PAXTON — When voters passed the town budget June 5, they also effectively set the budget for the Wachusett Regional School District, being the fourth community to approve the school spending plan for the five-town district.
With Holden, Rutland and Sterling having approved the school budget at their town meetings earlier this year, Paxton’s vote met the four of five town threshold, meaning the budget is approved district wide.
Princeton voters are set to hold that town’s annual town meeting June 20, but are locked into the Wachusett school budget.
Paxton had moved the town’s meeting from its usual May date to June in hopes of getting more information before voters decided budgets and articles for the coming year.
In addition to passing the town budget, Paxton voters decided several spending articles as well as articles to create a winter parking ban and amend bylaws concerning alcohol and finance committee membership.
Gathered in the Paxton Center School, 77 voters (2.2% of the town’s 3,567 registered voters) took about 40 minutes to handle town business, according to Town Clerk Laurie Becker.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mark Love, vice chair of the Finance Committee, recognized Rich Fenton, who just completed his 22nd year on the Finance Committee and will not be renewing his term, Becker said.
Love joked that they wanted to get him (Fenton) a gold watch, but it got cut from the budget. On a serious note, Love thanked Fenton for his dedication to the town and recognized how appreciative the Finance Committee and the town are for his service. Select Board Chair Julia Pingitore also praised Fenton for a job well done.
Town meeting attendees gave Fenton a standing ovation.
“I personally will miss Mr. Fenton on the board very much. He is, and has been, a true asset to this town,” Becker said.
