AFTER 2006 ATBM (FY'07)
REPORT: Moderator (Parliamentarian not shown) and
Chair. of the Board of Finance keep people on track and run votes on
items in FY07 proposed budget at ATBM.
At Weston High School cafeteria - over two and one-half hours of
complaints and comments on individual items, and a lot of "yes" votes
(including Board of Education budget) PLUS one cut to the Capital
Budget (Lachat $450,000) - eventual standing count (definite
"no" to proposed
amount, standing count "no" to $100,000...so zero is the final number -
the third option).
FORUM report...including our link to the Town of Weston website page
with the official numbers, if online numbers can ever be considered
"official"
- http://www.westonct.gov/31752/22896
Budget gets
nod: ATBM approves all requests except $450,000 for Lachat
Weston FORUM
by BRIAN GIOIELE
Apr
20, 2006
The Annual Town Budget Meeting approved the 2006-07 fiscal year budget,
minus the proposed $450,000 that would have been earmarked for
development of the Lachat nature center.
With the removal of the $450,000, the total town budget for the coming
fiscal year stands at $57,741,871. The Annual Town Budget Meeting
easily voted for the town budget ($9,792,191) and the Board of
Education number ($40,051,557). It was during the capital improvement
budget, specifically the proposed Lachat nature center item, that talk
turned more intense.
Several people spoke against the proposed payment for the center, many
saying they were not against such a center at the property but wanted
the townspeople to have more input in the development, which has been
spearheaded by the Nature Conservancy.
After an hour of debate, the meeting, by voice vote, rejected a motion
to approve the entire $450,000.
The next vote was on a motion to allocate $100,000 — which would cover
half of the cost that Devil’s Den Director Steve Patton told the
audience the conservancy had already spent to date. That was defeated
by a vote of 100 opposed, 68 in favor. With both those motions
defeated, the final motion — which was to allocate no money at all —
was accepted.
This vote came after Ken Bernhard, town attorney, told those in
attendance that, in his opinion, the town would be breaking its
agreement with the Nature Conservancy to cover half of the cost of the
proposed $3-million project.
Mr. Bernhard said the town runs the risk of having to pay 4% interest
on all unpaid amounts, but many residents said they felt that since no
work has been done, and no plans are presently even before the town’s
zoning board, there is no reason to simply approve $450,000 and place
it in an account for some future use.
NOTE:
Change in proposed
budget (below) because $450,000
item removed at ATBM 2006 from Capital Improvement Budget
FY07. "%change FY06 to FY07" now should read 3.17%, with %change in the
Capital Improvement line of 86.47%.
For
those who follow Board of Finance activities closely, there was a
change in the Captial Improvement budget to $1,323,180 (result of
removing the $450,000 item for Lachat Education Center) - which then
made the Gross Budget $57,741,871 and the Net Budget $54,474,402 and
thus the mil rate for 2006-2007 fiscal year is...22.75
