Preserve Westford's Historic Meetinghouse

Yes. Massachusetts CPC law explicitly allows historic preservation funds for buildings of significant historical value regardless of current ownership. The town of Westford has used CPC funds for historic preservation at other religious buildings in the past. The Meetinghouse served as Westford's official town hall for over 100 years — it was built with town funds and has been at the center of civic life since before the town was incorporated. Our own Historical Commission voted 5–0 in support.

This is Phase 1 of a comprehensive conditions assessment completed by the Spencer Preservation Group: urgent structural repairs to the foundation (entry steps, sills, support columns, and granite blocks), bell tower structural work, restoration of the clock faces and clock mechanism, and the weathervane. All work will follow historic preservation construction practices, as required for CPC-funded projects.

First Parish has launched a congregation capital campaign and is actively pursuing additional grants from historic preservation sources. The congregation is funding work that is not eligible for CPC funds — including HVAC, drainage, and accessibility improvements. The CPC request covers only the historic preservation work that qualifies under Massachusetts law.

The conditions assessment identified these as urgent, life-safety concerns. Deferred maintenance on historic structures doesn't stay the same — it accelerates. Delaying would mean higher costs and greater risk of irreversible damage to a 232-year-old building. The town is also looking ahead to Westford's 300th anniversary in 2029, and the Meetinghouse — which hosted the town's very first town meeting in 1729 — should be ready to mark that milestone in good condition.

Many community groups use the space at no charge or at very low cost as a matter of First Parish's commitment to community service. This includes the Boy Scouts (chartered there since 1953), Alcoholics Anonymous, Westford LGBTQ+ Friends & Allies, Indivisible Westford, and more. The Meetinghouse also served as a temporary home for the Friends of the JV Fletcher Library during the library's construction period.

The structural concerns remain — and will worsen. First Parish would explore alternative funding options and would likely return to a future Town Meeting. But the longer these repairs are deferred, the more expensive and complicated they become, and the greater the risk to an irreplaceable piece of Westford's heritage.

No. This request uses Community Preservation funds that have already been collected and are legally restricted for exactly this kind of use. Approving this article creates no new taxes and has no effect on the town's operating budget.

No. CPC funds are restricted to secular historic preservation work — they cannot be used for religious activities or church operations. Preserving a historic civic landmark that predates the town itself is legally and practically distinct from supporting religious practice. This is well-established, long-standing practice across Massachusetts.

All CPC-funded projects are subject to town oversight and public procurement rules, ensuring funds are used only for approved historic preservation work. As a note on our track record: when the conditions assessment by Spencer Preservation Group came in under budget, First Parish proactively notified the CPC and the town retained $32,000 of the original $89,000 grant. We take our stewardship of public funds seriously.