Weston governance committee accelerates push for five-member select board vote in May

WESTON — December 10, 2024 — Weston governance committee moves to bring three-versus-five select board question to May town meeting. Meeting without Chair Harvey Boshart, the Town Governance Study Committee appointed Town Moderator Rip Hastings as acting chair and mapped a compressed timeline to advance a 2022 citizens petition that has stalled for two years. Member Michael Pappone said a draft report must be in residents' hands "before the beginning of March" and will contact Select Board Chair Tom about filing home-rule legislation in the current session. Member Kara Fleming, citing her outreach to Wenham, urged caution: "Sometimes it's just a moment. When it dies down, then we're left with a situation where we could have empty board seats." The committee will use Wenham's 23-page study as a template, ask Town Counsel Lauren Goldberg whether the 2022 vote remains valid, and reconvene Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 4 p.m.