RUMFORD – In less than 30 minutes, fewer than 40 people overwhelmingly passed the $14.3 million 2006-07 SAD 43 operating budget Thursday night.
Now, on Tuesday, residents of the four district towns will have a chance to validate or reject the budget in a referendum vote. Then they can decide whether the figure was too high or too low.
Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said he was pleased with passage of the budget, but disappointed that so few people turned out in Muskie Auditorium of Mountain Valley High School.
“It’s nice to have the support, but for 40 people to approve and move forward the budget for referendum is frustrating,” he said.
The budget was presented in 10 separate articles, offering residents a chance to ask questions, or change the proposed figures. Each article passed — some were unanimous and others had one or two dissenting votes. No one asked questions or commented.
In addition to the budget passage, residents also approved taking $214,419 from the Technology Reserve Fund to pay for technology equipment and infrastructure installed a couple of years ago.
If voters validate Thursday’s vote on Tuesday, then the budget will go into effect at the end of June. If not, then the SAD 43 board will likely meet soon after the election to decide whether to make changes to the budget, then begin the districtwide budget validation process anew.
Although the budget is 2.6 percent higher than this year’s, each of the four member towns will pay fewer dollars because of a $1.27 million increase in state aid to education.
Residents may vote on the budget from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Byron town office; from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Roxbury town office; from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mexico town office; and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Rumford.
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