KENNEBUNK — Regional School Unit 21 took its first step toward buying out its contract with Thornton Academy Middle School Tuesday night, after the majority of nearly 700 voters cast their votes in favor of allocating $1.2 million to end the contract.

“By buying out the contract, we’re saving money, and giving kids a choice,” said Mary Couming, a Kennebunk resident, at the budget meeting in the Kennebunk High School gymnasium.

Of those who participated, 435 voted in favor and 295 voted against the buyout.

The buyout will give Arundel students the option of attending either Thornton Academy or the Middle School of the Kennebunks.

Not all shared the majority of voters’ views on how the district is spending its funds.

“We are actually living on less and less each year to educate the children of Kennebunk,” said Nancy O’Claire of Kennebunk to the school board, adding she’s leaving her home because of the rise in property taxes in Kennebunk.

Some residents questioned whether the school board has given appropriate attention to the details of the budget.

“I’ve never been so disgusted with a process,” said Diane Robbins of Arundel. Robbins said the board hasn’t looked at all of the lines of the budget and are overtaxing citizens to pass the buyout with Thornton Academy.

Others were satisfied with the proposed budget.

“The budget is still lower now than when it was approved as sole districts,” said voter Matthew Sylvanus, speaking on the budgets made before the formation of RSU 21.

Citizens made motions to reduce the $15.5 million for regular classroom instruction by 1 percent, but the motions failed to pass in vote.

The majority of voters also said yes to all of the other 18 articles, including appropriating nearly $30 million for funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12.

The next step for voting on the TAMS contract buyout will be the May 24 budget referendum. In addition to the articles on the ballot last night will be whether RSU 21 should implement a cost-sharing system to change how debt is distributed between Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel.

Also on the ballot will be whether RSU 21 should use a grant from the state of $476,000 an interest free, 10-year loan of $1.1 million to repair MSK’s roofing, exterior insulation system and corridors.

MSK’s roof and windows have had leakage since the school’s opening in 2001 and air quality tests have shown mold and mildew growth in the building, requiring immediate remediation.

In voting Tuesday, the TAMS buyout was moved to the front of the list of 19 articles voted on, all of which passed, after approximately 80 percent of the those in attendance said they would prefer to vote on the topic first.

“I think the turnout was awesome,” said Andrew Dolloff, superintendent of schools. “We’ll need to have even more people come out May 24 to vote again.”

The May 24 referendum will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at polling stations throughout the district.

— Staff Writer Matt Kiernan can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 326, or at mkiernan@journaltribune.com.