PRESS RELEASE – Town Meetings & Elections Update

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 28, 2024

TOWN OF GROTON – TOWN MEETING AND ELECTIONS UPDATE

This Press Release is being issued to update the public on issues related to the 2024 Spring Town Meeting, the April 2, 2024 Special Override Election, and the April 23, 2024 Annual Town Election. Please note the following:

2024 Spring Town Meeting – Due to the unprecedented number of voters that attended the 2024 Spring Town Meeting on March 26, 2024, the auditorium and spill-over room did not have sufficient space to conduct the meeting. After consultation with the Select Board, the Town Moderator determined that the Spring Town Meeting would be dissolved. While a new meeting date of May 4, 2024  was announced that night, this date is not binding as the Select Board needs to call for and post a brand new Special Town Meeting warrant to address the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and the other matters that were planned for the Spring Town Meeting. The Select Board will hold a remote, joint meeting with the Finance Committee and Groton Dunstable Regional School District Committee on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. (Zoom ID: 879 2064 9951, Passcode: 100978) to determine which date to call for the Special Town Meeting. The Board is currently considering either Monday, April 29, 2024 or Monday, May 6, 2024. Regardless of which date the Select Board picks, the Special Town Meeting will be held at the Groton Dunstable Regional High School, 703 Chicopee Row, Groton, MA.  It is anticipated that the meeting will be held in the gymnasium, with a capacity of 1,771 persons.  Should the meeting size exceed this, overflow space will be available within the building.  Residents will be notified by mail of the Special Town Meeting.

April 2, 2024 Special Election – The purpose of this election is to determine whether or not the Town of Groton will be allowed to increase the levy limit under Proposition 2½ by an additional $5.5 million.  Proposition 2½ limits the annual tax levy of the Town to an increase of 2½%.  Proposition 2½ allows the Town to ask the voters, through a ballot question, to override the levy limit and authorize an increase above the 2½% cap.  An override election can be called at any time to ask voters to increase the levy limit.  The Groton Town Meeting ultimately determines the total amount of appropriations (within the levy limit authorized by the voters) that will be spent on the operating budget of the Town and the Assessment of the Groton Dunstable Regional School District.   Regardless of the fact that Town Meeting was dissolved on March 26^th and the budget was not considered, this override election will still go forward on April 2^nd and the Town will consider the FY 2025 Budget at the Special Town Meeting described above based on the results of the override election. Polls will be opened on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Precinct 1 Residents will vote at the Groton Center, 163 West Main Street, West Groton, MA. Precinct 2 and 3 Residents will vote at the Groton Dunstable Middle School South Gymnasium, 344 Main Street, Groton, MA.

April 23, 2024 Annual Town Election – The Annual Town Election scheduled for April 23, 2024 will still be conducted on this date. At this election, residents will have the opportunity to vote for the following positions:

Respectfully submitted,

Mark W. Haddad

Town Manager