Near $15.3M Dover-Foxcroft-area school budget moved to referendum
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Voters in the Dover-Foxcroft-area school district approved a proposed 2026-27 near $15.3 million at the annual district budget meeting at the SeDoMoCha School on Tuesday evening.
This figure moves to a referendum vote in the district towns of Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson and Sebec on Tuesday, June 9, to coincide with the general Maine election.
The proposed budget is about $279,000 more (1.44%) than the current total of just under $14,996,000.
Some tough choices were made in developing the spending plan, Board Chair Jenny Chase said.
“We are confident the budget we present before you is fiscally responsible and will meet the needs of our students,” she said.
Local taxes would rise 4.79% to a total of a bit less than $5.25 million. This breaks down to municipal increases of 6.5% for Sebec at approximately $776,400, 6.22% for Charleston at $703,000, 4.79% for Dover-Foxcroft at a bit more than $3 million and 1.4% for Monson at nearly $682,000.
The state is asking for nearly $240,000 more in local required monies and the district will seek an additional $70,000 compared to the year prior in local additional funds from the four towns. Last year’s assessment totaled just over $5 million.
The RSU 68 budget was developed with a pair of guiding principles, Superintendent Stacy Shorey said. The school board is committed to making transparent, student-centered budget decisions that are best for the pupils and are fiscally responsible and the board is also committed to decisions that reflect the district mission statement.
Expenses rose with greater salaries and insurance costs. Cuts included a classroom teacher, social worker and some ed techs.
Meeting attendees approved RSU 68’s proportional $71,455 share of the 2026-27 Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative budget of nearly $767,000. The district share is the same as the year prior.
Another $184,000 was authorized to be used for capital improvement reserve. Expenditures will include $33,000 (33% RSU 68 is responsible for per grant requirements) for the HVAC system at the superintendent’s building, $70,000 for the HVAC maintenance contract and $10,000 to continue updating the flooring.
A year ago the Maine Department of Education awarded the district a $971,540 loan for an HVAC system at 572 Bangor Road through the state’s zero interest rate/loan forgiveness School Revolving Renovation Fund for indoor air quality renovations.
Under the program, the Maine Municipal Bond Bank will forgive about two-thirds of the loan, an estimated $640,925.
The district would be obligated to repay only 34%, or an estimated $330,615. Payments of $33,000 are being made annually for a decade with zero percent interest.The 572 Bangor Road building, which housed the Charlotte White Center central office for many years, was constructed in 1982. HVAC equipment was replaced in 2000 but the design problem of no mechanical ventilation was not remedied.