SKOWHEGAN -- About 80 percent of the $32.5 million School Administrative District 54 budget passed Monday night before the first question was asked.

Then, during discussion on article 9, spending for facilities and maintenance -- up over 13 percent -- John Keister, of Norridgewock, asked why football games are played at night, when powerful electric lights are necessary.

After the meeting, Keister said his children played sports also, but he said with energy prices high and expected to go higher, it seems to make sense to play more football games during the day. That question was one of only a handful posed as about 160 voters in the Skowhegan Area High School gym approved the $32.5 million budget almost as quickly as they could move the articles.

Following the meeting, Superintendent Brent Colbry said he was very pleased with the response.

"The board worked very hard at building a budget the community can support," said Colbry. "The public heard that message."

Under a new state-mandated budget process, district budgets go through a two-step approval process with the first step being a district budget meeting.

At that meeting, residents have the option of raising or lowering spending levels if the board keeps the articles open. If the board chooses to make the articles closed, spending cannot be increased.

Colbry said the board opted to keep the articles closed because they were committed to lowering spending.

"They built this entire budget on the (idea) that they weren't going to raise taxes," said Colbry.

The second part of the budget approval process is a referendum in which the budget will go to voters in each district town. At that referendum, the budget can only be approved or rejected.

That vote will take place Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Canaan, Cornville, Norridgewock and Skowhegan. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Smithfield and Mercer.

The budget would lower costs to taxpayers about $100,000 overall, although that will vary by town.

Canaan's costs would increase almost 7 percent. Cornville's costs would rise about 1 percent and Smithfield's costs would rise almost 4 percent. Skowhegan would see a drop of almost two percent while Norridgewock's costs would drop just over a percent and Mercer would see its education costs decline just less than one percent.

Staff cuts in the budget include eight teaching positions, two library educational technician positions, two secretaries, the equivalent of three food service positions and the equivalent of one administrative position.

Alan Crowell -- 474-9534, Ext. 342

acrowell@centralmaine.com