TCTC bond question will be on next month’s ballot

DEXTER — SAD 46 has been awarded a $1,430,069 Career and Technical Education Equipment Bond from the Maine Department of Education to help upgrade equipment for various programs at the Tri-County Technical Center. TCTC was chosen after receiving a high score in the grant application process.

“We have been selected to receive $1.4 million from the Department of Education, there is no local cost but they set it up as a bond referendum,” Superintendent Kevin Jordan said during an Oct. 2 school board meeting at the Ridge View Community School. “So much like we have to call for a district budget meeting, we have to call for a bond question.”

“We were very fortunate to have been awarded $1,430,069 and no cost to the taxpayer — an incredible opportunity,” Jordan wrote in a followup email. “The only catch is the bond question needs to be approved by the taxpayers in a question on the ballot on Election Day in November. We want to get this information to as many people as possible emphasizing the incredible opportunity at no cost (a deal that does not come along all that often).”  

The bond question will be part of the ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election.

To help inform residents and answer questions, a public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 in the Ridge View gymnasium.

“This is a zero cost bond so it is vital it gets passed,” Board Chair Michael Burton said, as district officials are emphasizing there would not be any local funds required in order to receive the $1.4 million.

Should the question be passed next month, then the Maine Bond Bank will begin selling bonds in February of 2025. Funding would be scheduled to be available sometime in May.

Two new TCTC programs were approved by the school board, business administration and management (also known as entrepreneurial/small business) and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).

TCTC Director Brian Leavitt said the business program is scheduled to start next fall on a part-time pilot basis. Participants would be working with area establishments to learn real world business skills, such as bookkeeping.

For the HVAC program, “We’re going to work with some local businesses,” Leavitt said as students will learn directly from those employed in the field.

Leavitt also gave an update on a family home being constructed at 128 Main Street Hill by TCTC Building Trades students.

He said the foundation is done, temporary electric service is in place, and A.E. Robinson is on the site for radiant heating installation to allow for work to be done with the cooler fall temperatures. “The project is a little behind schedule but I think we’re going to get caught up,” the TCTC director said

Leavitt said the schedule has the home being finished in June “so we’re looking forward to getting that finished up.”

With help from various community partners, students are applying what they have learned in the classroom in the real world as they are part of a crew to construct the family home as they work side by side with professional contractors. The approximately 1,800-square foot house will be put on the market and become someone’s home, standing as a reminder of the students’ time, talents, and hard work.

Among the project partners is the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis. Leavitt said the Kiwanis has contributed $1,000 toward the purchase of proper construction footwear for the TCTC students.

In his report, Dexter Regional High School Principal Steve Bell said the school board may be hearing fire trucks at any moment as the Dexter Fire Department provided an escort to the golf team as that afternoon these Tigers won the Penobscot Valley Conference title for the third season in a row. Chase Farnsworth was the match medalist with his competition-best score of 76.

“We always appreciate the fire department, they jump right in,” Bell said, with firefighters helping teams celebrate with the community after winning championships. He said the golf team would be competing in the Class C championship on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.

“Homecoming is next week, that’s always a huge deal in Dexter,” Bell said. He said on Oct. 12 there will be two soccer matches and the football and field hockey teams will all be playing on campus with staggered starts from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A parade will be held the evening before on Friday, Oct. 11 leading to a big pep rally in the gym.

An open house scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 6 has been pushed back one week to Nov. 13. Bell said this was done to avoid a potential conflict with the Class C North field hockey championship set for that same evening at Cony High School in Augusta. Dexter is currently in first place in the Class C North field hockey Heal Point standings.

Ridge View Principal Jessica Dyer said, “We welcomed 250 grandparents or other special adults” during a grandparents day the week prior. She said the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis helped with parking and only two spots were empty during the event.