Finance Committee reviews flat police, fire FY25 budgets ahead of quiet town meeting

WESTON -- February 1, 2024, Weston Finance Committee hears flat police and fire FY25 budgets and previews a quiet town meeting warrant. Police Chief Rob Linehan said vacancies have left the department four officers short and on track to overrun its $600,000 overtime line by roughly $200,000 this year; he requested $485,000 for cruiser replacement, $31,000 for handgun replacement and a $9,000 annual townwide camera subscription with about $20,000 in first-year install costs. Fire Chief Woodside requested $25,000 for lithium-ion battery and EV-fire equipment, citing a commercial garage that installed EV charging before code caught up, and said calls jumped from roughly 2,500 pre-COVID to over 3,000 in 2023. Town Manager Leon Gaumond Jr. previewed a warrant with no fire station or water tank borrowing and only a routine $450,000 water main article. The committee declined to formally pressure the CPC on tennis court financing after member Zachary Sadek reported productive informal talks.