Westport Island, Alna and Whitefield will see a reduction in the towns’ local contributions if the proposed RSU 12 FY 2015 is approved in June.
Superintendent Howard Tuttle, presented a district-wide budget of $19,744,267 for Fiscal Year 2015 to RSU 12’s Board of Directors March 27. The proposed bottom line represents a 0.56 decrease of percent from the current fiscal year.
If the budget is approved as presented, with the new cost-formula being implemented this year Westport Island taxpayers could see a 12.35 percent decrease, totaling $142,177 in its local contribution; Alna would pay $22,963 less; and Whitefield could see a savings of $50,779.
Somerville’s local share will increase $22,275 due to a reduction in its state subsidy, Tuttle said.
Although Westport Island’s cost per student of $15,531 is the highest in the district, by FY 2017, the total cost per student will be the same for each of the towns in the RSU 12 school district.
Through reductions in staff and services this represents a savings in the FY 2015 of $451,800.
According to Tuttle, the board will finalize the budget at the district-wide budget meeting April 10. The budget validation referendum will be held on June 10. The full budget is available for review at http:// www.svrsu.org.
Fred Brewer from William H. Brewer auditing firm presented the audit report for FY 2013, which confirmed a general fund balance deficit of over one million dollars.
According to Brewer, the cash deficit represents the cost of summer salaries estimated to be $1,346,316.
Brewer reported no instances of non-compliance, no reportable conditions related to the audit of the financial statements, no findings of questionable costs, and RSU 12 was determined to be a low-risk audit.
“This is as clean of an audit report you can get,” board member Jerry Nault said.
The RSU 12 Board of Directors accepted 16 resignations including Wiscasset High School Principal Taylor who leaves to become the district’s Director of Curriculum and Technology.
Wiscasset Middle School veteran teachers Barbara Wyman, Linda Cailler and Susan Kistenmacher will also be leaving effective June 30, as will Wiscasset Primary School teachers Cindy Hintz, Susan Barker, and Deb Olson.
Other resignations accepted included: Deborah Siviski, Wiscasset Primary School Title 1 ed tech; Martha Allen, Central Office human resource secretary/bookkeeper; Patricia Watts, district curriculum coordinator; Lydia Biswell, Chelsea teacher; JoAnn Fortin, Whitefield teacher; Janice O’Connell, Wiscasset Middle School Ed Tech III; Chris Cossette, Wiscasset Middle School boys soccer coach; Chris Hammond, WHS boys tennis coach; and Todd Souza, WHS varsity soccer and baseball coach.
Taylor breathed a sigh of relief when the board accepted her nomination as the district’s Director of Curriculum and Technology, especially when the board accepted her resignation prior to her nomination.
Other new hires include: Tara Adolphsen, WHS math/science; Sheila Havey, Chelsea special education resource room Ed Tech III; Clarissa Howard, Whitefield teacher; Glenn Powers, WHS girls varsity softball coach; Chris Cossette, WHS boys varsity soccer; Michael Bowles, WHS boys varsity baseball coach; and Janna Civittolo, Whitefield library Ed Tech II.
Christina Ferreira will transfer from the Wiscasset High School Alternative Ed North program to the ABLE autism program in Chelsea.
