MECHANIC FALLS – The School Committee failed to take a stand on TABOR when committee member Dave Griffiths’ motion that the panel go on record opposing the initiative died for lack of a second.

“People will read this as a clear message that the School Committee doesn’t oppose TABOR,” Griffiths said.

Griffiths had argued that the committee, working with the budget committee, craft a responsible budget that provides quality education to Mechanic Falls students.

“There is no fat in our budget. Locally, we haven’t raised taxes for school in two years,” Griffiths said.

Passage of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, Griffiths feared, could reduce state subsidies to local schools below what is needed, putting greater pressure on local property taxes.

In his report, Director of Operations Gordon Murray noted that Town Manager John Hawley is investigating the possibility of getting a generator for the Elm Street School through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant.

Griffiths suggested that school officials check to see if there is money available for emergency generators through the Safe Schools program.

Murray also noted he is waiting for the results of an electrical energy audit conducted recently by Eastern Maine Cooperative. The evaluation seeks to determine what steps could be taken to save energy. EMC will also help identify grants to fund the implementation of energy saving measures.

Superintendent Nina Schlikin reported that Mechanic Falls pupils performed well on MEA tests given last spring.

Except for Minot fourth grade pupils’ scores in science, Elm Street School pupils scored higher than their counterparts in Minot and Poland in reading, math and science and scored at or above state average in all but fourth grade science and eighth grade math.

While pleased with the results, Principal Mary Martin said that both the K-through-third-grade and fourth-through-eighth-grade teams are looking into ways to help individual students who are not meeting standards.