$4 million Prop. 2 1/2 override will be on the ballot
The $4 million Proposition 2 1/2 override will be on the Town Election ballot in June, despite some members of the Select Board expressing qualms over asking for additional funding in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Select Board’s approval of the ballot question comes after months of discussion, which began in December after Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings predicted a funding crisis for the schools. While the initial push was for additional school funds, the scope was widened to include monies for additional town positions, capital spending and the hiring of the town’s first full time Fire Department positions: a fire chief and two deputies.
“Yesterday, I didn’t see any appetite at the meeting for changing the language,” Town Administrator Tim McInerney said, referring to Monday’s joint meeting of the Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee.
Both Select Board Chairperson Jennifer Thomas and member Donna Stock were critical of the timing of the override. COVID-19 has left many residents out of work, has shut down Grafton businesses and will likely impact state funding, real estate values, and projected revenue from marijuana retailers.
“I don’t feel totally comfortable with the timing of this, but I would vote to put it on the ballot,” Thomas said.
Stock, however, was the sole no vote on the board.
“We have no idea what the future holds,” she said. “I will not support this this evening.”
Member Ed Prisby said Stock had a valid point: many people are alarmed about finances at this time. “Unfortunately, we have two crises among us. One is the COVID-19 virus the other is this… what we don’t want to do is to compound the problem.”
While Prisby brought up an alternate override plan created by a working group of the Finance Committee, Stock dismissed it. “The Finance Committee does not have the authority to put together a budget.”
Member Doreen DeFazio said that asking the community for an override is one of the hardest decisions the Select Board has to make, but stressed the the need is high. The override would just maintain funding for the schools and would help the town transition from an entirely volunteer fire department to one with a full-time chief.
“I want to leave it to the community and know that we have looked at all the alternatives,” DeFazio said.
Like Grafton Common? Help support us on Ko-fi.
