The RSU 50 school board is moving ahead with its workload since the 2014-15 budget passed through the local polls earlier this month.
At the last RSU 50 school board meeting in October, Harry Doughty was hired to fill the vacant high school math position at Katahdin High School.
Board member Peter Main was named as the delegate to represent RSU 50 at the annual Maine School Management Fall Conference, which was held in Augusta Oct. 23 and 24.
In other business, the school board approved a document to evaluate the regional educational Technicians and the job description for school nurses.
A unanimous decision by the board was made to approve an extension through July 1, 2020 for the proposed proficiency in the standards of the eight content areas and the standards of the Guiding Principles in order to receive a diploma.
The chairman, Greg Ryan, and the vice chairman, Myron Baldwin, encouraged board members to be prepared to adopt a mission and vision statement, as well as core values in order to move forward with the Task Force/Focus Group study.
Additionally, Ryan directed the board to prepare to consider reducing the options brought forth by the Focus Group to a more manageable number. It was suggested that a handout with information regarding the work of the Focus Group be made available to the local town offices in time for the Nov. 4 election day in order for the public to be better informed.
It has taken a while, but RSU 50 finalized its budget for the year on Oct. 2.
Residents of Crystal, Dyer Brook, Hersey, Island Falls, Merrill, Moro, Mt. Chase, Oakfield, Patten, Sherman, Smyrna and Stacyville voted on the proposed budget at referendum. It was approved the third time it was brought to residents. The previous two times, the referendum was defeated at the local polls.
On Sept. 16, approximately 90 residents attended a budget workshop at the Island Falls Municipal Building.
According to RSU 50 Superintendent Larry Malone, the proposed budget was approved as presented and the articles were passed without discussion by those in attendance. “We recognize that not having an approved budget was creating unrest in our schools and communities,” said Malone. “We found common ground with this one.”
The proposed school budget is $9,374,993, an increase of $110,271 since the last referendum on Aug. 7. This budget is an increase of 0.37 percent over the last year’s budget and a reduction of $395,954 from the original spending plan.
RSU 50 will receive $4,808,614 in fiscal year 2015, which is $210,151 less than the previous year. To receive the state subsidy, the towns need to raise $2,504,933 and the towns also need to raise $1,161,196 in additional local funds to balance the budget.
The new fiscal year began in July. According to the most recent report from the Maine Department of Education, RSU 50’s per pupil cost for education is $11,034. The state average is $10,021.
The local referendum numbers were close as Crystal voted 14 yes and 12 no; Dyer Brook, 25-12; Hersey, 4-3; Island Falls, 56-31; Merrill, 12-12; Moro Plantation, 0-2, Mount Chase, 13-19; Oakfield, 48-13; Patten, 53-36; Sherman, 35-82; Smyrna, 15-6; and Stacyville, 24-25.
Two hundred and ninety-nine voted yes, with 253 voting no.
