Staff Writer
DYER BROOK — A $4.8 million budget proposal drafted in CSD 9 was sent back to the drawing board after voters rejected the funding request in their June 10 referendum. Collectively, more than half of the voters in member towns turned down the 2009 budget proposal, voting 161 for and 244 against it. The $4.8 million total, which gained majority approval in a June 2 budget hearing, represents a $265,829 increase over last year’s budget. New state rules this year require school budgets to pass two sets of votes, one at a public hearing and a second, town-by-town referendum.
Of CSD 9’s six member towns, majorities in four — Crystal, Island Falls, Merrill and Smyrna — voted against the budget. Of those four towns, Island Falls voters showed the strongest opposition: 145 voted against the budget; 33 voted for it. (See page 3 for a complete list of town-by-town totals.)
Superintendent Terry Comeau said a special board meeting is being planned for Monday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the school. School committee members, town officials and all members of the public are invited.
“We’re going to look at the budget and see what we can put together,” he said.
Comeau chalked the rejection up to “tough times,” adding that some residents at the budget hearing had expressed dissatisfaction with the district’s proposed $68,000 bus purchase.
“We know times are hard so we’re going to take a look at it (the budget) and see where we can make changes,” he added.
As it stands now, the budget reflects a 5.8 percent increase. Some increases factored into the budget included $126,000 for fuel and electricity, $68,000 for a bus purchase, $68,921 for health insurance and $88,000 for salary increases. Budget reductions proposed include a reduction in two teacher positions, one-half assistant principal and one bus run, cutting $158,000 from the total.
