♦ Welcome ♦ Westfield Town Announcements ♦

♦ PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE: The Westfield Development Review Board will meet at 6 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at the Westfield Community Center to consider the following: 

♦ DOG LICENSES ARE NOW PAST DUE!

Vermont state law requires all dogs be licensed by April 1st each year. Please check to see if your pup needs a rabies vaccination before the April 1st licensing deadline. 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 secure drop box to the left of the Town Clerk’s front door and your new dog license/dog tag will be mailed by USPS.
 
♦ Westfield Dog License fee BEFORE April 1st:
          Spayed/Neutered $9; Unaltered $13
♦ Westfield Dog License fee AFTER April 1st:
          Spayed/Neutered $11; Unaltered $17

Rabies Clinics in 2024: Tractor Supply in Derby also offers a once a month clinic. Call 802-334-2944 for details.
 
For additional information about the Rabies Clinic or licensing contact the Westfield Town Clerk at 744-2484.

♦ SELECTBOARD PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED ZONING BYLAW: The Selectboard met on Monday, March 18, 2024 and approved the Zoning Bylaw. You can view the minutes from the Selectboard and from the public hearing held prior to the Selectboard meeting by clicking the link below:

Minutes from the Public Hearing and Selectboard Meeting:

 Visit the ♦ Proposed Zoning Bylaw page for more information.

 

♦ TOWN REPORTS HERE! The 2023 Town Reports are available at the Westfield Town Office, Westfield General Store, Hitchcock Memorial Museum & Library and on Saturdays at the Westfield Recycling Center. 

♦ 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.

You are welcome to order To Go Meals with pickup around 12:15. For pickup orders please call 802-744-5466 after 10 a.m. on Thursdays.

  • April 25:  Juice, Cracker-Barrel Meatloaf, Corn pudding, Coleslaw, Banana Cream Pie
  • May 2:  Juice, Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots, Bread by Patti, Dessert by Sue M.
  • May 9:  Juice, Chicken Divan, Spinach Salad, Cheddar Muffins, Rhubarb Mandarin Crisp
  • May 16:  Juice, American Chop Suey, Garlic Bread, Garden Salad, Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • May 23:  Juice, Roast Pork, Antipasto Pasta Salad, Coleslaw, Dennis’ Rolls, Glazed Chocolate Pound Cake
  • May 30:  Juice, Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Garlic Bread, Salad, Brownies

♦ RECYCLING UPDATE: Effective immediately, NO lithium batteries over 300 wattage hours are accepted at Westfield transfer station. E-bike batteries are an example of a high wattage battery we would not accept at the station. Please contact NEKWMD at 802-626-3532 for information on how to recycle these particular batteries.

♦ 2022 TOWN AUDIT AVAILABLE:  The 2022 Town Audit is available to view at the Town Office.  Office hours are 8 am to 4 pm Monday thru Thursday.

♦ 2023 PROPERTY TAXES ARE PAST DUE: Property taxes were due October 10, 2023. Delinquent tax questions should be addressed to Joyce Crawford, Delinquent Tax Collector, 802-661-8181. An 8% penalty now applies to all delinquent taxes and an additional
1% interest/monthly. 

♦ NEW LIBRARY DIRECTOR: Jennifer Johnson is the new Library Director of the Hitchcock Museum & Library! Jennifer, originally from Virginia, began working in Vermont libraries in 2014 when she was hired as Library Aide at the Newport Town School in Newport Center.  After leaving that position in 2016, she spent 6 years as Library Advancement Assistant at the Vermont Department of Libraries in Montpelier/Barre, Vermont.  In 2023, she began working as Assistant Librarian at the Dailey Memorial Library in Derby, and is now thrilled to also serve the Westfield community as Library Director.  She lives in Newport with her family, including a handsome tuxedo cat named Coco. 

Welcome Jennifer!

♦ HOURS FOR THE HITCHCOCK MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM:

  • Tuesday- 2 pm to 7 pm.  
  • Thursday- 10 am to 3 pm.
  • Sunday- 11 am to 3 pm.

Library Director,  Jennifer Johnson
Phone: 802-744-8258.
Email: hitchcockmemorial8258@gmail.com.
Visit the Library webpage Hitchcock Museum/Library.

♦ PROPOSED WESTFIELD VILLAGE WASTEWATER PROJECT:

About This Project

Issuing this Request For Qualifications is the first step for Westfield to explore and evaluate options for a village wastewater system. This project will include public outreach and information meeting(s) to seek community input, answer questions, and present findings.

The requested engineering services are 100% paid with guaranteed funds specifically for municipal wastewater assessment projects. Westfield’s assessment project does not commit the town to a construction/implementation project.

A project timeline will be available soon after the Town contracts with an engineering firm.

Please check the town website for project updates. Thank you for your interest in the village wastewater assessment.

♦ 2023 TAX BILLS: The Selectboard set the 2023 municipal tax rate at their regular monthly meeting, July 17, 2023. Tax bills were mailed on July 21, 2023. If you have not received yours, please contact the Town Office at 802-744-2484. 

2023 Tax Rates: 

  • Municipal Tax Rate: $0.7798/per $100 assessed value
  • Veterans Exemption: $0.0037/per $100 assessed value
  • Homestead Tax Rate: $1.3257/per $100 assessed value
  • Non Homestead Tax Rate: $1.5649/per $100 assessed value

Westfield’s CLA for 2023: 88.89%.

♦ A JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE SELECTBOARDS OF LOWELL, JAY, TROY, AND WESTFIELD: For over 40 years our towns have been faithfully served by the Missisquoi Valley Ambulance and its dedicated members. This service has saved many lives, prevented further illness, and transported many of our residents, visitors, and patrons of our local businesses.
 
Over the last decade this service has faced many of the same issues that have plagued local emergency medical service (EMS) agencies throughout the nation. This includes the increased cost of readiness, recruitment and retention of personnel, and the growing demands of required training hours. This was made worse by a long pandemic and a period of time that has proven to be tough on all healthcare providers. In addition to this, a declining EMS workforce has been problematic and made it difficult to staff an ambulance around the clock. For the last several years the towns came together to assist Missisquoi Valley Ambulance by setting up an advisory board. Even so, we were unable to overcome the systemic issues felt by ambulance services everywhere.
 
To overcome these problems many municipalities have found the solution to be regionalization of services, combination of assets, and resource sharing. This is not an easy answer for us in the Northeast Kingdom because we always take pride in what our small communities have to offer.
 
In a search to find the most efficient and adequate ambulance service for our towns, we approached Newport Ambulance Service who has stepped up to the challenge. As a service who already provides coverage for the towns surrounding us, has locally rooted providers, and a well-established business foundation, it was clear they were the right choice for our communities.
 
This division of Newport Ambulance, known locally as Troy Rescue, will be housed centrally in our communities and will provide 24 hour staffed coverage to our residents and visitors. In addition to this, they will be able to resource share with neighboring divisions allowing for efficient response during local emergencies.
 
We are forever thankful for the dedicated service that Missisquoi Valley Ambulance has provided over the years. We look forward to working with Newport Ambulance Service as our local ambulance provider and feel their proven emergency medical services model is the right choice for our towns moving forward.
 
Selectboards of Lowell, Jay, Troy, and Westfield
♦ EXCITING NEWS FOR WESTFIELD RECYCLING CENTER USERS: 
The Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District and the Westfield Recycling Center have some exciting news to share!

Starting Saturday, December 3rd, the Westfield Recycling Center will now be accepting #6 Expanded Polystyrene Foam (Styrofoam) for recycling! For more details visit the town’s website www.westfield.vt.gov/recycling-center/.

This means you can recycle items including clean and dry foam coolers, packaging, egg cartons, and meat trays. You can recycle foam of any color and any size (yes, even black foam!). There is no size limit so PLEASE DO NOT BREAK UP YOUR FOAM BEFORE RECYCLING (it can be a little messy!) We are accepting only RIGID #6 EPS foam.

Unacceptable foam items include any foam that is flexible (EPS foam is rigid and breaks into small plastic beads when broken). We are not accepting any pool noodles, packing peanuts, pipe insulation, or foam insulation board.

Visit the Waste Management District’s website www.nekwmd.org/eps-foam-recycling to see a WXAC news recording of the NEKWMD’s foam recycling process, and to find more information about the foam recycling program. If you have questions, call the NEK Waste Management District at 802-626-3532 or email outreach@nekwmd.org

♦ 2023 PROPERTY TAXES WILL BE DUE OCTOBER 10, 2023: Tax bills were mailed July 21, 2023. Any unpaid taxes after 4 p.m. on October 11th are subject to an 8% penalty plus interest. For your convenience, after-hours payments can be dropped in the secure drop box to the left of the Town Office front door.

To make online payments visit the Property Taxes page and click on the MuniciPay logo. 

  • Credit card payments–an additional 2.65% is added in addition to the regular credit card interest. *
  • e-check payments–$1.50 flat rate charge. *
  • Pay 24-hours a day online with MuniciPay. 
  • *Fees are charged by the MuniciPay clearinghouse not the Town of Westfield. 

Please contact the Delinquent Tax Collector, Joyce Crawford (802) 744-8085 if you have an unpaid balance for 2023.

♦ 2023 ATV PERMITS:  The Town of Westfield is NOT REQUIRING ATV PERMITS FOR THE 2023 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. 

REMINDER: It is ILLEGAL to drive on a state highway unless it is permitted section of the VASA corridor. In Westfield, the VASA corridor runs from Kennison Road (on the Troy side) to Reservoir Road to North Hill Road to the Westfield General Store, then follows Route 100 from the store to Cemetery Road then to the Loop Road into Lowell. BE ADVISED, those who continue on Route 100 from Cemetery Road to Buck Hill Road risk being ticketed by the Sheriff or State Police. That section of Route 100 is not part of the VASA corridor.  

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

♦ 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.

♦ 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 Dennis Vincent) 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.  Meetings have been in person but you may also join via Zoom by telephone or electronic device. Login information is at the top of each agenda. Agendas and minutes can be found by visiting the Meeting Minutes/Agendas page. Contact the Town Clerk if you would like an item on the agenda.

♦ LIBRARY TRUSTEE MEETING DAY/TIME:  The Library Trustee Board meets at 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at the Library.  All are welcome. Agendas and minutes can be found by visiting the Meeting Minutes/Agendas page.

♦ 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 2021 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  ♦ Assistant Town Clerk
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Lisa Deslandes ♦ Treasurer
Office Hours: Wednesday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and by appointment

Cover photo by LaDonna Dunn: Fall on scenic North Hill Road.