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Westfield council advances landmark designation and approves routine finance and public-works measures
Summary
The council approved minutes, moved a package of finance resolutions including 2026 sewer fees (no increase), authorized retroactive payroll warrants, moved a budget transfer, advanced a first-reading ordinance to designate 625 Westfield Avenue as a historic landmark, and amended the 2025 leaf-collection contract.
At its regular meeting, the Westfield Town Council approved several routine administrative and policy items, including minutes, finance resolutions, a budget transfer, and a first-reading historic-landmark ordinance for 625 Westfield Avenue.
Councilman Pecker moved to approve the conference, executive and regular meeting minutes of Jan. 27, 2026; Councilwoman Gilman seconded and the motion carried by voice vote. Councilman Venkataraman moved bills and claims in the amount of $551,392.38; the motion was seconded and carried.
The finance committee moved an 11-resolution package that included authorization for the chief financial officer to draw warrants for dog licenses, refunds of police and recreation department fees, warrants for participant payments, warrants for overpaid taxes, approval of 2026 sewer fees (the committee recommended no increase for a second consecutive year), authorization of warrants for FMBA and CWA employee salaries retroactively effective to Jan. 1, 2026 following newly settled contracts, and issuance of warrants for special district and county/open-space taxes. The package was seconded and approved by the council.
Councilman Venkataraman also moved a resolution authorizing a budget transfer; a roll call of council members returned affirmative responses and the motion carried.
On first reading, Councilman Pecker moved General Ordinance 2026-03 to designate 625 Westfield Avenue (Block 4201, Lot 35) as a historic landmark and to modify the zoning map; Councilman Venkataraman seconded and the motion carried. Jennifer from the Historic Preservation Commission presented the nomination and thanked homeowners David Gordon and Cathy O’Gara for submitting the property for consideration; a full nomination report is available on the commission’s web page.
The Public Works committee moved a resolution to amend the 2025 leaf-collection contract; the motion was seconded and approved on voice vote. The council adjourned at the close of the meeting.
Where roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript, council members registered affirmative votes; several motions were decided by voice vote without recorded individual tallies. The council did not adopt final ordinance action (the historic designation was advanced on first reading).
