STACYVILLE, Maine — Time is winding down for the school board to make a decision on which direction RSU 50 should follow in its ongoing effort to consolidate.
There are several options still to be considered. The board now has to whittle down those scenarios as they prepare the annual school budget.
RSU 50 Superintendent Larry Malone recently asked board members if they had enough information to move forward in the process.
“Right now, it is hard economically. You are going to have to continually adjust to what is going on around you,” Malone said to board members at the March 9 meeting held in Dyer Brook. The legislation can change weekly, which impacts board decisions.
The cost of education in the current state budget proposal is increasing $68 million and state aid is only going up $20 million. Malone noted the state cost for education in the governor’s initial budget is 46.25 percent, with the local share filling out 53.75 percent.
“Maine School Management is pushing for $50 million to be added into the state budget to keep the mill rate flat,” Malone explained. “The more money that goes in, the better position we are in.”
The current projected RSU 50 state subsidy for the fiscal year 2016 is $28,922 less than a year ago.
“Resonating to me from the community is the cost of education is a concern, without taking away options for students,” Malone said.
Looking at the 2016 school budget, there are several cost centers that will be higher than last year. One of the biggest increases is in the career and technical, with Region II adding a new electrical course. The share RSU 50 will pay is $25,053, an increase of 7.05 percent.
“I believe our students will benefit from the program,” said Malone.
Another cost center is transportation. That will increase $23,152, which is 3.09 percent from a year ago and finally, system administration will rise 0.58 percent or $2,476 to address insurance and non-union staff.
At this juncture, Mt. Chase is still considering withdrawing from the regional school unit for cost savings. If Mt. Chase withdraws, their share of the load will shift to the other towns in the RSU.
Malone did inform the board that when the RSU came together, a cost-sharing formula was built into the plan to be based on 100 percent valuation.
“The board is obligated to address the cost sharing in its fifth year,” said Malone. RSU 50 will be five years old in 2016.
The first method is board members can conduct a study or assign a sub-committee to consider variations in local cost sharing that have resulted since the implementation of the cost-sharing plan when the RSU was formed in 2011.
A public meeting would be held and residents would have the option to vote either to remain unchanged (100 percent valuation) or if they want to implement a new cost-sharing plan; a referendum would be required.
The second method includes a written petition of 10 percent of the number of voters during the last gubernatorial election within the RSU to direct a look at the cost-sharing plan. This would require a referendum also.
If residents agree to change the cost-sharing plan from 100 percent valuation to student count, some towns would see significant savings, while other towns would pick up the difference.
“Those towns not seeing a savings would have to vote in favor of paying more to keep other communities in the RSU,” Malone said.
Board member Steve Walker noted, towns who would be increasing their costs have the larger voting population to keep the formula the same.
For example, Mt. Chase enrolls 19 students in the RSU and is paying a local share of $138,547, which is the fifth highest of the communities that make up the RSU. Island Falls carries a price tag of $257,387; second, Oakfield, $170,994; third, Sherman, $169,401; and fourth, Patten, $148,102.
“We have paid the lion’s share long enough,” said Mt. Chase resident Terri Hill. “We have paid too much for too long.”
David Kay of Patten inquired as to how much money was cut in administration since the RSU plan was submitted to the state in 2011. Over a three-year period, about $200,000 was saved because the RSU decreased to one superintendent and one business manager for both districts.
Kay also wanted to know how long the RSU 50 roofs had been leaking. He pointed out that the RSU had an obligation under the Department of Education’s maintenance and capital planning to “practice sound management policies that develop, preserve and protect their facilities,” the statement reads.
“It is not that the budget committee does not want to fix them,” said Walker. “Money is tight.”
Malone noted that facility money was added into the last three budgets, but was dropped when the budgets did not pass.
In other business: Myron Baldwin of Patten resigned from the RSU 50 board and Jeff Prozzo has joined the board filling a long-term vacancy for Smyrna.
The buildings and ground committee has addressed some of the smaller matters (door, ramps and other Americans with Disability Act issues) referred to in the Ames Associate facility report. The committee is working on prioritizing the remaining concerns. The larger issues to be addressed with an increase in the budget for facilities are the chimney at Southern Aroostook and the roof on the office and sixth-grade wing at Katahdin Elementary School.
Malone, Dale Pratt, Greg Ryan, Knowles and Mike Pullen of Ames Associates met with Scott Brown of the Department of Education before February break. RSU 50 can apply for new regional school funding, but may scorer lower than other communities because of the space to student ratio.
There are currently 71 communities on the list to be considered for a new school. As of now, there is no money available in the state budget for any new construction. Officials are anticipating funding in about two years and the process can take up to a year from submitting an application to officials deciding how many buildings they are going to fund.
RSU 50 staff inquired about the revolving renovation loan. At this point, those loans are closed. Next year, the loans may be open to pursue, with $10 million projected to be available. However, state officials anticipate a highly-competitive market.
The bad news for RSU 50 is the revolving renovation loan does not cover roof projects.
Malone reviewed declining enrollment projections, which will impact further board discussions, as state funding is tied to student numbers. With the decline, state funding could be significantly less.
RSU 50 has yet to fill a vacancy for a science and world language teacher. With resignations and retirements, existing personnel will be used to fill those spots instead of new hirings.
“The bottom line is how long can you live with a scenario and continue to be able to afford to pay for it?” Malone asked.
