According to Town Clerk Janet Schofield, their objection to the proposal is directly related to the school’s recent funding cut of roughly $422,000. Woodland was among many school across the state to receive significantly less state subsidies for education, and is projected to lose approximately 35.5 percent of its funding for the 2016-17 year.
“What I don’t get is that what they pay the town is reimbursed by the state by about 80 or 85 percent,” said Selectperson Peggy Espling.
“Right now, they haven’t even used any of the money we gave them for 2015-16 yet,” said Selectperson Carl Grant. “If you look at the end-of-year budget, they still have what we gave them.”
Administrative Assistant Amber Moutinho said that, after speaking with the Union 122 Business Manager for the Superintendent’s office, she learned that the school will be ahead by roughly $100,000, even with the budget cuts.
“I don’t know if it’s because the state’s paying tuition for the kids who go to Caribou,” added Moutinho, “because if they’re under a Superintendent’s agreement, the state is paying that base tuition, not Woodland.”
Selectpeople speculated that the school’s budget could possibly include a large buffer for situations like the recent funding cut.
“We should go back to the original price for a one-year lease,” said Selectperson Tom Drew, “and then start looking at different opportunities.”
The Superintendent’s Office has also requested that the town seal off the door that connects the Highway Department Garage to the office.
Road Commissioner Steve Dumais said that fixing the door should be an easy task.
“I don’t understand why that door was ever put in,” said Dumais, “but all we’d need to do is close it, lock it, and insulate it. Honestly, they shouldn’t be walking through the garage anyway, since they don’t have any steel-toe boots.”
Selectpeople agreed to have the door sealed. Dumais said it would only cost “$25 or $30,” and the door would not look any different from the office side, with the exception of sign that warns people not to enter.
