Bellingham Select Board hears warning: override failure means 37 staff cuts

BELLINGHAM — May 5, 2026 — Bellingham school officials warn Select Board that a failed override means 37-plus staff cuts and program eliminations. School Committee Chair Ray Marano and Superintendent Dr. James Morano told the board Monday that $4.2 million in reductions — including the cancellation of all high school clubs, middle and high school athletics, the BRIDGES mental health transition program, and a $150,000 maintenance cut — would follow if voters reject a $3 million Proposition 2½ override at annual spring Town Meeting. The town's direct cost for the school system is $26,210,000, with the remaining portion of a roughly $40 million budget covered by state aid and grants. Town Administrator Joe Layton clarified that override funds would become the school department's base budget going forward, not a one-time addition. Three parents testified about specific impacts, including one whose daughter relied on the BRIDGES program to recover from a mental health crisis and advance to sophomore year. The board also unanimously sanctioned the town's Memorial Day parade and approved a beer and wine license transfer for Bellingham Beer and Wine at 20 North Main Street.