Foxborough to Discuss the Budget Openly

Over two weeks ago, Town Manager, Kevin Pacios, proposed the idea of creating a .

The Budget Committee would include representatives of the schools, selectmen, advisory, town manager, finance director, and business agent, among others.

Paicos explained that after going through his first budget cycle with the town, he noticed a few "weaknesses" in the process and believes this new committee would allow for more open communication regrading the constantly changing budget situation.

However, Tuesday night, June 14, a slight change to the committee was decided upon by Paicos and selectmen. Budget talks between the new committee will not be withheld from the public, as originally proposed. Instead, budget talks will be open to the public.

Selectmen Chairman, Larry Harrington along and Paicos, both said that after discussions with town lawyers, it was determined that the new committee might be considered a public body subject to state Open Meeting Law requirements.

The committee will now post its meetings and open them to the public.

"I don't want anyone to think there is any grey issues," noted Harrington.

Prior to budget committee talks that same evening, Selectmen held a joint meeting with the Advisory Committee to discuss this year's budget and town meeting warrant review process - a  process that was described as frustrating and rushed.

In order to improve the process, the two boards agreed to hold occasional joint meetings to discuss the town's financial outlook.

"We need to make our time in the fall more effective," echoed the Advisory Committee.

"People may have felt it was chaotic [but] at the end of the day the Advisory Committee produced one a hell of a job," said Paicos.