Barrington residents will face a number of decisions at Wednesday's financial town meeting, but not one concerning the town's minimum wage.

Barrington resident and council member Jacob Brier recently withdrew his amendment that had called for a $45,000 increase to the town's municipal budget. 

In a letter to the editor, Mr. Brier wrote that his decision to withdraw the amendment was based on the health of the community.

"Over the past couple weeks, I have witnessed some truly disappointing actions, read some truly disturbing comments, and heard some truly disrespectful language being slung across the great divide between us," he wrote. 

"I do not know whether the motion would have passed or failed. I still rate it at a 50/50 chance. But, I currently believe that pass or fail, it would have resulted in a loss for the town. We are not healthy enough as a community right now to handle a test of our collective values."

Mr. Brier wrote that he initially filed the amendment because he was frustrated with "the widening gap between conflicting groups of people…" In an earlier article, the council member said the additional $45,000 would have covered pay increases for some custodians, senior center workers and administrative assistants. He said he opted for the amendment and not working into into the budget because he believed "it should be a change that comes from pure democracy, and not be mandated by elected officials or administration."

Amendment to cut $246,000

Barrington resident Tom Rimoshytus has filed an amendment to reduce the school department's operating budget by $246,000. 

That figure is the same amount of money school officials have dedicated to the change in busing, from the current three-tier system to a two-tier system. The busing change has been connected with the district's planned changes to school start times.

In a letter to the editor, Mr. Rimoshytus questioned the start time change.

"Recently, (Superintendent of Schools) Mr. (Michael) Messore stated that if a school program did not help all students it would not be implemented. Even the school committee experts at the forum stated this will only benefit about 19 percent of the children. So why is this school committee pushing for this?" he wrote. "Do they not listen to our teachers and administration?"

The school department's budget is a bottom-line budget. That means that while residents can suggest a cut from a certain section of the district's operating budget, school officials have the final say.

The financial town meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at the Barrington High School auditorium.