JAY – Voters passed a $16 million school and municipal spending package Monday.
Incumbent Mary Redmond-Luce received 277 votes to win re-election to the School Board.
Joel Pike and newcomer Brent DeSanctis tied with 244 votes for the second available three-year term, but after a second ballot count by hand, DeSanctis was declared the winner with 243. Pike got 237.
Incumbent Selectmen Bill Harlow and Rick Simoneau were unopposed and kept their seats.
Just over 13 percent, or 501, of 3,748 registered voters cast ballots in what Town Clerk Ronda Palmer termed a slow day at the polls.
Last year, 624 voters turned out for the annual town meeting referendum.
The town budget for 2005-2006 is $5.68 million, which is expected to be offset by $2.1 million in anticipated revenue. That figure represents a $74,830 decrease from this year’s budget.
The article to raise and appropriate $100,000 for the municipal building reserve account passed, 280-213.
A request to raise $40,000 for a municipal revaluation for the first of a two-year plan passed 286-203.
On the school side, the $10.5 million plan passed for the most part by a wide margin, except for a few reserve accounts.
The package represents a decrease of $101,692 from this year.
However, Jay taxpayers would be looking at raising $9.06 million through taxation, which is $567,972 less that what taxpayers raised for this year.
By a vote of 251-242, voters approved creating a reserve account for staff curriculum development. The money pays the costs associated with curriculum development. Jay School Department plans to implement a local assessment system during the next two years. This will require a new data-collection system and new procedures for staff. The proposed reserve will augment substantial budgeted costs for curriculum redesign, software systems and training for staff.
An article to set up a technology development reserve was approved 261-229.
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