SOUTHAMPTON — Residents will head to the ballot box Tuesday to decide on a roughly $493,000 Proposition 2½ override and to select officials for their town.
Town Administrator Ed Gibson said in April that the reduction in services for residents would be “dramatic” if the override fails.
Gibson explained at the May 1 Town Meeting that the town originally faced an $800,000 budget deficit for fiscal year 2019, which begins July 1. He said town officials worked hard to whittle the gap down to the current request of $493,163.41.
Gibson said the override request would result in an additional 72 cents of tax per $1,000 of property evaluation over and above the 2½ increase to the levy allowed each year. He said the average house in Southampton is evaluated at around $275,000, meaning the override would cost around $198 for the average taxpayer.
If the override does not pass, it would mean the elimination of six-and-a-half teachers at William E. Norris Elementary School, one police officer, and two positions in the highway department, as well as cuts to administrative hours, loss of advanced paramedic license and the closure of the library one day a week.
After robust discussion at Town Meeting about the override, it passed by majority and made its way onto Tuesday’s ballot.
Overrides have failed in Southampton multiple times in years past, including last year when the town voted down a $110,000 override for funding additional staff and curriculum materials at Norris Elementary.
Gibson said the town is not treating the override like business as usual, and is instead looking at it as a critical, one-time action needed to address decreasing funding from the state.
Residents will also vote in new elected officials Tuesday. At a caucus in April, 31 ballots were cast to nominate candidates for open positions.
In one of the town’s only contested elections, Michael Goyette, Jared Hamel and George Symborski are the nominees for the two open, three-year positions for constable.
Francine Tishman was nominated for a three-year position on the Select Board, and will compete with Matt Roland, George Plouffe, and incumbent Charlie Kaniecki for two open positions.
Plouffe is also the sole nominee for a three-year term with the department of personnel policy and procedure.
The four-year position of almoner attracted the nomination of Lise Lemeland.
April West has been nominated for the one-year assessor position, and Matthew Roland is the sole nominee for a two-year position on the Finance Committee.
James Seney has been nominated for a longer-term, five-year position with the town’s housing authority. Cindy Palmer will be on the ballot as the nominee for another five-year position, this one on the Planning Board.
No nominations were brought forth for open positions of moderator, town clerk, treasurer/collector, a three-year assessor position, a position with the Board of Health, cemetery commissioner, a three-year Finance Committee position, a two-year position with the housing authority, two library trustee positions, two park commissioner positions, two positions on the School Committee, tree warden, and water commissioner.
The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 210 College Highway.
M.J. Tidwell can be reached at mjtidwell@gazettenet.com.
This article was updated May 12, at 10:35 a.m., to reflect the contested Select Board race.