Moderator Don Means is sworn in by Jefferson Town Clerk Myra Lane during a special town meeting held to discuss the education budget on Wednesday, May 21. Several dozen voters passed the budget as proposed in less than an hour. (Molly Rains photo)
Jefferson voters approved a $9,763,805.37 budget for K-12 education during a special town meeting Wednesday, May 21.
The budget marks an increase of $1,184,104.88 or 13.85% over last year.
There was little discussion among the approximately 50 attendees who gathered at Jefferson Village School to consider the 17-article budget meeting warrant. Don Means, of Bristol, was elected as moderator in a written vote at the meeting’s outset.
Article two, concerning regular instruction, passed with no comment. The regular instruction budget totals $3,512,892.65, an increase of $176,247.49 or 5.28% over last year.
Article three concerned special education and also passed with no comment, totaling $2,932,869.72, an increase of $909,756 or 45.52% over last year’s budget. Jefferson School Committee Chair Danielle Bernier said in a conversation preceding the budget meeting the steep rise in special education spending – which accounts for most of the budget’s increase this year – is partially due to staff shortages.
While Jefferson has the physical infrastructure in place to provide special education services in house, JVS has struggled to hire professionals to provide those services, she said. The result is that the town sends students to specialized private schools or hires contractors to provide the services, which they are legally mandated to offer to students with special educational needs.
Warrant articles for career and technical education and other instruction, which includes extracurricular activities and sports, also passed without discussion.
Article six, the budget for student and staff support, passed with little discussion at a total of $433,292.45, a decrease of $36,342 or 7.76% from last year. The budget includes the cost of technology and salaries for nonteaching staff at Jefferson Village School, including the school nurse, library technician, technology coordinator, and part of the salary for a guidance counselor whose role is partially grant funded, according to AOS 93 Executive Director of Finance and Operations Peter Nielsen.
The system administration budget, totaling $284,804.43, also passed, marking an increase of $284,804.43. The cost center includes central office and school committee costs, including stipends, insurance, and legal fees.
The school administration warrant article, totaling $292,515.10, also passed at a decrease of $69,646.28 or 19.28% due to the elimination of an assistant principal position.
The budget for transportation and buses passed at $753,431.61, an increase of $229,003.82 or 43.74% due to special education contracted transportation, which brings students to special programs. The facilities maintenance budget line totaled $664,747.97 as passed by voters, a decrease of $57,548.62 or 7.99%. The budget for debt service also decreased, totaling $785,949.44, a decrease of $19,564.44 or 2.43%. All articles passed with little discussion.
Article 17 asked voters to approve an expenditure from the municipal bus reserve fund for the purchase of a school bus. Voters approved the expenditure of $134,750.
Voters will consider the budget again during a validation vote on Tuesday, June 10. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jefferson fire station. For more information, go to jeffersonmaine.org or call 549-7401.
