Bellingham Select Board Sanctions Memorial Day Parade, Hears $4.2 Million School Cut Warning

BELLINGHAM — May 4, 2026 — Bellingham Select Board sanctions Memorial Day parade and hears detailed warning of 37 school staff cuts if override fails. The board voted unanimously Monday to formally sanction the 155th annual Memorial Day parade, which Police Chief Chris Miller said needed official town approval to protect municipal workers staffing the event. School Committee Chairman Rob Thompson and Superintendent Dr. Jim Marano presented a condensed version of the no-override budget to the full board, detailing the elimination of 37 positions district-wide, the end of middle and high school athletics, all extracurricular clubs, late buses, and a $150,000 maintenance reduction — totaling $4.2 million in cuts on top of 11 positions already eliminated last year. Marano emphasized that of the district's roughly $40 million budget, Bellingham's direct contribution is $26,210,000, with the remainder funded through state aid and grants. Three parents offered public comment, including one whose daughter relied on the school's Bridges mental health transition program — identified as among the programs at risk. Town Administrator Joe Layden also reported that the senior and veterans housing project at 46 Depot Street, a 58-unit single-story development on 5.2 acres, received state project eligibility, clearing the path for a formal ZBA application.