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WESTON, Conn. With few comments from both town officials and members of the public, it took only 19 minutes Thursday night for the Board of Selectmen to approve the 2012-13 town and school spending plans.
On the town's spending plan, the selectmen unanimously approved First Selectman Gayle Weinsteins budget request of $11,424,552, which calls for a 2.1 percent increase in spending over this year. The only change made by the selectmen Thursday was to reduce a section in contractual services from $2,600 to $1,500 in case additional overtime hours were needed for the towns fire marshal.
According to Weinstein, two major projects in town will require the supervision of the fire marshal this summer, including an inspection of the Cobs Mill Inn and various school projects. In anticipation of the those projects, the town reduced the contractual services line item to allow room for more money, if needed, to cover additional hours by the fire marshal.
Not to make you blush but I think this is a very responsible budget, Selectman David Muller told Weinstein after the vote. Selectman Dennis Tracey agreed. You really need to be congratulated for coming up with a budget like this.
As for the school budget, the selectmen approved Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmers original proposal of $45.6 million. Her budget represents an increase of 0.93 percent, or $420,854.
Both spending plans will cover July 2012 to June 2013 and will now head to the Board of Finance during the week of Feb. 28. The budgets will be analyzed and could face cuts.
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