Weston governance panel unanimously rejects recommending Select Board expansion to five members

WESTON — April 3, 2025 — Weston governance panel votes against recommending expansion of Select Board to five members. The Town Governance Study Committee voted 5-0 at its April 3 online meeting, with Town Moderator Rip Hastings abstaining and absent member John Thompson separately communicating opposition by email, to recommend that Weston's Select Board remain at three members rather than expand to five. Chair Harvey Boshart and members Kara Fleming, Alice Benson, Michael Pappone, and Michael Harrity all voted against a motion to recommend the increase, after a review of data from 42 similarly sized Massachusetts towns showed no consistent correlation between board size and population, growth rate, or governance structure. Fleming cited risks including increased workload on the Town Manager's office and the possibility of an unqualified write-in candidate filling a seat in a low-turnout election cycle. The Finance Committee had previously voted 7-1 against expansion. The committee's recommendation will be presented at the May 5 Annual Town Meeting, with a Select Board briefing scheduled for April 8.