Westport RTM Approves Wakeman Town Farm Special Revenue Fund

Westporters who love for its ice cream socials, egg hunts, pancake breakfasts, and other seasonal and agricultural activities, rejoiced after the RTM (Representative Town Meeting) voted in favor of the fund Wednesday night.

The farm, which educates the community about local healthy food production and other sustainable practices, will have all funds held in escrow transferred to their new special revenue fund.

Parks and Recreation Department Director Stuart McCarthy, who is acting as an accounting liaison for the Wakeman Town Farm Committee, said the fund is similar to Westport’s railroad parking fund, which is a standalone fund overseen by the RTM.

“It is a revenue in, expenditures out budget, which in the case of the farm will allow them to retain funds raised by their fundraising efforts,” McCarthy said.

Those funds will then be available to the farm to cover their expenditures. More importantly, the fund enables Wakeman Town Farm to carry over excess fundraising money to the next fiscal year. McCarthy anticipates there will be no taxpayer funding necessary for this project.

“Revenues coming in from programs of the farm as well as the fundraising efforts will be able to sustain the expenditures of the farm in that fashion,” McCarthy said.

Wakeman Town Farm expenses include things like farm stewards, utilities, animal feed, seeds, supplies, as well as non-capital repairs and maintenance.

The purpose of this request is to legally segregate Wakeman Town Farm revenues and expenses, according to Allen Bomes, RTM District 7, who spoke on behalf of the RTM Finance Committee. Donations and contributions are considered restricted funds and can only be used as intended, but revenue from other sources such as programming fees and sale of produce carry no restrictions, Bomes explained.

“Town officials could divert the funds in the future for other needs perceived to be more pressing; however, after a special revenue fund is established the money can only be used for its intended purpose unless the RTM changes its policy,” Bomes said.

When RTM Moderator Hadley Rose asked RTM members to signify if they were in favor of the fund by raising their hands, nearly thirty students in the back of the auditorium raised their hands as well.

“You can come, but you can’t vote,” Rose joked with the students.

The group of ecstatic students applauded after the RTM unanimously approved the fund.