DUDLEY, Mass. - The Town of Dudley will once again have an override vote in an attempt to balance their budget.

Hundreds of residents filled the auditorium at Shepherd Hill Regional High School Monday night for a special town meeting.

A vast majority of residents voted in favor of an article at the meeting which doesn't provide the town with a balanced budget, but with a budget contingent upon override funds. That means the override vote in August will be a determining factor on how services in Dudley are funded.

Town leaders described it as a "menu-style" vote on which services will get money. There have already been two override votes in Dudley this year, with both failing to pass.

The town's budget is out of balance by a little more than $900,000 because of additional funds owed to the regional school district. Residents and town leaders spoke very passionately on the issue during Monday’s meeting.

"You think this is where we wanted to end up? No!” said John Marsi, a member of the town’s Board of Selectmen. “Public safety has always been the number one priority of this board and every board I’ve sat on. But the state says we have to have a balanced budget, and we have to fund our school. That is very important. We got a bill, we've got to honor the bill."

"I don't know how the rest of our taxpayers will vote, but I know how I’m going to vote,” said another Dudley resident. “As much as I don't like it, I don't want to raise my taxes that much, but our town needs the money to survive and that's the bottom line."

Residents who spoke at the meeting most commonly shared concerns about cuts to emergency services like the fire department and the potential of increasing their tax rates.

The override vote will take place Thursday, Aug. 17.