Weston eyes uses for federal ARPA funds
Proposals for COVID relief funds include fire vehicle, improvements to dog park and roads
WESTON — American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were on the docket Thursday night for Weston residents. The Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance proposed that the $3 million in funds be used for 20 projects across town, with the largest investments going toward Ravenwood Water Systems renovations, road repaving and Fire Rescue 5 replacement.
Residents will be able to vote for approval of the proposed Weston ARPA funds plan. A town meeting is scheduled for June 7 at 7 p.m. in the Weston High School Café to discuss the plan, followed by a June 18 ballot vote at the Weston Town Hall Meeting Room from noon to 8 p.m.
Absentee ballots will not be accepted for the June 18 vote.
The American Rescue Plan Act is a 2021 federal COVID-19 recovery package. According to First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor, community programs and amenities appear to be the residents’ top priorities with the Weston ARPA funds.
Nestor said she and Board of Finance Chair Rone Baldwin created a proposed spending plan with input from the Board of Finance Vice Chair Steven Ezzes, Building Committee Vice Chair Joseph Stromwall, town administrator Jonathan Luiz, and finance director Richard Darling.
On May 12, the proposed spending plan was presented to the Board of
Selectmen and Board of Finance and sent to a public hearing for discussion on May 26. On June 1, the selectmen establish their own spending plan. The next day, the two boards held a joint meeting where they voted to approve the selectmen’s plan.
“This was a bipartisan
effort that incorporated public sentiment into the final approved plan,” Nestor said.
Nestor said throughout the process, both boards received multiple emails from residents that expressed their opinions about the proposed plan, and the emails were shared with both boards.
“The funds will address [infrastructure] issues, fulfill public safety needs, and most importantly provide opportunities for the Weston community to come together and receive support after being isolated during the pandemic,” Nestor said.
Some accommodations that residents can look
forward to in the proposal include a new town green, a dog park, outdoor pickleball courts and an educational center at Lachat Town Farm, according to Nestor.
Ravenwood Water System renovations comes as the most expensive project, with an allocation of $810,000. Road repaving
follows at $575,000, then Fire Rescue 5 replacement at $535,000, town green at $150,000 and dog park access way and parking at $135,000, among other allocations.
Nestor also said that the goal is to start the projects soon after voters approve it, with completion before December 2026.