Selectboard orders removal of contested email from zoning file after residents object

The Westford Selectboard voted 4–1 on May 14 to remove an email from a resident’s zoning file after several residents said the entry suggested bias and should not be kept. The dispute arose after a resident asked that correspondence from Seth Jensen be removed; Zoning Administrator Harmony Cism had filed the material as part of a factual record of a complaint. Chair Pat Haller said town and VLCT attorneys advised that inclusion in a file does not equal ex‑parte communication, but the Selectboard nonetheless approved removal following public comment and debate.

The debate focused on file management and the Zoning Administrator’s discretion to keep investigatory notes. Barb Peck argued the material was prejudicial and said she wanted the letter removed from the file. Harmony Cism explained that she documents complaints and clarifies findings in files and that the Development Review Board (DRB) — not the ZA — is the judicial body to decide ex‑parte issues if an application were to arise. After the discussion, the motion to remove the email passed 4–1 (P. Haller opposed). The board recorded that both VLCT and the Town Attorney had advised the ZA’s approach was legally defensible, and members urged clearer guidance on file‑handling procedures going forward.