FARMINGTON – SAD 9 voters approved a $21.88 million spending package Tuesday by a wide margin.
It was a light turnout at the polls for the most part, clerks said.
Only Wilton had a good turnout, with 537 voters casting ballots. In addition to the SAD 9 referendum, that town had three contested municipal and school official races.
The proposal represents a 2.8 percent increase, or about $588,316 over this year’s budget. However, the package represents $153,575 less in tax commitment due to more state funding.
Voters in Chesterville, Farmington, New Sharon, Temple, Vienna, Weld and Wilton passed all 13 articles related to the budget.
New Vineyard voters rejected all but one, a $644,479 request for annual payment on debt service previously approved by voters for non-state-funded construction projects and minor capital projects. The vote was 20-15.
Industry voters passed only three articles, narrowly. Two addressed the district’s spending additional state, federal and other funds the district might receive and allowing the district to transfer not more than 5 percent of each expenditure line if an emergency or unexpected expense came up, provided there is no increase in the total budgeted expenditures.
With only 195 out of about 5,200 Farmington voters turning out, counting was done within 15 minutes after the polls’ closing at 8 p.m.
It was a slow day but not the slowest on record, said Farmington Town Clerk Leanne Pinkham. There was actually a selectmen’s race in which fewer than 70 voters turned out to cast ballots one year, she said.
The closest article in both Farmington and Temple was one for $1.76 million that covers administration and SAD 9 Board of Directors. That article was approved 154-40 in Farmington and 24-16 vote in Temple.
Weld voters approved the article 18-1. The closest articles in Weld, passed by 18-3 votes, were Article 3, and Article 4, which requested $1.74 million in additional local funds for school purposes.
In Chesterville, voters passed most of the articles by a narrow margin. Both the leadership article and one requesting the district to appropriate $1.1 million for other commitments including debt, squeaked by with 17-16 votes.
The closest vote in Wilton was also the leadership article, which was approved 285-185.
The $21.9 million proposal reflects higher costs of fuel oil, diesel fuel and health insurance. It also reflects reductions that include elimination of three teacher positions in kindergarten through grade eight, elimination of five education technicians in the special education program, and elimination of one bus driver custodial position.
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