RSU 5

Voters reject stadium proposal, approve budget

Voters in Freeport, Durham and Pownal on Tuesday rejected a proposal to borrow $3 million to build a stadium complex at Freeport High School, which serves students of Regional School Unit 5.

The overall vote was 1,350 to 884 against the stadium proposal, according to tallies from town clerks in each community. The vote was 708-646 in Freeport; 102-431 in Durham; and 74-273 in Pownal.

The stadium would have featured an eight-lane track surrounding a synthetic-turf field with lights, bleachers, a press booth and concessions.

District voters also approved a $23.9 million school budget for 2011-2012 and the creation of a fuel cost stabilization fund.

CUMBERLAND

Commercial gravel operations ban overwhemingly OK’d

Town voters overwhelmingly approved a ban Tuesday on commercial gravel operations in rural residential neighborhoods.

The vote was 862-507, with 63 percent in favor of the first citizen-initiated referendum to change an ordinance in the town’s history, according to Town Clerk Tammy O’Donnell.

The call for a gravel pit ban followed recent controversy over excavation on the Copp property in West Cumberland.

Town officials halted the work last September because they said it was being done without proper permits. Randy Copp said he was building a road to a permitted house lot and reshaping the 48-acre property for future use.

The Town Council imposed a six-month moratorium on new gravel pit applications in November, then extended it through June to allow for the referendum.

Town voters also elected Thomas Gruger in a three-way race for a Town Council seat.

BUXTON

SAD 6 budget approved by majority of voters

A majority of voters in the five towns of School Administrative District 6 approved a $42.3 million budget Tuesday.

Buxton, Hollis, Standish and Frye Island voters overwhelmingly approved the budget for the year starting July 1, with Limington, by a vote of 63-56, the only town opposed.

Superintendent Suzanne Lukas said in a message on SAD 6’s website that the budget for 2011-2012 will eliminate 16 positions through attrition. Seven of those jobs will be teaching positions.

The budget will increase property taxes for all of the towns except Frye Island, Lukas said.

Voters in Buxton approved the budget, 676-414, but rejected — by just 10 votes — a proposal to enter into a one-year lease agreement with SAD 6.

Buxton, at a cost of $1, would have been allowed to use the vacant Hanson School as a community center, if voters had approved the arrangement.

Buxton voters were also asked to elect two selectmen from a field of seven candidates. Those results were unavailable late Tuesday night.

SAD 51

Nearly two-thirds of voters support school budget

Voters in Cumberland and North Yarmouth approved on a $28.9 million school budget for 2011-2012 on Tuesday, along with a plan to close the Drowne Road Elementary School in Cumberland, which now serves third-graders.

The overall budget vote was 1,184 to 643 in favor, with 65 percent of voters in each town supporting the spending plan.

The vote to close the Drowne Road school was 1,697 to 224 in favor, with about 89 percent of voters in each town supporting the move.

The district’s board of directors voted last year to close Drowne and move third-graders to the Mabel Wilson School in Cumberland. It would cost $481,000 per year to keep Drowne open, according to the ballot question.

Also in North Yarmouth, Darla Hamlin and Andrew Walsh won a three-way race for two selectmen’s seats.

YARMOUTH

Residents back school budget, elect officials

Town voters overwhelmingly approved a $19.3 million school budget for 2011-2012 on Tuesday and elected representatives to the Town Council and School Committee.

The vote was 779-210 in favor of the school spending plan, according to Town Clerk Jennifer Doten.

Andrew Kittredge, Randall Bates and Leslie Hyde won a six-way race for three Town Council seats. Margaret Groban and Judiann Smith won a three-way race for two School Committee seats.

RSU 21

Education budget approved in second referendum

Voters in Regional School Unit 21 approved a $35.6 million education budget for 2011-2012 during a second referendum Tuesday.

According to election results from the town clerks, Kennebunk voted 1,024 in favor to 675 opposed and Kennebunkport supported the spending plan, 449-176, while voters in Arundel turned it down, 189-368.

Each town also elected officials for the district’s school board. Maureen King was elected to represent Kennebunkport, and Diane Robbins was elected to represent Arundel.

Kennebunkport voters also approved four referendum questions and Arundel residents elected Thomas Danylik for a term as selectman.

Results from Kennebunk regarding elected officials and referendum questions were not available by press time.

Brad Huot and Edward Karytko were running for a one-year term on the school board; Robert Higgins, Kevin Knight and Arthur LeBlanc III were running for a three-year term on the school board.

Kennebunk voters faced 21 referendum questions, many of them related to the municipal budget and zoning ordinance. They also considered borrowing $600,000 for improvements to the Lower Village, including new sidewalks, curbing, lighting and benches.