WATERBORO — Voters approved a $37.6 million budget to operate Regional School Unit 57 for the fiscal year that begins July 1, reducing by $109,000 the original proposal passed by the school board.
The spending plan approved by the 177 voters at the three-hour district budget meeting Tuesday night means the budget is one step closer to final. It is subject to an up or down validation referendum June 10 in the six towns that make up RSU 57: Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro.
The spending proposal eliminates eight teaching positions and 15 education technicians, as the district attempts to balance declining enrollments and declining state valuations with factors like increasing health insurance costs, with education needs.
Business Manager Colin Walsh this morning said the $109,000 reduction was based on a calculation by a voter. He said the general sentiment by the majority of those who voted on the $109,000 reduction Tuesday was that the administration increase was too much. Voters approved the $109,000 reduction, 97-73. The $109,000 reduction will come from the administration portion of the budget, but it will be up to the school board to decide precisely what to cut, Walsh said.
The budget, as proposed, had included about $500,000 in increases to administration, but more than half of the hike was attributed to a shift of some positions from instruction to administration. The budget includes the addition of two assistant principals instead of two deans at Massabesic High School, and a second assistant principal at Massabesic Middle School. In all, that measure accounts for $290,000 of the administration increase. Other administration increases include $60,000 in possible salary increases for administration and support staff, along with a potential $50,000 for incentive pay initiatives, pending negotiations. As well, the district will pay $30,000 in retirement costs for administration, and about $85,000 in increases in health insurance costs and other benefits, according to Superintendent of Schools John Davis.
Passage of the budget means there will be six fewer elementary teachers at district schools in September; two teachers are retiring, and Davis said the other four cuts will be achieved either through attrition ”“ if more teachers decide to retire or find work elsewhere ”“ or with layoffs, if necessary. As well, an art teacher and a music teacher who are retiring will not be replaced. There will be 15 fewer education technicians working in district schools next year as well.
Budget number crunchers had originally projected that had the budget passed as originally proposed, Alfred residents with a home valued at $180,000 would pay $110 more in property taxes this year; Limerick $105 more; Lyman about $97 more; Newfield $72 more; Shapleigh 77 more; and Waterboro about $81 more. The reduction by $109,000 is expected to change that, though slightly.
Walsh said Tuesday’s meeting provided a good exchange of views.
“A lot of people got to have their say,” he said, and there were a number of secret ballot votes among the 18 articles decided.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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