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East Boston Camps

Friday, March 22, 2013

Conservation Commission Tentatively Supports EBC Name Change

Westford voters will decide on Saturday.

  "East Boston Camps" or "Westford Woods?" Voters will make their decision at the Abbot School on Saturday, and the Conservation Commission has provided them with a recommendation, albeit, one with some reservations and extensive debate. At their meeting last week, the board voted 5-2 to recommend the petitioned warrant article asking voters to merge the East Boston Camps parcel with the nearby Stepinski Parcel and rename the new property as the Westford Woods. The board's vote came after they asked the petitioners to compromise and allow the camp area on the parcel to retain the East Boston Camp name, even if the article passed. Still, opinions on the vote were more nuanced than its final tally. Only Jim Gozzo seemed to truly support the …

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Dick

12:05 pm on Saturday, March 30, 2013

Look for less access for residents. The place will shortly be by invitation only,with a fee of course   more ›

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

League of Women Voters Hold Their Annual Warrant Roundtable

Town leaders preview the motions for the March 23 Annual Town Meeting.

For anyone who couldn’t make it to the annual Westford League of Women Voters Town Meeting warrant roundtable discussion, here are a few of the things you missed. MEDICAL MARIJUANA Since voters approved the statewide ballot measure to allow Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers here in the Bay State, many communities have been scrambling as to whether or not a Treatment Center should be places in their community. With many communities either delaying or barring any debate for a Dispensary in their community, the Moratorium allows for the Board of Health to work out all the details regarding zoning among items. The Moratorium will be extended until June 302014. “It could change, but this (Moratorium) allows the planning board and board of …

Jesse James

9:41 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013

I guess that the LWV is comfortable with Art 11, the budget for FY14 which sets the stage for a Prop 2 1/2 override for FY 15 for 10% to 15% increase in real estate taxes and further Prop 2 1/2 overrides every 3 years thereafter, according to SC member Margaret Murray.   more ›

Monday, March 4, 2013

Conservation Commission Hearing on East Boston Camps to be Continued

Voters will act upon the issue on March 23, but there is no recommendation one way or another as of yet from the Conservation Commission after last week's hearing.

  Advocates for combining the East Boston Camps with the nearby Stepinski parcel into a new property that would be called the Westford Woods came before the Conservation Commission last week, seeking a recommendation on the Town Meeting warrant but finding that more discussion will be needed. Last year, several residents attempted the name change at Town Meeting, but discovered that the Conservation Commission could override even a Town Meeting vote on changing the name of the property, which they had indicated that they would if needed. Former Selectman and lifelong Westford resident Dina Healey Coffin introduced the measure to the board this year after hearing town counsel’s advice that a proposed bylaw change could circumvent the …

KarenL

8:09 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013

I think we're really getting close to the actual issues here...thanks, Seven Feathers and R Gagnon. This thread has been heated and there are some angry people here, but let's (finally) talk frankly about who we're really angry at. EBSC Alumni: If you have a good understanding of what went on, it's not really the Town of Westford, or individual Westford residents (despite some aggressive/rude …   more ›

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Group of Residents Seek to Rename East Boston Camps at Town Meeting

The warrant article would combine the East Boston Camps with the nearby Stepinski Parcel to create a new piece of land called the Westford Woods.

  While much of the focus in the leadup to the March 23 Annual Town Meeting has been focused on the proposed gun bylaw amendment and the Fiscal Year 2014 budget, one group of residents is hoping to draw some attention to a cause they believe will give back Westford one of its most notable landmarks. After it was tabled at last year's Town Meeting, this year advocates of what is now Article 31 are hoping to take the East Boston Camps, combine the property with the neighboring Stepinski Parcel and have the new parcel be known as the Westford Woods. The two pieces of property, roughly located along the Stony Brook between the Stony Brook School, the American Legion Fields, and Stony Brook Acres, were purchased by the town in 2005 for a …

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Dan D.

10:06 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

What's incorrect? Educate us please. Broad statement are worthless.   more ›

Friday, October 5, 2012

A Look Back at the EBC Fall Foliage Festival

If you weren't at the East Boston Camps last weekend, here's some of what you missed.

  Music provided for the festival and this video by Laura and the Lookouts. You can find out more about Laura and the Lookouts at www.lauraandthelookouts.com

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Gov. Patrick Announces Massachusetts Now Has 1.25 Million Acres of Open Space

Governor Deval Patrick announced that the state has protected an additional 100,000 acres of open space over the past five years, a trend mirrored in Westford over the past decade.

  Governor Deval Patrick announced late last month that Massachusetts now has 1.25 million acres of protected open space and 100,000 new acres protected over the past five years, echoing a trend found in Westford as well. The announcement was made at Halfway Pond in Plymouth, where the Department of Fish and Game and its Division of Fisheries and Wildlife had just acquired 94 acres of wildlife habitat for $2.5 million and recieved a gift conservation restriction of another 28.4 acres, permanently protecting the entire eastern section of the pond. “(This) announcement marks an outstanding achievement in conservation which benefits our residents and is vital to the success and health of our communities,” said Massachusetts State Senate …

Iron Mike

9:33 am on Friday, September 14, 2012

In the same catagory as Carter and Obama - smooth-talking during their campaigns, - then utterly inept and worthless in the job.   more ›

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Conservation Commission Discussing Guard Up at EBC Tonight

What are your thoughts?

  In a late addition to tonight's Conservation Commission meeting, there will be a discussion relating insurance requirements of the Guard Up! program at the East Boston Camps. Since the private company has begun leasing part of the camp, restricting public access to certain areas during periods of the summer, there has been debate over whether the money Guard Up! contributes to the town's budget is worth it. With tonight's agenda item, we want to ask you what you think on this agreement for Westford. Should the town rent out public areas to private companies for weeks at a time? Tell us what you think.

Dick

8:56 am on Monday, August 6, 2012

I don't see any benefit to the town leasing out this property,then restricting its use by the resident taxpayers.   more ›

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Friends of the East Boston Camps' Spring BBQ

It might have been a little overshadowed by the Apple Blossom Festival, but the Friends of the East Boston Camps had a great time on Sunday afternoon.

More information and pictures are available at the Friends of the East Boston Camps and Ferreira Motorsports websites.  

Thursday, January 5, 2012

You Asked, Patch Answers

Why Were There So Many Barrels at the East Boston Diesel Cleanup?

Do you have a question about something in Westford? E-mail us at westford@patch.com!

When one reader took a look at June McMorrow’s picture from the East Boston Camp diesel spill last month and wondered why so many 55 gallon barrels were needed for only a few gallons of spilled diesel fuel. The answer is twofold according to town officials. First, in order to facilitate the cleanup, speedy dry and topsoil was added to the fuel, which also included some water since it had rained the previous night. Second, under state regulations, barrels at environmental cleanup sites cannot be filled all the way for fear that their contents might be spilled during transport. However, if they could, they probably wouldn’t be, with town officials noting that they’ve found that it’s more efficient to transport lighter barrels than a smaller …

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June McMorrow

7:16 pm on Thursday, January 5, 2012

The FoEBC did receive a gift from a mitigation fund to put toward a Bath House on the site of the present Bath House. Sadly, for the residents of Westford, this Bath House is in the Forbidden Zone, a part of the property which has been deeded to GUARDUp INC summer camps for the next four years by the members of our CC. Per the terms of the lease signed by Eric Fahle, the lease might extend from …   more ›

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Town Responds After East Boston Camps Tractor Accident

Town officials report that four gallons of diesel fuel leaked out of East Boston Camps caretaker George Fletcher's tractor after he hit a stump.

Four gallons of diesel fuel were released from a tractor at the East Boston Camps and portions of Plain Road last Tuesday after East Boston Camps caretaker George Fletcher reportedly hit a stump. According to an official report from Westford conservation and resource planner Bill Turner, the incident occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. while Fletcher was returning to his home on Plain Road near Stony Brook Acres following cleanup of trees damaged during the October snowstorm. While employees on duty at Stony Brook Acres said that neither they nor any of their customers noticed the leak at the approximate time of the accident, Fletcher realized the situation at the gates of the camp and confirmed the leak arriving at his home, which is …

Kathleen Spaeth

4:49 pm on Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Yes, there are 6 Barrels and I counted wrong. Yikes! I realize that the speedy dry and the contaminated soil had to be removed too, but this appears to be a lot of Barrels for only 4 Gallons of Diesel Fuel spilled. Why is there still the smell of Diesel Fuel, too?. I think some one isn't telling us all the truth here!!   more ›

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