By VALERIE TUCKER
Correspondent

SALEM — Voters in SAD 58 appear to have approved a $9.8 million school budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

By 10 p.m. on Tuesday night, Strong, Kingfield, Avon and Eustis reported wide margins approving the budget. The town of Phillips lost electricity after a storm and could not report a final count.

After cutting nearly $1 million from the original $10.7 million budget, superintendent Quenten Clark and the school board presented nine warrant items to voters last Thursday at the first of two state-mandated elections.

Voters from the five towns agreed to restore $10,000 from cuts in transportation costs for students staying for after-school activities. Teacher and parent Stephan Mitman presented a case for the negative effects on students who could not participate if they could not find a ride home.

Clark said cuts came from increases in fuel oil and the loss of $170,000 of federal funding and $500,000 of state aid. SAD 58 faces falling enrollment numbers, with approximately 60 students entering Mt. Abram High School's freshman class in the fall and only 50 children entering kindergarten classes next year.

Towns with increased valuation also affect the state revenues.