For the first time in 78 years, the town’s beloved Fourth of July celebration will not light up the summer sky after voters rejected a 2 ½ override at the May 11 election that would also have saved public safety jobs. This vote not only canceled a generations-old tradition but also triggered the loss and/or reduced hours for 19 municipal jobs, leaving residents mourning both a cherished and widely known community event and the livelihoods now caught in the fallout.

A letter was sent to all residents of Rutland from the Fourth of July Committee and the police and fire chiefs explaining that they were canceling due to the lack of available public safety personnel to staff the event after the July 1 layoffs occur.

Once this letter hit the streets of town, residents took to their keyboards in droves expressing how unhappy they were about the loss of this tradition, but most importantly how unhappy they were that donations will not be returned. That decision was made by the town’s legal counsel, based on Massachusetts General Laws, and had nothing to do with the Fourth of July Committee. 

So much noise was made over the loss of this event, news of it reached as far away as the UK Daily Mail, making it clear that this is an event that the town prides itself on.

“The extra details for this event are voluntary,” explained Police Chief Nicholas Monaco. “This event is not a public safety emergency, and I cannot force anyone to work. Last year fourteen of our officers worked the event; this year, we won’t have that many left.” 

It was also noted that there had been meetings held in March in which the possibility of losing the Fourth of July celebration was spelled out by the Fourth of July Committee in the event of a failed override. 

At the May 27 select board meeting, town officials considered what they called the equivalent of a Hail Mary save: including a temporary one-twelfth budget per month for the next two months, coupled with free cash reserves, to preserve municipal jobs and maintain essential services until residents would return to the polls in September 2026, to consider another override vote. If the one-twelfth budget passes at the Special Town Meeting in June, it was discussed, the town could potentially preserve the public safety personnel needed to hold the annual Fourth of July celebration and all municipal positions would be maintained through the summer. 

“If the override were to make it onto the ballot [of a June Special Town Meeting], the town would be asking for $296,404 which is two months of level services for all town departments,” explained Town Administrator Heather Butler.

Police Chief Nicholas Monaco asked, “Is this in the hopes of saving personnel or for a party?”

He continued, “Don’t get me wrong, I love the Fourth of July, and I want to save it, but I want to save my employees more.” 

“The motivation is to save town employees and services,” responded Sheila Dibbs, chair of the select board. “For me, being able to bring back a piece of the Fourth of July is a bonus, but I want to save the department you have worked a decade to build.”

“My biggest concern with this,” said Selectmen Leah Whiteman, “is that we would use all free cash and we would not have any remaining to cover a snow and ice deficit as well as any other necessary things if an override ballot were to fail. I do not want the public to think we have all this money we are sitting on. As much as I love the Fourth of July, I am really struggling with the fact that there is no budget if the override fails again.” 

Many residents in attendance at the May 27 select board’s meeting were opposed to the use of free cash in the hopes of saving all jobs until September. John Rokicki of 17 Prouty Lane - who had come to the select board’s meeting from the Fourth of July Committee meeting - clearly stated that the committee was not entertaining an option to bring back the parade, band or fireworks. It was later discovered that the committee has chosen to resign - en masse - at the conclusion of their term that ends July 31, 2026. 

“By trying to do this, we are extending for the party, not the people,” Michelle Van Reet of Charnock Hill stated. “I think we are going down a wrong path here,” she added. 

“I don’t feel confident in an override passing, “said Mike Dvareckas. “People are in a bad financial place and need to pay for food, mortgages, etc…people have been clear in saying no means no,” he added. 

Assuming the June 16 warrant does not end up asking for a one-twelfth budget, fireworks and parade advocates were hoping that Worcester County Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis’ offer to assist would provide a way forward for the Fourth of July.

In his letter to the Town of Rutland dated May 28, Evangelidis stated, “As you know, in previous years we have provided our Mobile Command Unit to help support operations. Additionally, the Sherriff’s Office is prepared to offer sworn deputies, civilian volunteers and any resources necessary to allow the originally planned festivities, or in the alternative, a scaled down celebration to occur.”

However, budget decisions were clarified when the select board and finance committee met on June 1 as WFP was going to press. At that meeting, the select board decided not to move forward with adding the 1/12 budget for two months to the Special Town Meeting warrant. No action was taken on Evangelidis’ offer to assist on the Fourth.

Karen Greenwood, a lifelong resident of Rutland who had organized the Fourth of July festivities for more than 20 years, is a current member of the Fourth of July Committee. She attended the June 1 meeting and made it clear that despite the sheriff’s offer to help, all the vendors and services have already been cancelled, and the grand marshal and parade judges have been notified that the parade will not occur. However, the events planned for the prior weekend on June 27 and 28 will be held. 

In addition, she said, because of the online vitriol that was directed to committee members, this has been the most disheartening experience she has ever undergone living in town.

The Special Town Meeting warrant will address the citizen’s petition initiated by Justin Bassett in an attempt to both call a special town meeting – which has been addressed - and to call for another override vote on the public safety/DPW override which would total $1,125,145 broken out as follows: $458,726 for the fire department, $449,496 for the police department and $216, 923 for the department of public works. Bassett’s financial proposal is nonbinding, however, which will be explained that evening. The school budget will also be addressed at the Special Town Meeting.

The override question returning to the ballot in September remains uncertain. The loss of the Fourth of July has caused a public debate unlike any witnessed in recent years. This is part of a larger debate involving how best to fund schools and towns equally.

The Special Town Meeting will be held at 6 pm, June 16, at Glenwood Elementary School on Glenwood Road. The warrant can be viewed on the town website rutlandma.gov.  W

Check back here for developments on this ongoing story.