Burlington Town Meeting OK's School Money, Mall Liquor Licenses

BURLINGTON, MA -- Burlington's representative town meeting this week approved funding to cover a Fiscal 2018 budget deficit in the school department, as well as nine new liquor licenses for the Burlington Mall. The $699,926 for the school department came from the town's stabilization fund and with a heavy dose of criticism for school administrators.

"This was beyond an issue of 'oops we spent a few dollars'," Town Meeting Member John Cormier said. "In the private sector...somebody would be fired or at least hand in their resignation. There are people responsible for what happened here."

Town meeting had little wiggle room on the article on the warrant as, legally, the unpaid bills from more than 300 vendors had to be paid. School officials have said the overspending was caused by "unusual circumstances" and that new financial protocols will prevent similar gaffes in the future. But the disclosure of the overspending came after the fiscal year had closed and after a series of high-profile financial reviews uncovered poor financial oversight policies in the school system.

Separately, town meeting approved a request from Simon Property group to administer nine new liquor licenses for the Burlington Mall. The licenses, which still need to be approved by the state legislature, would be used as part of a makeover of the Sears property. Simon is developing the property as an open-air "lifestyle center" that will put an emphasis on dining over traditional brick-and-mortar retail.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).