By Adam Swift
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Saturday, April 5 for a special election that features three major financial questions.
There will be a $38.5-million debt exclusion vote for a new fire station at the site of the old middle school on Pauline Street.
In addition to the debt exclusion vote for the new fire station, there will also be two Proposition 2-½ override questions for the schools; one seeks $3.5 million to close the projected budget gap for Fiscal Year 2026, and the second would earmark $1.4 million for an educational stabilization fund.
Voters from Precincts 1,2,3,5, and 6 vote at the old middle school, while voters from Precinct 4 will cast their ballots at O’Connell Hall on Golden Drive.
Similar financial questions have gone before the voters recently, with a debt exclusion to build a new fire station at the site of the Wadsworth Building failing in 2023 and a $4.9 million school override being defeated last November.
Town officials spent much of the past year exploring alternate sites for the location of a new fire station, briefly considering the site of the town-owned tennis courts on Walden Street before settling on the old middle school. The plans for the new fire station include the demolition of the school and the auditorium, but the gym and ice rink will remain on the site.
“Any time there is a debt exclusion put before the voters, it is imperative that the town proves the case for the project,” said Town Council President Jim Letterie. “In this situation, where you have buildings that were built over 100 years ago for horses and buggies and that are nowhere near equipped for 21st century firefighting, the need is there, it has been proven. These firefighters put their lives at risk every day for the citizens of this community, and the time has come for the citizens to invest in their first responders.
“I encourage you all to go out Saturday and vote for our first responders and invest in Winthrop’s future with a yes vote for a new fire station.”
For the school district, the override is needed to close the anticipated budget shortfall in the 2025-26 school budget. The $3.5 million figure would help close the shortfall, while the separate $1.4 million override would be used to fund an educational stabilization fund to help address budget needs for the next several years.
School and town leaders have stated that failing to cover the budget gap would likely lead to cuts in both school and town services, as the town would shift some funding to cover a portion of the school shortfall.
“Particularly after last night’s budget discussion, the reality is that we do not have enough money to continue with the level of services that we have had,” said School Committee Chair Jennifer Powell on Tuesday, following Monday night’s committee vote to move forward with a proposed level-services school budget for 25-26 school year. “If we do not get this override, we are going to have to make significant cuts.”
Those cuts would hit classroom teachers, guidance counselors, specialists, and custodians, as well as cuts to technology and translation services, extracurricular activities, and sports – with the possibility of higher user fees covering the cuts to the athletics budget.
“The list goes on,” said Powell. “This is about the future of our community and the types of schools we want our students to have. We want to give them every advantage that we can, we want to provide them with a solid basic education that enables them to perform to their best potential.”
During Monday night’s school committee, Powell praised the efforts of all the volunteers and citizens’ committee members who have been working to spread the word about the need for the school overrides.
“They have really poured their hearts into making this happen,” she said. “It has been amazing to see our community come together, rise up, and be so diligent about supporting our students and our community.”
Letterie said that when considering the school override votes, he thinks of a quote that made its way from the building of the old Willis School to the Arthur T. Cummings School.
“The quote says, ‘The destiny of our nation depends on its youth,’” Letterie said. “That statement emphasizes that a nature’s future and
success are inextricably linked to the wellbeing, education, and capability of its young people. No truer words have ever been spoken, and I ask the people to strongly consider the best thing for our future and our children’s future.”