Marblehead Voters Deny Override; Change Select Board, School Committee

MARBLEHEAD, MA — A $2.5 million tax override vote that would have restored "level-funded services" to Marblehead residents for fiscal year 2024 failed in the annual spring election Tuesday where several incumbents were also voted out.

The override, which would have amounted to about $248 for the median single-family homeowner for a property assessed at $800,000, needed a majority vote for passage.

According to unofficial results, the measure was defeated by a 3,399 to 2,992, or 51.5 percent to 45.4 percent.

School officials had said a "no" vote — and corresponding "reduced-services budget" — would result in the cutting of 33 equivalent positions and programs, including high school freshman sports, middle school library services and a middle school language program, in reductions that Superintendent John Buckey has repeatedly called "gut-wrenching."

The list of 33 equivalent positions being eliminated in the reduced-services budget: district clerk, Glover secretary, payroll coordinator, Village custodian, district human resources director through a reorganization, behavioral specialist, (5) lunch paraprofessionals, a preschool paraprofessional, two high school paraprofessionals, a permanent substitute, a middle school librarian, a technology specialist, a Glover school tutor, an evaluation lead teacher, high school math teacher, (2) high school science teachers, high school English teacher, middle school Latin teacher, Village music teacher, Village physical education teacher, (2) Village school grade level teachers, Brown school special education teacher, Glover speech teacher, Brown school tutor and all high school freshman-level athletic teams and their coaches.

Buckey had called the cuts non-negotiable should the override fail.

The School Department had requested a $3 million supplemental budget general override last year that also won overwhelming support at the annual town meeting, but failed the townwide vote by a 2-to-1 margin.

Marblehead voters last passed a Proposition 2 1/2 general override in 2005.

Among elected offices, four of the five Select Board members were re-elected with challenger Bret Murray also earning a seat along with Alexa Singer, Erin Noonan, Moses Grader and Bill Nye. Incumbent and former Chair Jackie Belf-Becker was not re-elected to her seat.

Select Board Results (unofficial; elect 5)

3,764 Alexa Singer

3,762 Erin Noonan

3,596 Bret Murray

3,311 James Nye

2,940 Moses Grader

2,615 Jackie Belf-Becker

There will be a similar turnover on the School Committee where Jennifer Schaeffner and Brian Ota were elected to the two seats up for a vote ahead of incumbent and former Chair Sarah Gold and Paul Baker.

School Committee Results (unofficial; elect 2)

3,052 Jennifer Schaeffner

2,497 Brian Scott Ota

2,390 Sarah Gold

2,262 Paul Baker

Here are the other contested races from this year's election:

Board of Health Results (unofficial; elect 1)

2,937 Thomas McMahon

1,618 David Belf-Becker

1,021 Thomas Massaro

Library Board of Trustees Results (unofficial; elect 2)

3,211 Katherine Barker

3,109 Gary Amberik

1,683 Rose McCarthy

3-Year Light Commissioner (unofficial; elect 1)

3,295 Lisa Wolf

2,475 Walter Homan

1-Year Light Commissioner (unofficial, elect 1)

2,759 Adam Smith

2,460 Nathaniel Burke

Parks & Recreation Commissioner (unofficial, elect 5)

3,311 Matthew Martin

3,008 Linda Rice Collins

2,906 Linda Ernst

2,890 Rossanna Ferrante

2,740 Shelly Bedrossian

2,658 Larry Simpson

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)