As the country is consumed by partisan rancor, here in Westport kumbaya reigns.
Last night’s Board of Finance vote on the education budget featured none of the fuming and fulmination that sometimes characterizes Westport’s own March madness.
Instead, members of both parties went out of their way to praise the Board of Education‘s work — and that of the town’s teachers and administrators.
The finance board then voted unanimously to cut just $250,000 from the proposed operating budget — coming from technology, not personnel — and also unanimously passed the total education budget of $112.42 million (which includes aid to private and parochial schools, long-term debt service, and debt service on bond anticipation notes).
Also unanimously, the Board of Finance approved the total town budget of $178.64 million.
It was all over in little more than an hour. No finger-pointing. No rancor. No bile or bluster.
Senators, congressmen: Are you listening?
Last night's Board of Finance meeting was like the Peaceable Kingdom.