Thank you, Marblehead!

For the first time in 21 years, Marblehead said YES to a general override and did so at a level that truly addresses our long-term financial challenges and makes meaningful investments in our future. They made it clear that this is a community worth investing in. 

We are so thankful for everyone who came out to support this campaign in ways both big and small; a huge team’s contributions made this possible. We’re particularly indebted to the elected officials who put a multi-year, multi-tier override forward, and to the members of our core team who poured every ounce of themselves into this effort for the last 12 weeks. None of this would have been possible without their efforts.

The work is far from over. Marbleheaders are making meaningful financial sacrifices for the well-being of the town and those funds need to be properly monitored and stewarded. And some residents will need support to absorb the financial impacts of the override.

For Marblehead will be here for all of it. We built this organization to support a long-term mission of sustainable funding, responsible policies, good governance, and a civic culture that brings the community together to support Marblehead's future - and we’re happy to report that this mission resonated with thousands of people. We look forward to continuing that work for Marblehead.

What does the $15MM override fund?

A broad overview…

  • Public Safety: SRO and police equipment restored; 2 police officers added; 4 firefighters added; 1 DPW Foreman & 1 Specialized HEO added

  • Town Services: DPW fully restored, service levels maintained; library fully restored — all staff & materials; parks groundskeeper restored with maintenance & materials budget increased; COA staffing fully restored with part-time social worker added

  • General Government: Community Dev. director restored with Asst. Planner & Conservation Agent added; finance clerk, training & equipment restored; IT Director & Budget Analyst added to Finance; cemetery laborer restored; Town Clerk special clerk restored; Grant Writer added to pursue external funding

  • Facilities & Capital: 2 Public Buildings custodians restored; $450K townwide building maintenance division created; $1M recurring capital for equipment, vehicles & buildings

  • Health: $60K investment in mental health counseling services

  • Schools (FY28–FY29): Staff salary contracts funded; Special Ed OOD tuition fully restored; revolving positions moved to General Fund; technology lease for student devices ($150K/yr); Full-Day Kindergarten fee eliminated; curriculum & professional development ($100K/yr); In-district 18–22 Special Ed program created (FY29); school building capital fund established ($500K, FY29)

  • Financial Health: Stabilization, OPEB & Workers Comp restored

How The Ballot Worked