♦ 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: 

♦ 2024 ATV PERMITS:  The Town of Westfield is NOT REQUIRING ATV PERMITS FOR THE 2024 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.  

♦ 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.
♦ 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.

  • 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

♦ 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 Lisa Deslandes, Delinquent Tax Collector, 802-744-2484. An 8% penalty now applies to all delinquent taxes and an additional 1% interest/monthly. 

♦ 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%.

♦ 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.

♦ 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

♦ 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-001@ 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 (Notary Public)
Karen Blais ♦ Assistant Town Clerk (Notary Public)
Niki Dunn ♦ Assistant Town Clerk & Selectboard Clerk (Notary Public)
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Lisa Deslandes ♦ Town Treasurer, School Treasurer & Delinquent Tax Collector
Office Hours: Wednesday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and by appointment

Cover photo by LaDonna Dunn: Spring flowers.