Weston FinCom approves year-end transfers, including $120,000 legal overage

WESTON — July 14, 2021 — Weston Finance Committee approves year-end reserve transfers and sets August target for first budget guideline. The committee unanimously approved a $6,000 water enterprise transfer covering salary overages tied to water main and billing work, then approved a broader Finance Committee reserve fund transfer package that included a $120,000 legal overage driven by affordable housing litigation, roughly $40,000 in fire department salaries from injured-on-duty coverage totaling 53.5 weeks, an $18,000 snow and ice deficit, and several Board of Health and information systems items expected to be reimbursed through the CARES Act. Member John Sally voted no, arguing transparency would be better served by leaving reserves intact; member John McDonald abstained. A subcommittee of Lisa Ritano, Jonathan Harris and James reported progress on a Concord-modeled budget guideline, with a draft targeted for early August ahead of the fall financial summit. "It's great to be right. But if we can't persuade people to come along with us, it's somewhat worthless," James said.