By Patty Roy

A special town election on Aug. 17 will decide the scope of town services that will be cut or saved for the current fiscal year that started on July 1. The vote will take place from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. at the Dudley Municipal Complex, 71 West Main Street.

The Proposition 2 1/2  override vote would result in a permanent addition to the tax base, raising the tax rate from the current $10.16 to $11.83 per thousand dollars of valuation if all five requests pass.

Voters will face an array of choices for funding various town departments including $901,683 for the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District assessment.

A “yes” vote would restore the recent reductions in staff and programs and maintain level services in the schools. The vote would also result in returning $901,683 back to the municipal side of the town budget to fund town departments at a ten percent reduction from last year’s level, as approved by the May 22 town meeting.

Passing this part of the override request would add 62 cents to the current tax rate.

Dudley and Charlton passed an override in 2018 to fund the school district. At the time, it was considered adequate to cover three years of spending. That was an accurate estimate and in the meantime, federal American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds released due to the Covid pandemic filled in the spending gaps. ARPA funding is no longer available.

The override vote also seeks money for public safety services is being sought at $556,111. The Fire Department would receive $366,764 and the Police Department $189,346 , leaving both departments below last year’s funding level, but would prevent the lay-offs of two patrol officers, two career firefighter paramedics and one administrative assistant. It would also restore funding for per diem staff, critical training and emergency care supplies.

Passage of this article would add 38 cents to the tax rate.

The Highway Department is also seeking funding at $534,304 to restore its budget at 65 percent of last year’s spending. A “yes” vote would prevent the lay-off of two highway department, although three open positions would remain unfilled. 

Passing this article would also restore half a million dollars to the town’s stabilization account which is money the town sets aside for unforeseen needs or capital projects.

Passing the Highway Department override would add 37 cents to the current tax rate.

The override also seeks the voters’ decision on funding $297,528 for the Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Public Library. According to the election ballot, this would give the library 93 percent of last year’s budget amount and allow the library to stay open with inter-library services (the ability to borrow books and other resources between libraries) intact.

Approval of the library question would add 21 cents to the tax rate.

The vote also seeks an override of $133,698 to fund general government services such as administration, the Town Accountant, information technology expenses, Board of Assessors, Town Treasurer, Town Clerk, Planning Board, Board of Health, Building Inspector, Council on Aging and Veterans’ Services.