Duxbury voters approve a $1.89 million operating override

Duxbury voters approved a $1.89 million operating override Saturday, backing a scaled-down proposal aimed at restoring public safety and school funding after a larger request failed last year.

According to unofficial results, the Proposition 2½ override passed by a vote of 2,128 to 1,859, a margin of 269 votes. The measure raises the town’s levy limit to fund the fiscal 2027 operating budget and restore positions that had been cut in recent budget cycles.

The override represents a significantly smaller request than the $5.8 million override proposal rejected by voters last year, reflecting what town officials described during the campaign as a more targeted approach to maintaining core services.

About 74 percent of the new funding is designated for public safety and education. The plan includes funding to hire additional patrol officerxs and paramedics while also supporting the public school system.

A portion of the school funding will help implement universal free full-day kindergarten, an initiative educators have said is important for early learning and student readiness.

Supporters of the override argued that rising costs and service demands required additional revenue to maintain the town’s existing level of services.

Selectboard Incumbents Reelected

In the town’s Selectboard race, voters returned incumbents Mike McGee and Brian Glennon II to office.

McGee led the field with 2,677 votes, followed by Glennon with 2,409 votes. Challenger Derek Bennett finished third with 1,487 votes. Tallies are still unofficial.

Alden School Study Wins Strong Support

Voters also approved a second ballot question authorizing $1.75 million in borrowing for a feasibility study and schematic design for Alden Elementary School.

That measure passed by a wider margin, 2,370 to 1,584.

The study allows Duxbury to remain in the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) pipeline, which could make the town eligible for state reimbursement if a future renovation or construction project moves forward.

Town officials have said the study is intended to evaluate possible solutions for the aging school building, which has faced recurring maintenance issues including heating system failures and flooding during recent storms.

The vote authorizes only the planning stage of the project and does not commit the town to a specific construction proposal.