Franklin voters give thumbs up to override

The "yes" vote on last week's override ballot saved the Franklin schools from drastic, but not all, cuts in staff.
(Globe staff photo by Pat Greenhouse)

FRANKLIN

Voters came out in favor of a Proposition 2 1/2 operating override yesterday, the first "yes" vote in the half-dozen times that such a measure has been on the municipal ballot.

The $2.7 million supplement to the municipal budget was approved by about 1,300 votes. In total, 8,750 votes were cast, representing about 48 percent of registered voters.

According to Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting, the override vote spared both the library and the schools from significant cuts. Without the override, the library faced laying off 8 staff members and having its hours cut back dramatically.

The school department, which had requested a $6 million budget increase, was considering laying off 40 teachers if the override didn't pass. Even with the additional $2 million from the override, the schools will still trim 15 teaching positions, School Committee chairman Jeffrey Roy said last week.

-- Alison O'Leary Murray