Public urges Select Board to support 2.5% school override as board prepares for joint meeting with Freetown

At the Select Board’s Feb. 3 meeting, resident Jeremy Marais urged the board to "strongly consider seeking approval for a 2 and a half override," warning that insufficient funding would force cuts to personnel and services in the regional school district.

Board members and staff discussed preparatory steps ahead of a joint meeting with Freetown counterparts. Town Administrator Andrew said the board had requested multiple assessment scenarios, including what a 2%–2.5% increase would look like, and that staff had received many documents from the district. The board asked staff to assemble a capital plan and a grants/projects tracker and requested representation at the joint meeting from the superintendent, business manager, and school committee members so all parties could discuss budget assumptions together.

Members emphasized transparency for voters ahead of any override vote and sought a breakout of operating versus capital items. The board set a tentative date for the joint meeting (Feb. 26) at the O'Ponquillit Library and told staff to circulate requested materials in advance so the Select Board and the public can see the fiscal trade-offs that an override would address.

The public comment and ensuing discussion did not produce a formal override motion; rather, the board directed staff to gather additional financial detail, produce capital-plan information, and ensure school officials attend the joint session to answer questions.