I am very disappointed with the position the Finance Committee has adopted with regards to the hiring of a replacement town nurse. With the retirement of the nurse at the end of the last fiscal year, the Board of Health was faced with the task of hiring a new nurse.

We were asked to wait until we had a new Board of Health director, and in an effort to work with the Board of Selectmen we reluctantly agreed. Then we were asked to defend the need for this position and to seek other alternatives.

After determining that none of the options were viable, we were rewarded by our efforts to work with the Selectmen by having the town administrator remove the funding from that line item in our budget (this has been in our budget for 22 years).

When the budget cycle started, the Board of Health voted unanimously to retain level funding for the coming year. We also voted unanimously to retain the nurse’s position and to hire a replacement. When we became aware of the funding being removed, the Board of Health made the selectmen aware that this was unacceptable, and they restored the funding for the position.

Now, because the town administrator removed the funding for a week before another draft of the budget was written (there have been at least 14 drafts), the Finance Committee has determined that we need to show where the funding for the position is coming from. They then voted against filling this much needed position.

Now keep in mind, this position has been funded for decades and the de-funding happened with no consultation with the Board of Health and no agreement on our part.

The town’s flip-flopping on this budget line item cannot be allowed to happen. The Board of Health will fight to see that it does not.

I am asking for the help and support at town meeting to retain this position. It is only $33,513 — a small price to pay for the health and welfare of our town.

Bill Harkins

Westport