Susan Tuz
Updated 11:04 pm, Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Voters in Bridgewater turned out in force for Tuesday's Region 12 referendum and defeated a proposed change to the regional plan by a vote of 786-81.
In Roxbury, the question was also resoundingly defeated, 585-306.
Washington voters, in a low turnout, passed the question, 550-251.
The proposed change would have eliminated the requirement of having a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade elementary school in each of the region's three towns.
Instead, a consolidated pre-K to grade 5 elementary school would be built on the Shepaug Valley Middle/High School campus.
"I'm disappointed," said Washington First Selectman Mark Lyon, "because our elementary school students will suffer.
"Washington contributes 46 percent of the cost to run the region and has the most people involved in the process, but we don't get to say what happens,"he said.
He said nearly two years ago, the three first selectmen got together and said things could not go on as they have.
"There were supposedly some wonderful ideas out there, and I can't wait to hear them," Lyon added.
The second referendum question -- to authorize bonding $40.9 million to finance the building of a consolidated elementary school and make repairs toShepaug Middle High School -- similarly was defeated.
In Bridgewater, Question 2 was turned down 814-58, while in Roxbury the count was 669 no to 245 yes.
Again, Washington approved the question, 532-288.
"We've always realized there are issues that need to be solved," said Alan Brown, Board of Education vice chairman and Bridgewater selectman.
"I've always felt the answer to declining enrollment needed to be a solution that was satisfactory to all three towns."
Brown noted he and a small handful of others have been a dissenting voice on the Education Board, a voice that wasn't heard.
"Consolidation always seemed to be the answer gravitated to," Brown said. "Now the board has heard from the people of the towns. Consolidation isn't the answer they want."
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