Higher taxes pay for school's new roof

WHATELY, Mass. (WWLP) - Residents of Whately voted to boost their property taxes to install a new roof on the Whately Elementary School.

The school badly needs a new roof but voters needed to approve an override that would allow the town to go beyond the legal tax increase.

On Tuesday the voters approved the override but only a few people went to the polls.

School officials say the roof was getting old and was seriously damaged during a violent storm last year.

Now they are thrilled they will be able to replace the roof before it causes more problems.

Many residents are surprised the vote was passed with extremely low voter turnout.

"I had full confidence right along that this project would be ok'd by the voters, and from what I understand it wasn't even close," said Don Scott, the Business Manager of Whately Schools.

"It was such a small vote of people that went, we're having a recession right now so who wants their tax rate to go up," said resident Joanne Dickinson.

Town officials say they'll be replacing the shingled roof with a metal one to ensure a longer lasting building.