BETHEL — Residents of the five towns of SAD 44 will decide whether to adopt a $9.98 million budget when they attend a districtwide budget vote in the Helen C. Berry Auditorium of Telstar Middle-High School Tuesday, May 29.

The election begins at 7 p.m.

The proposed budget is up $261,969, or 2.69 percent, from the current year’s operating figure.

Superintendent David Murphy said the proposed budget has increased because of higher costs for the Region 9 School of Applied Technology because Telstar High School sends more students to the vocational school, and higher built-in costs such as contractual agreements and energy.

Voters will vote on a budget through action on 17 articles.

Among them is one to raise $157,866 for the district’s adult education program.

Of that amount, the district taxpayers would pay $79,068.

Other articles break down the overall proposed budget into such things as debt service, maintenance of the school-owned buildings, regular and special education instruction, vocational education and several other items.

Once Tuesday’s vote determines a budget figure, voters will go to the polls in their individual towns to approve or deny by referendum the budget coming out of the May 29 election.

If passed as is, local shares will rise by 2.8 percent for Andover residents, 1.3 percent for Bethel, 3.13 percent for Greenwood, and 0.9 percent for Newry. School taxes for Woodstock residents will decrease by 0.2 percent.

 

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