With Two Towns Supporting, Chariho Budget Passes

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
April 10th 2024

WOOD RIVER JUNCTION – Hopkinton’s opposition to the 2024-25 Chariho regional School District budget wasn’t enough to keep it from passing. Tuesday’s referendum vote in that town, 513 no to 345 yes, did not overcome the support for the budget in Richmond and Charlestown.

Richmond’s totals were 486 yes and 358 no and Charlestown’s were 372 yes and 78 no.

Chariho Superintendent of Schools Gina Picard said Tuesday night that the approval of the budget confirmed that most residents support the school district.

“Today's school budget vote underscores the critical role that community investment plays in shaping the future of education,” she said. “It's a testament to our collective commitment to providing quality resources and opportunities for our students. Every yes vote cast is a declaration of support for our schools and the promise of a brighter tomorrow for our children. The support of the budget ensures that our schools can continue to provide the highest quality education and opportunities for all students. 

Voter Turnout

Voter turnout on Tuesday was low, especially in Charlestown, where only 6.6% of 6,748 eligible voters cast their ballots.

In Hopkinton, with 6,722 eligible voters, 12.7% voted and Richmond had the highest turnout, 12.8% of 6,570 eligible voters.   

School Committee President Catherine Giusti thanked those residents who did vote.

“I’m grateful to the taxpayers who took the time to vote yesterday,” she said. “The budget was the most confusing we have seen in a long time. The confusion was perpetuated by former politicians who have long been detractors of Chariho. I appreciate the voters’ commitment to public education, as I feel it's a cornerstone of our democracy.”

Confusion Persists

Even at the best of times, the Chariho budget is difficult to understand and explain to voters, but this year, it was further complicated by a second referendum that will take place on May 7. Voters will be asked to approve a bond of up to $150 million for the consolidation of the district’s four elementary schools into three new schools.

Hopkinton has, for years, fought efforts to close its second elementary school. This year, the annual budget and the bond were both linked to the future of Hope Valley School, with some residents believing, wrongly, that a vote against the budget would somehow keep the school from closing.

One social media post in the Hopkinton Community Forum urged residents to “vote no on school budget and save Hope Valley Elementary.”

Some Hopkinton residents are going a step further and taking legal action. School bond opponents are raising money to hire attorney Kelly Fracassa to sue the school district for violating Section 13 of the Chariho Act, which states that children who enter kindergarten “will be assured of matriculation at that school through grade 4 unless the family relocates outside the elementary school attendance district.”

Matriculation, the group argues, will not happen if the school is closed. The school district counters that with kindergarten enrollment already closed for the coming fall, Hope Valley will be a “grades 1 to 4 school,” so there won’t be any children in kindergarten who would otherwise matriculate.

Selling the Annual Budget

With Hopkinton expected to reject the budget and Charlestown expected to support it, Richmond was the key to budget passage or failure.

Some residents are ideologically opposed to public education, while for others, it’s about money and taking to social media to express their anger about tax increases.

This year, though, there was something new to be angry about: the school construction bond.

Jessica Purcell, who represents Richmond on the School Committee, said she had taken nothing for granted in the months before the referendum.

“Community outreach, that’s a priority of mine as a School Committee member,” she said. “I think that’s one of our main jobs, to take what we learn through our meetings and through our interactions with the administration, and bring that to the community.”

Purcell organized what she calls “neighbor forums” in each of the three towns, where residents could find the information they needed in an informal atmosphere.

“One of the things I most try to express is that the budget’s essentially a one-year contract to fund our school system, so every year, we have to go through this process, and the more people that are engaged, the better, and that’s not just voting,” she said. “That’s the long process of the meetings and expressing your opinion on what’s important to you, and we’ll be back at the negotiating table soon enough for the budget. It goes by fast.”

It is also important, Purcell added, to understand why people opposed the budget and to listen to their concerns.

 “I think the most important thing we can do is understand why folks are opposing it and if there’s a way for them to be part of the conversation, we need to do that,” she said.

Picard agreed that it would be important to make an extra effort to reach out to voters who had opposed the budget.

“We also remain committed to our community members who voted no to continue to provide transparency around our budget and to work hard to gain their trust and support to benefit all Chariho students and families,” she said.