Weston board delays vote on proposed annual fire fee after wide public concern

The Village of Weston Board of Trustees postponed action on a proposed annual fire fee after more than a dozen residents spoke at Monday’s meeting urging a referendum, more transparency and limits on any fee, and after trustees said they need additional legal and financial answers.

The board voted to return the item to the next regular meeting and told staff to get the outstanding questions answered; trustees said they would call a special meeting if the village receives notice on a federal SAFER grant that requires a response within 14 days. “If the grant comes through … we’d have 14 days to respond,” Village President Mark Maloney told the meeting.

Why it matters: Residents said the fee would impose a new and ongoing charge on homeowners and businesses, that the public had been denied a promised referendum, and that the village should explain how the charge would interact with the village levy and other revenues. Public commenters ranged from homeowners to property managers who said their properties do not get equivalent benefit from the proposed per-parcel…