By Adway S. Wadekar, Contributing Writer

Westborough – At this moment in time, tensions are high in the United States. In the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, tensions caused by the state of race have been exacerbated by the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and now Rayshard Brooks. In response to these killings, protests in support of racial equality have occurred in towns and cities all across the nation.

In Westborough, before the shooting of Rayshard Brooks on June 12 in Atlanta, GA, an anti-racism solidarity vigil was held at the Bay State Commons. The event which was organized by Alla Baranovsky, a town resident, drew hundreds of people. It featured speakers from religious backgrounds, speakers of color, and poems written and read by Westborough’s youth. On June 20, another protest was held in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. This time, the protest was fully organized by teenagers who live in Westborough.

Claire Lord, one of the organizers of the protest and a student at Westborough High School, noted one particular reason why they felt it was important.

“Our town is deep rooted in systemic racism, as most other places are in America. We decided to have a protest because showing up to a vigil is great, but ending your work there is performative,” she said. “Performative activism is when you do something to help others that is made to benefit you. This protest was about effective and real change in our town, our schools, and in our beliefs. The vigil was amazing, and everyone needs to take it another step forward, and then keep going. We cannot stop once we’ve shown up. We need to show up, unlearn racist tendencies, relearn the way our world works, and act.”

Lord also stressed the importance of young people becoming more and more politically active.“It is crucial for youth to get involved in activism. We have seen real change through protesting, and that is why we continue,” she said. “The youth today were born into a life of racism and white supremacy, and we see how wrong this is. Young people all over the world are organizing these protests, and we need everyone’s help to change laws, pass bills, and change the way law enforcement is as it stands today.”

Lord and her co-organizers planned the event in only two weeks. In order to do so, they sought approval from the Westborough Police Department and spoke directly with school administration. Permit applications were currently on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, so the organizers went through the police.

“We talked to them for a while about how many officers would be there and what purpose they would serve,” Lord said. “They were present for traffic direction and only traffic direction. We were not aware of another way to safely hold this march, and therefore we worked with the police.”

At the Commons, several students shared reflections about the state of race in the United States.

Nanayaa Dadzie shared thoughts on what the Westborough Public Schools and the citizens of Westborough could do to counter racist behavior. Aliza Majid, a Muslim-American expressed how she has experienced racism by students and faculty members. She further described the “silence” that is entrenched in Westborough’s history.

Isabelle Washington described how being biracial in America has been incredibly difficult for her. Specifically, she discussed how she felt like she was not fully accepted by neither the Black nor the White communities. Krithi Krishna, now a student at the University of Rochester, shared that while Asian Americans like herself have experienced some degree of racial bias, it was negligible compared to the systemic oppression and dehumanization that has been experienced by African Americans in the United States. She called on Asian Americans to be allies to the Black community.

Elizabeth Hopkinson, a student at Yale College and an alumna of Westborough High School, urged participants in the protest to sign an open letter to the leaders of Westborough Public Schools. The letter calls for a “holistic review of [WPS’s] curriculum, hiring processes, disciplinary procedures, and administration in search of areas of improvement related to equity and racial justice”, anti-racist education in elementary school, and mandated implicit bias training among other requests.

The protest ended with an eight minute and forty-six second moment of silence, in which those who were able were encouraged to take a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The length of the moment of silence was in honor of George Floyd, the time a Milwaukee police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck while he was in custody of the police. Floyd died later that night after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

By Jennifer L. Grybowski, Contributing Writer

Westborough – Despite steamy temperatures and social distancing concerns, Westborough’s Annual Town Meeting was held and completed on June 20 in a record four hours.

The Board of Health, Board of Selectmen, Town Moderator, Town Clerk and school officials all worked together in the weeks leading up to the meeting to ensure attendees would be as safe and comfortable as possible during the meeting.

“I think the testament that our planning worked for the voters of Westborough is that, in the end, it seemed like a regular Town Meeting with similar debates, deliberations, and outcomes,” Town Moderator John Arnold wrote. “The Town Meeting was the show and the COVID-19 changes didn’t become a sideshow. If you weren’t watching to see the distanced seating and wiping down the microphones, you’d have thought it was a regular Town Meeting.”

With 152 voters in attendance, the meeting was held in several different locations within the high school in order to maintain social distancing. Voters in each room could see the presentations from the gym and could speak and vote on the motions as they were deliberated. While it was quite warm in the gym where most voters were, the elderly and those with medical conditions were seated in the auditorium, which provided padded seating, armrests, and cooler temperatures.

“The voters understood the circumstances and everyone did the best they could considering the circumstances,” Arnold said.

Part of the reason the meeting was so short was that 20 items were passed over due to anticipated budget shortfalls. These items included several capital purchases and some maintenance items. Many of these items will be reconsidered at the fall Town Meeting depending on a firmer grasp of the town’s finances, and alternative funding sources were identified for some of the other items being passed over.

Some items voters did approve were pump station assessment and updates, an ambulance purchase and four police cruisers, all part of the capital plan. Voters also approved some land purchases, including $1,000,000 to purchase 30 Belknap St. for the purposes of conservation, passive recreation, and utility; and $5,000 to acquire a parcel off Oak Street (adjacent to the DPW) for municipal purposes.

As for infrastructure, voters approved $200,420 for town water improvements in response to the town’s most recent water audit and $175,000 to improve the sewer system in response to the 2015 Sewer System Evaluation Survey. Senior and veterans’ tax work-off programs were both approved, as well as a zoning bylaw change regarding the use regulation schedule.

Articles 20 and 21 were approved, both establishing stabilization funds for certain monies collected by the town, with little discussion. However Article 22, which proposed to establish a stabilization fund for the purpose of mitigating impacts of the Del Webb Chauncy Lake development by supporting affordable housing initiatives and/or seniors through capital projects and other programs, and further to dedicate all monies received for this purpose to such stabilization fund, was met with a spirited discussion. This development was approved wit the requirement that 70 of the units would be classified as age restricted affordable housing. Because the state does not recognize the units as counting toward the town’s subsidized housing inventory due to age restrictions, the ZBA approved a variance that granted relief from the subsidized housing requirement, but in exchange, asked for $9 million in mitigation money to be paid for the town. The article created a fund for that money to be received. The discussion came over the wording of the article, leaving some concerned that it left implementation too broad. The article was amended to read “…supporting affordable housing initiatives for seniors…” instead of “…supporting affordable housing initiatives and/or seniors…,” ensuring the funds were used for seniors.

The final article, a citizen’s petition asking voters to dedicate hours served in a non-funded position be treated as community service, was referred to the town’s Senior / Disabled Taxation Relief Committee for further study.

By Jennifer L. Grybowski, Contributing Writer

Westborough – Due to rising issues at Lake Chauncy Beach, the Board of Selectmen, Board of Health and Recreation Commission all met June 23 night to discuss how the beach should be handled.

Recreation Director Jenn Kirkland said her commission had met May 26 and officially decided to close the beach for the season due to overwhelming state guidelines and restrictions.

Kirkland said the commission had several things to consider in opening the beach.

She said that in the past there was never a cap on the number of passes sold, but now the commission felt the safe number of passes to sell were about 40, with up to six people on a pass. It was also decided no passes would be sold to anyone that is not a town resident. She said the prices would need to increase due to the lower number, and that due to restrictions, there would need to be more staff hired to enforce social distancing and adhere to strict guidance regarding cleanliness. She pointed out that the staff consists of high school and college students, and the commission felt that turning frustrated people away daily would stressful for a young staff.

“When you peeled back the layers, it was going to be an incredible undertaking we didn’t want to put on younger kids,” Kirkland said.

Another issue was that the beach usually loses $8,000 to $10,000 in a normally-operated summer. Kirkland projected the beach stood to lose almost $39,000 this summer if they opened, because even with the increase in price, the lower number of passes puts the beach in the negative. Add to that extra staff to be paid, no swim lessons being held, and no programs on or around the beach, and the number climbs.

“The money is a big deal for us,” Recreation Commission Chair Earl Story said. “To take another big hit is a big thing.”

Kirkland reported that at their regular meeting last night, the commission discussed the beach again and felt that not much has changed as far as regulations, so voted again to keep the beach closed.

“We didn’t make the decision lightly,” Recreation Commission member Colleen Dowd said. “It just felt like a real uphill battle to safely open the beach.”

However, just because the beach is closed, doesn’t mean people aren’t using it. Kirkland pointed to an abundance of trash in the parking lot and on the beach, including alcohol cans. She said the bathrooms are closed, but people managed to get in and still use the facilities even though water had been shut off, resulting in quite a mess.

“It’s been unfortunate,” she said.

Selectman Ian Johnson said his first reaction was he couldn’t believe the town was closing the beach.

“But when I looked at the restrictions and what the Recreation Commission said, unfortunately it makes sense,” he said. “While I would love to see it open up, I feel we are opening ourselves up to a huge can of worms.”

Selectman Leigh Emery said she was concerned about the balance of having control over the beach if it is opened and monitored and not having control over it if it is closed and unmonitored.

“I think we need to do more,” she said. “I feel like we have to have some mechanism to say, ‘get out.’ We need to think about how do we keep it safe closed.”

She also said opening it up seems less and less practical as the summer goes on. Board of Selectman Chair Shelby Marshall agreed, and asked Kirkland if it was even possible to hire lifeguards at this point. Kirkland said she had reached out to her guards, and had gotten only one response back.

Board of Health member Alan Erlich said the concern he has is that keeping the beach closed is an equity issue; he pointed out lots of people have access to a pool, or summer house. Others need to use the beach to cool off.

“What is it worth to make a service like the beach available to the town,” he asked.

Storey said people were making too big of deal out of beach when considering all people have faced including sicknesses, unusual funerals, postponed weddings, and other the stressors the pandemic brings.

Erlich disagreed.

“We are trying to return a thing of normalcy for people who have already sacrificed a lot,” he said.

Emery said the main issue to her is if they are being equitable in the resources they are giving the community.

“This is the place in Westborough that is relatively free and affordable to swim in, and I think it’s our moral duty to look at this as a moral issue,” she said. “If we spend the money, I think it would be very well spent, and I think the people who are going there are not getting relief from other things. If we don’t monitor that beach, I’m terribly worried there will be a death in that pond this year and it will be our problem.”

Town Manager Kristi Williams said the state guidelines are clear.
“If we are going to open the beach, we need to manage it under the state’s guidelines,” she said “We can’t partially manage the beach.”

Board of Health Chair Nathan Walsh said due to frequent issues at the beach, the town might have to consider harsher ways of keeping people off the beach if it is going to stay closed. He said at other town beaches, they use jersey barriers to block off most of the parking places; Earl said people would just find other nearby places to park.

“An unmanaged beach we know people are actively going to is worse than a managed beach,” Walsh said. “Having the beach closed, and knowingly allowing people to going there, is a bigger health risk. I think it is safer to have the beach open than have it not open.”

Erlich said Marlborough is opening their beach and has a police detail to deal with entry, passes, and social distancing.

“That makes it very expensive, but it also sets a very different tone for people going to the beach,” he said.

Public Health Director Steven Baccari said people have been calling and asking if the water is being tested. It currently is not, but said it could be easily set up. He also pointed out he’s only shut the beach down once or twice in his 23 years due to bacteria.

Dowd pointed out the testing is done in a very small area, but people are using all different sections of the lake. She said testing also sends mixed messages.
“So you’re closed, but you’re testing,” she asked. “And people were in the water yesterday even though there was a sign saying it had been treated for weeds.”

Walsh said if people are going to be there, and especially if bathrooms are going to be closed, the town needed to be testing the water.

Selectman Vice Chair Allen Edinberg wondered if local pools would work with the town to issue guest passes. Baccarri said pools already have limited capacity due to regulations as it is.

Thea boards agreed to stand behind the Recreation Commission’s decision, and support testing of the water.

Westborough

Saturday, June 13

12:00 a.m. Computer Dr. Disturbance (general).

1:57 a.m. Milk St. Suspicious person.

9:35 a.m. E Main St. Disturbance (general).

8:45 p.m. Meadow Rd. Suspicious auto.

Sunday, June 14

11:44 a.m. Quick Farm Rd. Suspicious auto.

3:50 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Disturbance (general).

6:45 p.m. Assabet Dr./Fisher St. Disturbance (general).

Monday, June 15

1:33 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious auto.

1:54 a.m. Milk St. Suspicious activity.

8:29 a.m. Fisher/West Sts. Vandalism.

1:00 p.m. I495. Suspicious person.

1:12 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Disturbance (general).

3:23 p.m. South St. Vandalism.

4:28 p.m. North Dr. Suspicious activity.

Tuesday, June 16

12:37 a.m. Charlestown Meadows Dr. Disturbance (general).

11:39 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious activity.

6:18 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious person.

Wednesday, June 17

10:37 a.m. W Main St. Larceny.

12:00 p.m. Mayberry Dr. Suspicious activity.

3:08 p.m. Oak St. Disturbance (general).

4:38 p.m. Milk St. Annoying/harassing phone calls.

5:16 p.m. Friberg Pkwy. Annoying/harassing phone calls.

5:33 p.m. Milk St. Larceny.

6:35 p.m. Appleseed Dr. Disturbance (general).

6:37 p.m. Computer Dr. Disturbance (general).

Thursday, June 18

9:07 a.m. South St. Vandalism.

11:04 a.m. Mayberry Dr. Vandalism.

12:44 p.m. South St. Vandalism.

2:21 p.m. Milk St. Threats made.

2:41 p.m. Lyman St. Suspicious activity.

6:15 p.m. Milk St. Annoying/harassing phone calls.

6:50 p.m. Lyman St. Disturbance (general).

7:06 p.m. Nourse St. Accident property damage.

7:59 p.m. Milk St. Suspicious auto.

8:13 p.m. Fisher St. Suspicious activity.

9:30 p.m. Homestead Blvd. Suspicious activity.

10:44 p.m. Arrested, Carmelo Fontanez Diaz, 35, of 35 Laurel St., Apt. 25, Worcester, for op MV with suspended license, number plate violation, forge/misuse of RMV document, possess/use false/stolen RMV document, identity theft.

Friday, June 19

9:50 a.m. Shepherd Rd. Suspicious auto.

10:18 a.m. Connector Rd. Suspicious auto.

1:15 p.m. E Main St. Accident property damage.

6:03 p.m. Hopkinton Rd. Accident property damage.

7:50 p.m. W Main St. Threats made.

8:15 p.m. Upton Rd. Erratic operator.

11:06 p.m. E Main St. Suspicious activity.

Saturday, June 20

10:29 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Disturbance (general).

1:52 p.m. Technology Dr. Disturbance (general).

3:11 p.m. W Main St. Erratic operator.

5:56 p.m. W Main St. Accident property damage.

Sunday, June 21

11:47 a.m. Parkman St. Suspicious activity.

3:47 p.m. E Main St. Disturbance (general).

4:38 p.m. Milk St. Disturbance (general).

7:44 p.m. Jasper St. Suspicious activity.

7:47 p.m. Arrested, Balmoris Alfredo-Zavaleta, 32, of 18 Northampton St., Apt. 1, Worcester, for OUI-liquor or .08%, unlicensed operation of MV, negligent operation of motor vehicle, marked lanes violation.

Monday, June 22

7:07 a.m. Fisher St. Disturbance (general).

7:37 a.m. Otis St. Larceny.

2:46 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident property damage.

4:42 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident property damage.

9:49 p.m. Homestead Blvd. Suspicious person.

Tuesday, June 23

12:11 a.m. Flanders Rd. Suspicious activity.

1:13 p.m. John Pratt Cir. Annoying/harassing phone calls.

10:56 p.m. Turnpike Rd./Computer Dr. Erratic operator.

Wednesday, June 24

7:41 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident – hit & run.

8:53 p.m. Sassacus Dr. Accident property damage.

The information from the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. It contains arrests and samplings of police activity. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court-issued documentation.

Westborough – Grace G. (Cullen) (Guy) Mowczko, 77, of Westborough, formerly of Northborough, passed away peacefully at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence on Monday, June 29, 2020. At the time of her passing Grace was surrounded by the love of her family.

Grace was born in Springfield, MA and raised in Glens Falls, NY where she attended St. Alphonsus Regional Catholic School, prior to her family relocating to Stonham, MA. She was a graduate of Stoneham H.S., Class of 1961 and studied at Merrimack College. At age 20 Grace married Thomas D. Guy. Together they and their beloved daughter Tracy, lived in Massachusetts for a short time prior to relocating to New Jersey. The family then lived in Westmont, IL, before Grace and Tracy returned to Northborough in 1977, to be closer to family.

In 1982, Grace married Michael Mowczko, and together they were looking forward to celebrating their 38th anniversary this September. The couple resided in Northborough until 1997, when they relocated to their present home in nearby Westborough. Grace worked several years at Leland Insurance Agency in Northborough and together with Michael, operated Vintage Collectables of Northborough and later of Westborough. Grace enjoyed the friendships formed during the time she was the local Avon and Longaberger Baskets representative. Grace was well respected for her honesty, integrity and generosity, and most notably, the ever-present smile and positive outlook she offered to all. Grace and Michael enjoyed to traveling together, especially cruises to Bermuda and the islands. In her later years she was a member of St. Luke’s Parish cancer support group and was an active participant in the Westborough Senior Center.

Always one to give back, Grace was a volunteer for many years at local nursing homes and senior centers, served as treasurer for the Assabet Valley Council on Aging transportation and bussing department, was a longtime active member of the Northborough Historical Society, and a former member of the Northborough Jr. Woman’s Club. Grace had a great appreciation for music and was an accomplished 1st chair cellist; being invited to play with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She enjoyed teaching music and sang with the Northborough Community Chorus for over 20 years.

In addition to her devoted husband Michael, Grace is survived by her loving daughter, Tracy G. Davis of Sudbury; her two granddaughters whom she adored, Morgan and Campbell Davis; a sister, Rosemary Shelton and her husband Dwight of Peterborough, NH; a brother, Robert Cullen of the Metro DC area and her lifelong friend, Maureen Grady of Foxborough, and Daniel Salvati, Sr. of Northborough. Grace was preceded in death by her sister, Kathleen Salvati.

Services at this time are private, for the family. A time to gather to remember and celebrate Grace’s life will take place at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Grace Mowczko to support cancer research and patient care at: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284,or via www.dana-farber.org/gift.

To leave a condolence, please visit www.HaysFuneralHome.com.

By Jennifer L.  Grybowski, Contributing Writer

Westborough –  The Board of Health and Board of Selectmen met jointly July 8 to discuss some COVID-19 related issues.

Selectman Leigh Emery said she had witnessed a party with over 100 people in her neighborhood with live entertainment and people didn’t appear to be wearing masks. She wondered what could be done about such parties, if anything.

Board of Health Chair Nathan Walsh said block parties are not allowed and that she should have felt free to let the police know what was going on.

“You could notify the Board of Health, but we don’t have enforcement action so we would notify police,” he said.

He pointed out that live entertainment is allowed, but the entertainer(s) must be 10 feet from other people and 25 feet from the audience; individual groups must be of 10 people are or less, although multiple groups are allowed; and that there are eight people per thousand square feet allowed outside, with a 100 person maximum.

Director of Public Health Steve Baccari disagreed with Walsh’s advice, pointing out that a block party is typically a permitted event.

“We have been told by [Department of Public Health] we cannot get involved on private property,” he said.

Board of Health Member Alan Erlich said he would encourage neighborly conversations in a constructive manner as people felt comfortable. He also wondered to what extent the police are paying close to attention to the guidance as it changes.

“I am hesitant to encourage people to call the police for a non-violent situation and things are escalating quickly these days,” he said. “I think things need to be put into perspective. We have relied on voluntary compliance for the rules and that has been by and large successful. My own bias is that we need to keep trying to encourage people to do the right thing but I think bringing in law enforcement should be a last resort.”

Syed Hashmi, who is a selectman, as well as a member of the Board of Health, agreed.

“The police have enough things to worry about,” he said. “This is personal responsibility.”

Selectman Allen Edinberg said he had received several correspondence from residents wondering about Cold Harbor Brewing’s operations. In particular, he said people have mentioned people turning in and refilling growlers, patrons sitting on the hill or in the parking lot and a lack of food truck when alcohol is being served.

“You need to have food table service being provided to serve alcohol,” Walsh said. “So to serve, there needs a food truck or something. And people should not be going up to the bar to order, but table service should be provided.”

Sanitarian Ray Gauthier said he has received similar complaints. When he checked in with the managers, he said, the growlers were being handled properly and said Cold Harbor does have a food permit with the town, and that bar food like pretzels or nuts are considered food. He also said he believes for breweries the guidance is different and that table service is not required.

The BOH team agreed to keep working with the managers, and bring in the building and fire departments if necessary, since those two entities are required to have approval for an establishment to operate outdoors temporarily. The BOS agreed to research the alcohol serving guidance, since they issue all liquor licenses.

Finally, both Baccari and Town Manager Kristi Williams said the town is starting to get requests to use town properties for gatherings and events, and were looking for direction on if the town was ready to start giving out permits. The boards agreed to follow along with state guidelines, but due to conflicting information in some documents, decided to do some further research before moving forward.

Westborough

Wednesday, July 1

6:28 a.m. Wood St./Macadam Rd. Road/tree.

12:20 p.m. Milk St. Accident – personal injury.

12:36 p.m. W Main St. Accident – hit & run.

1:24 p.m. Upton Rd. Well-being check.

1:29 p.m. W Main St. Suspicious activity.

6:03 p.m. Otis St. Road/tree.

9:57 p.m. Computer Dr. Assault.

Thursday, July 2

8:47 a.m. E Main St. Larceny.

9:14 a.m. Lyman St. Suspicious activity.

10:00 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Erratic operator.

12:09 p.m. W Main St. Larceny.

12:47 p.m. Warburton Ln. Road/tree.

1:51 p.m. Connector Rd. Accident property damage.

2:52 p.m. Lyman St. Accident property damage.

Friday, July 3
11:53 a.m. Technology Dr. Suspicious activity.

2:25 p.m. W Main/Adams Sts. Erratic operator.

Saturday, July 4

5:52 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Erratic operator.

8:51 p.m. West End Ave. Disturbance (general).

9:00 p.m. Belknap St. Disturbance (general).

9:07 p.m. Adams St. Disturbance (general).

9:20 p.m. Cross St. Disturbance (general).

9:23 p.m. Fay St. Disturbance (general).

9:55 p.m. Homestead Blvd. Disturbance (general).

10:30 p.m. Cross St. Disturbance (general).

10:35 p.m. Milk St. Disturbance (general).

10:47 p.m. Cross St. Disturbance (general).

Sunday, July 5

1:08 a.m. Oak St. Threats made.

9:40 a.m. Robin Cir. Suspicious activity.

10:12 a.m. Oak St. Disturbance (general).

3:32 p.m. Lyman St. Annoying/harassing phone calls.

9:25 p.m. Milk St. Disturbance (general).

9:42 p.m. Fay St. Disturbance (general).

Monday, July 6

1:21 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

2:02 p.m. Turnpike Rd./Lyman St. Well-being check.

4:21 p.m. Turnpike Rd./E Main St. Accident property damage.

6:22 p.m. Townsend Blvd. Erratic operator.

The information from the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. It contains arrests and samplings of police activity. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court-issued documentation.

By Jennifer L. Grybowski, Contributing Writer

Westborough  – The Board of Selectmen met jointly with the Board of Health July 14 to consider a request from resident Muhammad Ramzan to host upwards of 2,000 people at the Westborough State Hospital property on Saturday, Aug. 1 for Eid, a Muslim religious celebration. Eid marks the end of a month of fasting from dawn to sunset, as well as spiritual reflection and prayer.

Ramzan, a physician at UMass and member of the Worcester Islamic Center, said his congregation was looking for an outdoor facility to conduct a 30- to 45-minute religious service where worshippers would observe all health parameters such as enforcing social distancing and requiring face coverings. People would then leave the venue to engage in celebrations with family or friends on their own. Although they typically draw 3,000 to 4,000 people to such an event, he said due to the pandemic, he expected about half of that number.

He had been in touch with town department heads the previous week.

“We are hoping this will be a wonderful and quick event, and town officials have been very supportive,” Ramzan said.

Both boards had several concerns about the proposal.

“We are trying to make sure two things happen: we are in full compliance, and the event happens safely,” Board of Health Chair Nathan Walsh said.

Walsh also pointed to the complexity of the guidelines, saying the state tends to release things piecemeal and often with overlapping guidance. He said while there are a lot less restrictions for outdoor events, there are some sector specific guidances that overrule the general guidances. Because of that, he reached out to the Department of Labor Standards and the Department of Public Health for specific feedback about this event. The response back was that events are limited to 100 people, even in a large space like the one at the hospital.

“I’ve asked them to go back and see if that’s truly the case,” Walsh said. “We can continue this discussion, but right now the state in this phase 3 step 1, they are saying large venues are not allowed right now.”

He said he had another call scheduled with them Friday, July 17 for an update.

Health concerns

Board of Health Member Alan Erlich asked if the event might be split into two separate events to decrease the number of people present at one time, and if people could sign up in advance so that they can get better idea of the number of people attending. Ramzan was amendable to both of those requests. Walsh said a list of people would be a requirement, so if the event had to be canceled due to weather, people will be informed. Further, he said, in the event anyone was infected, the list would be required to be submitted to the Board of Health to be used as contact tracing. Walsh also told Ramzan that there would need to be bathroom facilities of some type, and either hand-washing stations or adequate hand sanitizer.

“Even if the governor says this is OK, we have the right to have more stringent criteria in town if we consider it the best health and safety of the community,” Erlich said.

Selectman and Board of Health Member Syed Hashmi said he did not think any requirements would be enough.

“I am deeply, deeply concerned about this event from multiple angles,” he said. “Let us not forget the rest of the country is experiencing a huge increase in numbers. We are about to host potentially a ‘superspreader’ event. It puts not only Westborough residents at risk but members of the congregation at risk. I understand emotionally the need to hold an event like this but I would humbly say this is not the time to be doing something like this. It puts a huge risk on all concerned and I’m asking is it truly worth the price.”

Parking

Ramzan said he thought the biggest issue to coordinate was going to be parking. Police Chief Jeffrey Lourie agreed.

“I do have some concerns,” He said. “This is a very tight venue, and we are going to be shutting down Route 9 just to clear that area out. It’s also high school graduation that day. It’s going to be tight.”

He noted that for the Buddy Walk, which draws 500 to 600 people, they have 80 volunteers parking people and they plan for months for those logistics. He also noted that during that event, people are coming and going all day, not bottlenecking in and out at the same time.

“I’ll need some people on the ground,” Lourie said. “It will be difficult for us to facilitate, but we will do whatever we can to assist.”

Potential parking areas and the potential number of cars able to be parked were discussed, and several members requested a traffic plan and people flow plan. In addition, use of the property by large members of the public lately, access to the road by residents in the area, and access to the road by emergency personnel were all discussed.

“I want to see a plan that is built from the bottom up, not the top down,” Selectman Allen Edinberg said. “What can this venue support safely?”

Walsh said there also needed to be considerations about how to get people from the parking to the prayer area, and then back to their cars, noting that extensive planning had been required to facilitate last month’s Town Meeting.

“And we don’t want to just make this about how many cars will fit,” he said. “We don’t want people carpooling if they don’t live in the same house.”

Other concerns

Board of Selectmen Chair Shelby Marshall said her biggest concern is the timing, and the time needed to plan it.

“I would love to see this event happen,” she said. “I think given that we are in a pandemic, we just can’t do in a safe and thoughtful manner to protect everyone. It’s prime vacation time for our departments; I think we are setting ourselves up for having this not be a successful event”

She said regardless of what happened this year, she would encourage them to come back next year.

Johnson agreed.

“I really want this to happen,” he said. “Events like this are exactly why we bought the state hospital property. I just think trying to get answers in the time it’s going to take and effort it’s going to take within two weeks just seems crazy.”

Edinberg also agreed about the timeframe of planning.  He also pointed out it all comes back to if the DPH even approves the event.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said. “This is putting a lot of demand on town officials and staff.”

Walsh agreed.

“I’m nervous and scared about a 4,000 person event and having things go wrong and having Westborough be labeled as having failed in our duty as board of health to protect the public,” he said.

Hashmi also agreed.

“Our mission statement is to prevent and control the spread of disease,” he said. “That’s job number one for us. We are in the middle of a pandemic. For an event of this size, with two weeks to go, I think this is the wrong time to be doing this. I think it puts everyone at risk and if something were to go wrong, it would be devastating.”

Ramzan said he was grateful for the discussion and would take information from the meeting back to his congregation and see if they think the event is possible.

“We are working together,” he said. “This cooperation, this is the way we accomplish things so there is a message of positive of humanity and working together that how diverse of a town it is, while obviously not compromising any safety issues because the last thing we want to do is for any community member to infected or be part of spread

Westborough – Dolores M. Ellis, 96, of Westborough, passed away on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the Metrowest Medical Center in Framingham. She was the wife of the late Raymond W. Ellis.

Born in Richmond Hill, NY, she was the daughter of the late Frederick and Anna (Lang) Koelsch. She was raised and educated in Richmond Hill and was a graduate of Richmond Hill High School.

Dolores was a former member of St. Aidan’s Church in Williston Park, NY and was a member of the Rosary Society. She has been a resident of Westborough for five years previously living in Albertson, Long Island, NY.

She is survived by four children, Lawrence Ellis of Chelmsford, Colleen Perkins of Ithaca, NY, Diane Paterline of Millsboro, Delaware and Daniel Ellis of Holliston; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her brother Donald Koelsch.

Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, July 20, at 10:30 A.M. in St. Luke the Evangelist Church, 70 West Main St., Westborough. Committal services will be at 1:30 P.M. at the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. A calling hour will precede the funeral Mass from 9 to 10 A.M. at the Pickering and Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main St., Westborough. (Social distancing and facial masks are required at the funeral home, at the church and at the cemetery)

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Westborough – Winifred M. Glennon, 90, of Westborough, passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at Christopher House in Worcester. She was the wife of the late William F. Glennon, Jr.

Born in Boston, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Margaret (McCarthy) Walsh. She was educated in Boston schools and was a graduate of Mission High School. She also attended Burdette Business School studying medical secretary.

Winnie was employed as a receptionist at The Willows for a number of years prior to her retirement.

She was a communicant of St. Luke the Evangelist Church and was a member of St. Luke’s Senior Adults, the Martha’s and Mary’s and the Women of St. Luke’s. She also volunteered for Meals On Wheels and helped others by driving them to appointments.

She is survived by four sons, William F. Glennon, III, and his wife Susie of Parkland, FL, Thomas P. Glennon of Milford, Paul J. Glennon of Northborough and Mark J. Glennon of Westborough; five grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Mary Bush and Thomas Walsh.

A period of visitation will take place on Monday, July 27, from 9 to 10:30 A.M. at the Pickering and Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main St., Westborough, followed by a graveside committal service in St. Luke’s Cemetery at 11:00 A.M.  A memorial Mass will be planned for a future date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Luke the Evangelist Church Memorial Fund, 70 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581

By Brett Peruzzi, Contributing Writer

Westborough – In the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in May and the subsequent protests, numerous perceived symbols of racism and racial oppression have been challenged throughout the United States.

In Westborough, the town seal, which includes an image of the cotton gin invented in 1794 by former resident Eli Whitney, has come under fire and inspired calls for the seal to be redesigned without the controversial item. 

Many historians believe that the cotton gin made cotton a much more profitable crop and thus was a major factor in the expansion and continuation of slavery. 

Spurred on by emails, phone calls and social media posts, Westborough officials have agreed to hold a public hearing in the near future to discuss possibly changing the seal by removing the image of the cotton gin. 

“We need to be clear about the purpose of seals, symbols, and monuments,” said Anthony Vaver, local history librarian for the Westborough Center for History and Culture at the Westborough Public Library. “These artistic representations are supposed to be embodiments of who we are, what we value, and what we aspire to be as a community, culture, and society. When our society changes, the symbols that represented who we are in the past may no longer do so for any given reason. We have other public places where such symbols can go—libraries, museums, and other, public, cultural institutions—so that they can be preserved and given proper context from the standpoint of our newly shared perspective.”

Whitney was born in Westborough in 1765 and his entrepreneurial skills were evident from an early age. By the time he was 14, he ran a profitable nail manufacturing business out of his father’s workshop. After working and saving money for many years, he left town at the age of 23 to attend what was then Yale College. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa three years later, and like many New Englanders of the time, went to the South to seek his fortune. While a guest on a Georgia plantation, he was introduced to a group of businessmen who were seeking a mechanized solution to efficiently separate cotton fibers from its seeds, which was being done by hand. Earlier, manual cotton gins (gin being an abbreviation for engine) had existed for centuries is various forms, but in 1794 Whitney’s was the first to be mechanized and patented. It also was more effective for the short-staple type of cotton grown in the American South, which contained more seeds.

Whitney and his business partner, Phineas Miller, had originally planned on charging farmers to clean their cotton rather than selling the gins, much the same way that grist mills did for grain and sawmills did for lumber. Cotton growers resented this monopolistic approach, and because of the gin’s simple design and lack of strong patent law, competitors began producing gins of their own and Whitney and Miller resorted to selling the machines. Patent infringement lawsuits ate up much of their profits and they went out of business in 1797. 

Despite the failure of Whitney and Miller’s business selling cotton gins, the device was pivotal in transforming agriculture in the South and the nation’s economy as cotton exports soared. Yet ironically, the cotton gin, as a labor-saving device, as enslaved people were the ones previously separating cotton from seed by hand, is believed to have prolonged slavery by as much as 70 years, because it made cotton a much more profitable crop to grow using slave labor. Other crops that were grown previous to the 1790s with slave labor, including rice and tobacco, were no longer highly profitable, nor was cotton, until the cotton gin came into widespread usage. Without it, and the economic incentives it provided, historians believe slavery might have faltered of its own accord much earlier in Southern society. 

“Even if we decide to remove the cotton gin from our town seal,” Vaver explained, “people will still be able to come into the library to learn about Eli Whitney, his place in town, his invention, and view town documents with the 1967 seal on them.”

Whitney’s legacy as an inventor and businessman did not end with the cotton gin. Several years later he won a large contract to manufacture muskets for the federal government. His experience in this venture is credited with progress within manufacturing on such topics as interchangeable parts, cost accounting, and economic efficiency. He was also credited in the invention of what some believe to be the first milling machine, circa 1818.

As a historian, Vaver encourages people to become curious, rather than resistant, to new ways of thinking about and seeing the world. “We are reevaluating our town seal today because our understanding of Eli Whitney and his cotton gin is more nuanced – and consequently much more interesting – than it was in 1967,” he observed. “This ‘new’ narrative tells us a lot more about who we are as a people and gives us the opportunity to reconsider who we want to be. That’s what makes history so exciting. It’s not really about the past, but about who we want to be in the future.”

The current scrutiny in Westborough of Whitney’s most famous achievement coincides with the fact that his birthplace, at 36 Eli Whitney Street, is for sale. The four-bedroom, three-bath, 2401 square foot Colonial-style home has been completely renovated and is listed at $650,000.

Photos/submitted

Westborough

Tuesday, July 7

1:35 a.m. Oak St. Disturbance (general).

2:51 a.m. Computer Dr. Well-being check.

8:47 a.m. Turnpike Rd./Lyman St. Accident property damage.

4:17 p.m. E Main St. Parking violation/complaint.

6:07 p.m. Adams St. Threats made.

6:53 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident property damage.

11:13 p.m. Chauncy/Oak Sts. Suspicious auto.

Wednesday, July 8

6:45 a.m. Flanders Rd. Disturbance (general).

7:23 a.m. E Main St. Accident – hit & run.

12:01 p.m. Walkup Dr. Larceny.

2:13 p.m. Appleseed Dr. Suspicious activity.

3:36 p.m. Turnpike Rd./Otis St. Erratic operator.

6:24 p.m. E Main St. Well-being check.

Thursday, July 9

6:55 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious auto.

6:37 p.m. South St. Well-being check.

Friday, July 10

10:30 a.m. Piccadilly Way. Larceny.

10:56 a.m. Milk St. Suspicious auto.

11:55 a.m. Crestview Dr. Larceny.

1:10 p.m. High St. Well-being check.

6:13 p.m. Connector Rd. Vandalism.

Saturday, July 11

1:43 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious auto.

9:30 am. Crownridge Rd. Suspicious activity.

11:39 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Erratic operator.

4:30 p.m. W Main St. Accident property damage.

Sunday, July 12

2:38 a.m. Lyman St./Steven Rd. Suspicious activity.

11:53 a.m. Connector Rd. Suspicious auto.

3:15 p.m. Milk St. Suspicious person.

3:35 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious activity.

3:52 p.m. E Main/Haskell Sts. Accident property damage.

The information from the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. It contains arrests and samplings of police activity. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court-issued documentation.

Westborough – The Westborough Board of Selectmen have released a statement to community regarding the issues of racial injustice, inequality and plans to address those issues.

Here is the statement in part. The full statement can be read at https://www.town.westborough.ma.us/home/news/board-selectmen-statement-community.

Recent national events spotlighting racial injustice have captured our collective consciousness. Racism is, unfortunately, not new to our country, our state or even our town. History shows us that countless black men, black women, and black youth have been witness to and directly harmed by hundreds of years of systemic racial injustice and inequality. Recent events have brought together a collective voice stating that racism will no longer be tolerated and that our community has a shared commitment to end it.

We cannot change the past, but we can affect the course of the future, starting here in Westborough. As the Westborough Board of Selectmen (Board), we join in this collective declaration and wholly condemn racist acts of oppression in all forms. We recognize that institutional racism is real and has targeted communities of color for far too long. We affirm that Black lives matter. The Board welcomes all community input, and in doing so we recognize that voices of color need to be prioritized as we work together to address racism.

As elected officials our words must be supported by action; action that will take various forms over a sustained period. To that end we offer both information about actions previously and currently undertaken by the Town and further, action items we commit to taking in the coming months.

Current steps taken to combat systemic racism include:

• De-escalation and anti-bias education are a part of the on-going training program, not “one and done” presentations, for the Westborough Police Department (WPD). WPD staff have received training with respect to responding to people with autism, dementia and mental health issues. WPD is committed to ongoing training to ensure they prevent improper interaction with the community, while ensuring the highest level of services are provided.
• WPD has a mental health clinician riding with the department on most 4p-12a shifts, with 24/7 access to these services. Mental health issues can therefore be addressed as such, rather than as a criminal matter.
• A police staffing model that provides a patrol supervisor on each shift. Part of the supervisor’s role is to evaluate responses in real time, make command decisions, and enforce department policies and practices.
• The addition of a traffic officer position has significantly increased the number of public-police interactions. This role has contributed to a 35 percent year over year reduction in accidents and accidents with injuries (January 2020  WPD  report). Furthermore, over 90 percent of traffic stops result in warnings, not tickets, reflecting the department’s priority  of  safety  and  education  over  punishment. This approach greatly reduces the likelihood of many of the policing issues we are seeing throughout the country.
• If a 9-1-1 call is received and a mental health issue is suspected or indicated, a Westborough Fire Department (WFD) ambulance is dispatched to treat the situation as a medical issue, rather than a criminal matter.
• Our public safety teams have access to interpretation services 24/7 as needed, in partnership with Westborough Youth & Family Services (WYFS) and the Public Safety Communications Center.
• Funding for WYFS has increased more than 12 percent over the past four years, during which time we have rolled out additional mental health referral services, interpretation services, and more programming in partnership with other organizations in our community.

Maynard – Laurie Joanne Bilodeau, 32, of Maynard, formerly of Westborough, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 23, 2020 with loving family by her side after a courageous battle against cancer.

Born in Framingham, she is the daughter of Thomas A. and Maryanne (Pratt) Bilodeau of Westborough. In addition to her parents, she is survived by her sister, Kelly Marie Bilodeau; her nephew Aiden David Bilodeau, who she adored; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends. She was raised and educated in Westborough and was a 2006 graduate of Westborough High School. She also attended and graduated from St. Leo University in Florida with an MBA – Concentration in Marketing, where she was a sister and president of Gamma Upsilon Sorority.

Laurie was an Administrative Manager for the Neurology Foundation and Sleep Center at Boston Children’s Hospital.  Laurie was known across the hospital as a kind, selfless, and talented leader who always put her colleagues, patients and families first. Laurie was the recent recipient of the Boston Children’s Hospital “Bravo! in Excellence” award in January 2020, noting her accomplishments and contributions to the hospital’s mission.

Laurie’s motto was “living the dream”.  She lived each day to the fullest. She was one of a kind and lit up every room she walked into, as she brought life and sparkle to everything.  Laurie, also known as “Auntie RaRa”, loved the ocean, painting, crafting, and entertaining her friends and family at her home in Maynard. She was known for her quick wit, sassy personality, infectious laugh, beautiful smile, punny humor, giving heart, and her love for life.

The world lost a beautiful soul and she will be dearly missed by all.

Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, July 30, at 10:30 A.M. in St. Luke the Evangelist Church, 70 West Main St., Westborough. Burial will follow in St. Luke’s Cemetery. Calling hours are Wednesday, July 29, from 4 to 7 P.M at the Pickering & Son UPTON FUNERAL HOME, 45 Main St., Upton. Facial coverings and social distancing required.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Boston Children’s Hospital, Neurology Foundation, 300 Longwood Avenue, Fegan 11, Boston, MA 02115 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or at www.stjude.org/memorial.

Westborough – On a hot summer day, Westborough’s Lake Chaucy offered cool relief for residents who chose to be on the water or nearby paths. (The beach itself is officially closed this summer.)

Photos/Cheryl Arsenault

Westborough – Matt Fisher, an attorney with Mirick O’Connell in Westborough, was recently selected as an honoree for the 2020 Medigy HITMC Awards in the Individual – Health IT Advocate of the Year category.

Every year, the Healthcare and IT Marketing Community (HITMC) comes together to honor the individuals and organizations who distinguished themselves over the past year. All the nominations are reviewed by a selection committee of industry veterans and only a few are chosen as honorees in each category.

Fisher is a partner at Mirick O’Connell, chair of the firm’s Health Law Group, and a member of the firm’s Business Group. He focuses his practice on healthcare regulatory and corporate matters.

By Morgan Hume, Contributing Writer 

Westborough – Most high schoolers spend their junior year shopping for prom attire and stressing about homework assignments. Adway Wadekar spent his time getting a study published in a scientific journal. Although he just wrapped up his junior year at Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury, he is not the typical teenager. 

“Almost everything about me is different,” said Wadekar, who is a resident of Westborough. 

Wadekar spends his free time diving into research projects on different topics, like drug disorders in young people. He recently published a study in a major scientific journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence which looks into if high school students’ addiction to drugs, among many factors, has a connection to their likelihood of developing addictions in adult life. While people his age may have assistance from a principal investigator or a mentor in their research, Wadekar is the sole author of the self-directed study. (www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871620300041)

“It’s interesting to study it because I’m the one that’s affected by it,” he said about the project. “My own friends and people that I associate with on a day-to-day basis are the ones who are being affected by drugs, so it’s personal.” 

Wadekar has many interests, spanning from history, to quantitative social science, to mathematics. His passions appear to be all over the place, but he sees the way each subject connects. 

“I’ve always been interested in various historical and political science types of things. But at the same time, being an Indian, coming from an Indian background, I’ve been groomed in the study of mathematics as well,” said Wadekar. “I’ve always sought to combine those two together.”

He’s also interested in journalism and has written for the Community Advocate since he was in eighth grade. He said he wants to explore journalism as a way to soften the divide between the scientific community and everyday people by making complex information and jargon more comprehensible.  

“I want to find a way to break that gap between the general public and people who are creating new knowledge by doing research,” he said.

He was also accepted this year into the New England High School Journalism Collaborative Summer Workshop, where he wrote about first amendment issues and disparities in education in age of the coronavirus.

He enjoys exploring with his camera as well. That, combined with his interest in history, earned him his current position as the photographer in residence for the town of Westborough. Every year, the town appoints someone to document the area with photos. Wadekar is basing this ongoing historical project on photographing Westborough through the eyes of children.

At Saint John’s High School, he has a busy course load of Advanced Placement classes and he works hard to prepare for exams at the end of the year. But outside of school hours, he is the president and captain of his high school mock trial team. He helps his classmates maintain their winning streak, since the team hasn’t lost a regular season trial in the last few years. 

He said his success would not have been possible without a solid support system, especially from his parents, who have done everything from drive him places he needs to go, to giving him advice on the publication process of his study. Both his parents have earned doctoral degrees and Wadekar hopes to earn one someday himself in a quantitative social science, perhaps economics. 

“The sacrifices they’ve made for the opportunities that I’ve been able to pursue, it’s just incredible,” said Wadekar. “I owe everything to them.”

With all this experience, Wadekar has many options for his future, but he sees himself in an academic setting so he can continue research projects. His mother is a professor at University of Connecticut and he would like to follow a similar path.

For now, he has another year of high school left to finish, which he hopes to enjoy. His college plans are still undecided, but he knows he has plenty of time to plan for the future. And wherever this self-described “atypical” young man goes, he is sure to find continued success.  

Westborough

Monday, July 13

12:35 a.m. W Main St. Suspicious auto.

5:22 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious auto.

12:16 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious activity.

5:21 p.m. Milk St. Accident property damage.

6:24 p.m. Lyman St. Disturbance (general).

9:18 p.m. Oak St. Disturbance (general).

Tuesday, July 14

1:14 a.m. Hillcrest Dr. Disturbance (general).

8:47 a.m. Lyman St. Suspicious activity.

4:12 p.m. W Main St. Threats made.

4:16 p.m. E Main/State Sts. Accident property damage.

4:23 p.m. E Main St. Suspicious auto.

6:57 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious activity.

9:35 p.m. Otis St./Turnpike Rd. Erratic operator.

Wednesday, July 15

8:17 a.m. Longmeadow Rd. Well-being check.

10:40 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious person.

2:08 p.m. Haskell St. Suspicious auto.

3:43 p.m. Oak St. Suspicious activity.

4:41 p.m. E Main St. Well-being check.

7:42 p.m. E Main St. Disturbance (general).

10:43 p.m. Lyman St. Disturbance (general).

Thursday, July 16

7:53 a.m. Lyman St. Erratic operator.

4:22 p.m. E Main St. Accident property damage.

4:29 p.m. Charles/Ruggles Sts. Accident property damage.

4:44 p.m. Maynard St. Well-being check.

Friday, July 17

2:34 a.m. Computer Dr. Assault.

12:38 p.m. Parkman St. Vandalism.

1:18 p.m. Turnpike Rd. B&E in MV.

2:05 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Disturbance (general).

3:05 p.m. Bowman St. Suspicious activity.

3:25 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

4:03 p.m. Otis St./Smith Pkwy. Accident property damage.

6:28 p.m. W Main St. Threats made.

10:28 p.m. Turnpike Rd. B&E in MV.

Saturday, July 18

12:25 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Disturbance (general).

4:48 p.m. Grove St. Trespassing.

6:55 p.m. Armstrong Dr. Suspicious activity.

8:00 p.m. Willow St. Well-being check.

9:07 p.m. Homestead Blvd. Suspicious activity.

The information from the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. It contains arrests and samplings of police activity. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court-issued documentation.

By Jennifer L. Grybowski, Contributing Writer

Westborough – The push to change the town seal got another boost at the selectmen’s meeting July 28.

During that meeting, they heard a presentation from Local History Librarian Anthony Vaver about the history of the seal. He then gave his thoughts in support of the effort.

“Change is hard,” he said. “But we all experience change throughout our lives whether we like it or not and quite often we come out better for it. As a student of culture and history, I am excited that we are having these kinds of conversations and I encourage people to become curious rather than resistant to new ways of thinking about and seeing the world.”

He also said if people are feeling confused of frustrated by any element of this initiative, the library is there to help point them to resources.

“To help answer questions or even to help ask new ones,” he said. “Because what makes history so exciting is that we get to keep asking questions.”

Selectman Ian Johnson said he originally wanted to hold a public meeting to discuss the changing of the seal, but that people will likely want to discuss it at Town Meeting regardless. He said he also thought for safety’s sake, it might not be a good idea to hold an extra meeting.

“There is a lot of interest in this, and I think that’s great,” he said.

He proposed putting an article on the fall Town Meeting warrant to remove the seal and then discuss a replacement for the seal after that, but with one caveat: he said if for some reason the fall Town Meeting is limited like the annual was to such the extent a full debate will not be feasible, he would suggest passing it over to the next Town Meeting in order to facilitate a full discussion available to all.

The board agreed to that plan.

“We are going to put it on the fall Town Meeting but if conditions are such we feel like we have to have an abbreviated Town Meeting in the best interest of public safety and health, we will push it out to a different Town Meeting,” Selectmen Chair Shelby Marshall said.