Westfield board sets March hearings to extend moratoria on battery storage and wind projects; approves water payments and budget moves

The Westfield Town Board on Feb. 4 set public hearings for March 4 to extend moratoria on commercial battery energy storage systems and on wind energy conversion systems, authorized payment and legal steps on local water projects, accepted an audit of the town’s 2025 financial records and approved several budget adjustments.

Supervisor Martha R. Bills said the public hearings on the moratoria will be held at 7:25 p.m. on March 4 in Eason Hall. The board voted unanimously to adopt resolutions setting the hearings; Councilmember David Spann introduced the battery-storage hearing resolution, and Supervisor Bills offered the wind moratorium resolution.

The board moved on a pair of water‑project items. Councilmember James Herbert offered and the board approved Resolution No. 20 authorizing Payment Request No. 6 and Form E No. 7 (Rural Development Budget/Cost Certification) for the East Route 5 Water Benefit District No. 2. Separately, during project updates the board authorized Supervisor Bills, on a motion by Councilmember David Brown and seconded by Councilmember David Spann, to sign a legal services agreement with Hodgson Russ to serve as bond counsel for the East Lake Road Water Benefit District No. 2 project, contingent on Town Attorney review and budget approvals, in an amount not to exceed $33,000.

Councilmember David Spann moved to adopt Resolution No. 16 recording an audit of the town’s 2025 financial records and confirming departmental submissions for review; the board voted unanimously to adopt the audit resolution. The meeting record shows the audit meeting occurred Jan. 29, 2026, and that justice-court dockets and related fines and fees were turned over to appropriate officials.

The board approved budget revisions including a 2026 adjustment to move $4,019 from the general fund balance to a Parks & Recreation contractual line to pay an ECO Strategies Engineering & Surveying invoice, plus several 2025 inter-account transfers to cover supervisor equipment/contractual, Social Security and Medicare lines. Warrants dated Feb. 4, 2026 were presented and audited: $4,771.53 (vouchers 824–826) on the General fund; $139,426.00 (vouchers 23–85) across General, General‑Part Town, Highway and other funds; and $145,528.71 (vouchers 4–6) on the Route 5 Water Benefit District-2. The board directed the supervisor to draw checks to cover the audited warrants; those motions carried unanimously.

Other business: Supervisor Bills reported Barcelona Harbor is closed for the season and said she and Councilmember David Spann met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss dredging and proposed improvements to the west breakwall. Guest Tom Herr addressed the board about his property on Taylor Road and submitted a transcript of his remarks; the minutes record his submission but do not record a board action responding to his statements.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Votes at a glance
Resolution No. 16 (Audit of 2025 financial records): adopted; votes recorded — Martha R. Bills, aye; David Brown, aye; James Herbert, aye; David Spann, aye.
Resolution No. 17 (Keep County Shared Highway Services Agreement): adopted, unanimous.
Resolution No. 18 (Set public hearing to extend moratorium on commercial battery energy storage systems): adopted, unanimous; hearing March 4, 2026 at 7:25 p.m.
Resolution No. 19 (Set public hearing to extend moratorium on wind energy conversion systems): adopted, unanimous; hearing March 4, 2026 at 7:25 p.m.
Resolution No. 20 (Authorize Payment Request No. 6 and Form E‑7 for East Route 5 Water Benefit District No.2): adopted, unanimous.