$9.5M SAD 4 budget being brought back to voters
GUILFORD — For the second time in as many months, a proposed $9,531,320 SAD 4 budget for the 2025-26 academic year is being brought before voters.
The district budget meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School. The total approved that evening will be moved to a referendum on Tuesday, Sept. 9 in the district towns of Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville and Wellington.
Last month the approximate $9.5 million budget was voted down via a 234-207 count across the six SAD 4 communities, and now the same figure is being proposed again for another vote.
A budget workshop was held on July 31 and there was good discussion with select board members from Cambridge, Guilford and Parkman in attendance, Board Chair Niki Fortier said during an Aug. 12 school board meeting at PCES.
A good exchange of ideas, questions and concerns took place, Superintendent Kelly MacFadyen said. Some misconceptions were brought up and addressed by district officials.
“We learned where their frustrations were,” the superintendent said. Town officials mentioned not wanting to raise taxes any more than necessary as they deal with increasing municipal expenses.
“They agreed with the decision to put our second budget back out,” MacFadyen said.
In June SAD 4 residents voted down a proposed 2025-26 budget of $9,752,463 — via a count of 282-187 on the ballot across the half dozen communities. After that district officials developed a second budget down by more than $221,000 than what was first brought to the polls.
Reductions in the second budget include approximately $94,000 in the Learning for Life program, $72,000 for not filling an IT position with the employee having left the district and $38,000 for no longer having some assistant sports coaches that were set to be added in 2025-26.
The $9.5 million figure is up $283,929 or 3.07 percent from the 2024-25 budget of $9,247,391. The $9.75 million figure voted down in June represented a 5.46 percent increase from last year.
In other business, the late Charles Foss — a Piscataquis Community High School alumnus who loved music — set up a fund with the Maine Community Foundation to benefit the arts in SAD 4. Foss’ nephew Scott Foss informed MacFadyen he signed the necessary paperwork to release $500,000 toward the designated fund.
The Maine Community Foundation has informed MacFadyen it could take up to a year before the district will be able to access the fund.
Foss also had a life insurance policy to benefit the district and a check for nearly $62,000 to benefit the music program has been received.
The board heard about the resignation of IT Director Jenny Watson with Bridgette Sharp succeeding Watson.
Watson is departing to become assistant principal at Cony Middle School in Augusta.
MacFadyen said she recognized Watson’s leadership potential and encouraged her to get her administration credentials.
Sharp came to Maine several years ago from Illinois and she had been working as an IT technician in the Madawaska School Department.
“She’s been doing this work and I think it’ll be an easy transition,” MacFadyen said.