Budget deficit threatens North Attleboro departments; jobs, school at risk

February 15, 2018 6:01 pm

By Alana Cerrone

acerrone@abc6.com

@Alana_Cerrone

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WLNE) – Stacey Nassaney remembers when the Allen Avenue School closed three years ago, and the effect it had on her children.

"The entire district was shifted around. All of their other friends now are at schools distributed throughout the town."

She hopes the same thing doesn’t happen to the 300 students at Roosevelt Ave. Elementary.

"There would be a very strong likelihood of this happening if the budget gap isn’t filled."

The town is dealing with a major deficit – the school department itself is $1.2 million behind. It has 4 options on the table to save money, and 3 include closing that school.

Teachers and staff would lose their jobs, and all the town’s elementary students would be redistributed.

"There’s an override on the ballot for April 3. If that override were to pass, all these things would not have to happen."

Schools aren’t the only public entity suffering

"There is concern we aren’t going to be able to fully staff departments the way we should. We’ve cut back people we’ve cut back hours we’ve cut back days…"

The override would essentially fill the gap and, among other things, keep the doors open at Roosevelt Ave.

If voters decide against the override, the school committee will vote which one of those 4 cost-cutting models to go with.