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Residents push for referendum, question shared finance director and raise facility safety concerns
Summary
Public commenters at the Woodbridge preliminary budget hearing urged a referendum vote instead of a single-evening town meeting, questioned a proposed three-year shared finance-director arrangement, and raised facility and health-safety concerns including library HVAC and past asbestos exposure at a child care space.
Residents at Woodbridge’s April 28 preliminary budget hearing used the public comment period to press procedural and operational questions beyond the headline budget numbers.
Several speakers urged switching from the town’s single-evening town meeting vote to a referendum so more voters can participate. One longtime commenter said the show-of-hands approach on a midweek evening limits participation and that a referendum would ensure “all eligible voters have the chance to weigh in,” an argument echoed by others who said families and seniors are less likely to attend a long, late meeting.
A number of residents probed a proposal to share Finance Director Tony Gionfriddo with another town under a three-year arrangement. Town leaders said Tony has filled both finance director and administrative-officer duties for roughly 15 years, that roughly 60% of his time has been spent on administrative duties and 40% on finance, and that the shared arrangement would preserve Town Hall operational capacity while increasing targeted finance time without immediately hiring two full-time positions. Officials argued the arrangement would save money over the three-year period compared with hiring separate full-time replacements if Tony retired.
Several residents also raised operational and safety concerns tied to building maintenance and staffing. A letter read into the record urged priority for building-envelope repairs (windows, masonry repointing, ADA ramp and foundation drainage) and warned deferred maintenance raises long-term costs.
Other commenters described past asbestos exposure at a town child-care space and lingering health worries, questioned whether consolidation of roles reduced follow-through on safety issues, and asked for clearer follow-up and communication to affected families. Officials said some building problems are being addressed, that warranty or contractor remediation is pursued where applicable, and that the town plans more community engagement and improved communications as part of its staffing changes.
Why it matters: process and operational questions shape how residents experience government decisions. The referendum debate concerns not only turnout but also how binding budget approval would be allocated; the finance-director arrangement and follow-through on facility safety affect the town’s administrative capacity during a period of large budget and capital decisions.
