Politics & Government

Officials Forecast a Bright Financial Picture for Weston

Money Magazine chose Weston as the second best place to live among small American towns, a place where "well-heeled locals enjoy the privacy of sprawling estates", "an outstanding small school system gives students the feel of private education at a public school price", and there is "a 1,700-acre nature preserve for hiking, birding and cross-country skiing". Weston High School also earned national recognition this year as a Blue Ribbon School.

First Selectwoman Gayle Weinstein attributes the publicity to a spike is housing sales — more transactions have been made than all of last year — and to 75 new children being enrolled in the town's public school system. But Weston's success does not come without a price.

Supt. of Schools Colleen Palmer said, "Looking at next year, we want a full understanding that the budget will come out at a much higher rate than in the past. I'm not confident every year we will see 75 new children. I think there was was a bubble in the housing market."

Palmer told Board of Finance, Board of Selectman and Board of Education members at a tri-board meeting last week that the minimal budget increase she will ask for is 2.46 percent for 2014-15.

She said last year was challenging with unanticipated school security and special education costs putting the school district in a $70,000 hole, but that savings in energy costs and from freezing budget accounts helped to close the deficit.

Straight 'A's

Weston's finances are in order, according to Moody's Investor Services, which gave the town a Aaa bond rating — the highest rating possible.

Town Finance Dir. Rick Darling said the General Fund Balance is expected to be $9.6 million, which is 14.6 percent of the total annual town budget.

"Earlier projections were at $9.2 million," Darling wrote in a summary. "Receipt of unanticipated additional State-aid revenue has added to the Fund Balance."

Three months ago, Darling said the town anticipated a year-end budget deficit of $93,000 and the Board of Finance approved a supplemental appropriation to pay for it, but now he anticipates a surplus of around $30,000.

Darling said the reason for the turnaround is higher projected surpluses in health insurance ($175,000 instead of $105,000), legal fees ($35,000 instead of nothing) and snow removal (an $11,000 surplus instead of a projected $19,000 deficit).

Darling said some of these surpluses will be offset by increased deficit projections in Social Security/Pensions and other insurance categories.

Some Families are Struggling

Though Weston's financial outlook is one of relative prosperity, not everyone is enjoying it. Weinstein said the Department of Social Services had 248 open cases as of June.

Of the 248 cases, 122 are households with at least one person over the age of 65 and 40 of those households are in financial need, according to the department. Seventy-eight households are non-senior households with financial need and 71 children are living in families of financial need.

Since July 1 there have been 18 new cases, including 15 children living in families with financial need.

"People think we live in a wealthy zip code," Weinstein said, adding there are people who need help.


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