Westhampton at ‘crossroads’ heading into Saturday’s override vote

WESTHAMPTON — Town officials are asking residents to vote “yes” on a $500,000 Proposition 2½ override this Saturday, warning that if the measure fails reductions would be made in every corner of the town from schools and road services to the fire department and library.

The override question will be the only item on the ballot for the special Town Election on Saturday, April 11. Polls will open at Westhampton Town Hall at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. The deadline for early voting by mail ballots must be dropped off.

If the override fails, 13% of funding will have to be cut from every department, decreasing town services significantly.

“Westhampton is at a crossroads,” said Select Board member Jennifer Milikowsky. “I really hope that we get a lot of resident participation and votes, and that everyone in town can feel that they can decide what direction we choose.”

If the override fails, $275,000 would be cut from Westhampton Elementary School and $100,000 from the Department of Public Works (DPW), the two departments taking the brunt of the potential impact.

The elementary school would lose five full-time and one part-time employees, and a paraprofessional’s hours would be reduced. Specifically, three interventionists, a library and media paraprofessional, a health position and a custodian would be lost.

Interventionists support 37% of current elementary students, and the cuts would result in the closing of the library, daytime custodial services would be removed, support for students with individualized education programs (IEP) would be reduced and teachers would have to provide required health services by themselves.

At the DPW, there would be a 38% reduction in highway materials, meaning there would be less upkeep of town roads and slower repair times for things like potholes. The staff of the transfer station will have their hours reduced, keeping the station only open on Saturdays.

The remaining $125,000 would be cut from several other departments.

General town operations would be cut by $60,000, meaning there would be no cost-of-living increases for town employees and the town coordinator’s hours would be reduced. Town Hall would only be open two days a week and grant management would be eliminated, resulting in less future funding opportunities.

Public Safety would lose $40,000, reducing a patrol officer’s hours, resulting increased response times from State Police. The Fire Department would have fewer training opportunities, which already relies completely on volunteers.

Culture and recreation services would lose $16,000, meaning the library’s staff would have hours reduced, having to close an additional night a week and have a more challenging state certification process.

The Council on Aging budget would be reduced $9,000, resulting in the loss of programing and support for seniors in town who make up 40% of residents.

Town officials have been deliberating for months on how to address the deficit Westhampton is facing for the upcoming year. The town’s property taxes make up 94% of revenues, meaning income is limited. Westhampton has a high per capita income, meaning the state provides less aid to them, town officials say.

“With minimal new growth each year and rising expenses due to inflationary costs, health insurance spikes and energy price increases, maintaining level services has outpaced the town’s current tax levy limit,” a statement from town officials says.

If the override fails on Saturday, final cuts to town departments would be decided at annual Town Meeting on May 9.

“The impacts of these cuts will be felt in all departments and will negatively affect Town services,” town officials wrote. “Every department head will make cuts that greatly stretch services and supplies, leaving little room to address unanticipated maintenance or handle emergencies causing unknown ripple effects in day-to-day operations.”