The Mascenic School District will remain on a default budget for another year after voters rejected the proposed spending plan at the polls Tuesday.

The district proposed a $23.9 million budget, while the default budget — which will now take effect — is $23.4 million.

Greenville voters supported the proposal, 135-92. However, New Ipswich voters opposed it decisively, 981-623, resulting in the budget’s defeat.

This marks the third consecutive year the district will operate under a default budget.

Superintendent Liz Pogorzelski has previously said there is little left to cut from district spending and warned that operating under the default budget could lead to program reductions.

Potential cuts under the default budget include staff reductions at the elementary and middle school levels, elimination of middle school sports and extracurricular activities, and elimination of nonrequired preschool programming.

Voters also rejected a proposed collective bargaining agreement with the Mascenic Support Staff Association.

Greenville voters supported the three-year agreement, which included wage and benefits increases, by a vote of 144-85. But New Ipswich voters again outweighed that support, rejecting the agreement 921-669.

The issue will not return to voters this year. Voters also rejected an article that would have called for a special meeting to reconsider the collective bargaining agreement if it failed at the polls.

Greenville voters supported the article, 137-88, but New Ipswich voters opposed it, 837-730, resulting in the article’s defeat.

The agreement would have included $149,707 in increases in the first year, $55,078 in the second, and $47,585 in the third.

Voters did approve additions to capital reserve funds for the district, with both towns showing majority support for the articles.

A $150,000 addition to the maintenance and repair capital reserve fund was approved in New Ipswich by a 879-701 vote, and in Greenville 176-51.

A proposed $35,000 to the technology reserve was approved 835-743 in New Ipswich and 172-56 in Greenville.

A $25,000 addition to the food service reserve was approved 877-703 in New Ipswich and 181-47 in Greenville.

Building trades, open enrollment policy approved

Voters in both towns approved spending $192,000 to establish a construction trades program at Mascenic High School next year.

About $142,000 of the funding will cover salary and benefits for an instructor, while $50,000 will be used for supplies and equipment.

In recent years, Mascenic students have had the option to attend the construction trades program at Conant Middle High School. This year, Conant was unable to run the program due to a lack of an instructor and did not include the program in its budget for the coming year.

Mascenic previously housed a construction trades program, and voters approved bringing it back to the district. New Ipswich voters supported the measure, 908-678, while Greenville voters approved it 175-53.

Voters also approved adopting an open enrollment policy, which allows students to attend public schools outside their home districts. Under the policy, the sending district pays tuition to the receiving district.

As approved, the policy would not allow Mascenic students to enroll in other districts but would allow students from outside districts to attend Mascenic. New Ipswich voters supported the policy 921-664, and Greenville voters supported it 162-60.

Voters say no to studies, budget cap

Voters also rejected several studies proposed by the district to examine potential efficiencies.

One article would have raised $26,000 to hire a consultant to conduct a building consolidation study. The study was intended to evaluate the district’s use of its facilities, including whether Boynton Middle School could be closed and consolidated with other district schools.

The measure failed in both towns, though the vote was closer in Greenville. New Ipswich voters opposed the article 854-721, while Greenville voters rejected it 115-109.

Voters also turned down a proposed $10,000 study examining staffing levels in the district’s administrative offices. The article failed decisively in both towns, with New Ipswich voters rejecting it 1,049-545 and Greenville voters rejecting it 149-75.

Another article that failed would have established a budget cap limiting year-to-year increases in per-student spending to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

District officials previously stated during public hearings that the language in the article would not have been binding and would only have served as an advisory measure.

The article did not receive a majority vote in either town and would have required a three-fifths supermajority to pass. New Ipswich voters rejected the cap 826-753, and Greenville voters rejected it 136-87.

Spratt, Salmonson elected to School Board

Steve Spratt was elected to the School Board for the at-large seat with 195 votes in Greenville and 1,120 in New Ipswich in an uncontested race.

Ellen Salmonson received 1,056 votes for the New Ipswich School Board seat, also in an uncontested race.

Robert Romeril received 194 votes in Greenville and 1,348 in New Ipswich for re-election as district moderator.