Governance committee recommends May warrant article expanding Select Board to five

WESTON — January 16, 2025 — Weston governance panel sets May warrant path to expand Select Board from three to five. The Town Governance Study Committee voted 4-0 Thursday to recommend that the Select Board place an article on the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting warrant authorizing a home rule petition to add two seats, reviving an issue that stalled after a 2022 citizens' petition. Member Michael Harrity, who drafted the presentation for the board's Jan. 28 meeting, said the committee chose "the more typical path" — Town Meeting vote, special act, 2026 ratification ballot, then a special election. Town Counsel Lauren Goldberg of KP Law warned that the legislature "could take six months, it could take a year" and recommended including a local-acceptance provision. Member Kara Fleming reported more than 200 responses to the committee's resident survey, with communications quality and "negative public discourse towards our volunteers" cited as top weaknesses. Goldberg said five-member boards generate more open meeting law complaints, which carry fines up to $1,000.