$6.5 Million Override Would Mean More Public Safety Staff, New Textbooks for Schools

A proposed $6.5 million override would be used to increase public safety staffing, pay for repairs by the department of public works, and hire more teachers and buy supplies in the schools.

If passed by voters, the schools would receive $3 million, the department of public works; police; and fire would all received $1 million each, the remaining $500,000 would go to various departments.

According to a presentation from an informational meeting held on June 23, the police department would hire 10 additional officers to increase the staff to 104 sworn officers.

Like the police department, Weymouth Fire would also make some new hires. The fire department would fill two vacancies, create five new openings, and move five salaries currently paid for by SAFER grants to the Weymouth payroll.

The override would also the department to renovate and reopen Station #2 on Broad Street.

For the department of public works, an extra $1 million would mean the restoration of the highway superintendent position, $250,000 to buy equipment to repair three miles worth of sidewalks, and $200,000 to offset expected increases in trash pickup.

For the schools, who would get most of the funds, an override would mean several new hires and purchase of materials such as new textbooks to replace books that are at least 10 years old, Chromebooks, and computer hardware.

About $2 million would be dedicated to hiring personnel with just under $950,000 for curriculum and equipment-related needs.

Voters will have their say on the override during a special election on Aug. 4.

Click here to read the presentations from this week’s informational meeting.