Whitman Town Meeting Adopts Alternative to $509K School Override

Town creates multi-family zone near train station, uses reserves to fund schools without tax increase

WHITMAN, MA - May 6 - Whitman voters rejected a $509,212 override for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District at the annual town meeting Monday, opting instead to use free cash to fund the school budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The decision came after nearly four hours of debate and discussion on the town's finances, with residents packing the town hall to weigh in on the controversial measure.

The override, which would have raised property taxes to provide additional funding for the school district, failed by a vote of 160-81. Town officials then moved to use free cash reserves to cover the $509,212 gap in the school budget.

Superintendent Jeff Szymaniak warned that without the additional funding, the district could face significant staffing cuts.

"This would affect district wide another 15 staff members," Szymaniak said. "It could be less if we don't have to pink slip as many staff members, but if a staff member is pink slipped or let go as of June 30th, they're without a contract."

The school district had already reduced its budget by nearly $1 million in April, using $250,000 from its excess and deficiency fund and $100,000 from its special education circuit breaker budget. Five staff positions, mostly at the high school level, were also eliminated.

Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter urged voters to support the override, arguing it was necessary to maintain fiscal stability.

"If this override passes at the town election, it will provide the additional funds the district is requesting over the 5% amount the town can afford within the budget, and the town will not need to make the devastating personnel cuts I outlined," Carter said.

However, Finance Committee Chairman Rick Anderson recommended against the override, suggesting it would not address the town's long-term financial needs.

"This community has spent a good deal of money on financial consultants to advise us to the best way forward to a long-term, sustainable municipal budget," Anderson said. "We also feel that the school committee has presented a school assessment that brings the needs of the district in line with developing a proposal for an operational override in the near future."

The Finance Committee instead proposed using $509,212 from free cash to supplement the school budget, a move that ultimately gained support from voters.

The decision to use free cash raised concerns about the town's financial stability. Some residents questioned whether there would be sufficient funds available for other town needs after allocating money to the school budget.

Finance Committee Vice Chair Kathleen Ottina sought to reassure voters, stating that even after appropriating $180,000 in free cash for other town expenses, there would still be a balance of $115,834 in free cash if all Finance Committee recommendations were approved.

The override's failure and subsequent use of free cash highlights the ongoing struggle many Massachusetts communities face in balancing education funding with other municipal needs. Whitman, like many towns, is grappling with rising costs and limited revenue growth under the constraints of Proposition 2½.

Some residents expressed frustration with the perceived divide between school and town funding priorities.

"I'm a little disheartened tonight to see the room as it is. It is literally split right down the middle between town and school," said Danielle Clancy, chair of the Board of Health. "We're not that. We're a community. We need to start to act like a community."

The decision to use free cash instead of an override provides a short-term solution to the school funding issue. However, it raises questions about the town's ability to sustainably fund education and other services in the coming years without significant changes to its revenue structure or spending priorities.

Town officials acknowledged that while using free cash addresses the immediate budget gap, it does not solve the underlying financial challenges facing Whitman. The town may need to consider a larger operational override or other revenue-generating measures in the near future to address its long-term fiscal needs.

Town Meeting also considered some zoning changes, with the MBTA Community Overlay District, located near the commuter rail station in an area of underutilized industrial land, passed with a majority vote after minimal discussion.

Justin Evans, a member of the Board of Selectmen, presented the article and emphasized that the town had no choice but to comply with the state mandate.

"Importantly, MBTA communities cannot avoid their obligations under the law by foregoing this funding," Evans said, quoting from an Attorney General's advisory. "The law requires that MBTA communities shall have a compliant zoning district and does not provide any mechanism by which a town or city may opt out of this requirement."

Evans explained that the town hired a consultant using grant funding to develop the zoning overlay after Whitman briefly fell out of compliance in 2022, risking the loss of 10% of its Housing Authority's capital funding.

The new overlay district is located on underutilized industrial land within walking distance of the commuter rail station. It includes several old shoe factories, a property that received an EPA grant for cleanup, and existing multi-family housing.

Evans argued that the town turned the state requirement into an opportunity for Whitman. He noted that staying in compliance maintains the town's eligibility for state grants, with applications for up to $600,000 in grant money pending this year alone.

"If the state's going to get really serious about affordability, I'm worried that the next time they try to mandate a zone like this, it's not going to be the town shall develop a zone, it's going to be they will put a zone where they want to put it," Evans said.

John Goldrosen, chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, spoke in favor of the article. He praised the Planning Board for locating the multi-family zone in an area that would not infringe on existing single and two-family residential neighborhoods.

"This is an opportunity for the town," Goldrosen said. "As Mr. Evans has said, this is an area that, if it grows, will help revitalize that section of town again without infringing on any areas."

Goldrosen argued that approving the overlay district would give the town more control over future multi-family development compared to the existing Chapter 40B process, which allows developers to bypass local zoning in communities with less than 10% affordable housing.

Goldrosen also addressed the need for more diverse housing options in Whitman, noting that many residents have family members or friends who have left the area due to high housing costs.

"We don't have six or eight people living in a house as was the case when I was growing up with my family," he said. "We've got one and two people, and so we need more housing to accommodate those people."

The overlay district's approval comes as communities across Massachusetts grapple with how to implement the MBTA Communities law, which requires 175 cities and towns served by the MBTA to zone for multi-family housing near transit stations.

The annual town election is scheduled for May 18, where voters will elect town officers and decide on other local matters.