Westfield Expands Downtown Corporation From 7 To 11 Members

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Town Council voted on Tuesday to expand the Downtown Westfield Corporation's board from seven to 11 members, to better represent all segments of town.

The DWC helps oversee management and promotion of the town's Special Improvement District.

Mayor Shelley Brindle said at the meeting, "The sole intent of the new ordinance is to expand the representation of the board to better reflect a town of our size, and in particular to ensure that we are able to include residents as well as business and property owners from both the north and south side."

The new membership will include two residents, a business owner, and a property owner in town.

Brindle said on Thursday that the town has a list of people who have already expressed interest and applied in the past. The positions will likely be appointed at the next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

In her opening remarks on Tuesday, she said, "Nothing changes as to how members are appointed, and a vote by a council majority is still required [to appoint members]. The wording was changed to simply ensure consistency with the other boards and commissions."

Brindle added, "That being said, I’m very excited about the possibilities of adding even more talent to this vital board to help guide the future of our downtown."

Westfield's downtown business district has been cited by publications such as USA Today and New Jersey Monthly as a "Best Downtown" for its mix of old and news businesses.

For more about Tuesday's council meeting, click here.