TREMONT — Voters in a town meeting straw poll Monday were adamant about their desire not to consolidate the town’s K-8 school with the one in neighboring Southwest Harbor.

Three options for consolidation were on the town ballot as a nonbinding referendum at the request of school officials, who had hoped the vote would send a clear message about whether to proceed with consolidation discussions.

Tremont voters overwhelmingly supported keeping the schools as they are now. That option gained 157 votes.

The option to form a two-town cooperative school structure and have younger students attend the Tremont Consolidated School and older students attend the Pemetic Elementary School in Southwest Harbor gained 84.

The option to close the Tremont school and send Tremont students to Pemetic was the least favored and received 64 votes. Last week, voters in Southwest Harbor chose that option.

In the only contested race – for a three-year seat on the school committee –  Christina Butler won the only contested race, with 142 votes. The other candidate, Heidi Lawson, received 75 votes.

Two incumbent selectmen will return to their seats. Chris Eaton gained 205 votes; Bobby Lee received 199.

A vacant seat on the high school board of trustees will be filled by an as-yet-to-be-determined write-in candidate, according to town clerk McKenzie Jewett.

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