Votes at a glance: Selectmen approve line-item transfer, remove zoning alternate, appoint moderator, set town meetings, restore visiting nurses funding

This summary lists formal actions the Winchester Board of Selectmen took at its April 21, 2025 meeting. Where a roll call or detailed tally was not read into the record, the board recorded the outcome as unanimous.

1) Approval — Fire Department line-item transfer Motion: Transfer $5,000 from turnout gear (account 1-219-848-0004-000) to annual equipment testing and certification (account 1-219-848-0009-000) in the amount of $5,000 to pay required annual testing and certification for turnout gear. Outcome: Approved (board vote recorded as unanimous).

2) Approval — Restore Foothills Visiting Nurses funding Motion: Increase the Foothills Visiting Nurses and Hospice line to $34,000 (restore $24,000 from proposed reduction). Outcome: Approved (unanimous). Finance staff explained restoring the funds would change a mill-rate projection; the board accepted the restoration.

3) Removal — Zoning Board of Appeals alternate Motion: Remove Todd Skutnik (alternate member, Zoning Board of Appeals) for extended unexcused absences per the town charter/commission nonattendance practice. Motion made and seconded; outcome: Approved (unanimous). The record shows multiple notices and attempts to contact the appointee before removal.

4) Appointment — Moderator for annual town meeting Motion: Appoint Dennis Dressel to serve as moderator for the annual town meeting to be held Monday, May 12, 2025, at 7 p.m., Gilbert School Auditorium. Outcome: Approved (unanimous).

5) Motion — Sale of town property and scheduling town meeting Motion: Enter into contract with buyer for 269 Walnut Street (terms not specified in open session) and set a town meeting on May 22, 2025, at 6 p.m. to consider the sale. Outcome: Motion to enter contract approved (unanimous); motion to set the town meeting date/time approved (unanimous).

6) Scheduling — Special meeting to finalize budget posting Motion: Schedule a special meeting for Wednesday at 6 p.m. to finalize the budget and decide whether to move the budget to a town meeting. Outcome: Approved (unanimous). The board instructed staff to prepare updated line-item information and debt-service detail for that meeting.

Procedural notes: Several other procedural motions were handled by unanimous voice vote (approval of minutes, agenda additions including executive session items). When the transcript omitted an explicit roll-call breakdown, the minutes recorded the outcome as unanimous.

Ending: The actions above reflect the formal votes taken in open session on April 21, 2025. The board recorded no split votes in the public transcript; for details about contract terms, bond authorizations or executive-session deliberations, refer to the town manager’s office.