LISBON — The town council voted Tuesday to send a proposed budget of just under $15 million to a referendum Aug. 11 — $416,893 lower than the budget recommended by the School Committee and $47,827 lower than the budget that went before voters in June.
A budget of $14.93 million, excluding adult education, was rejected at the June 9 Budget Validation Referendum, with voters at that time saying the budget was too low.
The town council and School Committee don’t agree on whether excess bond proceeds from the gym project can be used before the project is completed. Because of the recurring issue, the town council sought out independent legal counsel and was advised that using the excess bond proceeds was not an option, according to Town Council Chairman Dillon Pesce.
“They just aren’t getting it through their head,” Pesce said.
The council, therefore, did not authorize the expenditure of $255,742 in excess bond proceeds from the gym project under Article 20, nor did it approve the $48,809 in excess bond proceeds for the construction of the new track under Article 21, which it previously approved.
Articles 1 through 11 were rejected by the council because the overall budget the town council approved was less than that recommended by the School Committee. The town council is responsible for deciding the total funds to appropriate for the school budget, and the School Committee is responsible for deciding how to apply those funds within the line items.
In Article 12, the amount recommended by the School Committee was higher than the actual amount required under the Essential Programs and Services Funding by $65,420. Pesce said the council voted to authorize only $4.41 million as required under the Act.
As for Article 14, councilors previously voted to reduce the recommended amount of additional local funds from $559,285 to $515,551. The School Committee’s recommendation rose to $627,893, but the town council stuck by its original decision to appropriate only $515,551.
For other articles, the council:
* Voted to approve $477,356 to be raised for the annual payments on debt service.
* Voted to appropriate $152,858 for adult education, and raise $106,878 as the local share.
* Voted to appropriate $168,672 to for adult education.
* Voted to expend sums received from federal or state grants or programs, provided they do not require the expenditure of other funds not previously appropriated.
* Voted to authorize $43,260 from the capital reserve for plant maintenance — initial payment for the guaranteed performance contract lease not covered by energy savings
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11. Residents of Ward 1 are to vote at the Superintendent’s Central Office Building Gym and residents of Ward 2 at the MTM Community Center Gymnasium.
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