Freeport-area voters approve school budget
Voters in three coastal Maine communities resoundingly approved a nearly $48 million school budget Tuesday, signaling continued investment in regional education despite rising property taxes.
The $47.6 million spending plan for Regional School Unit 5 cleared with 71% support, drawing 3,738 "yes" votes against 1,503 "no" votes across Freeport, Pownal, and Durham. The approved budget represents a 7.1% increase over current fiscal year spending.
According to budget documents, personnel costs drove much of the spending growth. Salary adjustments and employee benefits accounted for a significant portion of the increase, along with climbing special education expenses that have challenged districts statewide.
The approval comes with a tax impact that will vary by town. Durham property owners can expect the largest increase at 5.4%, followed by Pownal at 5.8%. Freeport residents will see a more modest 3.9% bump.
Notably absent from the approved budget was a proposal to repurpose Pownal Elementary School into an early childhood education center. School officials had explored converting the building into a pre-K and preschool facility, but those plans did not make it into the final spending package.
Tuesday's ballot also featured contested school board races. In Durham, Anne Ware claimed a seat on the RSU 5 board after running uncontested. Pownal voters chose Melissa Jordan over challenger Meaghan Arena in a closer contest, with Jordan securing the seat 309 votes to Arena's 283.
Beyond RSU 5 business, voters in all three towns approved a separate bond measure for Region 10 Technical High School. The Brunswick-based school, which serves students from multiple Midcoast communities, received authorization to issue approximately $116,000 in bonds for safety improvements to its campus. Complete vote totals from all communities participating in that referendum were not available Tuesday evening.
