The Hall-Dale school system's budget has overcome its final hurdle.

Farmingdale and Hallowell voters approved the Hall-Dale school system's $10.4 million budget for the 2008-09 year in a referendum vote last week.

The budget cuts district spending by $245,000, or 2.2 percent, from the current school year's budget.

Friday's vote was the first time the school district has held a referendum to allow voters to approve its budget. The referendum is a requirement of Maine's school consolidation law, which legislators passed last year.

In Farmingdale, 59 voters weighed in on the budget question, voting 50 to 9 in favor of the budget school board members approved at the beginning of April and residents approved in a separate district budget meeting last Tuesday. Just 2.4 percent of the town's 2,499 registered voters cast ballots.

In Hallowell, voters approved the district budget by a 130-15 vote. With 2,106 registered voters, Hallowell recorded a 6.9 percent voter turnout.

"We were hoping for more voters to turn out," Hallowell Deputy City Clerk Diane Polky said.

Officials from Farmingdale and Hallowell said they would bill the school district for election costs. In Hallowell, that amount will exceed $3,000, Polky said. Farmingdale town clerk Phyllis Weeks said the town has not yet determined the election's full cost.

Superintendent Donald Siviski acknowledged the referendum is "an expensive process."

Farmingdale and Hallowell were required to staff their normal polling places -- Hall-Dale Middle School in Farmingdale and Hall-Dale Elementary School in Hallowell.

"It was a very slow, very long day," Polky said.

A random sampling of Hallowell voters on Monday turned up none who was aware of the budget vote.

"I didn't notice anything about it or hear anyone really talk about it," Brian Nichols said.

Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, Ext. 435

mstone@centralmaine.com