Weston School Committee withdraws revolving fund push, approves district action plan

WESTON — August 29, 2022 — Weston School Committee shelves revolving fund proposal and adopts a trimmed district action plan for 2022-2023. Chair Kenneth Newberg announced at the August 29 meeting that the committee would ask town meeting to pass over a revolving fund article, citing unresolved disagreements between the town manager and town counsel over the funding mechanism and insufficient broad support after "many many hours of discussions" with the Finance Committee, Select Board, and town manager. Finance Committee chair Lisa Ricano had assured Newberg the panel would consider emergency school funding requests earlier in the fiscal year than its customary spring schedule. Superintendent Dr. Mitch Connelly presented a new district action plan condensed from 55 goals to 22, with equity audit results expected in early spring 2023 and a new high school community service program launching immediately. The committee unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included roughly $10,000 in additional Zoom licenses required under a state Department of Education quarantine-access mandate. Assistant Superintendent Sherry Matthews reported a $250,000 federal EPA clean-bus rebate application submitted August 19, with notifications expected in October.