SAD 29 shoots down first review of 2010-11 budget

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — A proposed $11.9 million spending package was put on hold Monday evening by members of the SAD 29 school board.
    Citing insufficient time to review the proposed budget, the board shot down a motion to approve the 2010-11 district budget by a vote of 4-6 Monday evening at the board’s regular monthly meeting. Some board members stated at the meeting that Monday night was the first time they had a chance to view the “finalized” numbers and expressed a desire to review the data more thoroughly before voting on it.
    As presented, the 2010-11 school budget will be $11,932,925.45, which figures to be a decrease of $58,623.57 from the current year’s budget. However, the budget includes the addition of two math positions and an increase in the carry forward, thus decreasing the local assessment by nearly $300,000, Fitzpatrick said.
    Voting in favor of the budget were Bruce Clark, Sandra Wilkins, Angie Wotton and Crystal Hagerman. Board members Lori Holmes, Tammy Goetsch, Frances Grant, Lisa Harvey, Kim Thompson and Laurie Bartlett voted against approving the budget at Monday’s meeting.
    A special budget committee meeting will now be held Monday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Superintendent’s conference room to go over the budget in more detail. A special board meeting will need to be held following that meeting to approve the budget. Once the school board puts its stamp of approval on the budget, it must go to a district budget meeting for the general public to review. At that time, the public can make increases or decreases to the budget before it is ultimately decided upon at a referendum vote in June.
    “The budget committee is recommending this budget, as is your superintendent,” SAD 29 Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick said. “Despite the downturn in the economy, we are able to not only maintain, but add programming.”
    He called the budget a “win-win” situation at Monday’s meeting.
    “The budget picture from the state was not as bad as we originally anticipated,” Fitzpatrick said. “There have not been too many instances in my career where I have been able to put forth a budget that shows such a significant decrease [in local cost], while increasing programs.”
    In comparison, neighboring SAD 70 approved a $6,058,6441 budget for 2010-11 last week. That budget called for eliminating two teaching positions.
    One of the sticking points for some board members and at least one member of the public was the addition of two math positions put into the budget. No individuals have been chosen for these two teaching positions, which are aimed at improving the district’s performance in mathematics.
    “In your last [budget committee] meeting, it was my understanding that you were going to withhold adding those two math positions to the budget, until such a time that you know what they are going in for,” said Fred Grant, a member of the Houlton Town Council and resident of Houlton. “It is my understanding that those two positions have not been presented to the board yet.”
    Fitzpatrick confirmed that the two math positions have not been brought to the school board for consideration, but added it would be prudent from a financial perspective to have that money in the budget so the positions could be added at some point next year.
    “We are place-holding those positions for the following budget cycle,” Fitzpatrick said. “It was a planning piece for future board action.”
    “This is the first time I have even seen this [budget],” Goetsch said. “I guess I am opposing it until I have a chance to look at it.”
    “I don’t want to get into this right now, but I am very uneasy and uncomfortable about putting this forth,” Thompson added.
    Members of the budget committee are Liz Anderson, Bartlett, Grant, Holmes and Wilkins.
    In other items, the board heard a 35-minute technology presentation from Curriculum Coordinator Dawn Dougan that centered on the use of school laptops by students and teachers. Dougan said there have been a number of issues with laptops being damaged or students accessing inappropriate websites.
    Dougan explained the state is considering the creation of a statewide server that would assist school districts in monitoring which websites each laptop visits.
    The board also took the following action:
    • Accepted letters of retirement from Pam Cowperthwaite and Roderick King, effective June 30.
    • Renewed contracts for the following first-year teachers: Rachel Upton, grade 4 ELA/science; Michael Kenney, grade 7-12 math; Craig Fournier, grade 7-12 math; Lindsay Martin, special education; and Jennifer Vega, gifted/talented.
    • Renewed contracts for the following second-year teachers: Michael Hutchinson, grade 5/6 band; Michael Connors, grade 7-12 science; Veronica Holyoke, grade 5 ELA/social studies; Susan Pierce, guidance counselor; and Harmony Beaton, school nurse.
    The next regular meeting of the SAD 29 school board is Monday, June 14 at 6 p.m. in the Superintendent’s conference room.