The RSU 50 budget of $9,510,396, representing a 0.91 percent increase from last year, was defeated at the June 16 referendum vote. The board will consider the next steps at a budget workshop being held on Thursday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Island Falls Municipal Building.
The budget failed 221-191.
The breakdown of numbers for each town is as follows: Crystal, 12 yes, 5 no; Dyer Brook, 20-10; Hersey, 4-0; Island Falls, 31-33; Merrill, 7-14; Moro Plantation, 0-4; Mount Chase, 14-11; Oakfield, 33-10; Patten, 40-38; Sherman, 11-57; Smyrna, 11-7; and Stacyville, 8-32.
The district budget meeting will be held Thursday, July 30 at Katahdin High School at 7 p.m.
Until a new ratified budget is in place, the school will operate on a month-to-month basis based on the proposed $9.5 million budget that voters approved at a public hearing on June 2, according to Larry Malone, RSU 50 superintendent.
Malone indicates that the recently defeated budget was prepared in an effort to reassess the needs of the district and to bring a minimum increase to the taxpayers. The initial stages of budget development had the potential increase to the district over $656,000.
The budget was reduced by over $570,000 to the proposed increase of $85,392. The reductions in personnel included the elimination of four teaching positions, three ed tech positions, one secretary, and the reduction of a technology position. Malone noted these reductions come with no loss of programming and services to students.
Malone said that the budget included roof repairs at the Southern Aroostook school and the Katahdin Elementary School, as well as, other facility needs that have not been funded for years.
There is a third bus lease included in the budget to maintain the fleet of 16 buses, with an annual replacement of one bus. There is also funding to hire part-time services to support the implementation of K-12 Proficiency Based Education requirements.
“I am concerned that low voter turnout at the initial referendum could lead to a similar situation as last year, when it took three attempts to get an approved budget,” he said. “The defeated budget reflects the current needs of the district and is responsible.”
The board will now try to determine what a “no” vote meant. Malone said he hears varying reasons for the defeated budget.
“Whatever the personal reason citizens voted ‘no,’ their participation at the budget workshop on July 9 is where the discussions should take place; waiting until the district budget meeting or referendum only prolongs the process and has a negative impact on the district,” he explained.
Malone said that if deep reductions in the next budget occur, it will impact the learning environment and programming for students. Further reductions will force the board to consider staff layoffs and some form of consolidation of students.
The budget development will transfer to newly approved Interim Superintendent Michael Hammer, who assumes the position today for Malone, who was recently hired in RSU 57.
Hammer was approved at the June 8 board meeting, upon the recommendation of the RSU board interview committee. Hammer had recently informed Maine School Management of his availability to serve as interim. He will serve for the 2015-16 school year, while the board conducts a new superintendent search.
Hammer served as RSU 29’s superintendent from Feb. 23, 2011 to June 30, 2015.
