ISLAND FALLS, Maine — The RSU 50 board spent little time Thursday evening reviewing the proposed 2017-18 school budget before signing off on the plan.
Held at the Island Falls Municipal Building, only a handful of members from the public turned out for the April 27 meeting, and few questions were asked on the budget.
As presented, next year’s proposed budget of $9,768,095, represents an increase of $148,650 (1.55 percent) over the current spending plan.
“I feel that with the cost increases that we have experienced, I don’t know where we could cut any more,” Superintendent Todd LeRoy said. “Our staff is at the point where any further cuts will mean cutting programs. We have to try to keep teachers in this area.”
The district will experience a bit of a double hit next year as it will receive less funding from the state and will have to pony up more local dollars to receive those state funds, LeRoy explained. RSU 50 will receive a state allocation of $4,840,201 (which is a decrease of $50,463), but will have to come up with $2,606,939 in a local required match.
Because the district is spending more than the state says it should be to provide Essential Programs and Services (EPS), the district must also raise additional local dollars to balance the budget. That amount for next year will be $1,393,444.
The budget has risen steadily in RSU 50, which also holds true for most school districts in the region. Last year’s budget figure of $9,619,445 was an increase of 1.49 percent. The budget for 2015-16 was $9,478,679. For comparison, back in 2012-13 the budget was $9,261,281.
The board was looking at an increase of $513,500 at the start of the budget process. That increase was based on raises for staff, increases in the district’s share of insurance premiums, additional costs for special education students, the creation of a stipended athletic site administrator position and the addition of a half-time custodian for Katahdin Elementary School.
Among the major cuts the board made to the budget were the elimination of the elementary principal at Southern Aroostook (saving $73,000), reducing two bus runs (one for SACS and one for KMHS which saved $50,000), reducing the heating fuel account by $32,000, and cutting back on capital improvement projects and supplies. The district was also able to retire two bus loans.
In total, the district cut about $367,000 from the initial budget.
LeRoy said he is optimistic the budget will meet with voter approval at the June 13 election. The district, which includes Southern Aroostook Community School, Katahdin Middle-High School and Katahdin Elementary School is in the midst of a transition as the towns that make up the Katahdin region are in the process of pulling out of RSU 50. That process will not be completed by the start of the next school year, therefore all of the communities that currently make up RSU 50 will be voting on the 2017-18 budget.
“I think fiscal responsibility-wise, this is a strong budget,” LeRoy said. “Small schools are in a tough position.”
