RSU 68 voters back budget

By Stuart Hedstrom

Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Voters from the four RSU 68 communities attending the annual district budget meeting May 26 at the SeDoMoCha School gave their approval to a proposed budget totaling $10,121,701 for the 2015-16 academic year. The spending plan, which is made up of a little more than $5.1 million in local revenue sources and just under $5 million in state contributions, represents an increase of $149,582 or 1.5 percent from the current year’s budget of $9,972,119.

In the proposed 2016 budget a sum of a little more than $4,232,000 needs to be raised by the four municipalities for the total cost of funding public education for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. Along with approximately $148,000 in additional local funds and just under $58,000 in adult education monies, this figure then breaks down to over $2,653,500 for Dover-Foxcroft, more than $621,000 for Sebec, about $592,000 for Charleston and more than $571,000 for Monson. The assessments are up for all four towns compared to the current year.

Superintendent Robert Lucy said during the budget process the goal was to be “fiscally responsible to the taxpayers of the district communities while also supporting the system’s goals.” He added, “We scrutinized every item in the budget and tried to make cuts wherever possible.”

“Everyone has worked really hard on this budget, we tried wicked hard not to regress on the gains we have made the last few years,” School Board Chair Rick Johnston said, adding that he feels the budget reflects the needs of RSU 68 students and also the economic conditions of the area.

All of the warrant articles representing the $10.1 million passed as written, with some representing increases from 2014-15 and others featuring lesser amounts. Among the larger monetary items approved was over $5.8 million for regular instruction and just over $1,245,400 for special education.

Lucy said in the spending plan, a sixth-grade teacher will be added for next year. “It will give us a teacher-pupil ratio consistent with other grade levels,” he added, saying the addition will enable grade 6 instructors to be curriculum specific with one for English/language arts, math, science and social studies.

Speaking on special education, Lucy said “We had to do some restructuring there too because we are not taking in as much MaineCare funds as in the past.”

The budget will now go out to Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson and Sebec voters for a referendum vote on Tuesday, June 9, with the $10.1 million figure to be either voted up or down with a vote of “yes” or a vote of “no.”