Select Board approves $7.7 million in grants

Select Board · Meeting of October 27, 2026

Westford's Select Board approved more than $7.7 million in state grants and defended a contested health insurance change. The board unanimously approved $7,720,761 across five Land Use Management grants, including $3 million for electrical upgrades tied to the Red Gate redevelopment and $2,872,404 for a Powers Road shared-use path. Select Board member Sean Kelly, the Health Insurance Trust liaison, said the town raised its premium share from 65 percent to 66 percent to close a $307,000 budget gap, adding a 25 percent employee mitigation fund.

Resident Tom McEnany pressed the board over its refusal to consider a union-requested alternative, saying the process "has been dictated to us." The board also delayed a decision on moving the 2027 Annual Town Meeting to weeknights, April 12-13, pending a legal question about a 35-day ballot deadline, with a vote expected November 10. Police Chief Mark Chambers was approved for $11,950 in training funds.

In the full story:

• Open Forum and Announcements
• Statement on Health Insurance Plan Changes
• Artificial Intelligence and Meeting Minutes
• Town Manager Search Committee Update
• Town Meeting Time Working Group
• Old and New Business, Minutes, and Board Reports
• Town Manager's Report: Training, Grants and Purchase Orders
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,985 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.