RSU 10 budget leading with one town reporting

DIXFIELD — With four of the 12 member towns of RSU 10 reporting results, the proposed budget for 2014-15 was leading by a vote of 731-456.

Mexico Regional School Unit 10 board member Peter DeFilipp, who ran unopposed, got 456 votes for a full three-year term. He replaced long-term member Betty Barrett a few months ago.

Mexico voted 281-218 for the RSU 10 budget. Peru approved it 223-113. Canton also voted in favor, 153-52. Hartford’s talley was 74-73 in favor.

Townspeople who attended a districtwide, town meeting-style election last week approved the proposed amount.

To arrive at the $36.2 million proposed budget, the board eliminated 44 full- and part-time employees, reduced sports and extracurricular activity budgets by $150,000 and closed the former Dixfield Elementary School, which has served in recent years as the district’s Central Office and as space for additional classrooms for adjacent Dirigo High School.

RSU 10 comprises the towns of Canton, Carthage, Peru, Dixfield, Byron, Mexico, Roxbury, Rumford, Hanover, Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner.