OLD TOWN – After considerable deliberation, the Old Town City Council decided to grant only part of a school board request for additional funds.

School officials asked the board for an extra $83,564, but the council approved $40,000.

The board requested the money to fund a full-time librarian for the new elementary school on Stillwater Avenue and several middle-school programs, including unified arts, soccer, the after-school program and a part-time music teacher.

“The issue now is what to do from this point,” said Councilor Alan Stormann. “It really bothers me when I hear freshmen are using the same books as their parents. Why aren’t we providing the basics?”

On Wednesday, the school board will meet to determine what programs will stay and which will be removed.

“We have to find out how to come up with $43,000 or eliminate $43,000 from the budget,” said school board Chairman Jim Dill after the decision.

The City Council approved amending the original city and school budget article to reflect the additional $40,000. The amended version, proposed by Stormann, was approved 4-3.

Before the vote several residents, board members and councilors discussed the issue during the public hearing. Councilors Jeff Plourde, Scott Cates and Gary Sirois all questioned how the increased mill rate will affect the residents of Old Town.

“We need to do everything we can to keep the taxes down,” said Cates.

The mill rate was 24.49 and will increase with the additional funds.

“My concern is everything we do now impacts what we do next year,” said Plourde.