2009 has seen the tax rate in Weston hold steady with some talk of an increase beginning to circulate.

After some modifications $13,000,000 in appropriations were made for a new DPW at May town meeting.             The construction is well underway.

The Josiah Smith Tavern/Old Library caught the attention of many a Weston tax payers when the Selectmen-appointed committee requested an additional $350,000 in funds to continue their research as to the best use of the two beloved structures. Around 1000 residents showed up at the special town meeting in November and after heated debated voted down the request for additional funds 435 to 545. I haven’t seen a town meeting turnout even close to this large since the heated rail trail issue in 1997, and that was at the big annual May town meeting. This leads me to think that when we address this issue again in May 2010 we may see another very large turnout.

On the affordable housing front, at the May 2009 Town Meeting Weston approved a plan to build one new rental duplex at 23 Pine St.

The Case Estates clean up has taken many unexpected turns with concerns about clean up, dust, moonscape, and resale prompting Harvard University to present an alternative plan at what seemed like a moment’s notice on December 17th. No one seems to know what will happen next but we will learn more at a meeting slated to take place sometime at the end of January with no confirmed date set.

Planning for future improvement or replacement of the Field School has not been a topic of great debate, there is a bit of a discussion as to whether the building should be preserved and restored to its original 1950′s glory or completely demolished with a brand new school building designed. Various applications and requests are before the state and federal government to find out if any of the costs related to improving/replacing the Field School can be offset with fund matches. We are likely to hear more about Field School at May Town Meeting.

A very enterprising group drew up an exciting plan and received an almost unanimous vote  for $750,000 to study the addition of a new state-of-the-art Science wing at the High School which will continue to keep Weston students at the forefront of scientific study for years to come!