Weston Finance Committee votes to weigh in publicly on school labor talks

WESTON -- January 26, 2023, Weston Finance Committee votes 6-1 to formally weigh in on school labor negotiations. At the January 26 meeting, the committee adopted a one-page statement on teacher compensation, drafted by Chair Lisa, member Bharath Venkataraman, and member Matthew Seltzer, and authorized its chair to read it aloud at an upcoming School Committee meeting; John Sally cast the lone dissenting vote. The statement, amended on the floor to remove the word "fiduciary" and to carry the meeting's date, argues that Weston teachers receive the highest total compensation in the state when salary and benefits are combined, and was debated at length before passage. Separately, Town Manager Leon presented a preliminary FY24 operating budget of $93.7 million, up 3.48 percent from the current year, with total all-in spending rising from $102.5 million to roughly $106 million. Police Chief Linehan told the committee his department ran more than $100,000 over its overtime budget this year and is currently short-staffed, while Leon said he plans to fund an urgent radio communications upgrade for both police and fire through ARPA funds rather than the operating budget.