Skip to Content

Nine Applicants Vie for Open Planning Board Position--Tonight

by Dave Atkins

The Westwood Board of Selectmen and Planning Board will hold a joint meeting tonight (Monday, July 20, 2009) at 7:30pm at Town Hall to choose from nine individuals who have applied for the open position on the Planning Board. After discussion, the Board of Selectmen and three of four members of the Planning Board (Steve Rafsky is unable to attend) will vote to select one person to fill the seat of retiring member Henry Gale. In addition to seven new individuals who applied for the position, both candidates who lost in the 4-way contest this Spring (David Feyler and Jason Lee) have indicated interest and will be considered.

Submitted by Dave Atkins on July 20, 2009 - 1:41pm
Tagged in:

Comments

A question for our (NEW) planning board member Mr Wiggins

Submitted by David Feyler on July 20, 2009 - 11:07pm.

 

 

The BOS and Planning board made their choice and I want to congratulate Mr Wiggins. The BOS gave each individual 3 minutes to give them their pitch.

I walked away not knowing what Mr Wiggins stands for or anyone else for that matter. Mr Wiggins I would like to be the first to ask you some real questions. This is a elected position so I would like to know where you stand on different issues. Your name came up more than once when I was running for planning board and you seem to be well respected in the town. Would you be willing to answer questions from the resident's seeming that not one resident was allowed to ask a question at the meeting Monday night?

I think many people on the blog and in town would like to see a more transparent Westwood. Look at the meeting we just had tonight, I bet you 99% of the residents didn't even know that it was happening. The BOS admitted there was nothing in the paper about the meeting tonight. I didn't even know until Friday night that the BOS wanted us there on Monday night.

You could be the first to use the blog to open LIVE lines of communication between board members and residents.

If Mr Wiggins is willing to answer residents questions, then we as residents should be willing to put our name behind the question.

 

BOS Appointment

Submitted by Westwood Realist on July 21, 2009 - 2:06pm.

How typical is this appointment? The BOS ignores people who have actually run for the position recently and who live in the area that will be most affected by any development and appoint the ultimate insider. Funny, I don't recall seeing Mr. Wiggin at any of the year's worth of hearings dealing with Westwood Station. The bottom line is that Legacy Place is opening this week and Westwood Station is nothing but a grassy knoll. The people on the Board have no idea of how to lead in a way that will actually result in something positive happening. Please, Mr. Wiggin, don't bother asking us to support an override next year.

Name behind comments

Submitted by David Feyler on July 21, 2009 - 3:33pm.

I am going to call Mr Wiggins and ask if he will answer questions on the blog. I feel exactly the way you do Guest. The problem is,if we are to ask Mr Wiggins questions we need to put our name behind our comments.

Mr. Wiggins

Submitted by Westwood Realist on July 22, 2009 - 8:23am.

Since we know that he will no whatever Mrs. Hyde and Messrs. Ahearn and Shapiro tell him to do, what is the point of asking his opinion? It will be spoon-fed to him.

Wiggin Supports Rafsky

Submitted by Westwood Realist on July 22, 2009 - 8:36am.

Wiggins submitted a letter to the Westwood Press on 4/22/09 support Steve Rafsky's candidacy for Planning Board. Doesn't that say it all?

moderation

Submitted by Dave Atkins on July 22, 2009 - 10:43am.

I have some ideas for how we could use the blog or some other media to constructively collaborate...but these anonymous comments don't really help that and make it unlikely anyone from the Town boards will participate.

I agree the Board of Selectmen should have strongly considered Jason Lee and David Feyler for the open position, but it is not an "automatic" that the 3rd place finisher should just "move up." Some people probably chose not to run because they supported 2 of the 4 candidates already. It sounds like there will be another opportunity to vote for multiple Planning Board members next year, so let's see what develops.

In the mean time, rather than complaining about the conspiracy of old boys that runs the town, how about suggesting something substantive you want to see done in the town that is not about personalities? The membership of the BOS and Planning Board is what it is for now. At least give the incumbents something to have an opinion on because "they are against us" is not an argument anyone can respond to...

I will have to agree with

Submitted by David Feyler on July 22, 2009 - 11:07pm.

I will have to agree with Dave Atkins. The blog could be used to communicate to the BOS and other board members. The problem is I have talked to residents that sit on some of the boards. They will not answer questions when they are submitted anonymous. Mr Atkins blog can be used as a useful tool. If we don't put our names behind what we have to say then I don't see any board member answering questions from residents on the blog. On the other hand board members could just ignore questions from residents that will not put their first and last name behind their blog entry. I bet Dave could set it up so any question asked would not be entered unless a first and last name was given. Dave please send your feedback pn the best way to get this started. 

ways to use online media

Submitted by Dave Atkins on July 27, 2009 - 8:32pm.

I wrote a long piece on my other blog a while back about using a "wiki" as a way from groups of people to collaborate. A wiki is a web site where anyone can edit the pages--kind of like a shared whiteboard. I will have more to say on this when I can find the time to set up something like this for our ped/bike committee.