Newly Formatted Wenham Budget Gets Town Meeting Backing

Two hours of questioning, criticism and discussion of the proposed fiscal 2014 Wenham town budget ended with voters approving it by a four-to-one margin, Moderator Paul Weaver declared on Saturday afternoon.

It was a long road to voters given their approval to the budget at Wenham's Annual Town Meeting, with everything from the budget's new format to the way salaries are calculated for a year that is slightly longer than 52 weeks underwent questioning.

There were 176 voters in the Buker Elementary School gymnasium for the meeting, which lasted close to three hours.

The budget in this year's Town Meeting warrant book was a "significant departure" from the way it has been arranged in past years, said Sarah Johnson, the town's former finance director who now works in Weston.

Voters used to vote on town salaries and expenses but this year the vote on total dollar figures for each department, she said.

In the end, the $15.1 million budget was approved. Much like Hamilton Town Meeting earlier in the day, none of the discussion focused on the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District's budget. Wenham's share of the school district's costs in fiscal 2014 are $7.4 million.

"It was great pleasure to sit here and not have to debate the school budget," School Committee Chairman Roger Kuebel, a Wenham resident, said moments before the final budget vote.

Voters also approved a citizens' petition to extend the Town Clerk's term from one year to three year's by a five-to-one margin, according to Weaver.

"It's time we start getting into the 21rst century on some items," said former Selectman Tom Tanous in support of the citizens petition.

Bill Nichols questioned what would happen if the clerk stops coming to work. Tanous said he had researched the question and that the Board of Selectmen could appoint someone to fill the position until the next election, when voters would full the position for the remaining unexpired portion of the term.

The Board of Selectmen decided to pass over Article 7, which would have asked voters whether they wanted to convert the Town Clerk position from an elected to appointed position.

"It became clear the meeting would not be ready to consider this at this time," Weaver said.