The towns of Gray and New Gloucester narrowly voted down a $35.4 million school budget Tuesday.

The overall vote total was 1,211 in favor and 1,230 opposed, a margin of just 19 votes.

In Gray, 644 voted in favor and 805 voted against, while in New Gloucester, 567 voted in favor and 425 voted against.

The proposed School Administrative District 15 budget represented an increase of $2 million, or 5.9%, from the previous year.

MSAD 15 Superintendent Chanda Turner discussed the fallout of the budget vote.

“We’re, of course, disappointed that it didn’t pass,” said Turner, “but our budget last year was very close, so it wasn’t terribly surprising that this year was also very close.”

Regarding their immediate next steps, Turner said they will start the process over again, aiming to hold another validation meeting within the next 45 days, and another vote within the next 90 days.

Gray Town Clerk Britt Barton told Lakes Region Now that, ahead of the vote, the budget was a hot topic among residents, with detractors saying that there has been too much left in the general fund over the years, and that there have been increases to line items that don’t need them.

SAD 15 Board Chair Penny Collins gave more detail on the process of crafting the budget, and which specific items were seeing an increase. She explained that most of the budget items were voted on at the towns’ budget validation meeting on May 22, with all articles being passed as written, and any attempts to amend the articles downward were rejected.

She said this year does not feel particularly different in terms of the community conversation, and that, while the district was optimistic about the fate of the budget, should it fail, they would simply restart the process of crafting the budget.

Collins said more than three quarters of the $2 million came in the form of contracted pay increases for employees and an increase in health insurance, with the rest going towards district needs, bond payments, and adult education.

Carolyn Justice won her select board race with 656 votes, with candidates Rachel L. Rumson and Joshua J. Pietrowicz receiving 562 and 400 votes, respectively.

Penny L. Collins was reelected to her seat on the MSAD 15 school board with 712 votes, as was Misty Coolidge with 661 votes.

Note: This story was updated at 7:30 a.m. to correct the margin of votes on the budget referendum, and the number of candidates elected to the MSAD 15 school board.