Hanson Considers Property Tax Override to Address Budget Shortfalls
Town Officials Work with PR Firm to Inform Residents of Potential Service Cuts
HANSON - January 14 - The town of Hanson is contemplating a proposition 2 1/2 override to address looming budget shortfalls, with officials working to inform residents about potential impacts on town services if the measure doesn't pass.
At a Jan. 14 Select Board meeting, members discussed engaging a public relations firm to create a website and communication plan aimed at educating the community about the town's financial situation.
Town Administrator Lisa Green presented a proposal from John Guilfoyle Public Relations Agency to develop a dedicated website for $9,000, which would provide information on the town's budget, the override process, and potential service reductions.
"We are working as quickly as we possibly can to start getting this information and getting it to them. There's a lot of moving pieces on this," Green said.
The website would include budget information for each department, a tax impact calculator, and details on how services might be affected if the override fails. The project would be funded using remaining ARPA money allocated to the town.
Some board members expressed concerns about the sustainability of the website beyond the initial one-year contract. Select Board member Ed Heal questioned the value of the service, stating, "I'm looking for the value in it. I'm not seeing the value in what they're providing."
Despite reservations, the board ultimately voted to move forward with the PR firm's proposal, with the caveat that they would explore options to maintain the information on the town's website after the contract expires.
Green emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that departments are already preparing for potential cuts. "If we have to do a major reduction in a $2 million reduction in services, that's going to impact every single department in town and people are just not going to like what's going to happen," she said.
The town is facing difficult decisions, with essential services potentially on the chopping block. Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett expressed concern about the impact on public safety.
"We've already got a situation where many, many times we have all of our fire trucks out on calls and we have to call for mutual aid," FitzGerald-Kemmett said. "And after a certain point, I have to think that some of the surrounding towns are going to say, is it really mutual aid? It feels like you guys aren't properly staffed."
In other business, the board appointed Steve Burke as the town's new IT Director. The position had been vacant since April, with Burke assisting the town in the interim.
"Mr. Burke has been helping the town of Hanson with our IT needs since we've been without somebody. He has done it without, basically, without any hiccups along the way, and he really has kept us going in a forward direction," Green said.
The board also accepted the resignation of Kerry Glass as local building inspector and appointed Edward Bayly as interim building commissioner through June 30, 2025. Bayly, currently the building commissioner in Halifax, will work part-time for Hanson under an intermunicipal agreement.
The Select Board is scheduled to meet again on Jan. 28, where they hope to review more detailed budget information and potentially interview candidates for open positions, including a new building commissioner and veterans service agent.