Budget Committee Meeting September 1, 2022

Implications of the 2022 Warrant Articles on the School Board

School Employee Collective Bargaining Meetings

Tom Butkiewicz complained that the School Board was operating in defiance of the voters’ wishes by refusing to allow public access to collective bargaining meetings. This was in reference to the illegal and unenforceable 2022 Warrant Article #24 for which Tom Butkiewicz was the first signatory on the petition. John Morin responded that the Budget Committee was not the appropriate place for this discussion and that Tom Butkiewicz should take his complaint to the School Board meeting. Tom Butkiewicz insisted that it was indeed relevant to the Budget Committee, on the basis that it involved a budget item. The Chairman and Vice Chairman, Michelle King and John Decker, agreed that it was not an appropriate topic for the Budget Committee. When presented with the reasons the collective bargaining meetings are private, Tom Butkiewicz said, “so you’re saying that the teachers’ union overrules the voters of this town? When he was given the answer, “yes” he responded, “that’s a pretty terrible position to have.”

Town Tax Cap

Chairman Michele King presented the implications of 2022 Warrant Article #26 implementing a 4% cap on town budgets. Tom Butkiewicz interrupted her to inquire, “I know it is pretty popular on this committee to overturn the results of an election and go against the voters. Are you guys going to abide by the tax cap… or are you just planning to override and go for broke? She replied that she was not done speaking.

There was further discussion on how the Budget Committee should go about implementing the tax cap, as the law is unclear about the details. Michele King presented her interpretation that the 4% cap applied just to the town operating budget and not to citizen initiatives.

Tom Butkiewicz initiated a lengthy digression on whether the School Board was going to comply with the 4% cap in developing their budget, even though the Warrant Article imposing the 4% cap did not apply to the school budget. Owen Friend-Gray asked for this digression to be ended, as it was a topic for the School Board, which sets the school budget, not the Budget Committee. Tom Butkiewicz responded to him, “I know you said you were very busy when you wanted to be appointed here, but if you’re complaining that it is taking too long….” At this point, the Chairman, Michele King, interrupted to point out that the members of the committee should not treat each other this way and that they need to be respectful. Tom Butkiewicz exclaimed, “I am asking a legitimate question!” Michele King pointed out that he was interrupting her again and asked him to please stop interrupting.

Video

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