BETHEL — With little discussion, about 50 residents from SAD 44’s five member towns unanimously approved the proposed 2012-13 operating budget of $9,989,269.

The approved figure is $261,969, or 2.69 percent, higher than the current year’s budget.

Residents from Bethel, Andover, Newry, Woodstock and Greenwood will now decide in their individual towns whether to accept the approved budget by referendum during the June 12 primary election.

Superintendent David Murphy said Tuesday’s adopted budget is about $10,000 more than the budget adopted in school year 2007-08.

“Over the past few years, we’ve been challenged by less state aid. This year, we have more carryover and a little more state aid,” he said.

The approved budget reinstates several positions that had been eliminated during the past few years or had been funded by federal dollars, or in the case of Woodstock Elementary School, by Patriot Renewables LLC, which is the firm that built a wind turbine project in Woodstock.

These include grade 5 teachers at WES and Crescent Park Elementary School, a half-time school-to-work position at Telstar High School, a math teacher at Telstar Middle School, and several half-time secretaries.

Also, additional money was added for professional development, and to contract for an hourly business manager.

Moderator Jim Largess, of Newry, asked those attending Tuesday’s budget vote to refrain from asking questions about Andover Elementary School and to attend a school board meeting with their concerns instead.

At least for this year, the school will remain open thanks to a vote by the SAD 44 school board that accepted an additional payment of $68,000 from the town to keep the school open for school year 2012-13.

Murphy said the district is currently working on a five-year plan that would clearly outline capital projects that should be done to schools.

He also said that residents will have a say in a major renovation project for the Telstar Middle/High School complex later in the year.

The district has set aside $1.2 million during the past few years, and received word that it has been approved for a no-interest loan of $1.3 million to bring the complex up to modern standards, including energy efficiency.

The Crescent Park Elementary School major renovation and addition, which was financed for 20 years, will be paid for next year, he said.

If voters on June 12 don’t approve Tuesday night’s decision, Murphy said a special board meeting will be held to determine what the district’s next step would be.

 

 

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