Proposed RSU 39 school budget — flat

11 years ago

To the editor:
    The development and approval of a school budget is always a challenging task, but even more so during tough economic times. Early in the process, the Board established a goal to develop a budget that would be flat — no increase in spending. We have been successful, but only through everyone doing their part to constantly look for opportunities to cut, to eliminate positions when possible, to consolidate special education services and to carefully scrutinize every line of the budget. We have eliminated six full-time and one part-time position in the proposed budget and even offered a first-time ever retirement incentive that provided significant savings. We have managed to put forward a flat budget in a year when in addition to normal increases we will absorb a 13 percent increase in health insurance totaling more than $300,000. Developing a “no increase” budget has meant limiting our building maintenance projects, technology investments and professional development.

    The RSU 39 Board of Education approved the proposed school budget for 2013-14 at their meeting on May 1, 2013. It proposes the same dollar amount as the current budget of $18,718,271. Due to reduced revenues, the proposal includes a 5 percent increase in local taxation of $192,864, shared between the three communities — Caribou $177,874, Stockholm $8,545 and Limestone $6,445.
    A district budget meeting will be held to vote on the proposed budget on May 29, 2013, 7 p.m. at Caribou Middle School. At that meeting, all registered voters in the RSU 39 communities of Caribou, Limestone and Stockholm will have the opportunity to review, discuss and vote on the proposed budget.
    On June 11, 2013, a Budget Referendum vote will be held in each community with the voters considering two questions. The first article is to “validate” the result of the May 29 district budget meeting by answering “Yes” or “No” to the question — “Do you favor approving the Regional School Unit 39 budget for the upcoming school year that was adopted at the latest Regional School Unit budget meeting?”
    A second question asks, “Do you wish to continue the budget validation referendum process in the Regional School Unit 39 for an additional three (3) years?” We are required to ask this question of the voters every three years. If the majority votes “Yes”, RSU 39 will continue to conduct a referendum to validate its annual school budget for the next three years. If the majority votes “No”, we will discontinue the budget validation referendum for at least three years. In that case the budget voted at the district budget meeting would be the adopted budget and not require a referendum vote.
    More information about the proposed budget can be found on the school district’s website at www.rsu39.org. I encourage all registered voters in Caribou, Limestone and Stockholm to exercise your right to vote, by attending the district budget meeting on May 29 where the first vote of RSU 39 residents will occur in a “town hall” style format and by going to the polls on June 11 in each community voting place to consider ratification of those results.

Frank McElwain
RSU 39 Superintendent