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Committee debates 0.667 supermajority for key Whitman‑Hanson decisions
Summary
School committee members discussed adding a 0.667 (two‑thirds) membership threshold for certain financial and policy actions in the Whitman‑Hanson regional agreement, but agreed to refine the list and return with clearer language and examples.
Committee members spent the meeting debating whether certain votes in the Whitman‑Hanson Regional School District should require a 0.667 supermajority rather than a simple majority. The proposal, presented by S5, urged that items with clear fiscal impact — for example applying excess and deficiency funds, accepting/disbursing grants, or authorizing debt above specified amounts — be elevated to a 0.667 requirement so that towns could not be saddled unexpectedly with new costs. "The yellow is what would be changed to a 0.667 majority vote," S5 said, describing an Excel sheet shared with members and the meeting packet.
Supporters said the change would protect member towns from decisions that create new financial obligations without broader consensus; opponents warned that sweeping language could strip the committee of routine authority and create administrative complexity. S1 cautioned against including broad school‑policy items that have no financial consequence, saying that some changes "don't need to be in here" and that existing budget and policy processes already cover many examples. The group agreed to refine the list, produce concrete examples of affected votes, and bring revised language back for a formal vote and legal review.
