FORT KENT, Maine — Roughly 50 people attended a July 23 hearing for a reduced MSAD 27 school budget after voters rejected the first budget in June. The new budget, which cuts $436,410 from the first one, was approved by those in attendance. The budget will go to referendum for final approval on Aug. 19 in each of the district’s towns.
MSAD 27 is one of many school districts in Maine to deal with a rejected budget this year. In Aroostook County alone, voters this year in Madawaska, Caribou (RSU 39) and Hodgdon (MSAD 70) also rejected their school budgets.
Fort Kent and Wallagrass town officials also passed resolutions opposing the MSAD 27 just days before the first referendum vote on June 10.
The new budget includes nearly half a million in cuts. This includes removing six positions, making reductions to food service equipment and building supplies, and by sharing resources with nearby schools.
Both MSAD 27 and the Madawaska school department will also begin charging student athletes to play sports in order to create additional revenues.
The first iteration of the budget would have created an increase of $429,404 across the district’s communities. Fort Kent and Wallagrass residents would have paid an additional 8.2 and 9.4 percent, respectively, for their share of the first budget.
All 16 items on the July 23 warrant passed. One item, which asks voters to raise $2.5 million in addition to what is required by Maine to receive state funding, was approved via written ballot. The money helps fund increased expenses for items such as special education, substitute teachers, increased heating and transportation costs. Forty-five approved this item while 8 voted against it.
As the meeting concluded, one resident commented the budget was too high and questioned why the administration couldn’t make more cuts. MSAD 27 Board Chair Toby Jandreau asked if the resident had any specific suggestions for budget cuts, and he said he did not.
Jandreau said there is a notion that the school is throwing money away, but that it would be helpful to hear specific feedback about what could be cut.
“I’m not being facetious when I ask you to make suggestions,” he told the resident. “I’m welcoming them from everywhere, because if, God forbid, this fails again, we’re going to have to go back to the table.”
He said that he and school officials welcome community feedback, and are willing to meet and discuss the budget further if needed.
The Aug. 19 vote is set for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Fort Kent Town Office and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the New Canada Community Center, the St. Francis Community Center, the St. John Plantation Community Center and at the Wallagrass Community Center.
