TOWN SERVICES:
TOWN CONTACTS (as of
December 2007)
Board of Selectmen:
Valerie Wormell - Chairman
Robert Jefferies– Vice Chairman
Jim Sullivan - Clerk
Nancy Rosinski
Geraldine "Dini" Healy- Coffin
Phone: (978) 692-5500
Town Manager:
Jodi Ross
Phone: (978) 692-5500
Email:
jross@westfordma.gov
Town Clerk:
Kaari Tari
Phone: (978) 692-5515
Email:
townclerk@westfordma.gov
Building Commissioner:
Matthew Hakala
Phone: (978) 692-5527
Email: mhakala@westfordma.gov
Conservation Commission:
Eric Fahle – Chairman
Peter Mahler - Vice Chairman
Marilyn Frank
Ann Jefferies
Marian McCurley
Frank Winters
Michael Taevs
Phone: (978) 692-5524
Town Planner:
Ross Altobelli
Phone: (978) 692-5524
Email:
raltobelli@westfordma.gov
Planning Board:
Andrea Peraner-Sweet - Chairman
Mike Green - Vice Chair
Fred Palmer
Allen Nudler
Dennis Galvin
Phone: (978) 692-5524
Highway Department:
Richard "Chip"
Barrett - Superintendent
Phone: (978) 692-5520
Email: whighway@westfordma.gov
Public Water System:
Approximately 75% of the town residences and 90% of
business are serviced by the public water system. Pumping capacity of the eight
municipal wells is 3,580 gallons per minute. For the fiscal year of 1999 1.764
million gallons of water was used per day on average.
Trash Collection:
The Town has curbside trash collection and recycling.
Recyclables collected including paper, glass, metal, plastics, white goods and
textiles totaling 2,677.8 tons.
Sewer:
Public sewerage is not available in Westford. All
waste treatment is handled on site.
Library:
The J.V. Fletcher Public Library in FY99 had
circulation of 271,584; total library holdings including media were
approximately 107,000 items.
Schools:
Westford School System is made up of four k – 5
elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. 1999 – 2000
enrollment: 4,602 pupils. The Town is also one of seven member communities of
the Nashoba Valley Technical School.
Public Safety:
38 permanent officers staff Westford Police Dept. The
Fire Dept. roster totals 22 full-time firefighters including the Chief.
Chief of Police:
Chief Robert Welch (978) 692-2161
Chief of Fire Department:
Chief Richard Rochon (978) 692-5542 Email:
rrochon@westfordma.gov
Rail:
Commuter rail service to North Station, Boston is
available at Lowell Gallagher Terminal or at the newly renovated North Billerica
Station (Travel time 40 min). Freight rail service is available from Guilford
Transportation, contact number: (978) 663 – 1073.
Bus:
Westford is a member of the Lowell Regional Transit
Authority (LRTA). No fixed bus service is provided, but paratransit services,
including medical trips to Boston, are available for the elderly and through the
LRTA’s RoadRunner program.
TAX RATE: Residential - $14.00 per $1,000,
Commercial- $14.00 per $1,000
Population Trends – WESTFORD (2000
U.S. Census)
(Updated May 25, 2002)
|
1960
|
1970
|
1980
|
1990
|
2000 |
#Change 1990-2000 |
%Change 1990-2000
|
|
6,261 |
10,368
|
13,434 |
16,392
|
20,754 |
4,362 |
26.6% |
Persons by Sex
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
Male |
10,324 |
|
Female |
10,430 |
Age Distribution
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Persons |
% |
|
Under 5 |
1,842 |
8.9% |
|
5 – 14
|
3,873 |
18.6% |
|
15 – 44
|
8,568 |
41.3% |
|
45 – 64
|
4,970 |
24% |
|
65 & over
|
1,501 |
7.3% |
Race and Ethnicity
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Persons |
% |
|
White |
19,444 |
93.7% |
|
Black |
62 |
0.3% |
|
Am Indian, Eskimo or Aleut
|
13 |
0.1% |
|
Asian or Pacific Islander
|
994 |
4.8% |
|
Hispanic Origin
|
229 |
1.1% |
Households
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
|
3,954 |
5,316 |
6,808 |
Household Size
(2000 U.S. Census)
3.03 persons per household
Poverty Status
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
Persons Below Poverty Level:
|
Westford |
Mass. |
|
345 |
573,421 |
|
1.7% |
9.3% |
Households by Type
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Households |
% |
|
Married Couple/ Family
|
5,191 |
76.2% |
|
Female Householder
|
452 |
6.6% |
|
Non-Family Household
|
1,002 |
14.7% |
Income Distribution (2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Households |
% |
|
Less than $ 10,000
|
85 |
1.2% |
|
$ 10,000 - $ 14,999
|
193 |
2.8% |
|
$ 15,000 - $ 24,999
|
234 |
3.4% |
|
$ 25,000 - $ 34,999
|
277 |
4.1% |
|
$ 35,000 - $ 49,999
|
546 |
8.0% |
|
$ 50,000 - $ 74,999
|
936 |
13.7% |
|
$ 75,000 - $ 99,999
|
1,211 |
17.7% |
|
$ 100,000 - $ 149,999
|
1,778 |
26.0% |
|
$ 150,000 - $ 199,999
|
902 |
13.2% |
|
$ 200,000 or more
|
674 |
9.9% |
Sources of Income
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
# Of Households
|
Average Income
|
|
Wage
& Salary |
6,227 |
$113,646
|
|
Social
Security |
1,055 |
$12,314 |
|
Supplemental
Security |
96 |
$6,564 |
|
Public
Assistance |
36 |
$4,535 |
|
Retirement |
850 |
$16,951 |
HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS
Housing Units
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
|
2,758 |
3,954 |
5,530 |
6,941 |
Median Household Income
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
|
$11,897 |
$27,118 |
$62,880 |
$98,272 |
Median Home Sale Price
(Banker & Tradesman)
|
|
1992 |
1994 |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
|
1 – Family
|
$189,700 |
$209,000 |
$233,500 |
$229,900 |
$297,500 |
|
Condo |
$85,000 |
$237,890 |
$223,087 |
$242,325 |
$277,000 |
|
All Sales |
$176,000 |
$216,000 |
$231,000 |
$269,900 |
$312,250 |
Housing Unit Permit Data
|
1990 |
1992 |
1994 |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
|
68 |
176 |
157 |
184 |
195 |
92 |
Housing Breakdown by
Occupancy (2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
|
% OF TOTAL
|
|
TOTAL
HOUSING UNITS |
6,941 |
|
|
Total
Occupied Units |
6,808 |
98.1% |
|
Owner
Occupied |
6,258 |
91.9% |
|
Renter
Occupied |
550 |
8.1% |
|
Total Vacant
|
133 |
1.9% |
LAND USE CLASSIFICATION
(Mass. GIS 1991)
|
WESTFORD
LAND USE |
ACREAGE |
%
OF TOTAL |
|
Residential |
4,931.03 Acres
|
24.6% |
|
Commercial |
172.48 Acres
|
0.9% |
|
Industrial |
288.76 Acres
|
1.4% |
|
Agriculture |
996.91 Acres
|
5.0% |
|
Open
Space/ Recreation |
12,399.91 Acres
|
61.8% |
|
Transportation/Mining/Waste |
660.41 Acres
|
3.3% |
|
Water |
609.39 |
3.0% |
|
TOTAL ACREAGE
|
20,058.90 Acres
|
100% |
RECREATION
Patricia Savage - Director
Parks and Recreation Department
35 Town Farm Road
P.O. box 2444
Westford, MA 01866
(978) 692-5532
Email: psavage@westfordma.gov
Recreational Facilities
include:
Nashoba Brook Area
(350 Acres)
Cross country skiing, hiking, hunting, nature observation, and snowmobiling
East Boston Camps
(241 Acres)
Camping, swimming, picnicking, fishing, boating
Nonset Brook – Vine Brook
(174 Acres)
Hunting, nature observation
Tadmuck Swamp Area
(142 Acres)
Fresh water fishing, hunting, nature observation
Wyman’s Beach
(140 Acres – private fee charged)
Non-motorized boating, camping, hunting, nature observation, picnicking, pool
swimming
New Westford Academy (111 Acres)
Baseball/softball, other team sports.
Mystery Spring (106 Acres)
Cross country skiing, hiking, hunting, nature observation, and snowmobiling
Nashoba Valley Ski Area (50 Acres)
Down hill skiing, 4 chairlifts, 3 rope tows, 9 trails
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Employment Base – 2000
|
LABOR
FORCE – 2000 |
12,230 |
|
#
Residents Employed |
12,044 |
|
#
Residents Unemployed |
186 |
|
Westford
Unemployment Rate |
1.5% |
|
NMCOG
Region Unemployment Rate |
2.5% |
|
State Unemployment Rate |
2.6% |
Employment by Industry Sector – 2001
(Mass Division of Employment & Training ES - 202
Series)
|
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing
|
59
|
|
Government
|
1,001
|
|
Construction
|
309
|
|
Manufacturing
|
4,019
|
|
TCPU |
180
|
|
Trade |
2,390
|
|
FIRE |
400
|
|
Services |
3,982
|
|
Total Employment/Westford
|
12,341
|
TCPU = Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities
FIRE = Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
conf = Data suppressed due to confidentiality
Means Of Transportation To
Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)
|
Subject |
1990 Census |
2000 Census |
Change 1990 to 2000 |
| Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Workers 16 years and over |
8,881 |
100.0 |
10,745 |
100.0 |
1,864 |
21.0 |
| Drove alone |
7,876 |
88.7 |
9,457 |
88.0 |
1,581 |
20.1 |
| Carpooled |
612 |
6.9 |
570 |
5.3 |
-42 |
-6.9 |
| Public transportation (including taxicab) |
55 |
0.6 |
125 |
1.2 |
70 |
127.3 |
| Bicycle or walked |
115 |
1.3 |
60 |
0.6 |
-55 |
-47.8 |
| Motorcycle or other means |
54 |
0.6 |
16 |
0.1 |
-38 |
-70.4 |
| Worked at home |
169 |
1.9 |
517 |
4.8 |
348 |
205.9 |
Travel Time to Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)
|
Subject |
1990 Census |
2000 Census |
Change 1990 to 2000 |
| Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Workers who did not work at home |
8,712 |
100.0 |
10,228 |
100.0 |
1,516 |
17.4 |
| Less than 5 minutes |
216 |
2.5 |
168 |
1.6 |
-48 |
-22.2 |
| 5 to 9 minutes |
770 |
8.8 |
823 |
8.0 |
53 |
6.9 |
| 10 to 14 minutes |
1,165 |
13.4 |
1,043 |
10.2 |
-122 |
-10.5 |
| 15 to 19 minutes |
1,168 |
13.4 |
1,153 |
11.3 |
-15 |
-1.3 |
| 20 to 29 minutes |
1,815 |
20.8 |
2,326 |
22.7 |
511 |
28.2 |
| 30 to 44 minutes |
2,365 |
27.1 |
2,215 |
24.6 |
147 |
6.2 |
| 45 or more minutes |
1,213 |
13.9 |
2,203 |
21.5 |
990 |
81.6 |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes) |
25.0 |
X |
30.0 |
X |
4.9 |
X |
MEDIA:
Lowell Sun
15 Kearney Square, Lowell, MA 01852
Phone: 458 – 7100
Westford Eagle
15 Fletcher St. Chelmsford, MA 01824
Phone: 692 – 4244
Cablevision
4 Liberty Way, Westford, MA 01886 Phone: 692 – 6500
The Merrimack Journal
1794 Bridge Street, Unit 27B, Dracut, Ma 01826
Phone: 978-441-2770
REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY:
Northern Middlesex Council of
Governments
115 Thorndike Street, Lowell MA 01852
Beverly Woods, Executive Director
Phone: (978) 454 – 8021
Fax: (978) 454 – 8023
