HOULTON, Maine — A group of just over 20 people turned out Monday evening to give final approval to a $15.3 million spending plan for RSU 29.
Eleven school board representatives were joined by just 12 members of the public to vote on 17 warrant articles at the district budget meeting. There were no questions asked by the public on any of the warrant articles.
In 2019, voters in Houlton, Hammond, Littleton and Monticello approved a plan to do away with a second referendum vote of the school budget at the polls for a three-year period. That means Monday night’s meeting was the one, and only, opportunity for residents to weigh in on the budget.
Bill Stockmeyer, an attorney with Drummond and Woodsum, served as the moderator for the meeting.
HOULTON, Maine — May 17, 2021 — Bill Stockmeyer, an attorney with Drummond and Woodsum, served as the moderator for the RSU 29 district budget meeting in Houlton May 17. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
At $15,344,683, the budget has been described as “virtually flat” by Superintendent Ellen Halliday as it represents an increase of 1.23 percent over the previous year. In comparison, last year’s budget featured a 3.61 percent increase.
Halliday said she was not surprised by the low turnout for Monday’s meeting, which was completed in just 23 minutes.
“When the increase is so small, and there is no real controversy involved and no additional local [funds] asked of our taxpayers, then I’m not surprised by the small turnout,” she said.
Unlike other school districts in the area, RSU 29 will see an increase in state aid for next year. The state is providing $11,422,844 to the district, which is an increase of $86,776 (0.77 percent) over last year.
In order to receive those funds, the district must come up with $3,128,005 in required local tax dollars. That figure is $59,059 (1.85 percent) less than the current budget.
What that means is most towns in RSU 29 will see a reduction in their “required” contributions. A breakdown by town shows: Houlton’s share of the budget, including Region II and Adult Education, is $2,343,128 (a decrease of $46,046); Littleton’s share is $438,583 (down $8,025); and Monticello’s share is $375,699 (down $5,311).
Hammond at $68,582 is up $144 from the previous year.
The district trimmed $615,000 from its budget by eliminating the following positions: a school resource officer; literacy interventionist; a grade 2 teacher; and a grade 1 teacher.
To further help balance the budget, the district plans to use $350,000 in its carry-forward account. That account consists of money budgeted but not spent in the 2020-21 school year.
In addition, the district will use $350,000 from its undesignated fund (surplus) to balance the budget. Last year, the district used just $114,459 from its surplus account. The district has roughly $1,257,434 in its undesignated fund, which is used in the event of major unforeseen expenses or cash flow issues.
