MADAWASKA — It took only seven minutes Wednesday night to approve an education budget totaling nearly $5 million, but questions and discussion on another $431,500 for special school and town projects made an evening of the special town meeting.

The only question asked on the first six articles — five of which dealt with the education budget — was about the meaning of “foundation allocation.” Superintendent Lester Ouellette explained that it was the funding formula devised by the state.

Ouellette said the formula calls for the town to spend $1,672,879 to get the state to allocate $1,908,538 for education in the Madawaska School Department.

Voters agreed to take in tuition students from Grand Isle to raise another $190,000. A balance of $134,000 in this year’s budget is also part of the $4,946,554 education budget.

John Ezzy was moderator of the meeting which moved along quietly until the 75 residents started discussing the condition of Gagnon Road, a town way off Route 1.

Selectmen started a reclamation project on the road two years ago and asked voters for $50,000 to continue the effort this year. Voters, at least a majority of those at the meeting, were adamant in their contention that the project needed to be speeded up.

Residents amended the $50,000 request to $200,000 because “if something is not done soon, the road will need a major reconstruction project,” said Romeo Daigle, a former selectmen and resident of Gagnon Road. Proponents of the project also cited a safety problem on several sections of the road.

After a long discussion, the amendment was approved and selectmen were instructed to repair and pave a longer than proposed section of the road that leads to Long Lake.

Residents also questioned at length the wisdom of transporting Madawaska residents to Edmundston, New Brunswick, for swimming lessons and pleasure swimming this summer.

After the discussdion, voters agreed to pay the Edmundston Sports Complex $19,400 for the use of their facilities for 28 hours a week. The contract will include free swim periods throughout the year for Madawaska residents.

The Edmundston Sports Complex has both a children’s pool and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The $4.5 million complex was opened about 18 months ago.

Madawaska’s pool was condemned when the town’s insurance carrier would no longer provide liability insurance. The carrier determined that the infrastructure and water quality was questionable because of the quick loss of water and chemicals in the nearly 50-year-old pool.

An effort has been started to build a new facility but that could be three years or more away. Town Manager Arthur Faucher said there seemed to be a “loosening” of federal money for grants to build swimming facilities.

Those at the meeting reported that the cost to use the Canadian facilities was less than the cost of operation and maintenance of the Madawaska swimming pool last year.

The proposal was to raise $2,300 to transport children by bus from the Madawaska Multi-purpose Building to the Edmundston Sports Complex.

Along with the regular education budget, voters approved the expenditure of another $21,751 to fund a $40,392 adult education program, $127,243 as the first of five payments for a $600,000 high school roof repair project, $4,740 for teacher and administrator certification programs and $20,000 for elementary school repairs.

Voters agreed to charge late payers of property taxes 10 percent of unpaid taxes after Jan. 11, 1993.

They gave Police Chief Ronald Pelletier authority to use $1,000 from the criminal case restitution money to purchase a police cruiser light bar and to repair a garage door opener.

The Public Works Department received $200,000 for the Gagnon Road project and $425 to pay for land acquisition on the 1986 Pelletier Road project. Assessors received $3,000 to continue assessment work.

Voters approved a $13,000 settlement with Elderly Homes Inc. The settlement as the result of a suit filed by the non-profit corporation when Madawaska charged the corporation property taxes in 1983 and 1984. The settlement included the taxes paid and an undisclosed amount for settlement of the claim.

At least one voter asked that the town look into charging the elderly housing project a user fee for municipal services in lieu of property taxes.

Voters also agreed to accept a 1,000-foot-by- 60-foot road from the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad at Beaulieu Siding and $54,000 worth of fire fighting equipment from Fraser Paper Ltd.

Selectmen were given authority to prepare an application to the Maine Municipal Bond Bank for money to rehabilitate the town’s Multi-purpose Building and other recreational facilities.

The meeting lasted a little longer than two hours.