By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

SAD 61 currently uses a two-prong system to pass a budget.

Step 1 is the district budget meeting, held in-person at Lake Region High School’s gym.

Step 2 is the validation referendum vote, where citizens turn out to polling centers in Bridgton, Casco and Naples to cast ballots whether to accept or reject the district meeting outcome.

The question is whether the validation vote is cost effective or even necessary. Maine passed legislation in 2008 to create the budget validation referendum. Each year, citizens decide whether to continue the validation referendum process. On May 20 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., citizens will again decide whether to continue the two-step system.

“I don’t believe it is effective or cost effective. You can’t get an idea of where taxpayers are at or what their positive or negative thoughts might be,” said SAD 61 Finance Director Sherrie Proctor regarding the validation referendum. “Even though more people vote at the referendum (maybe because town elections are often held then or they have all day to vote instead of having a specific time to be somewhere), we feel they are voting without having information. We know that people don’t come to the public hearing in March, and we get approximately 30 to 40 people at the district budget meeting, of which approximately 15 are School Board and administration. Last year, we had approximately 342 vote at the referendum.”

The validation referendum price tag is $6,000 plus, Proctor said. Costs include printing ballots, printing annual warrant, mailing the annual warrant, and paying the towns for the clerks.

The News contacted Town Clerks Ashley Albrecht of Bridgton, Penny Bean of Casco and Michelle Thibodeau of Naples regarding manpower needed for the referendum vote, as well as past turnout and each town’s number of registered voters.

• How many people typically work the polls? How many people work the budget meeting?

Bridgton — 7 people work the polls in shifts throughout the day; 2 employees sent to the actual budget meeting. 

Casco — The town office is closed so the staff works at the polls plus one extra person. So that makes 5.

Naples — In the past, the office was closed to staff the polls. “We have since trained several election clerks and this Tuesday is the first time we plan to have the clerk’s office open while holding an election at the same time,” Thibodeau said. “I plan to have 6 election workers staffing the election while 2 clerks man the clerk window during normal business hours.”

•  Rough costs with people having to work the polls? Costs to work at the budget meeting?

Bridgton — Between the part-time election clerks and town staff the cost is roughly $975 in payroll. The budget meeting costs roughly $115 taking into account this being overtime for town staff. 

Casco — “Because the office is closed and staff manages the election, it is very hard to answer this question because they are being paid their regular salaries,” Bean said.

Naples — Roughly $1,500 for the staffing of the Budget Meeting and the day the polls are open.

• If the town office remains open during the (referendum) vote, what effect does it have on office happenings?

Bridgton — The Town Office does remain open. “We will have 2 staff members working at the election and 2 at the office,” Albrecht said.  “Once the office closes, only 1 of those staff go to the Town Hall to work the evening/closing shift at the polls.” 

Naples — This will be the first year having the office open during the polls. “We will be running the clerk’s window with a skeleton crew,” Thibodeau said.

• How many registered voters does the town have?

Bridgton — 4,503 active voters. 

Casco — Approximately 2,700

Naples — 3,837 as of Nov. 4, 2024

• Validation Referendum Voting

Bridgton — 2024, 122 voters; 2023, 74; 2022, 91; 2021, 98; 2020, 1,368 (was held in conjunction to Annual Town Meeting election) 

Casco — 35 to 60 voters

Naples — Last year, 163 voters and in 2023, there were 66 voters.