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12-08-2022 12:00am
Town Warrant Open, Petition Articles Accepted Until January 2023 for May Town Meeting
Darlene Cancell
Editor
At Westwood Select Board’s December 5, 2022 meeting, Select Board officially opened the Town Warrant to receive petition articles from registered voters and heads of Westwood’s boards and committees to consider for inclusion in Town Meeting on Monday, May 1, 2023.
Select Board Chair Robert Gotti noted that Select Board is obligated to accept petitions that contain ten or more signatures from registered voters. Select Board plans to keep the Warrant open until the board’s first meeting in January 2023.
Mr. Gotti and Select Board Clerk Michael Walsh advised petitioners to first check their language for proposed articles with a member of Select Board, the Finance & Warrant Commission (FinCom) or Town Counsel before obtaining signatures to ensure that the petition can be acted on at Town Meeting.
Town Staff Drafting Proposed FY 2024 Budget
New articles related to the town’s budget for FY 2024 could also make their way into the May 2023 Town Meeting. Over the next two months, the town’s staff will be working on putting together a proposed FY 2024 budget for review by Select Board and FinCom by February 1, 2023, said Assistant Town Administrator and Finance Director Stephanie McManus. At that time, a Municipal Budget document, overall Budget Summary and “Initial Capital Articles” will be released, she said. After Select Board’s review, Ms. McManus would plan to present the proposed FY 2024 budget to FinCom on February 14, 2023.
Ms. McManus shared staff’s goals for preparing the proposed FY 2024 budget, which include maintaining quality of town services, and including moderate growth and sustainable operating budgets. Another goal is continuing a high level of capital investment in equipment and infrastructure (i.e., school and town buildings and public safety department). The town’s largest spending is for direct services in the municipal and schools operating budgets she notes. Additionally, 80 percent of the town’s operating budget is staffing, she said.
Further goals in the proposed budget are discussing the inclusion of future large capital items, reviewing fixed cost estimates, addressing OPED liability, making a small transfer each year to the Stabilization Fund, and balancing the tax bill impact. Ms. MacManus noted that taxation provides funding for 80 percent of the town’s revenue budget
Select Board Extends Term of Interim Town Treasurer
In other news as pertains to town finances, Select Board in its December 5th meeting voted unanimously to extend the term of the Interim Town Treasurer Phil Shapiro through April 30, 2024. The extension runs through the remainder of the term of Jim Gavin, who retired as Town Treasurer. Mr. Shapiro’s interim term had been set to expire in April 2023.
