By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker’s proposed budget, and related town-side spending plans for the next fiscal year, passed the Board of Finance on Wednesday night — mostly.

Surprising no one, the Wheels2U bus funding — a heavily state-subsidized service that brings commuters to and from Westport’s train stations — was again eliminated from the Westport Transit District budget.

Transportation funds for services for the elderly and disabled were untouched.

Budget déjà  vu: Annual Wheels2U Westport funding tug-of-war

It’s become a yearly budget-season tradition for finance members to cut that funding. Usually what follows is a restoration hearing before the board, which fails. And, in the final act, the Representative Town Meeting, Westport’s ultimate funding body, reverses the finance panel and restores the bus money.

The overall 2023-24 spending plan was presented to the finance board March 1. It totaled $233 million — 63 percent of which, $136 million — for education. It has a 4.39 percent increase, or $9.82 million dollars, over the current fiscal year.

Transit District Director Peter Gold, also an RTM member from District 5, recently said he’d skip the finance board’s restoration hearing.

“Not going to waste my time,” he told the Transportation Committee of the RTM last month.

The Transit District wasn’t the only budget that came under scrutiny Wednesday.

“Serious doubts” about Parks and Recreation Department budget

Some Board of Finance members had sharp criticism for the Parks and Recreation Department. The department had a higher percentage budget increase than others.

“I really do think that Parks and Rec really needs to get its management act together,” said board member Brian Stern. “I have serious doubts on quality, I’ve serious doubts on productivity, in comparison to all the other departments.”

He felt the department failed to take the message from Tooker — do more with less.

Stern made a motion that the Parks and Rec budget be rolled back to what it is this fiscal year.

A discussion ensued.

Sheri Gordon said the town marina’s operation should be self-funding. People with 25-foot-plus boats could surely fund operations.

“I think what the board is saying is that we’re going to propose this reduction in the proposed budget and challenge Parks and Rec to come back for restoration and see if we can have another discussion then,” board Chairman Lee Caney said.

“A discussion on what, Lee?” Tooker asked.

“What kind of discussion are we expecting to have that hasn’t already happened?” she said of budget talks.

“Talk to us about revenue, talk to us about productivity, because at this point, we’re unconvinced,” Stern said.

There was an audible inhalation by Tooker, a very long pause, and what looked like a steely-eyed glance.

“This motion is cutting expenses, and you if you are wanting to have a holistic conversation, this an interesting way to go about it,” Tooker said.

RTM member Chris Tait, District 1, noted that people come to Westport as much for the parks and beaches as they do for the schools.

“Schools are going to come here for a crapload of money,” he said. “And you guys are going to sit there and say, ‘Oh, OK.’ I’d like to her Brian’s vigor when it comes to the school budget.”

The motion to roll back the funding failed in a 3-3 vote (it needed 4 to pass). Stern, Jay DesMarteu and Nancy Dupier voted to cut the funding. Sheri Gordon, Caney and James Foster voted against.

When the Transit District funding was discussed, Gold told the board that he’d had discussions with state Department of Transportation officials about the future of the district. He said he was told the district should maintain operations as they are, or risk losing “a place at the table” should plans for a merger with a neighboring transit agency take shape.

Transparency of shadowy transit study group questioned again

At last month’s meeting of the RTM’s Transportation Committee, it was revealed that a group of elected officials and town staff have been meeting to discuss the district’s future. It was a surprise to several Transportation Committee members, and concerns about open-meeting laws were immediately expressed.

That group appears to have been tasked with making a recommendation on whether or not the Transit District should remain independent or merge with a neighboring transit district.

Caney referred to the group’s ongoing work Wednesday, calling it a “study group.”

Regardless of what’s it’s called, and despite having met at least twice and with plans to meet in the future, no notices of meetings, agendas or minutes for the group have been filed in accordance with the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

Jennifer Johnson, a former Westport Transit District director and former RTM member, was one of the people expressing concerns about the group’s open meeting compliance previously.

“Some people actually do have an opinion about this,” Johnson said Wednesday. “I do not believe that anyone in the town should be shut out from having a say in this working group that’s been set up because I don’t believe that’s in line with the Connecticut open public meetings law.”

Thane Grauel, executive editor, grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond more than three decades. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.