From the Phillipston Annual Town Meeting Warrant:


ARTICLE 11: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide the sum of $1,657,099 to pay its share of the Narragansett Regional School District budget for FY20, or act in relation thereto. Requires a majority vote to approve. Narragansett Regional School District Summary. This is the basic portion of the annual appropriation for the operating budget for the Narragansett Regional School District.

ARTICLE 12: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide the sum of $93,053 to pay its share of the Narragansett Regional School District budget for FY20, provided, however, that the vote taken hereunder shall be expressly contingent upon approval by the voters at an election of a Proposition 2 ½ override question pursuant to Chapter 59, Section 21C(g) of the General Laws, or act in relation thereto. Requires a majority vote to approve. Narragansett Regional School District Summary. This is the override portion of the annual appropriation for the operating budget for the Narragansett Regional School District.

from the Templeton voter's guide for Annual Town Meeting of May 15, 2019:

Anticipated Motion:

To see if the Town will vote I move to raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Million Four Hundred Seventy Nine Thousand Four Hundred Six Dollars and No Cents ($7,479,406.00), or some lesser amount, to fund the Town’s assessed share of the costs of the Narragansett Regional School District for FY’20, contingent upon the passage of a ballot question pursuant to G.L. c. 59, §21C(g) (Proposition 2 ½);

Or take any other action related thereto.

The motion means you are voting on an additional $988,336.00 in money so the Town (taxpayers) can pay the "bill" from NRSD. This simply increases the Tax levy limit, which in turn, allows for increase in property taxes in order to raise the additional funds to pay said bill. If you vote yes on article six, you are voting for one step of a two step process to allow an increase in your taxes. The next step is to vote for a question on the ballot for the annual Town election on May 20, 2019.
Phillipston voters already have approved the first step vi Town Meeting, their election is also on May 20.


Summary: We are required to put before you the appropriation needed to fully fund the assessment upon us certified by the Narragansett Regional School District. However, we do not have sufficient funds available without having to ask for additional taxing authority through the passage of a ballot question allowing us to over-ride the current taxing limits we operate under. If that override fails, we will have to come back to you at a Special Town Meeting to seek an appropriation for any revised request from the NRSD and any cuts we have to make to the Town budget to cover such a request.

The summary is just that; it is NOT what you are voting on, you vote on the MOTION!


Advisory Committee Comments & Recommendation:

This article is a contingent article, meaning it not only has to pass at Town Meeting, but an override ballot question must also pass at the annual Town election on May 20, 2019.

Advisory Committee recommends favorable action on this article. (5 yes – 1 no)