JAY – The opinion poll calculations have been completed on town and school services to help officials decide where cuts should be made in next year’s budget preparations.

About 2,200 surveys were mailed to taxpayers. About 10 percent were returned.

The results were close in many cases, with some overwhelmingly supportive of services and others not.

Nearly 80 pages of comments were typed in by Town Manager Ruth Marden; when she needed help, the town office staff stepped up to lend a hand in typing.

People didn’t favor cutting the Fire Rescue Department budget, in a 167 “no” to 75 “yes” result.

They also didn’t want to shut the town office one day per week for a $7,900 savings, with 145 people saying “no” and “104” yes.

They would like to see dispatch services provided by Franklin County for a savings of about $154,710, with 147 indicating yes and 104 no.

Residents also don’t favor leaving a police position vacant for a savings of about $56,000, with 136 people indicating no and 116 yes.

Residents also overwhelmingly want to keep their curbside pickup of trash and recyclables, with 201 saying “no” to elimination and 47 “yes.”

Eighty-six people want the highway department budget to stay as is, with 80 wanting to fill a vacant slot with a seasonal position and 32 wanting the position filled with a full-time worker. Sixty-seven people want to leave the position unfilled.

Residents also want to keep funding the building reserve account, with 135 indicating yes and 114 no.

It was a narrow decision to continue to fund summer recreation for children, with 125 saying “yes” and 118 “no.”

They also don’t want to see library services reduced, by a 158 no to 76 yes result.

On the school side, residents want to reduce most of the accounts rather than maintain them.

They also favor investigating consolidation with another school district, with 159 residents indicating yes and 81 no.

Residents don’t want to reduce health services for schoolchildren, with 166 supporting maintenance of that budget and 81 wanting to reduce it.

People also want to see central office administration reduced, 160 to 84.

Residents also would like transportation costs reduced, 140 to 110.

Those responding to the question about instruction want to reduce that budget, 162 to 84.

Adult education was split, with 128 wanting to maintain it and 127 favoring a reduction.

People want the food service to be maintained, with 144 favoring and 102 wanting a cut.

They also want special education services budget to be maintained, by a margin of 144 to 102.