CRAFTSBURY COMMON — School and town budgets passed with flying colors at the Craftsbury Town Meeting Tuesday.

The original Craftsbury Academy structure was built in 1829, and this year the oldest buildings on the sprawling campus were fully renovated, at a cost of $3 million.

The main building not included in the project was the high school’s rickety gymnasium, and school board members told the voters Tuesday they are looking into the possibility of getting a zero percent bond for another $2 million to replace the gym.

Board member Steve Moffatt told the voters the school board believes it is in the long-term interests of the town to fix the gym.

Mr. Moffatt said a zero percent interest rate would save $700,000 over the life of a 12-year bond for $2 million.  He said that cost would mean a 12-cent increase on the town’s tax rate, and “five tuition students would reduce that 12 cents to 6 cents.”

The bidding climate right now is very favorable for anyone interested in building, he added.

“This gym is not healing itself.”

Mr. Moffatt said ice problems have created a leak that would be extremely expensive to repair.

The Craftsbury Academy Trustees have $100,000 in a fund to help build a new gymnasium, and board members said there’s a possibility of financial help from elsewhere as well.

One voter wondered where Craftsbury will get tuition students since there is a general decline in the population of school-aged children in the state and in Craftsbury.

Carollynn Willean said the town report shows only ten kindergarten students, seven first-graders and six second-graders — compared to 18 in the senior class.

If the school manages to find five tuition students next year, she said, there will probably still be fewer students in grades kindergarten through 12 than there are this year.

“I just don’t see that we have the numbers to support the dream,” she said of the idea to build a new gym.

Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union Superintendent JoAn Canning said there are some options the district is exploring for working with Sterling College, the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, and Hazen Union and possibly bringing in some overseas students through a program called Spiral International.

Gayle Kroeger asked about academics at Craftsbury Academy.  She was part of a committee that met every two weeks for nine months to discuss the future of the school.  Many in town feel high school students are not getting the academics they need.

“We as a board feel the same way,” said School Director Harry Miller.  He said the board wants to concentrate on “raising the rigor at Craftsbury Academy.”

But for the past several years, the facility has taken a huge amount of the board’s time and attention.

Ms. Canning was asked about an investigation into wages paid by the contractor under federal labor laws, and she said the school district has been told by the Department of Labor that there is a shortfall of $155,000.

She said she fully expects to resolve the matter in the next two weeks and that she does not expect the taxpayers will be liable for any underpayment of workers.

John Smith was elected to the school board 66 to 47 over Julie Brochu, to fill an opening created when Randy Martin stepped down.  Mr. Miller was re-elected to his seat on the board.

The school budget of $3,150,000 passed 104 to 23.  That amount is down from the current year’s budget of $3,234,586.

In the Town Meeting, voters re-elected Selectman Jim Jones, Yvette Brown as tax collector, and Barbara Paterson as lister.  Lisa Santamore was elected auditor for a three-year term to replace Laura Britton who stepped down.

Re-elected were Town Agent Tom Wells, Town Grand Juror Tom Hadden, Cemetery Commissioner Michael Martin, trustee of public funds Morris Rowell, and World War II Memorial Trustee Bruce Urie.

The town voted to spend $410,726 on town expenses, $38,200 on the fire department, and $13,973 on various appropriation requests.

Voters also approved $10,000 for the Craftsbury Community Care Center, $2,000 for the Greensboro Nursing Home, and $1,750 for the East Hill Preschool.

The item for the preschool generated some discussion.

Susan Waterhouse urged voters to visit the preschool, saying that surrounding towns all have preschools.

“It’s amazing what those ladies can do with three- and four-year-olds,” she said.  The preschool serves eight students, six of whom live in Craftsbury.  Tuition pays some of the expenses but not all of them.

In discussion of Craftsbury’s future, David Rowell mentioned that the planning committee is working on a new town plan and is doing some research.  He said he was surprised to learn that over 50 percent of people who live in Craftsbury work in Craftsbury.

“I guarantee this isn’t the case in most small towns around us,” he added.