09 p.m. - A voice vote on Article 15 is too close to call, Moderator Ellen Harde says there is a majority on a hand count. Moving on.
7:11 p.m. - The meeting is being broadcast live on Westford CAT. Use our summary here as a guide if you watch later or are putting this on Tivo!
7:14 p.m. - Birdfeeders are not prohibited under Article 16 according to presenter Richard Hendl.
7:16 p.m. - Westford Animal Control Officer Meg Mizzoni answers a question on whether there have been any bear attacks. She says no. There are five people in the "opposed" line now.
7:20 p.m. - So far, nobody in the "in favor" line for Article 16.
7:23 p.m. - "We can't stop all the growing in town, but we have a spirit and a soul to nurturing things other than ourselves." - Marilyn Frank speaking in opposition to Article 16.
Six people in the oppose line, five people in the question line. Nobody in the in favor line.
7:25 p.m. - Board of Health chairman Zac Cataldo asks to amend the article to remove the Board of Health from the article, saying they already have authority under the nuisance bylaw.
Amendment carries. Nearly unanimously.
7:29 p.m. - There is one adult and one bear according to one person, Mizzoni says Mass. Wildlife believes there is four and six in town.
7:32 p.m. - Harde asks the remaining opposers to the warrant article to sit down since no one seems to be in the supporting line. The article is defeated by voice vote.
7:34 p.m. - Rob Kreegan asks to reconsider Article 8 (fire station) asking for new information. Harde says that is not a compelling reason for reconsideration since Kreegan asked to call to question last night.
Legal counsel says the body should decide, it will take a 2/3rd majority.
7:35 p.m. - By voice vote, the motion to reconsider fails, not even getting a majority.
7:37 p.m. - "The Planning Board must provide a report for this article" - Harde
"The Planning Board supports this article 4 to 1" - Planning Board chairman Mike Green
"That's the whole report?" - Harde
7:49 p.m. - Green is discussing the proposed brand new sign bylaw, with information on maximum sizes, limitations on one sandwich board per lot and one-year permits for portable signs for businesses.
7:51 p.m. - Sign Bylaw Committee chairman Paul Fassbender discusses what his committee did on the development of the article.
7:54 p.m. - A motion to end debate is approved by a majority hand count. Town Counsel says that it requires 2/3rds to end debate. Four people left the question line.
8:03 p.m. - A hand count of the motion to end debate shows 100 in favor, 71 opposed. Not 2/3rds, the questioners return. No one is in the opposed line, Planning Board member Kate Hollister is in support line.
8:04 p.m. - Temporary signs not in right-of-way are allowed for less than 14 days without ticket.
8:08 p.m. - Hollister has an amendment to make sure all ground signs in non-residential districts have a consistent color.
8:10 p.m. - Hollister says this is due to 110 Master Plan. Now six people are in question line. Green says Planning Board supports amendment
unanimously. The amendment is passed, nearly unanimously, by voice vote.
8:14 p.m. - Westford Rotary president Dan Bush asks that temporary sign limitation be changed from 14 days to 30 days or a month, whichever is less.
8:16 p.m. - "We don't need to overpopulate the town with signs, but we do need to get the word out" - Bush
8:18 p.m. - Planning Board opposes Bush amendment, 3-2. The motion fails by a hand count, majority.
8:22 p.m. - Non-commercial signs cannot be regulated under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
8:23 p.m. - The Selectmen support the article 4-1
8:30 p.m. - Town Counsel says residents cannot cover stop signs with signs saying to read the bible, saying there are limitations to the First Amendment where reasonable.
8:36 p.m. - Amendment to delete maximum size of restaurant menus in windows to two square feet is defeated.
8:40 p.m. - Another amendment barely passes. Selectman Val Wormell warns of unintended consequences regarding legislating on the floor of Town Meeting.
8:47 p.m. - More minor amendments. Time for a final vote. The motion carries by voice vote (with one person opposing)
8:48 p.m. - Harde asks to combine Article 18 and 19, they are approved unanimously.
8:49 p.m. - Article 20 approved unanimously. Article 21, Selectmen ask to dismiss, this was not ready. Motion carries unanimously.
8:50 p.m. - Now to Article 21.
8:51 p.m. - Petitioner says any development on Edwards Parcel would take significant infastructure, and entire property should be placed under conservation restriction.
8:56 p.m. - George Murray opposes, saying the town needs more affordable housing, that there is no good land for affordable housing in town for it. Three people in supporting line.
8:57 p.m. - Finance Committee chairman Mark Kost says the Finance Committee does not have a position on this article, unlike it is stated in warrant.
9:01 p.m. - Supporters say there is other places for affordable housing, also citing Town Meeting's intentions to support wildlife so far this year.
9:02 p.m. - Selectmen chairman Kelly Ross says that over 90 percent of the parcel will be protected, asks to give Affordable Housing Committee to chance to present a proposal.
9:05 p.m. - Conservation Commission voted to support the article. Affordable Housing Committee chairman Paul Cullity presenting amendment to preserve a portion of the land.
9:13 p.m. - Cullity says it's not very popular to propose affordable housing on possible conservation land, but if the town does not build affordable housing, for-profit developers can build it wherever they like right now.
9:26 p.m. - Selectmen and Conservation Commission support the amendment.
9:34 p.m. - Amendment defeated, 104 to 112.
9:37 p.m. - Article 31 passes by hand count, majority. That makes Article 32 moot. Meeting is adjourned.
Article 15 - Stretch Code Bylaw - 7:01 to 7:09 p.m. - Approved by hand count; majority, not unanimous.
Article 16 - Feeding/Baiting Wildlife 7:09 p.m. to 7:32 p.m. - defeated by voice vote
Article 17 - Replace The Sign Bylaw 7:35 p.m. to 8:47 p.m. - passed by voice vote, nearly unanimously
Article 18 - Accept Boxwood Road and Strawberry Lane as Public Ways - 8:48 p.m., passes by voice vote, unanimously
Article 19 - Accept Sleigh Road as a Public Way - 8:48 p.m., passes by voice vote, unanimously
Article 20 - Accept Easement on Broadway Street - 8:49 p.m., passes by voice vote, unanimously
Article 21 - Authorize Parcels Taken Out of MGL 61/61a (Edwards Parcel Citizens Petition) 8:50 p.m. to 9:37 p.m., approved by hand count, majority.
Article 22 - Edwards Parcel Transfer From Selectmen to Conservation Commission - n/a
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