UXBRIDGE, Mass. — Public schools in the Town of Uxbridge could be shut down by the summer, after town meeting members voted against the school's budget last week.
Superintendent Michael Baldassarre said the vote means the district will not have funding for staffing, programs or maintenance.
The town's select board voted Monday night to call a special town meeting on the school budget.
Baldassarre is hopeful he's able to revise the budget and present voters with accurate information.
"I honestly believe in a town where people value education, if they knew that voting down a budget would close the doors of the schools, there is no way possible that the great people of Uxbridge would allow that to happen to their kids,” said Baldassarre. “This is a town that believes in their kids, they believe in their sports, they want the best for their kids. This is one of those situations where we just have to be transparent, we have to be truthful, we have to be honest and the truth will prevail. We have a very good budget that makes a very good education system."
Baldassarre said residents voted believing the school would be funded on a month-to-month basis after receiving information from the town manager.
When asked about referencing the 1/12 budget, Town Manager Steve Sette said he was only talking about if voters rejected the entire town's budget.
He said if it was "misinformation" as is being portrayed, why didn't school leaders or committee members correct it.
Baldassarre will present the revised budget at the special town meeting on June 18.