Weston Sends Budgets to Townwide Vote

After the Board of Selectmen’s budget was left unchallenged, Weston residents lined up at the microphone Wednesday night in an attempt to cut the Board of Education’s budget.

Each budget will go to referendum April 14 as presented by the Board of Selectmen, despite multiple motions to reduce the Board of Education’s budget. Suggested cuts ranged from $250,000 to last year’s approved budget amount. “Less is more. We don’t want [students] to believe that money is always better,” said Martha Diamond of Weston.

A person in the crowd was heard saying “pfft” after Diamond suggested that some teachers could take on additional tasks and two administrators could be eliminated. A resounding sigh mixed with scattered claps filled the high school auditorium when Weston resident Harvey Bellin requested a paper ballot for the vote on the school board's budget at the Annual Town Budget Meeting. The motion failed by a standing vote, 103-43.

The vote Wednesday night sent budgets to referendum and did not set the budget for 2011-12. Voters will have a chance to vote on the town and school budgets from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 14 at Weston Middle School. Voters will also be asked the question, “Shall the town of Weston refer a proposal to construct a nondenominational municipal cemetery to the Planning and Zoning Commission and appropriate up to $30,000 for the required documentation?”

How will you vote next Thursday? Leave your comments below.

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