#MIDDLEBURY
The Middlebury town budget passed May 18 with 382 voting for it and 336 voting against it. The total number of votes cast, 718, was a very small percentage of the more than 5,000 registered voters. At the May 4 referendum, when the town budget lost by 11 votes, the total number of votes cast was 1,303.
Two voters we talked to at the polls expressed concern that not everyone knew there was a referendum today. One said she did not see the “Vote Today” signs that usually are placed at the intersection of Route 64 and Whittemore Road on referendum days. She said the only place she saw signs was at Shepardson Community Center.
At the Board of Finance meeting following the referendum, the mil rate was set at 31.01. The current mil rate is 30.12, so the new rate is an increase of 3 percent.
BoF Chairman Bill Stowell said, “I’m very happy that it passed and we can move forward.” First Selectman Ed St. John said he was glad the budget passed and then joked, “Maybe I need to get started on next year’s budget.”
9:15 p.m. UPDATE: A reader informed us that the signs at the intersection of Route 64 and Whittemore Road are not put out by the town, but instead are put out by the parent-teacher organizations when the Region 15 budget is on the ballot.
