$9.5M SAD 4 budget moved to Sept. 9 referendum

GUILFORD — For the second time in several months, a proposed $9,531,320 SAD 4 budget for the 2025-26 academic year is being brought to a referendum vote in the six district communities.

All the articles making up the proposed $9.5 million budget were approved as written during a district budget meeting on Aug. 27 at Piscataquis Community Elementary School with 62 voters in attendance. The total approved that evening will be moved to a referendum on Tuesday, Sept. 9 in the SAD 4 towns of Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville and Wellington.

Instead of meeting on its typical second Tuesday of the month, in September the SAD 4 Board of Directors will instead meet on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The referendum will be the third this year with the previous two, for $9,531,320 in July and $9,752,463 in June, both being voted down. Superintendent Kelly MacFadyen said following the second referendum a budget workshop was held on July 31 with town officials invited to have an open and honest discussion about finances.

“That results in tonight’s budget,” she said, with the exact same figure being brought forward again. The $9.5 million-plus total was voted down via a 234-207 count in July.

In June SAD 4 residents voted down a proposed 2025-26 budget of $9,752,463 at 282-187 on the ballot 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 by eliminating the Learning for Life program (the dozen alternative education students will be accommodated through other programming), $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.

For 2025-26 the state is allocating $3,264,110 to SAD 4, $147,237 less than the $3.4 million-plus allocated in 2024-25.

In order to receive these funds, the district is required to raise $2,982,900 or a $29,387 increase. 

“As you can see, we have less revenue and more expenses before we even decide on programming and materials,” MacFadyen said.

“The bulk of the budget is salaries, benefits and the cost of facilities,” she said.

A sum of $1,963,019 in local additional monies was requested. This warrant article was approved by a count of 47-9 via the required recorded ballot.

Each district community has its local required figure, additional local amount and costs for the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative (SAD 4’s proportional share of the regional program is $53,256 of nearly $450,000).

Five of the six district six towns would see an increased assessment in 2025-26. The total combined assessment is $4,999,175 which is up by $148,479 or 3.06 percent.

Abbot would have a $34,738 (3.74 percent) increase in its assessment to $962,686; Cambridge’s $352,359 proportional share of the SAD 4 budget is up $13,723 (4.05 percent); Guilford’s share is $1,327,368, down slightly by $5,447 (0.41 percent); Parkman would have a $14,633 (1,57 percent) increase to $934,276; Sangerville’s $1,052,094 share is up $82,593 (7.85 percent); and Wellington’s $264,893 assessment represents a $8,269 (3.12 percent) increase from 2024-25.