Acushnet Select Board confronts $500,000 budget gap and school air quality cost surge

ACUSHNET — December 17, 2025 — Acushnet Select Board hears that elementary school air quality project costs may nearly double to $7 million. School Committee member Jesse Ellis, newly named as the air quality project liaison, told the board at the December 17 meeting that a late-October change in EPA guidance under the federal AIM Act will require replacement of air handling equipment that was to be reused under the original $4.2 million Trane proposal, adding an estimated $2.5 million to the scope. Select Board member Kevin Gaspar questioned whether a $7 million ask could win voter approval after 72 percent rejected the original debt exclusion in the spring, warning, "If 72 percent of the people said no at $4 million, how many percentage of the people do you think is going to say no to $7 million?" Assistant Town Accountant Jamie Vieira presented a budget outlook showing obligated cost increases of more than $1 million against projected new revenue of roughly $800,000, leaving a structural deficit of $450,000 to $500,000 before any departmental requests. Treasurer-Collector Jennifer Grant reported a personal property tax collection rate of 99.71 percent and a 67.8 percent increase in online payments since April.