A Word on the FY22 Proposed Operating Budget

- from Weston's Select Board

We are writing to encourage you to support our schools' and our Town's proposed operating budget by attending Annual Town Meeting at the High School's Proctor Field at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15th. We unanimously recommend the proposed fiscal year 2022 school budget, which will be voted on as part of Article 2, "Appropriate the Fiscal Year 2022 Operating Budget," and this should happen near the beginning of the meeting. 

The FY22 Operating Budget includes both the town and the schools budget. The budget process began in November of 2020 and, as with every year, the budget has gone through a very thorough and public review from November through March of 2021.

The proposed FY22 budget is supported by the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee, as well as other key stakeholders. The budget is, as has traditionally been proposed and approved, level-service – meaning the Town is proposing the same quality services to its residents.

The details of the budget can be found at WestonMA.gov/Budget where you can see how the same quality services from the Public Library, Council on Aging, Police, Fire, Public Works, Schools and Town Government operations are funded. In this year's budget, funding for roadway repair is increased to bring Weston’s roadways into a maintainable condition that will not only bring faster repairs but also reduce future maintenance costs. This has been a goal of the Select Board because roadway conditions used to be the number one complaint received. This budget item has been gradually increased over the past 5 years, except for last year because of a budget compromise with the Finance Committee.

OPEB funding meets the annual required contribution to town retirees per the Town's actuarial studies, which was decreased last year as part of the budget compromise.
 
Your vote on this budget will keep Weston running at the level many residents expect and desire. Your participation at Town Meeting will secure that budget. The Select Board is extremely proud of our Aaa Moody’s rating, which helps the town secure better borrowing rates and helps secure better bond and BAN sales.

There are many other important articles on the warrant, including rehabilitation/repairs to two well-used community assets (Burchard Park and Memorial Pool), some parcel determinations at the Case Estates, plus two important Zoning By-law amendments. All of which can be found at WestonMA.gov/TownMeeting.

We look forward to seeing you on the field on Saturday.


Very truly yours,


Laurie Bent, Chair
Harvey Boshart
Christopher Houston