Whately Boards Approve $800,000 Override Question for May 2 Ballot

WHATELY -- March 26, 2026, Whately's Selectboard and Finance Committee jointly approved an $800,000 Proposition 2½ override question for the May 2 town ballot. The two boards met jointly for roughly 20 minutes Thursday evening, voting unanimously to adopt the override question language after a minor wording amendment changed "operating budgets of the town" to "operating budgets of general government and the schools," a change suggested by a participant identified as Wendy and described as better matching standard state templates. The chair shared preliminary tax impact figures estimating the override would add $546 per year, about $45 per month, to the bill for a household at the town's median assessed value of roughly $5,105 annually before the override. A resident speaking in public comment urged passage, noting the proposed senior center at 112 Amherst Road, described as "decades" in the making, is funded within the override and fails if the ballot question does not pass. Town meeting is April 24; the election is May 2.