By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HODGDON — Voter turnout was sparse in SAD 70 as the district’s $6,381,989 school budget for 2013-14 was approved at the polls June 25.
The budget, which is an increase in spending of $100,000 from last year, passed 62-13 for residents of Amity, Cary, Haynesville, Hodgdon, Linneus, Ludlow and New Limerick.
A detailed breakdown of the vote by community shows the budget passed in all seven communities: Amity, 7-0; Cary, 2-0; Haynesville, 5-1; Hodgdon, 23-3; Linneus, 10-3; Ludlow, 6-3; and New Limerick, 9-3.
A second referendum question asked voters if they wished to authorize a $93,000 loan for the district. Included in the loan package is $65,766 to install two heating boosters in Hodgdon High School and Mill Pond School. The boosters will make the existing heating systems far more efficient, Lane explained, allowing the district to reduce its fuel consumption and thus saving money.
Additionally, $7,105 will be spent to update the outdoor lights in the district to LED bulbs; $4,000 will used to install new doors in the elementary school for safety reasons; $3,336 for a DVR security system; and $5,000 for extra cameras on the school buildings to increase security. The district also plans to spend $7,520 to replace the 35-year-old roof on the superintendent’s building.
That referendum question was approved, albeit by a narrower margin, 57-18. The vote passed in all but one community — Ludlow — where the question failed with three in favor and six opposed.
A third referendum question asked voters if they wished to continue with the referendum format to decide the SAD 70 budget. That question narrowly passed 43-32. Amity (2-5) and Hayneville (2-4) both voted against the question.
Of the seven communities that make up SAD 70, six will see an increase in their tax assessment for education over the previous year’s figure. The following is a breakdown of the total town assessment by community:
• Amity — $140,991 (an increase of $12,930).
• Cary — $119,970 (increase of $5,339).
• Haynesville — $96,387 (increase of $6,696).
• Hodgdon — $599,340 (increase of $52,562).
• Linneus — $638,817 (increase of $47,914).
• Ludlow — $239,428 (increase of $18,319).
• New Limerick — $709,425 (decrease of $1,270).
