PETITION #2, dated March 19 (first one dated March 10 voided):
"Pursuant to the Town of Weston Charter, Section 2.7, we, the undersigned, being electors of the Town of Weston, petition the Board of Selectmen to convene a Special Town Meeting for the following purposes:
To consider and act upon the following Resolution:
Section 1. To terminate and discontinue the planning, design and construction of a new third through fifth grade school building project authorized by the adoption of the following Resolution at a referendum on November 15, 2001:
Shall the Town of Weston appropriate $28,070,000 for the planning, design and construction of a new third through fifth grade school, and finance said appropriation by using bonds, notes or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed $28,070,000?
Section 2. To direct the Board of Selectmen and the School Building Committee to terminate all existing contracts for such project, including contracts for the design, management, and/or construction of such project. To authorize the Board of Selectmen and Town Treasurer to pay all of the proper legal obligations of the Town arising from such contracts or from the termination of such contracts; and all other liabilities as have been lawfully incurred on account of said project. Such payment or payments shall be made from the funds heretofore appropriated for said building project and the bond authorization for temporary borrowings set forth in said Resolution shall continue in effect as necessary for such purposes. Any borrowing made by the Town pursuant to said Resolution shall remain a valid obligation for the Town of Weston."
REFERENDUM - Tuesday, April 22, 2003, W.M.S. Gym (6am to 8pm) vote on the question:
"SHALL THE TOWN OF WESTON TERMINATE AND DISCONTINUE THE PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADE SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT AUTHORIZED AT A REFERENDUM ON NOVEMBER 15, 2001, INCLUDING TERMINATING ALL EXISTING CONTRACTS FOR THE PROJECT AND PAYING ALL LEGAL OBLIGATIONs AND OTHER LIABILITIES INCURRED ON THE PROJECT?"
Voters approving the Resolution will vote "Yes" and those opposing the Resolution will vote "No." Voting will be held at the following polling place: Weston Middle School Gymnasium, School Road, Weston, Connecticut. Persons qualified to vote in Town Meetings who are not electors shall also vote at Weston Middle School Gymnasium, School Road, Weston, Connecticut. Absentee Ballots will be available from the Town Clerk's Office.
Any such proposed ordinance or other action shall be submitted to the Town Attorney for examination before being submitted to the Town Clerk. The Town Attorney is authorized to correct the form of such ordinance or other action for the purpose of avoiding repetitions, illegalities and other unconstitutional provisions, and to assure accuracy in its text and references and clearness and preciseness in its phraseology, but not to change its meaning of effect materially.
The Board of Selectmen shall call a special Town Meeting, to be held not less than ten nor more than thirty days from the date of such filing, unless prior to such meeting such ordinance shall have been enacted or such action taken by the Board of Selectmen.
The Call for such meeting shall state the proposed ordinance or other action in full and shall provide for a "yes" or "no" vote as to its enactment.
Provided that there is a quorum at such meeting of at least five percent of the qualified voters, then if a majority of the qualified voters voting shall vote "yes" than such ordinance or other action shall take effect on the tenth day thereafter without further action of the Board of Selectmen; otherwise it shall not take effect.
(a) if within twenty days after the publication of any such ordinance or the making of such resolution or taking of such vote, a petition conforming to the requirements of Section 7-9 and 7-9a of the General Statutes and signed by not less than five percent of the qualified voters is filed with the Town Clerk requesting its reference to a special Town Meeting, the effective date of such ordinance, resolution or other action shall be suspended;(b) the Board of Selectmen shall fix the time and place of such special Town Meeting, which shall be within twenty days after the filing of the petition;
(c) notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided by law for the calling of a special Town Meeting;
(d) an ordinance, resolution or action so referred shall take effect upon the conclusion of such meeting unless at least one hundred voters constituting a majority of those present and voting thereon, shall have voted in favor of overruling.
(1) any appropriation or authorization for issuance of bonds, notes, or other borrowing in excess of the amount provided for in Section 8.5(b) or 8.6 of this Charter;(c) To consider and act upon any proposed contract or agreement by the Board of Selectmen for services or use of facilities by or with the United States or any Federal agency, the State of Connecticut, or any political subdivision thereof except as provided in Section 3.2 of this Charter;
(2) the sale or leasing of real estate of the Town, used or reserved for Town purposes;
(3) the purchase or leasing of real estate for town purposes;
League Observer notes that the Weston Middle School Cafeteria was pretty full (not totally) - this means @170 persons - but maybe the number for eligible voters was considerably smaller because the real records kept are for "qualified voters" and does not include the people filling seats who are: Education Staff or other Town Staff not residents of Weston, under-age residents sitting with parents and Weston residents who not citizens. Both Co-Presidents were present, along with other Board Members and general membership. This was First Selectman Hal Shupack's last Town Meeting, and he introduced Woody Bliss, his successor. Opening remarks were made by the Chair. of the Board of Education, the Superintendent (acting) of Schools, Chair. of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Fletcher-Thompson, the architects, were present, but no one asked any questions of them. It was noted that no one who spoke was in doubt about their position. It was also noted that anyone who would like to take a tour of the proposed Parks and Recreation improvements was welcome to the League of Women Voters/Parks and Rec. event Friday, November 9 at 11am in Bisceglie Park.
A question about the Sheff decision vis a vis filling unused space in the public schools was discussed somewhat heatedly, with a standing ovation given to the person who had the nerve to bring up the issue of why people might be opposed to school expansion - asking if it was not a code position for not favoring an integrated society. One after the other of some who had opposed the expansion returned to the microphine to recite reasons why they never intended to suggest that this was a racial issue.
The Town Meeting
was adjourned to the machines--VOTE
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2001, WESTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, FROM 6am
to
8pm --Schools will be open so...watch out for traffic and parking
problems
in the Middle School lot.
Below is the "call" (short version) for the now completed Special Town Meeting, 6-21-01...Weston Middle School "old gym" polls opened from 6am to 8pm Thursday, June 28 referendum.
The voters of the Town of Weston, Connecticut, are hereby warned and notified that a Special Town Meeting will be held in the Weston High School Auditorium, School Road, Weston, Connecticut, on Thursday, June 21, 2001 at 8:00 P.M. The Board of Selectmen has nominated John Negroni to serve as Moderator and Richard Saltz to serve as Alternate Moderator at the Special Town Meeting.
ITEM 1. To discuss and vote on a Resolution: to appropriate $791,250 for septic improvements to the Weston Public Schools, including renovation of the South House and East House Elementary School septic fields, installation of water conservation and water meter automation equipment and installation of a backwash system for the Middle School swimming pool; to finance the appropriation by issuing the Town's bonds, notes or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed $791,250; to ratify the designation of the School Building Committee for the project; and to authorize Town officials to take all necessary actions to issue the bonds, notes or temporary notes and to apply for grants for the project.
ITEM 2. To discuss and vote on a Resolution: to appropriate $395,790 for the upgrade of the Elementary and Middle School fire alarm systems; to finance the appropriation by issuing the Town's bonds, notes or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed $395,790; to ratify the designation of the School Building Committee for the project; and to authorize Town officials to take all necessary actions to issue the bonds, notes or temporary notes and to apply for grants for the project.
ITEM 3. To
discuss and vote on a Resolution: to appropriate $158,360 for ' fees
and
expenses for the planning and design of replacement athletic fields a
Park;
to finance the appropriation by issuing the Town's bonds, notes or
in an amount
not to exceed $158,360; to ratify the designation of the School
Building
Committee for the project, and to authorize Town officials to take all
necessary actions to issue the bonds, notes or temporary notes and to
apply
for grants for the project.
ITEM 4. To discuss and vote on a Resolution: to appropriate $754,600 for architect's fees and expenses for the continued planning and design of future improvements to the current school facilities; to finance the appropriation by issuing the Town's bonds, notes or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed $754,600; to ratify the designation of the School Building Committee for the project; and to authorize Town officials to take all necessary actions to issue the bonds, notes or temporary notes and to apply for grants for the project.
A copy of the full text of each of the above Resolutions is on file and available for public inspection at the office of the Town Clerk.
ITEM 5. To consider any other item that may properly come before said Meeting.