Voters in Belchertown, Massachusetts, packed the local high school over the weekend for the annual town meeting. On the agenda was a budget that would stave off drastic cuts at the school district.
Months of speaking at meetings, canvassing the town and advocating on social media paid off for school-funding advocates Saturday as residents approved raising and appropriating $34.8 million for the school department.
Add in an almost $680,000 cash transfer that was also approved, and it amounted to $35.5 million for Belchertown schools, more than half of the town’s $66 million budget that was approved over the weekend - enough to ensure the district doesn’t suffer as many as 30 job cuts and a possible school closing, as some had feared.
As resident and former financial committee member Mary Olberding said before the vote – the cuts would have come at a time when families continue to move into the Hampshire County town of over 15,000 every year.
“We have had a structural deficit for at least ten years, meaning we bring in less money than we spend - not because we're irresponsible, not because people don't know how to manage money, but we're limited to the 2 ½ percent in property taxes,” said Olberding, who is also the Hampshire Register of Deeds. “… if we're going to continue to build houses and welcome families into Belchertown, we need to provide for their education.”
Like other school districts in the region, Belchertown Public Schools and its some 2,000 students were facing a steep budget shortfall.
It initially totaled about $2.1 million as declining enrollment, falling revenues and other factors made for a bleak financial outlook. On the table had been closing the Cold Spring School and eliminating dozens of positions after cuts were made last year.
Kevin Brooks, who graduated from the school system 15 years ago, says they’re educators who do a lot with a little.
“I remember every single one of my teachers and regardless of what you guys think about taxes, these teachers don't make enough,” he said. “They put hours of overtime in, they deserve more. The schools deserve more. The children are the reason we're voting on this and regardless of money, these children deserve everything we have. We should allow this budget to go through. Honestly, I don't think it’s increasing enough.”
To close the gap, which later came down to just over a million and a half dollars, talk of an override vote soon emerged, and by May, the select board voted to support a $2.9 million proposition 2 ½ override that would be put to a ballot.
$1.6 million of that was for the school department, while the rest covered other needs in the town, such as maintaining six grant-funded firefighter roles.
Residents actually voted on the override two weeks ago, during the town elections – it passed narrowly by just 21 votes, 2146-2125.
Saturday’s vote was the final hurdle. Voters ultimately cleared all 16 parts of the budget article, with a motion to reconsider failing.
The override and extra money for schools did have its opponents. Residents like Bruce Officer said the town has to start making cuts because raising additional tax revenue like the override calls for is not sustainable.
Lynn Sikes said opposition to the override was not to spite the town’s teachers – but more about being mindful for populations, such as seniors, who would be affected most by higher real estate and personal property taxes.
“… let's spend our money better. We are obligated to our seniors … some [are] on fixed-living, fixed income,” Sikes said. “That is what we are here to do - not against students, certainly not against teachers.”
The final vote was 941-154 in favor of the school department funding.
In a statement posted to Facebook before the vote, Belchertown Superintendent Brian Cameron says the override dollars will give the district time to explore “long-term solutions, including potential reorganization, strategic reductions, or regionalization.”
He also noted that steps had already been taken by the district in the past, including the closure of general education homerooms as enrollment declined.
The superintendent added that from 2012 to 2025, enrollment dropped by 18.9 percent – leading to homerooms dropping from 60 to 49.
Also approved at the meeting - $246,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to rehabilitate and improve the Belchertown High School playing field, $200,500 to rehabilitate and restore the parking lot at the town beach and an article establishing a speed limit of 25 miles per hour in thickly-settled neighborhoods and business districts.
The meeting was livestreamed by Belchertown Community Television, which can be found here.
