♦ Welcome ♦ Westfield Town Announcements ♦

♦ PUMPKIN CARVING AND DECORATING PARTY: There will be an outdoor Pumpkin Carving and Decorating Party at the Hitchcock Memorial Museum and Library in Westfield on Saturday, October 23rd from 1-3ish. Free pumpkins will be provided. Please dress warmly and bring a mask. This is an outdoor event (with the basement as a backup if bad weather) to allow adequate space to social distance. The Hitchcock Library is located at 1252 VT Route 100 in Westfield. Please call Librarian, Mary Lee Daigle, for additional information, 744-8258.
♦ SPECIAL SELECTBOARD ELECTION: This Australian ballot election is to fill the Selectboard position of the late Yves Daigle. The term runs until Town Meeting Day 2022 (March 1) at which time another election will take place to fill Yves Daigle’s unexpired term ending Town Meeting Day 2024. 
  • To run for Selectboard, please return a Candidate Consent Form to the Town Clerk by 4 p.m. on Monday, November 8, 2021. You must be a registered Westfield voter to run for an elected Town position. Act 162 waives the signature requirement for nominating petitions through 2021. 
  • There will be an Informational Meeting to meet the candidates on Wednesday, December 8th at 6 p.m. at the Westfield Community Center. More information will be released closer to the date about the format for the evening.
  • Ballots will be available by November 25th. Absentee ballots can be requested by contacting the Town Clerk’s office via email or by phone. Absentee ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day via mail, drop box at the Town Clerk’s office or returned to the polls on December 15th. 
  • Click here for the: Local Candidate Consent Form 2021 (must be submitted by 4 p.m. on November 8th).
  • Special Election Flyer

♦ RECYCLING UPDATE: Effective immediately, we no longer accept tires from commercial businesses.

♦ TAXES WERE DUE ON OCTOBER 12, 2021:  Any unpaid taxes are now subject to an 8% penalty. For your convenience, after-hours payments can be dropped in the secure drop box to the left of the Town Office front door.  Visit the ♦ Property Taxes page (click on the Municipay logo) to make online credit card (an additional 2.65% is added in additional to regular credit card interest) or e-check payments ($1.50 flat rate charge) 24-hours a day.  Please add the 8% penalty to your payment. 

♦ SELECTMAN YVES DAIGLE: The Town of Westfield is saddened by the loss of our
special friend, devoted community leader
and mentor, Yves Daigle, who passed away
on September 7, 2021.

We’ll all remember that twinkle in his eye and his infectious laugh when he was telling a story at recycling or a Selectboard meeting. He had a fierce love for his family and an undeniable love for humanity. When you were speaking with Yves, you knew you had his undivided attention. This special man will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace dear Yves. Click on this link for the obituary
written by his family: Yves Avila Daigle

♦ HELP WANTED: The Town of Westfield is seeking a Recycling Attendant for the Westfield Recycling Center every Saturday morning, year-round.

Attendant hours: Saturdays 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.(recycling is open 8 a.m. – noon)

  • Responsible for monitoring trash disposal and collecting trash fees.
  • Monitoring recycling bins to make sure proper items are disposed of in the proper bins.
  • Responsible for cleaning premises before and after recycling.
  • Must be detail oriented.
  • Must be able to lift 50+ pounds.
  • Good math skills and counting change required.
  • Good record keeping skills.
  • Must be trustworthy, reliable and on time to work.

If you have these skills and would like local employment, click here for a Job Application or stop by or call the Town Clerks office (802) 744-2484 for an application. Position available immediately.

♦ 2021 TAX BILLS MAILED: The 2021 Property Tax bills were mailed on July 24, 2021. 2021/22 PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS ARE DUE BY 4 p.m. ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021 POSTMARKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED. For more information or to pay taxes online visit the ♦ Property Taxes page.

♦ TROY & AREA LIONS CLUB COMMUNITY & SENIOR MEALSITE MENU:

A Big Thank You to Berry Creek Farm, and its CSA Members, for offering another season with fresh fruits and vegetables
All are welcome to enjoy the weekly meal at the Westfield Community Center, 59 North Hill Road (at School Street). The meal is served at noon. A $4.00 suggested donation is appreciated.

♦ Notice Re: Mealsite and Covid-19
In order to protect the health of our senior citizens, as well as our volunteer servers, the Troy and Area Lions Club, sponsors of the Westfield Mealsite Program, require that you be fully vaccinated in order to have a sit-down service. Otherwise, you are welcome to order a takeout meal and pick it up around 12:15. For pickup orders please call 744-5466 after 10 a.m. on Thursday. Until the pandemic has run its course this will remain our policy. This policy only applies to the Mealsite sit-down service, not to other activities that may be going on at the Community Center, nor to other Lions Club activities.

Thank you.
The Troy and Area Lions Club

  • October 7
    Juice, Sweet & Sour Beef Stew, Carrots, Potatoes, Apple Cake.
  • October 14
    Juice, Roast Pork Loin Stuffed with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Sage. Roasted Herbed Potatoes, Squash, Side Garden Salad, Honey Cornbread, Apple Crisp.
  • October 21
    Juice, Tuscan Chicken with Pasta, Gramma Hart’s Cabbage Salad, Garlic Bread, Chocolate Pudding with Whipped Cream and Cookies 
  • October 28
    Juice, Baked Pork Chops, Squash, Mashed Potatoes, Cookies and Ice Cream. 

♦ DOG LICENSES OVERDUE AS OF SEPTEMBER 15TH:

If we have not received your dog license renewal the last day will be September 15th, 2021.  Please check to see if your pup needs a rabies vaccination before this licensing deadline. After the deadline, the Constable will begin making home visits as of September 23. In addition to the licensing fee listed below,  you will be charged $25 for EACH visit the Constable makes to your home to resolve this issue.  The Constable fee applies whether you are home or not.
A person who is the owner of a dog or wolf-hybrid more than six months old shall annually on or before  April 1 cause it to be registered 20 V.S.A. §3581(a). You must have an up-to-date rabies vaccination to license your dog.
 
Westfield Dog Licenses can be purchased Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Town Clerk’s Office, 38 School Street. You may also mail your check and new rabies certificate (if required) to the address above or put it in the drop box next to the Clerk’s front door and your new dog license and tag will be mailed by USPS.
  •  Westfield Dog License fee BEFORE April 1st:
    Spayed/Neutered $9; Unaltered $13
  • Westfield Dog License fee AFTER May 15th:
    Spayed/Neutered $11; Unaltered $17
♦ TOWN & SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT:

Click here to view: Town & School Annual Report 2020

♦ TOWN OF WESTFIELD HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT: 

The Town of Westfield produced a Housing Needs Assessment. The assessment inventories existing housing conditions and explores housing needs now and in the future. Specifically, we examined redevelopment ideas at the Scenic View site, the 25-unit residential care home that closed in 2018. A public presentation was held on January 12th at 6 p.m. 

This project is funded by a Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Municipal Planning Grant and is being produced by Camoin 310, an economic and community development consulting firm.

♦ THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA):

Adopted at the December 7, 2020 Selectboard meeting, this position statement in accordance with the Federal Law.

Selectboard Position Statement Regarding Americans with Disabilities Act

♦ HITCHCOCK MUSEUM & MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND THE TOWN OFFICES RESUME REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS:

The Hitchcock Museum & Memorial Library reopened on February 16th, 2021 with social distancing, masks, and cleaning protocols in place. Winter hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Town Clerk’s office is open to the public, Monday -Thursday 8 am to 4 pm.  The vault is still by appointment only.  Please call the office at 744-2484 and make an appointment.  

The Recycling Center will continue to be open every Saturday, 8 a.m. until Noon. Masks and social distancing are required.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this challenging pandemic. Please check the website frequently www.westfield.vt.gov and Like Us on Facebook for updates.

Be well and stay safe.

Westfield Selectboard: Jacques Couture; & Anne Lazor
Westfield Town Clerk: LaDonna Dunn
Treasurer: Mary Lou Jacobs
Listers: Danny Young (Chair), Scott Dunn and Shelley Martin

♦ 2021 ATV PERMITS:  The Town of Westfield is NOT REQUIRING ATV PERMITS FOR THE 2021 SEASON. Reminder: The season begins on May 15th through November 15th. Hours:  8:00 am to 9 pm. ATV’s are permitted on town maintained portions of roads only. The road map and ordinance are below.

♦ IN NEED ?

  • Jay Area Food Shelf:  Serves Jay, Westfield, Lowell, Troy and North Troy.  Every Thursday, 9am – Noon at the Jay Town Hall.
  • Need a Mask?  Email jayfocusgp@gmail.com
  • Free Books.  Jay Town Hall porch. M, T, Th 7 am-4 pm.  Wednesday 7 am – Noon.  Inside Westfield Town clerk office and inside Lowell Town Hall, Mon-Thurs  8 am – 4 pm.

♦ DOG LICENSES:  Dog licenses are due by April 1st each year.  All dogs 6 months of age or older are required by Vermont State Statue to be licensed.  Proof of rabies certificate is required for licensing.  License fee on or before April 1:  Spayed/Neutered  $9 ,  Unspayed or unneutered,  $13.  License fee after May 15th:  Spayed/Neutered $11 ,  Unspayed or Unneutered $17. 

Dog licenses are issued at the Town Clerk’s office, 38 School Street,  Monday through Thursday 8 to 4.  For more information, please call 744-2484.

♦ HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN:

Town officials, in conjunction with the towns Regional Planning Board, Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA), recently began work on an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan. We are seeking input through a community survey. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Town Clerks office, at Town Meeting or the online survey may be completed by clicking this link: http://www.nvda.net/westfield

Your input will help us insure we mitigate potential hazards in our community. If you wish to participate on the committee, please contact a Selectboard Member (Yves Daigle, Jacques Couture or Anne Lazor) or the Town Clerk’s office at 744-2484.

Westfield Hazard Mitigation Informational Flyer

♦ VILLAGE CENTER DESIGNATION: 
The Town of Westfield was recently awarded Village Center Designation by the Department of Housing and Community Development. For full details click on this Press Release Link-Westfield Village Center Designation 9-2019

♦ TAFT BROOK ROAD NOW DEAD END ROAD:
Click here to view the Selectboard resolution

♦ SELECTBOARD MEETING DAY/TIME: The Selectboard meets at 5 p.m. the third Monday each month, for their regular monthly meeting. Until further notice the meetings are held remotely via Zoom. You may join Zoom meetings by telephone or electronic device. Login information is at the top of each agenda. Agendas and minutes can be found by clicking here to visit the Meeting Minutes/Agendas page. Contact the Town Clerk if you would like an item on the agenda.

♦ VT TAX INFORMATION: Click on this link for VT Dept. of Taxes-FAQs Tax Time.  The document includes links for VT Department of Taxes forms.

♦ NOTICE TO HOMEOWNERS: Homestead Declaration are to be filed each year by every Vermont resident whose property meets the definition of a homestead. A Vermont homestead is the principal dwelling and parcel of land surrounding the dwelling, owned and occupied by a resident individual as the individual’s domicile on April 1. If your homestead is leased to a tenant on April 1, you may still claim it as a homestead if it is not leased for more than 182 days in the 2019 calendar year. Vermont Tax Booklets are available at:
  • Download fillable PDF forms from the web at www.bit.ly/vttaxforms
  • Order forms by email: tax.formsrequest@vermont.gov
  • Order forms by phone at (855) 297-5600 (toll free in the U.S.) or (802) 828-2515 

Visit the Property Taxes Page for additional property tax information.

Westfield has two FREE WiFi Hotspots:
 Westfield Community Center and
the Hitchcock Museum & Library with
accessibility in the parking lots or 
inside the buildings.
No password required.

Westfield Community Center, 59 North Hill Road

OR

Hitchcock Museum and Library 1252 VT Route 100

 Social Media:  Like us on Facebook  facebook-logo-001at Town of Westfield, Vermont

 Town Offices: 38 School Street, Westfield, VT 05874
Phone: (802) 744-2484 ♦ Fax: (802) 744-6224
Email: townofwestfield@comcast.net

LaDonna Dunn ♦ Town Clerk 
Karen Blais & Heather Johnson ♦ Assistant Town Clerks
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Mary Lou Jacobs ♦ Treasurer
Lisa Deslandes ♦ Assistant Town Treasurer
Office Hours: Wednesday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and by appointment

Cover photo by LaDonna Dunn: Fall foliage on picturesque
North Hill Road in Westfield.