By Jodi Hausen,Staff Writer

FAYETTE – Three articles on the town warrant created a buzz at the annual town meeting Saturday.

A majority of the discussion was about the school budget, particularly budgets for the superintendent-principal and a guidance staff, said Town Manager Mark Robinson on Monday.

A school budget of $1.681 million was adopted, with $967,313 of it to be raised from taxes for education. A total municipal budget of $930,5944 “went right through,” Robinson said.

In all, the town will need to raise a $1,326,457 in taxes which, he expects, will decrease the mill rate to $19.50 per $1,000 of valuation – down 50 cents from last year.

But taxpayers may not have similar results next year, he warned.

Townspeople agreed to a 3 percent increase in the municipal budget, a 4 percent increase in the county budget and a 5 percent increase in the school budget.

“The only reason we’re able to do this (decrease the mill rate) is because the town and school found other resources to lessen the impact. The resources to be used this year will not be available next year,” Robinson said. Voters approved using a $50,000 school surplus and a $30,000 town surplus to reduce taxes this year, he explained.

Residents spent the majority of the meeting, which lasted more than four hours, debating the school budget.

The superintendent-principal position was changed to a four-day-per-week job last year. Although the school board recommended a budget for the superintendent’s office of almost $74,000, including a $55,000 salary for a five-day position, voters supported the selectmen’s recommendation of just under $67,000.

However, voters supported the school committee for the principal’s office budget of nearly $36,000 rather than the selectmen’s suggestion of about $31,000. Both the superintendent’s and principal’s offices’ budgets include the position’s salary and other office staff expenses.

“In the face of potentially dwindling state aid, concerns were expressed about the merits of a full-time principal-and-superintendent,” Robinson said.

The school board will decide how to address the cut in its budget at its next meeting July 14, according to Mike Ventrella, board chair. The discussion will include whether to make the superintendent-principal job a four-day or five-day position.

With the retirement of Brian Coulthard, the school’s current principal-superintendent, the board has offered the position to Wilma Lombardi of Winslow. Lombardi agreed to take the position before her salary or work schedule was solidified. She comes to Fayette from School Union 133 – serving Windsor, Somerville and Palermo – where she is director of special services. She previously served as assistant superintendent for SAD 52, serving Turner, Greene and Leeds.

Townspeople also voted against funding a school guidance department at a cost of $2,000. There was no guidance department this year, although there is a full-time special education teacher, Ventrella said.

“Overall, I think the town meeting went fine,” he said.

“It took a little longer than anticipated, but it was a good process,” Robinson said.