Greenwich RTM approves $1.47 million in snow, election appropriations
Town Meeting · Meeting of April 20, 2026
Greenwich RTM approves $1.47 million in appropriations, withdraws Bush statue gift vote. The Representative Town Meeting voted 181-1-1 to fund $1,325,000 in extra winter snow removal costs, presented by Commissioner of Public Works James Michel, after this winter's 65 1/2 inches of snowfall, more than double the 50-year average, cost the town $875,235 in road salt alone. Public Works Committee chair Cheryl Moss told members "a typical year in Greenwich sees about 35 inches of snow, but this past winter saw 70." A five-item consent calendar carried 189-0-1, appointing Donna Laviolette, Jenny Larkin, Bernard Armstrong and Joui Hessel to town boards and appropriating $142,700 in Election Excellence Grant funds to the Registrars of Voters.
A $200,000 private gift from L. Scott Frantz to build a George H.W. Bush statue outside the Havemeyer Building was withdrawn from the agenda without a vote.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 783 words
Source: the Town Meeting meeting of April 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
GREENWICH — April 20, 2026 — The Representative Town Meeting voted 181-1-1 Monday to appropriate $1,325,000 to cover this winter's snow removal costs, one of two funding measures totaling nearly $1.5 million approved in a meeting that adjourned after just 33 minutes.
Members also approved a five-item consent calendar, 189-0-1, appointing four residents to town boards and appropriating $142,700 in grant funds to the Registrars of Voters. A separate item, a proposed $200,000 private gift to fund a statue of former President George H.W. Bush, was withdrawn from the agenda before any debate or vote.
The Full Story
Moderator Alexis Voulgaris called the meeting to order in the Moderator's Hall of Central Middle School and via Zoom Webinar. Town Clerk Jacqueline A. Budkins swore in Matthew C. Fallon as the newest District 10 member. Attendance cards showed 198 members present, 31 absent and one vacancy; districts 3 and 5 had perfect attendance.
Early in the meeting, Voulgaris announced that Item No. 7, a resolution to accept a $200,000 gift from former state Sen. L. Scott Frantz and other private donors to design, build and install a statue honoring President Bush outside the Havemeyer Building at 290 Greenwich Avenue, had been withdrawn from the call. No vote was taken on the measure.
Before turning to the call, Janet Stone McGuigan and Myra Klockenbrink, leaders of the Greenwich Sustainability Committee, led the pledge of allegiance and briefed members on the committee's priorities: engaging the business community on waste and energy efficiency, addressing water quality in local beaches and harbors, planning for climate resiliency, and continuing to press the town to create a dedicated sustainability officer position.
"Greenwich is already experiencing more frequent flooding along with an increased strain on infrastructure during major storms." — Myra Klockenbrink, Greenwich Sustainability Committee sector chair and RTM liaison
Members then approved consent calendar items 1 through 5 on a single 189-0-1 vote. The calendar appointed Donna Laviolette to the Flood and Erosion Control Board, Jenny Larkin and Bernard Armstrong to the Harbor Management Commission, and Joui Hessel to the Board of Ethics, all for terms running through 2029. It also appropriated $142,700 to Registrars of Voters accounts, funded by the town's 2023 Election Excellence Grant, to cover part-time translation staffing, Spanish-language signage, poll-worker training materials and new ballot storage equipment required under recent state election law changes.
The meeting's lone debated item was the $1,325,000 appropriation for winter 2025-26 snow removal, introduced by Commissioner of Public Works James Michel. According to town budget documents, this winter's snowfall totaled 65 1/2 inches, more than double the town's 50-year average, driving the Department of Public Works to spend $875,235 on 9,500 tons of road salt and to remove roughly 36,000 cubic yards of snow, compared with about 2,500 cubic yards in a typical year. Public Works Committee chair Cheryl Moss, Budget Overview Committee chair James Waters and Finance Committee chair Scott Kalb each reported their committees' support before the full body voted.
"A typical year in Greenwich sees about 35 inches of snow, but this past winter saw 70 inches of snow." — Cheryl Moss, chair of the Public Works Committee
"During the snowstorm, we often had staff having to work 30-hour shifts to remove the snow." — Scott Kalb, chair of the Finance Committee
No member signed up to debate Item No. 6 from the floor. It carried 181-1-1, and the Moderator adjourned the meeting at 8:33 p.m. by unanimous consent.
Why It Matters
The snow removal appropriation replenishes department accounts already drawn down to pay for a winter that brought more than twice the town's average snowfall, ensuring the Department of Public Works can fund spring paving and repairs through the end of the fiscal year without a second interim request. The election grant spending must be finalized by a May 2026 deadline or unspent funds revert to the grantor. The withdrawal of the Bush statue gift leaves unresolved a proposal that has already gone before the Planning and Zoning Commission and Historic District Commission over its Havemeyer Building location; no new date for RTM action was announced.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Consent calendar, Items 1-5 (appointments of Donna Laviolette, Jenny Larkin, Bernard Armstrong and Joui Hessel; $142,700 appropriation to Registrars of Voters accounts) Tally: For: 189, Against: 0, Abstain: 1, Total: 190 - Vote: Item No. 6, $1,325,000 appropriation for winter 2025-26 snow removal Tally: For: 181, Against: 1, Abstain: 1, Total: 183 - Action: Item No. 7, $200,000 gift for a George H.W. Bush statue — Withdrawn from the call, no vote taken
Source
Greenwich Community Television: Representative Town Meeting meeting, April 20, 2026