Council Approves Vote On

School Fund

By Jan Howard

The Legislative Council on September 3 voted unanimously to approve a special appropriation of $300,000 in the school’s 2003–04 budget to be funded by cash receipts for school-generated fees.

The council also voted unanimously to grant authority for the Board of Selectmen to call a town meeting to appropriate the $300,000.

The appropriation was approved by the Board of Education on June 17 and by the Board of Finance on August 28.

The revenue-producing account will be funded by increased fees for participation in student activities, which were instituted to offset cuts of $196,100 to the current Board of Education budget.

During voter participation, resident Ruby Johnson offered her thoughts on a proposed survey that would address the reasons for the defeat of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan, and presented an overview of previous surveys by the town’s consultant and Friends of Fairfield Hills regarding uses of the property.

Ms Johnson said she felt that “confusion” and “lack of focus” caused the defeat.

She said it is important to know what questions to ask in a survey, noting, “Questions are the key.”