STACYVILLE, Maine — Voters in RSU 50 claimed what they considered a victory during last Thursday’s district budget meeting in Stacyville.
However, the considered budget still has to be validated by the town voters on Tuesday, June 25. Polls will be open in Island Falls and Sherman from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Crystal, Dyer Brook, Merrill, Oakfield, Mt. Chase and Smyrna, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Hersey, Moro, Patten and Stacyville, 12-6 p.m.
Rob Nadeau of the law firm of Drummond Woodsum served as moderator of the budget meeting. There were 135 registered voters at the meeting.
The marathon meeting lasted three hours and 15 minutes before an operating budget was adopted.
The overall budget for 2013-14 is $9,340,140, which is a 1.39 percent increase ($114,929) over the previous year. At the district budget meeting, voters accepted a $3,161,334 expenditure for regular instruction, with the local share being $2,516,593.61. The RSU 50 will support 740 students during the next school year.
The state is allotting $5,018,765 which is an increase of $92,700 over last year. However, in order to receive that state allotment, the district is required to raise $2,516,594, which is an increase $82,809. Because the district’s budget is greater than the state’s EPS formula, an additional $1,018,781 must be raised by towns in the district.
At the start of the meeting, RSU 50 Superintendent Larry Malone addressed the “rumor mill” of the closure of Katahdin High School.
“I would like to assure you that the purpose of tonight’s meeting is only to adopt an RSU 50 operating budget for next year. It has been brought to our attention that there are concerns in your communities about the state of your schools for next year. I want you to know there are no closure of schools in this budget and no transporting of kids to any other school in the district.
“Have people asked questions on it? Obviously they have,” he added. “It started very early and I think people have questions. I have addressed those questions to individuals, whether it be citizens or board members when they have asked me to look into things. There have been a lot of different questions and ‘what ifs’ and I have looked into those and presented those. I am sure it is those kinds of sound bites that may have been utilized that we are planning to do something. That is not happening next year. I don’t know how I can reassure you of that.”
Malone did say that the board will “plan to organize and facilitate discussions at a later date with all of the communities to see what you, the residents of these communities, want for the future of education in your region.”
The process will be open for public participation, information will be gathered and provided to voters, so the voters (as a public) can make an informed decision about the educational opportunities that is wanted for each child in the district.
“There are many options,” explained Malone.
“Eleven of the 12 communities that make up the RSU will see less than $12,201 increase to the towns, which is less than a 0.6 percent mil rate,” Malone said. “Stacyville is obviously the exception due to the severe and sudden impact (valuation) adjustment that happened a year of so ago.”
But what seemed to be on the minds of the majority of voters present was the reinstatement of personnel to the RSU, as they looked for ways to keep those positions.
“Why didn’t the board consider reducing high-paying administration positions to reduce the budget as opposed to the elimination of teaching positions and physical education instruction?” asked Allison Roy of Sherman.
According to Malone, more responsibilities are being carried out by administrators besides managing a building and with the reduction of athletic directors, some of those duties are also being placed on administrators as well.
“I think we are adequately positioned with administration and the responsibilities that they carry,” Malone added.
After several amendments were offered to article one, with discussion of $50,000 to $140,000 being added back into the budget to reinstate two physical education and one band teacher, all were defeated.
RSU 50 Chairman Philip Knowles addressed the crowd by saying eliminating positions wasn’t done lightly.
“It is not something we wanted to do,” he said. “But, we have a workable solution. We greatly respect and recognize the two gentlemen that were in those positions each side of district and they were great mentors. So, it was not an easy decision any way, shape or form.”
Thus, the original amount went back on the floor for a vote, which was defeated 37-60. RSU 50 is required to have budget by June 30 and validation of the budget, as well.
At that point, Nadeau asked for a 10-minute recess to speak with the board, as the discussions were not getting anywhere after two hours and there were 17 more articles to be addressed.
After reconvening, a motion was entertained to increase the budget amount by $100,000 to $3,261,334. This was a compromise solution, with a general consensus.
“With discussion the board has heard your consideration,” said Malone. “In regards to the physical education program, we would not be able to guarantee full-time equivalent (FTE) for these positions. I believe what Mrs. [Rae] Bates put on the floor would be an option that we would pursue. We would create a third physical education teacher, but not a full-time equivalent. This will also be the same for music.”
Former Katahdin principal and now curriculum developer at RSU 29, Bates offered this amendment, “What I would like to recommend, and I know that as a public we cannot tell the board what to do, the board has to make that decision that is why we vote for them. However, I think the board has the integrity and the political savvy to hear the crowd. The piece I hear is the issue with phys ed. That seems to be the public’s issue – what I might say is I would like the public to support the bottom line vote with the understanding that the board would look at hiring a high school person on either side of the RSU and share elementary purpose.”
With that proposal, Malone cautioned the crowd.
“The one thing I will tell you is that we cannot guarantee individuals, but we are committed to guaranteeing the positions for you,” he said.
Four line items were amended with reductions to get to a place where the operating budget could be passed.
Articles 6 and 7 (system and school administrations) were reduced by $10,000 and building facility by $30,000.
“We will try to find money in regard to dealing with standards by trying to secure other funding,” said Malone. “With the buildings, we have been rolling the dice quite a while and we will roll it again. It will delay some projects.”
The final $50,000 was reduced in article 11 with other expenditures. Malone cautioned that this would probably “catch up” to voters at a different time, as there have been increases to that line annually.
“The budget represents what you are looking for,” said Malone. “It also maintains the increases to communities and no more additional funds to local communities.”
Malone noted this is only the first step of the process.
“If it gets defeated [at the polls], we are back here again probably with the assumption that voters want no increase,” he said. “It will be defeated because we put programs in you asked for. If it is defeated, it is defeated because it is too much. We would have to bring back a budget that would be reflective of a decrease than what we have done tonight.”
What drove the budget increase and decisions were a health insurance increase of 13 percent translating to about $130,000 in health care costs to the RSU; Maine Teacher Retirement cost shift to those employed by the RSU is 2.65 percent, around $100,000; legal fees by both schools needing to be taken care of; staff development; development of standards in performance-based diplomas; transportation, as the RSU looks to replace a bus a year in the fleet over 16 years; facilities maintenance and lunch reimbursements.
