Newport Center residents are ready to move forward and move out of debt.

The proposed school budget for the coming year of $2,411,526 was voted to be raised to $2,446,403.  The difference is to be set aside to help pay off the construction debts the town has from building the school.  The residents also voted that any leftover money from the school budget would go towards this debt.

The highway budget of $503,151 was passed with no discussion.

One subject that was tender for Newport Center residents was the request to give $500 to the Frontier Animal Society.

“As long as the country is thinking about giving assisted suicide to these old people,” said Richard Farrar. “Let’s give assisted suicide to these animals.”

Selectman Steve Barrup said that there are times when the Frontier Animal Society refuses animals from the Newport Center Pound because there is no room for them, and when they do accept the animals there is a fee of $17 to $20 a day, and also an additional fee if the animal needs to be euthanized.

The request was voted down with approximately three-fourths of the residents at the meeting voting against it.

“I was surprised with the response about the animals,” said Barbara Leach.  “They do an amazing job for this area.”

Also shot down were monetary requests from Orleans County Court Diversion and Northeast Kingdom Adult Education and Literacy Program.

Money was appropriated for many other organizations including the Goodrich Memorial Library, the Area Agency on Aging, and Orleans County Citizen Advocacy.

Ernest Choquette claimed that more and more people were asking for money every year.

“Sooner or later this has got to stop,” he said. “I say let’s stop.”

There was a contest for the two open school director positions.  Glen Foster’s three-year term was up, and he was put up for nomination against Karen Camber.  Mr. Foster was re-elected to this position with a secret ballot reporting 40 votes in his favor and 24 in Ms. Camber’s.

For the two-year school director position that Barbara Leach had previously occupied, Ms. Camber was nominated as well as Arlene Brown.

Ms. Brown argued her side saying, “I was a parent here, my child did come to the school . . . and I was very fortunate to be able to teach in my own town.  I do have a lot of abilities that I’m bringing to the board. “

Ms. Brown won this vote 46 to 22.

The only other position up that had any competition was a lister for a three-year term. This race was between Richard Parchel and Steve Lowell.

Mr. Lowell won this race 52 to 17.