More than 500 Hanson voters gathered outside at the Whitman-Hanson High School for the Special and Annual Town Meeting.
Hanson voters approved the amendment to the regional school district agreement with Whitman, and the budget for FY 21.
The agreement includes a compromise for this fiscal year, then all assessments move to the statutory method in FY 22. Hanson will pay $11.2 million, Whitman will pay $15.4 million.
This has been a hot topic for both towns over the past year, as the assessment been with a per-pupil method. Whitman town officials feel that they have been over-paying, and that the statutory method is more fair.
Hanson School Committee member Chris Howard says the compromise was best for both towns.
“When this first came up, we fought extremely hard to look at what are the options. We had attorneys come to our meetings. We had significant discussions about legal options. We talked at length about what was best for the town of Hanson,” said Howard. “We did that for months. At the end of that, what we determined and discovered was that all roads lead to statutory. That is not the town of Whitman’s decision, that is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ decision.”
Former Selectmen Bruce Young offered an amendment to split the statutory and per pupil method down the middle on a permanent basis.
“What we have here is a 60-year partnership that we would like to retain. What could be more fairer than that,” said Young. “You have not been given an opportunity under Article 5 to even vote on that.”
His proposed amendment was turned down by voters.
School Committee Chair Bob Hayes urged voters to approve the compromise.
“Hanson has a great partnership with Whitman for over 60 years. Neither town could survive or thrive without this partnership, 21st century learning is much different than people have experienced,” said Hayes. “The Whitman-Hanson Regional School District will be reinventing education as the requirements under COVID-19 are rolled out under the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.”
Resident Frank Milisi says it’s not ideal, but it’s the best way forward for the town.
“Everybody needs to pitch in here, because there are a lot of people who have been using this school system 30, 40 years ago, that would have been in the same situation I’m in right now. You guys used the system, you guys used all the money for it, and you don’t want to pay for it now. That’s a shame,” Milisi said to applause. “This is a great school system, this is a great town and every single person should be contributing to the youth of this town – past, present, and future.”
Both Whitman and Hanson voters approved the amendment and school budget.
The Hanson Town Meeting concluded two hours.
