ISLAND POND — The only fireworks at the Brighton Town Meeting Monday night came when a question arose over why the town’s cost for its annual Fourth of July celebration was $1,000 more than it had been in years past.

Excitement came the next day when residents voting by Australian ballot could not deliver a winner in the three-man race for a seat on the select board.

Incumbent Deak Worth and challenger James Webb ended the day in a tie with 91 votes apiece.  Paul Sykes received 27 votes.

Late night returns for the town indicated that voter turnout was about 25 percent, with 217 of the 878 registered voters casting ballots.  Four ballots were spoiled and four voters declined to cast a vote in the selectmen’s race, the only race among town officers.

A lightly attended, nighttime meeting here Monday tried to find its purpose by quibbling over minor aspects of the selectmen’s budget before passing it handily, with the exception of a few voices in booming dissent.

The school budget also passed without a challenge, although its expected supporters — the parents of kids in school — were few among the 75 or so residents who turned out for the dual meetings, which collectively last about 90 minutes.

Only nine hands went up when Moderator Tom Donnellan asked how many parents were in attendance.  The low few who attended the meeting may have dramatically underscored a problem that threatens the life of Brighton Town School itself:  A shrinking student enrollment.

From the floor citizen Charles Pronto expressed his dismay that enrollment continues to decline while the school budget shows no signs of getting slimmer.  He noted, for example, that this year’s budget is the same as it was nearly five years ago when enrollment at the school was double what it is today.

The response from school officials was mixed.

“Our numbers are going to remain consistent for the future,” noted Principal Phyllis Perkins, who noted there are more students in the higher grades, five through eight, than in the lower ones.

A dwindling enrollment has prompted Brighton school officials to explore the possibility of consolidating schools with towns like Charleston and Derby.

“At this point in time, no one is interested in partnering with us,” said Ms. Perkins, adding that school officials had met three times over the year in an attempt to work out a consolidation plan.

Some voters applauded the consolidation efforts, while others expressed dismay.

“If we lose our school, we lose our children,” said David Page.

But Brighton may not be the only town that balks at such a loss.

“Morgan doesn’t want to lose its school any more than Brighton does,” noted Charla Nadeau, the chairman of the town’s five-member school board.

The only whisper of hope may have come from Joyce Gervais who noted that the number of births in town last year were up.

“Keep ’em coming,” she advised.

Earlier in the meeting, Ms. Nadeau told voters that the $1.7 million proposed budget was less by $90,000 of the budget voters approved last year.  Brighton, she added, is spending $10,200 per pupil.

The town meeting easily surpassed the annual school meeting in brevity.  It took less than 30 minutes to approve a $1.2 million budget.

Challenges target a proposed $18,000 fuel bill; the administrative assistant’s salary; the health plan for town workers; maintenance fees for the town’s three cemeteries, along with a $1,000 increase on fireworks for the Fourth of July celebration.

Selectman Melinda Gervais said the fireworks increase stemmed from a decision by the Brighton Volunteer Fire Department to end a role that has seen it run the town’s pyrotechnic show since 1992.

With the passing of that role, said Ms. Gervais, the town has to look outside its ranks to find people who are certified to run a fireworks display.  She also defended the $1,500 the town allocates to the Chamber of Commerce for parades and the winter carnival.

Those activities benefit all the businesses in town, Ms Gervais said.

The only spark of controversy at the Annual Meeting Monday night came when Mr. Pronto suggested the town was paying too much for employee insurance.

Both Newport and Newport Center had negotiated a more affordable plan than Brighton by going outside the Vermont League of Cities and Town, said Mr. Pronto, who runs an insurance company in Newport.

He said his company didn’t come to Island Pond because he said, addressing Administrator Assistant Joel Cope, “I think you’re married to the league.”

A spirited rejoinder by Mr. Cope was cut short by the moderator.

“Bring it to the board next year,” he advised Mr. Pronto.

The exchange followed questions from citizen and businessman Craig Goulet that the town might be better off hiring a town manager, rather than continuing with the administrative position it presently funds.

But no one in the crowd appeared inclined to follow up on that line of thought.