Westford Promotes Clark to Chief Assessor as Trash Program Begins
WESTFORD — Town Hall confirmed the promotion of Steven Clark to chief assessor this week as Westford's new Pay-As-You-Throw trash and recycling program officially took effect, two changes that together mark one of the busier weeks for town operations this summer.
TOWN HALL
The town announced that Steven Clark has been promoted to chief assessor, according to a release posted to the town's website. Separately, the town's Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program began this week after officials spent recent days pushing reminders to residents about the new trash and recycling rules; Town Manager Jodi Ross also released her July newsletter to residents this week.
The Water Department flagged an emergency repair to a water main or service line on Plain Road for Thursday evening, July 16, affecting customers in the area near 117 Plain Road. Separately, the town announced Nabnasset Lake would be treated Thursday, July 16, for nuisance algae, with swimming barred until Friday, July 17. The town also lowered flags to half-staff in connection with a notification involving U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, and promoted an upcoming Composting Open House, an event Westford Patch also flagged in its morning roundup.
SCHOOLS
The playground at Nabnassett Elementary School is temporarily closed during ongoing construction, the district confirmed. Separately, the Robinson School Building Committee has scheduled a joint meeting with the Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee for July 21 to continue work on the Colonel John Robinson Elementary School modernization project, a collaboration between the town and the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The J.V. Fletcher Library kicked off its 2026 Summer Reading program, themed "Plant a Seed, Read!," open to readers of all ages, with a companion Adult Summer Reading Program running alongside the youth and teen tracks. The library also announced a virtual author event for later this week: bestselling women's fiction author Kristan Higgins will join a quarterly reader recommendations session Thursday, July 16, from 6:30 to 7 p.m.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"Patch AM: How Westford's new Chief Assessor could impact your future tax bill" — Westford Patch's morning roundup flagged Steven Clark's new role atop the assessor's office as a story to watch for its effect on residents' future property tax bills, a story the town's own announcement also covered today (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/westford).
"Patch AM: How one Westford resident earned statewide recognition for decades of service" — Patch highlighted a long-serving Westford resident who received statewide recognition, per Westford Patch's daily community roundup (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/westford).
COMING UP
The J.V. Fletcher Library hosts a virtual conversation with bestselling author Kristan Higgins on women's fiction recommendations Thursday, July 16, from 6:30 to 7 p.m.