HOULTON, Maine — The RSU 29 school board is now preparing for an increase to the district’s budget for the 2018-19.
RSU 29 Superintendent Ellen Halliday presented a $13,986,075 budget to the board Monday evening, that figures to be a 5.57 percent increase over the current spending plan.
“One of the major cost drivers is the increased costs in special education, due to increased enrollment and high needs,” Halliday said. “Another driving factor is deferred maintenance needs that have been pushed off. There are now some things that can no longer be pushed off.”
The district expects to receive an additional $1,032,830 from the state next year, bringing the total state contribution to $10,206,228. However, the district will need to come up with more money at the local level ($3,366,131) in order to receive those state funds. The required local amount for 2018-19 is an increase of $89,370 from this year.
To help mitigate the overall budget increase, the district will take $275,000 from its undesignated fund balance so that it will not need to ask for any “additional local” money. The district has commonly dipped into this account to help reduce the burden for taxpayers. In the last budget, the board used $200,000 from its surplus account, while in 2016-17, $100,775 was taken from this account.
“The finance committee met last week to review the budget,” board chairman Fred Grant said. “As a committee, we are very pleased with what we were presented with and we are recommending that the (school) board approve this budget.”
Other reasons for the increased budget include the need to repave the school parking lots and to add safety features such as new locks, doors and additional security cameras for district schools. The school system also would like to add an extra grade four teacher at Houlton Southside School; a math instructor for the high school; and possibly a school resource police officer.
“RSU 29 continues to be one of a handful of school units keeping its total state/local spending under or at EPS every year,” Halliday said, referring to what the state defines as Essential Programs and Services. “If this budget is approved as presented, RSU 29 will be at 100 percent EPS.”
The district also is the only school system in Aroostook County to show a sustained increase in student population from 2008 to the present school year. The district has grown by 61 students during that time period.
The board will host a district budget meeting, where members of the public can pose questions on the spending plan, beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, at the high school.
