CHESTER – Town Meeting rejected a proposed school budget for the Gateway Regional School District last night totaling $16.8 million.
Town Administrator Edward McDonald said 40 residents showed up for the meeting.
“That’s a big number for us,” he said, adding that the budget really drew people out.
Now that Chester has voted it down, the towns of Russell and Worthington will have their say. Russell is slated to vote Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., and Worthington will vote Oct. 1, also at 7 p.m.
McDonald said right now, it’s a waiting game.
“We have to wait for Russell and Worthington to vote,” he said. “If those voters reject it, it goes back to the school committee and they have until Dec. 1 to bring a budget back.”
If that happens, special town meetings will be scheduled to vote on the new version of the budget.
The Gateway Regional School committee will meet tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. at Blandford Elementary School.
