The polls are open at St. Theresa's Parish today, Friday, March 22, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. so residents can vote to finalize the appropriation approved at Special Town Meeting Monday and add the $15.5 million to the school building project.

If residents vote to approve the additional funds, the project will remain on schedule, items will not be removed from the budget, the MSBA will still reimburse the original amount planned and there will be no annual impact on the operating budget. The school will be built the way it was originally designed.

Based on the average home value of $450,000, the tax increase will be $176 per year.

If residents decide not to approve the additional funds and vote against it, there could be up to a seven-month project delay at a cost greater than $400,000 per month, the project will not be constructed as it was originally designed and several items will be removed from the budget, including cooling, sports fields, rubber stair treads, tennis courts, vinyl tile flooring and much more.

A "no" vote also means that the MSBA will reevaluate their planned contributions and will take away some of the reimbursement money they planned to give the town. The town has already received some reimbursement funds from the MSBA, which creates the possibility that the town will owe them money.

"I was shocked and disappointed to learn last Monday, after several members of the SSBC met with MSBA prior to Town Meeting that a "NO" vote will result in MSBA reducing its reimbursement commitment," Selectman Mike Prisco said.

Residents are encouraged to vote Friday between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at St. Theresa's Parish.