By CYRUS LEVESQUE
BRISTOL — In their third vote on the issue, Bristol voters on Tuesday approved a proposed 2006-2007 Bristol Elementary School budget. The $4,208,820 spending plan passed on a tally of 222-184, prompting school officials to heave a collective sigh of relief.
“It feels wonderful,” said BES Co-principal Jill Mackler. “It has been a long process to reach a budget that the community felt good about supporting, and we got there.”
BES board member Meg Wendel agreed. She felt the board and administration had managed to use the feedback they received well. “It feels very good,” she said. “There was a response to (community input), and it worked.”
By JOHN FLOWERS
MIDDLEBURY — A Middle-bury resident has filed a citizens’ petition requesting that the community’s new junk law be put to a townwide Australian ballot vote.
The petition was filed on June 16 by Case Street resident Peggy Kimball, who, with some helpers, gathered 242 valid signatures — 20 more than the required threshold of 5 percent (222) of Middlebury’s total 4,435 registered voters.
Kimball’s petition targets the new junk law that selectmen endorsed, by a 5-2 margin, in early May. The new law would require residents in the core village of Middlebury and the “main village corridor” of East Middlebury to remove or screen junk on their property — or face fines and possible court action.
