Weston Finance Committee Approves Town Meeting Report Unanimously, Backs Stabilization Fund

WESTON — March 27, 2026 — Weston Finance Committee unanimously approves its 2026 Annual Town Meeting report and pledges to support a capital stabilization fund warrant article. The nine-member committee, chaired by Bharath Venkataraman, voted 6-0 Friday to send its fiscal report to the printer, after a lengthy debate over how to characterize the town's exposure to roughly $3.7 billion in state-level federal cuts — settling on language drafted by member Maija Cirulis-Gooch that "no direct cuts to Weston's funding have been identified at this time, but the indirect impact is still unclear." Finance Director Susan Kelley corrected technical language throughout the draft, including the proper designation "actuarially determined OPEB contributions" and a note that the non-operating debt category includes "separate articles" worth approximately $5.6 million. On the stabilization fund, the committee agreed to actively present the warrant article at town meeting despite a Select Board split of roughly two to one against supporting it; the proposed initial deposit is approximately $3 million against projected total capital borrowing approaching $500 million.