The proposed $4.56 million budget for the Great Salt Bay Community School District sailed through with little modification Tuesday.
Next year’s budget is an increase of $62,112 or 1.4 percent over this year’s figure.
Voters approved minor budget changes that included a $7000 addition for a Camp Kieve leadership program for 7th graders and $25,000 to replace retiring librarian Anna Barber.
The overall budget was approved by a written vote of 46-2.
Budget highlights for the 2009-10 budget include borrowing $305,000 to replace the roof, and $70,000 to purchase another school bus.
Although the school committee left the Kieve program out of the proposed budget, parents argued that it should be kept.
James Cosgrove, chair of the school committee, argued the program is “old and stale” and must be modified.
He also noted that just because the voters approved the budget increases does not necessarily mean the committee will spend it. He did say the committee would consider the voters’ recommendations.
As passed, the budget means the local budget share for Bremen will be $680,345, Damariscotta taxpayers will pay $1.712 million, and Newcastle’s share will be $1.5 million.
The total cost for all three towns will decrease by $69,813.
As fuel oil prices dropped dramatically, the school was able to budget a significant savings from monies expended this year. This school year, the district budgeted for heating oil at $3.15 per gallon and ended up paying $3.50 per gallon.
In the coming school year, the fuel budget will drop as they have locked in a $2.009 per gallon with a supplier. This means next year’s fuel budget will be $43,328 compared with the estimated $75,000 that the district expects to actually spend this year, according to Supt. Robert Bouchard.
One of the biggest expenses for 2008-09 came when a student with special needs had to be transported each day to another facility. Next year, he will be brought back into the local system, saving an estimated $75,000 in transportation and tuition costs, Bouchard said.
State subsidies remained flat at $172,320 this year and are expected to be the same for the coming year. This figure is down $316,022 from $488,342 the district received in state subsidies in 2007-08, he said.
