RSU 9 director asks 2 Farmington voters to hold budget questions

FARMINGTON — A Regional School Unit 9 school director asked two Farmington women to hold questions Wednesday night while they were waiting for the districtwide budget meeting to vote on a proposed $32.97 million school budget.

Director Nancy Porter of Farmington gave a handwritten note to Elaine Graham and told her to pass it to Cheryl Best, two seats away.

The note read, “Ladies – Do us a favor – sit back and hold your questions and comments until after the 1st + second articles. There is something going on behind the scenes.”

Porter declined comment on the matter Thursday.

Board Chairwoman Jennifer Zweig Hebert of Starks said the note was not drafted by the board.

“The note that was given to audience members Elaine Graham and Cheryl Best during the recent budget meeting by a board member was done without the knowledge of the rest of the board or the administration,” she said. “It should not be considered an action of the board but rather one of a private individual.”

Graham and Best did not speak until after the articles were voted on. Neither was available for comment on Thursday.

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