MADAWASKA, Maine — Roughly 25 Madawaska residents attended the school district’s second annual budget hearing on Thursday night and quickly approved the second iteration of a budget that residents in June previously shot down.
The meeting only lasted about 20 minutes with just a few brief clarifying audience questions.
School officials met earlier this month after the budget was rejected the first time and cut an additional $184,865. The largest reduction is a $115,090 cut after an administrator retired. This will be filled by a $55,525 part-time position. The school also made $41,510 in cuts to contracted social work services and $29,445 in technology requests.
Madawaska, like MSAD 27 in Fort Kent, also added revenue by charging for athletics. Students in both districts would pay $25 per sport with a $50 cap per year, letting athletes who participate in all three save $25.
Superintendent Ben Sirois said earlier this month that parents have already offered to help pay for students unable to afford participating in MSAD 27, where he is also superintendent. He said the district will find a way to ensure all students who want to participate can still do so.
Overall, the total operating budget approved on Thursday is $10 million while last year’s budget was about $10.1 million. Instead of a $100,000 increase, the new budget will have a $100,000 decrease.
The state will fund $5.4 million of the budget. The local taxpayer contribution needed to obtain this funding is $2.27 million.
Residents at the hearing also voted in favor of raising an additional $2.4 million locally. This allows the school to fund items the state does not cover, such as special education, substitute teachers, heating costs and the costs needed for buses to drive long distances.
This vote was done via written ballot. Twenty-four voted in favor of raising the additional funding while two voted against it.
Madawaska voters will decide on final approval of the second budget on Aug. 19, the same time that voters within the St. John Valley’s MSAD 27 school district will vote to approve their second budget.
