Dudley Select Board Places $717,630 Override on September 29 Special Election Ballot

Select Board · Meeting of July 27, 2026

Dudley voters will decide on a $717,630 Proposition 2½ override on September 29 after the Select Board voted unanimously Monday to place the scaled-back question on a special election ballot. The board also unanimously approved a companion debt exclusion question tied to a Dudley-Charlton Regional School District capital borrowing of at least $5.2 million. The override — covering two police positions, two fire positions, and a series of highway cuts — was developed by the town's finance team after a $1.9 million override failed decisively in June.

Town Administrator John told the board that stabilization reserves are now at zero and there are no remaining discretionary budget lines to cut, calling a second failure potentially catastrophic for public safety. Highway Director MJ said he has four workers plus a mechanic — down from 10 when he started in 2009 — and said of the current situation, "I don't know how I'm going to make it until next year." Chief Karlowitz warned that further reductions could prompt officers to leave for other departments, as happened after a previous failed override. The election hours were set at 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the override would cost property owners approximately $0.39 per thousand in assessed value.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,836 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.