Garland

Making their opinion known in a nonbinding vote at the annual town meeting Saturday, a small group of residents expressed opposition to SAD 46’s planned consolidation of the district’s elementary and middle schools.

While the article was only an affirmation of opinion, residents Mary Adams, Jim Bunn and Melvin Johnson believed the town should weigh in on the proposal before the March 27 district referendum.

The vote was 22-15, according to Town Clerk Lisa Werren.

Some believed directors had not openly discussed the project enough with residents before moving ahead with the plan to close the Garland and Exeter elementary schools and the Dexter primary and middle schools, and construct a new pre-kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school on the Fern Road, according to Werren.

In other business, residents re-elected Werren as town clerk; Sanford Giles to a three-year seat and Steve Gudroe to a two-year position; and re-elected Karen Buzzell to the one-year seat, all on the Board of Selectmen. Juli Kimball was re-elected assessor and Shawn Lancaster was elected to the school board.