State Action Allows Westborough To Consolidate Departments

WESTBOROUGH, MA — A state law change signed late in 2022 by former governor Charlie Baker will allow Westborough to reorganize its approach to public works.

The change will allow the town Department of Public Works to oversee buildings and grounds, which exists now as a standalone department.

The changes step from recommendations in a 2020 Novak Consulting Group study on the town's non-public safety staffing. The study recommended a restructuring of DPW to include Buildings and Grounds. Town Meeting in 2021 signed off on the change, kicking off the process of a state-level home rule petition change.

The change includes the creation of a new facilities and fleet manager, who will identify capital upgrades needed across town government. The single department overseeing all public works activity will also allow the town to better evaluate facilities needs and staffing, officials said.

“This bill will allow the town to implement a recommendation of its staffing study and centralize facilities asset management under the Director of the Department of Public Works” Westborough Select Board Chair Ian Johnson said in a news release.

Baker signed the home rule petition change on Dec. 15.