March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

SAD 48 budget narrowly approved

NEWPORT — Voters in the six towns of SAD 48 went to the polls Monday and narrowly approved an $11.9 million budget for 1998-99.

Not all of the five individual articles in the budget passed in each town, but each town approved adult education funds, Article 5.

“Obviously the selectmen do have some say in the budget. There was a problem in Newport and it shows,” Superintendent William Braun said.

Late last week, Newport selectmen issued a statement pointing out the budget had increased more than they expected, and more than they were originally told in March. Newport voters defeated the funding articles for the budget, including the acceptance of state funding. The vote on Article 1 was 36 yes, 37 no; Article 2, 33 yes, 40 no; Article 3, 33 yes, 39 no; Article 4, 34 yes, 39 no. But funding for adult education was approved 40-32.

A total of 255 voters cast ballots across the district.

The vote in the remaining towns also followed the support given by town officials, Braun said. The town managers in Hartland and St. Albans, and a selectman in Palmyra, all publicly expressed support for the budget and those towns voted in support of the budget. Corinna also supported the budget.

Passing a school budget in the town of Plymouth is always a tough sell and this year was no exception. Plymouth voters defeated each article and tied on adult education funding 13-13. In the other articles the vote was Article 1, 10 yes, 15 no; Articels 2 and 3, 9 yes, 17 no; and Article 4, 8 yes and 18 no.

The final total for all of the towns was Article 1, 150 yes, 103 no; Article 2, 140 yes, 109 no; Article 3, 139 yes, 113 no; Article 4, 144 yes, 107 no; Article 5, 155 yes, 95 no.

The SAD 48 board of directors will meet at 7:30 tonight at the Nokomis Regional High School library for a special meeting to accept the vote.


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