Finance Committee Meeting - September 24th, 2026 | Westford, MA

The WestfordCAT Finance Committee held a meeting on September 24, 2026, to review and recommend several fiscal and capital budget items for the upcoming fiscal year. Key procurement-related discussions included approval of supplemental appropriations totaling over $300,000 for fire personnel services and ambulance enterprise expenses, and a $12.50 increase for regional sealer weights and measures expenses. The committee also recommended appropriating $1.79 million in PFAS settlement funds for water contamination remediation projects, including testing and rebates for private well owners. Additionally, the committee approved a revolving fund for the Public Works Fuel Station to support a new agreement with the Westford Housing Authority. Capital appropriations were discussed and recommended for fire alarm system replacement ($120,000), a new generator for Robinson School ($100,000), and town-wide digitization software enhancements ($100,000). A significant policy discussion focused on a citizen petition to reduce the Community Preservation Act property tax surcharge from 3% to 2%, weighing the trade-offs between tax relief and potential loss of state matching funds and funding for historic preservation, affordable housing, and recreation projects. The committee deferred a recommendation on this petition pending further information. The meeting also included updates on the Robinson School Building Committee’s capital project options, highlighting potential tax impacts of $1,000 per household annually for a $150-$200 million project. The committee reaffirmed its leadership roles and set future meeting dates.