Willington Board of Finance orders $50,000 cut, asks selectmen to call third referendum after public outcry over school budget

The Willington Board of Finance voted to trim the proposed town budget by $50,000 and asked the board of selectmen to call a town meeting to hold a third referendum, after more than an hour of public comment that focused overwhelmingly on the Board of Education budget.

At a special meeting convened to address the failed second referendum, dozens of residents urged board members to heed what they called an affordability message at the polls. ‘‘The town's people have spoken and they have voted no,’’ said Liliana, one of several speakers who insisted the vote reflected the community’s inability to shoulder the proposed increase. Several other residents echoed that view, citing the recent property revaluation as a key driver of the shock many voters felt.

Board members and school officials pushed back that substantial reductions have already been made. ‘‘We have cut $300,000 from the original school request,’’ Superintendent Bill Stevens said, describing ongoing pressures from rising insurance costs and high‑cost student outplacements. Stevens said most of the school budget is contractual and that discretionary funds are limited.

The meeting included extended discussion of the programmatic tradeoffs represented by different cut levels. Staff laid out the consequences of incremental reductions: Chromebook and library replacement budgets would be removed, the district would lose staff support specialists, the elementary world‑language teacher could be eliminated and a point‑4 physical education position could be lost. Officials also described a possible shift to a pay‑to‑play athletics model, which staff estimated at roughly $240 per player per sport.

Town staff provided cost‑impact context. The assessor list shows 1,932 residential accounts; the failed budget would have increased the average house’s monthly cost by about $24 (roughly $300 per year). Officials said cutting $100,000 would lower that monthly impact by about $2.87.

During debate, board member ‘‘Wolf’’ moved to cut $50,000 from the proposed budget; the motion was seconded and ultimately passed on a voice vote that the chair summarized later as ‘‘five to one.’’ The board then voted to request that the board of selectmen call a town meeting so voters can decide the adjusted budget in a third referendum; that motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: The meeting made explicit the core local tension — many residents say the referendum defeat reflects real affordability problems, while school leaders and some board members warn further cuts will damage services, increase high‑cost outplacements and deplete reserve funds. Officials also noted the limited options available when a large share of the school budget is contractual.

What’s next: The board asked town staff and the Board of Education to provide clearer, itemized explanations of exactly what would be lost at each cut level so voters can see the tradeoffs before the next ballot. The board placed a formal request to the board of selectmen to schedule a town meeting and subsequent referendum; timing will depend on whether advisory questions or modified ballot language are added and on meeting‑notice requirements.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to reduce the budget by $50,000: motion made by Wolf; second not specified in the transcript. Vote: passed (reported in the meeting as 5–1). Effect: triggers a revised budget amount to appear on a future referendum ballot. - Motion to request the board of selectmen call a town meeting for a third referendum: motion passed (recorded as unanimous).