ORLAND – Voters by a 2-1 ratio Tuesday rejected a ban on personal watercraft on Rocky Pond, a small pond in a remote area of town.

The proposal came from a group of camp owners on the pond. In response to questions about why they had focused on jet skis and not other motorized watercraft, Lucy Webb Hardy of Wells said there is a distinct difference between personal watercraft and motorboats.

“A Jet Ski is built specially as a thrill craft,” she said. “It’s built to move forward, go fast and do stunts.”

She pointed out that the pond is shallow and very rocky with an island in the middle of it. With a 200-foot safety zone along the shore and around the island, it leaves very little area for watercraft to operate in. The operation of personal watercraft often puts wildlife at risk, she said.

Camp owner and personal watercraft owner Bob Dorr said he felt that he was the target of the proposed ban and disputed the idea that personal watercraft cause environmental damage or accidents.

“Where are the report of personal injury, where are the bodies of dead loons or dead beavers?” he asked.

Personal watercraft use on the pond is limited and because it is small, shallow and rocky, Dorr said. It will never attract large crowds of personal watercraft operators.

He also pointed out that no one on the pond had ever asked him to “tone it down,” or to limit the hours he operated his machine.

A motion to call the question cut off further discussion.

The vote, by written ballot, showed 56 voting against the ban, 27 for it. The results of the vote will be forwarded to Rep. Kenneth Lindell, who will present them to the Legislature.

Voters also approved the $3 million school budget, but not without discussion and some sentiment to increase the budget to keep some positions that were cut.

Some residents expressed concern that the cuts might increase the pupil-to-teacher ratio and limit the individual attention pupils receive.

“If we can keep the ratio of teachers up, we’ll be doing the greatest service to our children,” said Robin Bray.

School committee members said they had tried to present a flat budget in the face of declining enrollments and decreases in funding from Augusta.

“The cuts were not made lightly,” outgoing school committee chairman Linda Harriman-Frost said. “We have a duty not only to provide a quality education for our children, but we’re also accountable to members of this community.”

Superintendent Alan Snell pointed out that under the new LD1 school funding measure, the town receives about $10,000 less this year than last. He warned that drop in state aid will be steeper next year.

“We’re going to be facing a more difficult situation next year,” he said.

Although some residents raised the idea of adding $65,000 back into the budget to reinstate some positions, no motion was made and the budget passed as proposed.

There were no contested races this year and only one candidate, incumbent Millard Clement, had filed for three open seats on the school committee. Two announced write-in candidates won seats on the committee, Edward Hatch, a three-year term, and Kimberly Urango, a one-year term.