It took less than a half hour for Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor voters to pass a 2017-2018 school budget of $9,748,282.61 on Wednesday night, May 11, in the Boothbay Region Elementary School gymnasium.

Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District (CSD) Board of Trustees Chair Chris Buchanan introduced the panel, which included school officials, trustees and CSD school committee members. Buchanan also introduced Kari Babcock, who will replace Brian Blethen on the school committee, and two new trustees, Ronnie Campbell, who replaces Cameron Mitchell, and Ashleeann Lowery, who will take Tyler Hodgdon's place.

Boothbay Harbor Town Clerk Michelle Farnham swore in moderator Al Roberts. Citizens passed all articles.

Article 12, which determined what each town will assess and raise, also passed. The total appropriated for Boothbay was $3,644,091.43. The appropriation for Boothbay Harbor was $1,637, 966.01. The total to be raised by each town was, for Boothbay, $3,209,401.79; for Boothbay Harbor, $1,442,579.36.

Article 13, which asked voters to approve $3,630,027.17 in additional local funds, to be raised over and above the district's local contribution, required each town to vote by written ballot. The article passed by a wide margin. 

Article 14, which recommended voters authorize a total school budget of $9,748,282.61, passed.

After remaining articles passed, Roberts thanked those on the panel for their professionalism, saying he was always impressed with how they did their homework. “The teachers and administrators are part of what makes the Boothbay region a special place,” he said.

Roberts also thanked the voters who came out, saying, “A democracy is something that a lot of places don't have, and it's kind of a shame. So, thank you for coming.”