ATHENS — Fearing an increase in taxes for the Athens Community School, voters at Town Meeting on Saturday scrapped a $350,000 borrowing plan for road paving and cut in half the amount to be raised for a paving reserve account.
School board member Alan Linkletter told about 45 residents at the meeting at Somerset Academy that the school faces a shortfall of $322,000 and suggested the town wait to attend to its roads.
“We need to keep this budget down to keep our school,” Linkletter told the gathering. “I’m just telling you what’s coming.”
The state valuation of the town increased and the numbers of students declined, he said.
Linkletter said the school faces a $170,000 reduction in state funding, and even with the Legislature’s decision last week to add $15 million to statewide school funding, Athens would get only about $6,000 of that.
The community took over operation of the school in 2013 after withdrawing from the local school district, Madison-based School Administrative District 59. The town joined Dexter-based AOS 94, an alternative school district made up of independently run schools that share some services, such as a superintendent and other administrators, the following year.
Voters heeded Linkletter’s warning and ditched the proposal to borrow $350,000 and take $105,000 from the existing paving account to repave a section of Dore Hill Road for $120,000 and Chapman Ridge Road for $300,000. Total spending, with side work preparation, culverts and repairs would have come in at $450,000.
“No, no, no,” residents barked as the article was read by moderator Marc Courtemanche. First Selectman Guy Anton said he was only explaining the article and not speaking for or against it when he explained that now is a good time to borrow to save the paved roads.
“You got low interest rates to take advantage of; you got low oil prices,” Anton said. “We’re not raising enough money a year for hot-top roads.”
Residents also agreed to reduce the recommended $50,000 for a road paving account to $25,000.
Resident Carla Baily suggested the town concentrate on some of the unimproved gravel roads to get them into shape to pave later.
“You’re doing the same roads every year,” Bailey said.
Others, including Selectman Charles Rotondi, said if the town does not keep up with the tarred roads, then all the roads in town will be unimproved sooner or later.
In the election held Friday, Third Selectman Mark Munn was elected to take over the first selectman’s post from Anton in exchange for an agreement that Anton would take over the third selectman’s job. It will take a special town meeting or June mid-term elections to complete the swap.
In other voting, Dwight Weese was re-elected road commissioner; Donna Courtemanche, treasurer; and Alan Linkletter and Gene Hay, school board members. All races were uncontested.
Municipal spending for the coming year will come in at $457,000, or $10,802 more than last year’s budget. The tax rate for Athens stands at $19.50 for every $1,000 in property valuation.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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