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The Board of Registrars meets Thursday to set in-person early voting hours for the June 9 town election, giving residents another way to weigh in on a three-tier Proposition 2½ override that Town Meeting sent to the ballot earlier this month.
The board is scheduled to meet at 12:30 p.m. at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., in the Select Board's meeting room. A discussion and possible vote on early voting hours is the only item on the agenda.
The June 9 ballot will ask voters to choose among a three-tier operating override of $9 million, $12 million or $15 million over three years, as well as a separate $2.3 million trash override that would put curbside collection costs back on the property tax levy instead of the new user fee.
Article 29 passed 1,227 to 159 on an electronic vote at the May 4 Annual Town Meeting — about 89 percent in favor, with 1,386 ballots cast. Select Board Chair Dan Fox had warned that a no vote would trigger cuts July 1.
"I want to be very clear here: A no vote tonight means the cuts that we are outlining will go into effect July 1. These are real people, real services, as many of us depend on in this town," Fox said.
Article 29 proposed three override tiers – each contingent on passage of a Proposition 2½ ballot question in June. The proposal is also tied to a memorandum of understanding between the Select Board and School Committee that sets a 62/38 percent split between schools and town services and includes a commitment to avoid seeking another general override at least through fiscal 2030.
Ahead of the vote, the Select Board and School Committee are also holding a series of public information sessions at Abbot Hall for residents with questions. The sessions follow the same format as office hours Fox and School Committee member Henry Gwazda held at Dunkin' on Pleasant Street before Town Meeting.
Sessions are scheduled for May 27 and June 2, with morning hours from 9 to 10 a.m. and evening hours from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Each date includes both time slots.
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