Weston Finance Committee rejects $1M housing trust request, splits on Brooks School design

WESTON -- February 17, 2022, Weston Finance Committee unanimously rejects $1M affordable housing trust request, deadlocks on Brooks School expansion design funds. The committee, chaired by Lisa Yannikakis, voted 7-0 against a Community Preservation Act request to replenish the Weston Affordable Housing Trust, citing a lack of accountability for how the funds would be deployed and a prior unanimous rejection of a similar $950,000 ask in 2017. The panel backed a $39,000 regional housing services appropriation and a $200,000 CPC request for siding repairs at Merriam Village, both unanimously. A motion to oppose $250,000 in schematic design funds for a proposed 14-unit Brooks School Building E addition ended 3-3, with one abstention, leaving the committee without a formal position; presenter Tom Timko of the Elderly Housing Committee projected total construction costs of roughly $6.9 million and noted Weston has added no elderly housing units since 2004. The committee also reviewed a detailed IT budget presentation from IT Director Tracy Sullivan, including a new $30,000 continuing balance account for unbudgeted fiber repairs that cost the town $23,127 in 2021 alone.