Hopkinton residents voted down raises for the district’s educators and support staff before approving a budget lowered by the School Board during the annual School District Meeting.

After seeing voters deny two collective bargaining agreements that would have resulted in a total of about $330,000 in increases, board members decided to back the Budget Committee’s proposed operating budget during the Saturday, March 7, meeting.

Despite a motion to trim the budget even more, residents approved the Budget Committee and School Board’s recommendation of about $15.6 million by a 371-106 vote.

In total, the meeting lasted about five hours, with the majority of the discussion centering on the teacher and support staff contracts.

Resident Ian Tewksbury said during the debate that he does not believe voting down the contracts was in the school’s best interest.

“If we don’t support this contract, I won’t be surprised if we lose some teachers. There’s nothing to stop them from going to other districts if we do,” said Tewksbury.

“I’m very disappointed in the Budget Committee.”

Alan Bloomquist was against the articles because of the current level of pay for educators and the state of the economy.

“I just think this is the time to say, ‘Hey, if you’re a teacher, be happy you’re employed because your neighbors are losing their jobs,’” Bloomquist said. “Let’s just try to take a breather here.”

School Board Chairman David Luneau told residents that the contract was a key part in continuing the highquality education that Hopkinton provides.

“As we pay our teachers, we’re investing in our teachers,” said Luneau. “We need the contract to attract the best teachers to Hopkinton, and also to keep them here.”

Voters did approve a new contract for the custodial staff that will result in a 1.94 percent increase in salary and benefits during a five-year contract.

Hopkinton educators are currently paid at an above-average rate, board members said during the meeting, with 59 percent making more than $60,000 and 19 percent coming in above $70,000.

When it came time to discuss the operating budget, Luneau said the board was willing to support the Budget Committee’s suggested increase of $98,691, an increase of less than 1 percent over last year’s figure.

“We have seen today that voters are not in favor of increase, so we are willing to move ahead with the Budget Committee’s figure,” said Luneau.