Hatfield voters pass Prop. 2 1/2 override to aid schools

May 23, 2023 | Ryan Feyre
rfeyre@thereminder.com

HATFIELD — A $1.25 million Proposition 2½ general override was passed at the Hatfield town election on May 16.

In a 602-444 vote, Hatfield residents approved the override, which means that money will officially be added to the $12.77 million budget approved at the spring Town Meeting on May 9.

The passing of the override means that certain Hatfield Public Schools programs are either maintained or expanded in certain capacities.

For example, the public schools can now add a foreign language class to the Hatfield Elementary School while the average class size will stay at 12. If the override had not passed, the school would have seen a loss of music and art specials as well as an increase in class size by 33%.

At Smith Academy, meanwhile, the average class size will stay at 10, while seven AP classes and two language options will be available. Additional performing arts classes and an additional computer science program will also be available at Smith.

The override also allows middle school, junior varsity and varsity sports to be preserved as well as all of the electives at Smith Academy.

Aside from the override, voters also elected Gregory Gagnon as a new member of the Select Board after current member Brian Moriarty decided to step down after serving nine years on the board. Gagnon earned 410 votes and defeated Kerry Flaherty and Amie Jones for the position.

During a candidates forum before the election, Gagnon said he spent 34 years as a member of the Easthampton Fire Department and served as a union president. He said he has also spent 25 years as an EMT in Hatfield and managed the ambulance for the town’s Fire Department for 15 years.

“I’ve always wanted to run for Select [Board],” Gagnon said during the candidates forum. “I’ve been retired for just over one year, and I feel I have adequate time to put into this position.”

The other contest during the election included a three-year term on the Board of Health, which Timothy Menz won with 538 votes, beating out Susan Slyz’s 471. Menz will take Elizabeth Kugler’s position, who opted not to run for re-election.

“I’m passionate about evidence-based medicine and public health,” said Menz, who currently works as a practicing physician at Baystate Health.

In other non-contested races, Robert Betsold will replace Joseph Lavallee as moderator while Alaina Wilcox, the current assistant town clerk, will take Lydia Szych’s spot as town clerk.

Rebecca Bench and Christy Boudreau, meanwhile, won re-election for a three-year term on the School Committee.

Readers may check the other results by visiting the link on the town website: https://www.townofhatfield.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif3246/f/news/final_results_5_16_23.pdf.

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