PHILLIPS – With three towns reporting results on the SAD 58 school referendum, the budget was gaining approval with 147 yes votes to 63 no Tuesday night.

Kingfield voters approved the question 59-20, Avon 38-21 and Eustis 50-22. Results from Phillips and Strong were not readily available.

During a public meeting held last week, voters from the five towns accepted a $9.8 million budget, up from last year’s $9.2 million.

Tuesday’s vote was a yes or no on the budget approval from last Thursday.

After cuts were made to try to balance the budget, some voters at that meeting attempted to add money to the budget, said Superintendent Quenten Clark on Tuesday.

A motion was made to add $40,000 to restore some library services but the motion failed. The board had reduced the libraries to half-time, he said.

A second motion was made to add $10,000 to the $9.8 million to pay for a late bus run from the high school. That would athletes, detention students and those seeking academic help, he said. The motion passed.

The cost to the five towns for the fiscal 2009 budget is $3.9 million, up from $2.8 million for 2007-08.