WESTFIELD — It was an unusually long Town Meeting here this year, with the main issue being a proposed ordinance that would have banned shooting guns within village limits.
The selectmen took the question to voters after a family who believed their cat had been shot asked that the town do something about shooting in the village.
"How this came about is that a village resident asked the board to write up an ordinance," said Yves Daigle, chairman of the selectmen.
Milton Willis stood up at the meeting and said he was aware the controversy was about him. He said he does indeed shoot — but only at squirrels, not at dogs, cats, horses or people, and on the day his neighbor's cat died he wasn't even home.
He named the neighbor who'd complained and asked for the ordinance, which Moderator Pat Sagui said was out of order. When Mr. Willis went on, explaining his side of the situation, Ms. Sagui asked the two town constables to remove him, but neither moved, and Mr. Willis remained at the meeting.
The proposed ordinance said: "Shall the legal voters of Westfield authorize the board of selectmen to write up an ordinance that would prohibit the discharge of firearms within the village limits of the town of Westfield?"
It failed easily by voice vote.
Other residents said it would be a hardship to be unable to shoot predators in their gardens.
Rosemary Croizet, who owns an organic gardening operation in the village with her husband, Gerard, said it would pose a problem if they were unable to shoot skunks or woodchucks.
Dennis Beloin said that when his garden gets going, the woodchucks line up at his house "for the buffet."
The general sentiment was that people should use guns wisely, but their use should not be banned in the village. They were also resistant to another ordinance limiting rights.
Voters also took up the question of the proposed wind project in Lowell and agreed to seek party status so they could have a say in whether it happens or not. The vote was 46-17 in favor of seeking party status.
Most line items were approved except for the Frontier Animal Society's request, which was cut from $500 to $250. The Jay Food Shelf allocation was increased from $250 to $500.
All town officers were re-elected and unopposed.
Voters agreed to appropriate $20,000 to pay for a new roof and downstairs windows at the community center. Mr. Beloin said he would buy the existing windows to help offset the cost.
