WORTHINGTON — The town is facing a three-pronged financial fork in the road, and residents on Nov. 8 will tell officials which path they want to go down to cover a budget deficit of $147,527 in the current fiscal year.
That’s when residents will consider at a town election two Proposition 2½ override requests — one in the amount of $195,000 and a second that seeks $290,000. To pass, one amount must be approved by a majority of the voters. If both questions pass, the one with the higher dollar value will prevail.
Should those be rejected, a third option is drawing from the town’s $1.6 million stabilization fund. However, draining from this municipal savings account for the second year in a row would potentially handicap the town’s ability to pay in full for one-time capital expenses without taking out a loan, said Charley Rose, Select Board chair.
The lower override request of $195,000 would cover the shortfall and provide $45,000 of breathing room to fill in the gaps for the current fiscal year. The higher amount would give the town cushion for unanticipated expenses in future years and likely prevent the need for another override request next fiscal year, Rose said.
Regardless of which amount the voters select, an average single-family property valued at $382,004 would see an increase in their annual tax bill of $286.50.
The override is not attributed to any specific expense. Rather, the deficit is due to the rapid rise of costs for goods and services while the town’s tax base has remained relatively stagnant in the town of almost 1,200 people, Rose said.
“Most of these are fixed costs. You can’t not pay them,” he said.
Rose said if voter reject all three measures, the town would be forced to lay off someone from the four-person highway department, or from the Worthington school system.
“We’ve cut it back as close as we can,” said Rose. “I think that all departments in town have done their best.”
He also said that the increase in taxes does not raise the town’s tax rate by as much as the rates in neighboring towns, including Chesterfield and Cummington. He added that almost two-thirds of the state is facing overrides for the 2026 fiscal year.
An informational meeting regarding the override will take place Saturday, Oct. 4, at 9 a.m., with baked goods and child care provided. On Sept. 26 an informational session was held, which can be viewed on YouTube.
The election on Nov. 8 will be held from 8 a.m. to noon in Town Hall, 160 Huntington Road. Voters can also begin in-person voting, also at Town Hall, from Oct. 20 to Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. during business days. Mail in ballots are also available.
