Nobleboro School Committee member Matt Benner answers questions from voters about the proposed education budget for the 2025 fiscal year at the annual town meeting on Saturday, March 16. Voters approved a $5 million education budget after nearly three hours of conversation. (Piper Pavelich photo)
Following nearly three hours of contentious discussion between Nobleboro voters, the select board, the budget committee, and the school committee, residents approved a $5 million education budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year at the town’s annual meeting on Saturday, March 16.
The education budget totals $5,073,055.08, an increase of $502,686.87 or 10.99% from the previous year. Nobleboro residents will be required to raise a total of $4,348,356.64 for the education budget, an increase of $371,656.75 or 9.34% from last year.
Voters also approved the $7,994,576 municipal budget, with little discussion. The budget reflects an increase of $806,413 or 11.21% over last year.
Before voters decided to approve or reject the education brought forward by the school committee, the budget committee made a final plea to the school committee to consider taking $100,000 out of state subsidy and cutting $200,000 from the budget, but the school committee stood by its original proposed figure.
School committee member Rhea Butler said that while she is a business owner who will feel the increase of the education budget in her taxes, she supports the school committee’s recommended budget because she is also the mother of a Nobleboro Central School fifth grader who wants to see the school not only survive, but thrive.
Many voters questioned why the school committee, the budget committee, and the select board could not agree on a figure to present to the town during the annual town meeting, with some expressing disappointment in the town’s leaders for not working together.
Dale Wright, chair of the budget committee, assured voters that this circumstance has never occurred before. Additionally, Wright said the budget committee wanted to see a decreased figure for the sake of taxpayers.
“The runaway budget this year … the increase is almost double what it has been for the last five years, in this one year,” said Wright.
Select board Chair Richard “Dick” Spear said while the board did not agree with the school committee’s proposed education budget, the board also did not feel comfortable telling the school committee where cuts should occur within the budget.
“We don’t know the figures,” said Spear.
In an attempt to decrease the total education budget, Nobleboro resident Ronald Spear suggested approving a regular instruction budget of $2,312,404 during the annual town meeting, which would reflect an increase of $100,373.69 or 4.53% from last year’s regular instruction budget.
School committee member Matt Benner said during the annual town meeting that the only way that number can be decreased is through cutting teacher salaries, which are still being negotiated, according to Benner.
“We’re under contract, whether we have the money or not,” said Benner.
Ronald Spear also suggested voters consider a 6.20% increase to the education budget, rather than the school committee’s recommended increase of 10.99% from last year. Both suggestions made by Ronald Spear were not approved by voters.
Despite confusion from voters about why the three entities could not agree on a recommendation for the education budget, voters decided to approve the school committee’s recommended budget.
The regular instruction portion of the education budget totals $2,416,742.52, an increase of $204,712.21 or 9.25% from last year.
The special education instruction budget totals $1,088,326.53, an increase of $122,871.70 or 12.72%.
The school committee decided to use $160,000 from unexpended funds as its fund beginning balance for the 2025 budget.
The budget contains a potential 8% increase in health insurance costs and 4.5% increase in employee salaries, according to AOS 93 Business Manager Peter Nielsen. The budget also accounts for a 5-16% increase in salaries.
One of the driving forces of the budget’s increase comes from the $24,000 budget category that includes school lunch, which reflects an increase of $20,000 or 500%. Another overall budget increase comes from the opportunity for Nobleboro Central School to offer more after-school enrichment programs, which is included in the other instruction budget.
Also discussed during the annual town meeting was the driving force of the municipal budget’s increase.
One of the highest increases in the budget can be attributed to the debt service portion of the budget, which totals $107,118, an increase of $50,000 or 87.53%. This increase is due to the repair of the Cotton Stream culvert on Bayview Road in Nobleboro. The culvert’s repair will be funded by a $150,000 grant award from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, $50,000 from the town’s American Rescue Plan Act funds, and $50,000 from the town. Repairs will likely begin in late spring, according to the select board.
The general administration budget is seeing an increase due to the addition of a postage machine in the town office, as well as rental of voting machines, such as a ballot scanning device called a DS200 tabulator, and a one-time $7,000 computer update from Trio software. The general administration budget totals $74,275, an increase of $14,335 or 23.91%.
Also at the annual town meeting, voters considered, and ultimately approved, enacting ordinances entitled accessory dwelling unit and life safety ordinance. Also approved by voters were amendments to the town’s land use ordinance.
Planning board Chair Matthew Lewis said these ordinances were worked on and put on the warrant so that the town remains compliant with state regulations.
