DURHAM – Voters at town meeting Saturday authorized the School Committee to spend a total of $5.3 million, of which $1.8 million will come from local taxes.
Additional local funds for schools totalled $665,321, which exceeded the state’s Essential Programs and Services Funding model by $44,586. This prompted the School Committee to recommend that $350,000 from its undesignated fund be used to help lower the tax impact on the town.
In order to spend more than the Essential Programs model, a two-thirds vote of town meeting was required under state law. That was easily met by a secret ballot of 98-18.
The overage is due to the additional cost of high school tuition, renovation bond payment, and elements related to Durham’s small school, such as smaller class sizes, it was explained.
Voters approved a $1,470,161 municipal budget, which, after anticipated revenues, will require $625,852 in local tax dollars.
In other action, voters accepted ownership of the historic Methodist Church at “Methodist Corner” on Runaround Pond Road, from the Historical Society; put no money into the transfer station account; and appropriated $20,364 in cable franchise fees for the operation of the public access TV station, town Web site and newsletter.
Also, voters $3,000 for payment on the ambulance service contract with Northeast Ambulance, and accepted Cottagewoods Road, Eagle Point, Patriot Way and Foxborough Woods as town roads.
Defeated was a citizen-petitioned article that would have increased the number of free trash tags allocated to households from 26 to 52 per year.
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