Source: HUUSD. Chart by Julia Bailey-Wells
But by a more than 25-point margin, voters supported allocating the 2023 surplus of $535,000 to the district’s maintenance reserve fund to pay for school facility repairs. That vote was 2,556 to 1,497 in favor, 62% to 36%.
Superintendent Mike Leichliter shared the vote tallies shortly after 10:30 p.m.
In comments to local newspapers, he said the results send a clear message: “I am pleased to see that our community values the importance of maintaining our buildings,” he said. “This is a tough budget year around Vermont for many reasons and we have more work to do. There is a lot of work to accomplish now in the coming weeks to work with a new board in order to draft a budget that will meet with the approval of our towns.”
The district brings together ballots voted in Waterbury, Duxbury, Moretown, Fayston, Waitsfield and Warren for a single count tabulated by hand at Harwood Union High School.
The ballots asked voters two questions: whether to approve a budget of $50.8 million for the 2024-25 budget year and whether to allocate the $535,000 surplus from 2023 to the district’s maintenance reserve fund to pay for school facility repairs and upkeep.
The budget represented an increase of just under 12% in spending for next school year. But, given the latest revisions to the state’s education funding formula, it was expected to result in school property tax increases between 20 and 30% across the district’s six towns.
The district’s annual meeting on Monday evening for the first time since it unified several years ago attracted about 50 people. All questions put to school leaders focused on the budget and its tax implications.
School Board Chair Kristen Rodgers of Moretown ended her term on Tuesday and was not on the ballot for re-election. Reached Tuesday evening, she said she was disappointed that the budget didn't pass. “This budget season has been unprecedented with many changes and challenges from the start of the budget season right up to end,” she said.
