Georgetown goes a la carte

If you can't get voters to go for the big one, try it in smaller pieces.
That seems to be the approach in Georgetown, where voters defeated a $1.1 million Proposition 2 1/2 override by a small margin last spring.
All but one of the items on the warrant for this year's Annual Town Meeting May 5 are for one-time capital exclusions, with the exception of a $91,000 permanent override to pay the salaries of two per diem firefighters and a part-time fire chief.
The Board of Selectmen Monday approved and recommended passage of three ballot questions to address capital projects for the school department, including purchasing and equipping two vans ($45,000); purchase of two heavy-duty copiers; ($43,000); and security upgrades at the middle-high school ($60,000).
The total cost of these projects is $148,000, but Town Meeting will be able to approve or turn down each one separately.
Two other capital exclusions are being proposed to fix or replace the roofs at two town buildings; $125,000 for the Public Safety Building, and $50,000 for the Old Highway Garage.
It all adds up to $414,000. Town Meeting members can pass individual requests as is, approve smaller sums, or vote them down. Whatever survives goes to a townwide election a week later.

-- David Cogger