Groveland and Merrimac Voters Narrowly Sign-Off on Full Funding of Pentucket School Budget

Pentucket Regional School District Superintendent Justin Bartholomew. (WHAV News photograph.)

Voters in Groveland and Merrimac Monday somewhat narrowly joined their West Newbury partners in approving an override to the state tax-limiting law to pay for the operation of Pentucket Regional Schools.

Pentucket Regional School District Superintendent Justin Bartholomew told WHAV the votes allow the district to fully pay for its educational budget.

“I think what this does for us is it brings back a lot of the lost additions that had to be cut last year and it also reinstates the arts and athletics programs to where they were prior to last year’s failed budget,” he said.

Groveland voters agreed 841-832 to assess themselves an additional $1.25 million in real estate and personal property taxes, while Merrimac agreed 812-758 to add $860,000 to total real estate and personal property tax bills.

West Newbury approved its allocation at Town Meeting two weeks ago.

A year ago, both Groveland and Merrimac voters defeated what was called an “operational budget override” to pay for the district’s then-proposed $50 million spending plan.

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