Schools

Update: District 13 Referendum Fails

Voters shoot down school board's $35,011,224 budget proposal.

By a margin of 80 votes, Durham and Middlefield voters rejected the $35,011,224 budget proposal offered by Regional School District 13 on Tuesday.

The referendum failed with 1147 "no" votes and 1067 "yes" votes.

The town vote tallies followed a common pattern, with 747 voters showing up at Korn Elementary school in Durham to support the budget. 669 Durham residents voted against it.

Find out what's happening in Durham-Middlefieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In Middlefield, 320 residents showed up to vote in favor of the budget at the Middlefield Community Center. But 478 voted it down.

"I'm really disappointed," District 13 Board of Education Chairman Thomas Hennick said afterwards, adding that he felt the board had done a responsible job by keeping the increase in expenses in the budget below 1 percent.

Find out what's happening in Durham-Middlefieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I can't remember a budget this low. We have a zero percent increase for [teacher's salaries] next year. We were forced to spend the fund balance last year, so like I've said before it's a revenue issue."

Hennick said the school board is planning to discuss possible adjustments to the budget at the next scheduled meeting, on Wednesday, May 11. By law, a second vote must be held within 30 days.

Bob Yamartino, a Middlefield Board of Finance member, said while he was disappointed that the budget failed to pass, "you're seeing the frustration of the taxpayers.

"I'm really disappointed the board wasn't able to present a budget that was acceptable to the constituents of both towns," he said.

"We're faced with decreasing enrollment, decreased funding by the state and a decrease in the grand list, yet expenses are going up. I think they need to look at ways of reducing administrative costs."

In April, the board voted to reinstate the nurse at Korn School after members of the public, including other district nurses, spoke out about safety concerns. Eliminating the position would have saved the district $58,000.

While board members stopped short of proposing the elimination of teachers at previous meetings, more than a dozen non-tenured teachers in the district were sent non-renewal notices this spring due to the uncertainty of the budget.

"I'll have to say, everything is on the table," Hennick added.

 

 

 

Updated 8:30 p.m.

By 80 votes, residents rejected the Regional School District 13 budget proposal on Tuesday.

As is common, the budget referendum passed in Durham, but was voted down in Middlefield. 

Below is the final tally:

Durham
Yes: 747
No: 669

Middlefield
Yes: 320
No: 478

Total
Yes: 1,067
No: 1,147

A second vote must be held within 30 days.

Check back with Patch for reaction to the vote.

 

Original Story

Voting is expected to pick up Tuesday evening in both Durham and Middlefield as voters decide whether to accept the Regional School District 13 budget of $35,011,224 for 2011-2012.

By 2:30 p.m., 670 residents of Durham had cast ballots at Korn Elementary School. By 2:45 p.m., 408 Middlefield residents had been to the polls at the Middlefield Community Center.

Early returns were not available.

Moderators at both polling locations said they anticipated many more voters between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Check back with Patch after 8 p.m. for results of the referendum.


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