SABATTUS – Members of the School Committee and townspeople met Tuesday night at Sabattus Central School to discuss the proposed 2009 budget rejected in a referendum last week.

The results of that referendum, according to committee member Tamela Paradis, were “ambiguous,” a sentiment mirrored by other committee members.

In the June 10 referendum, the vote was 264-261. Because 28 of those in the majority wanted a higher budget, “the interpretation of that vote could go one way or another,” Paradis said.

The discussion Tuesday centered on how the budget should be adjusted before taking it to residents for another vote. “It’s a mixed review in terms of what (Wednesday’s) referendum tells you,” said Susan Hodgdon, superintendent of schools for Union 44. “So it comes down to what the committee thinks is a reasonable budget.”

“The majority basically said they can live with that budget, or want it higher,” said committee member Chris Trentholm, the committee’s business manager.

“I think we presented an acceptable budget,” said committee member Michelle Ames.

“I believe it was an acceptable compromise,” agreed member Robert Gayton Jr.

Several of the committee members hinted they would have liked a higher budget.

“As one person said, ‘We cut about as much fat as we could,'” remarked committee member Gary Blais.

One difficulty stemming from the referendum, according to committee members, was the wording on the ballot. Though local taxpayer contribution would have actually decreased, because of increased state funding and money left over from last year, the question on the ballot asked voters to accept or reject an increase in the school’s total budget. “Information in the voting booth was very confusing,” Ames said.

Voters recognized the increase in the budget, “but they didn’t understand the decrease to taxpayers,” Trentholm said.

Trentholm also explained that because the committee had previously appropriated money for oil at a rate of $3.30 per gallon, additional funds would likely need to be put toward fuel costs as the price increases. This addition to the fuel budget, he said, would not necessarily affect the total budget.

To avoid increasing the fuel budget, the committee suggested making changes to the schools’ transportation arrangements. “These shifts in transportation would be a change in the way we’ve done things in Sabattus for a long time,” Sabattus Elementary School Principal Beverly Coursey said.

However, a motion was ultimately made to increase the fuel budget by $20,000, meaning a matching increase in the total budget. The motion passed unanimously, and the new budget will be presented to voters at a date to be announced.

Before the meeting ended, a motion to appoint Darcy Duncan as guidance counselor at the elementary school was also unanimously passed.