Consolidation of school districts, expected cuts in state funding and the rising cost of health insurance are some of the factors school officials are considering in the development of fiscal year 2009-2010 budget.
In Nobleboro, the proposed budget for the coming year outlines an overall 3.4 percent ($99,667) decrease. As a result of an expected decrease in state funding, the local share is expected to increase 1.7 percent.
State subsidy for the current school year dropped from $325,000 to $225,000. Committee members in Nobleboro and the Union 74 office estimate state subsidy for fiscal year 2009-10 to be $184,964.
One full time teaching position will be eliminated in an effort to meet savings, but none of the teaching staff will be laid off, according to Nobleboro Central School principal Mark Deblois. He said the school has one teacher who will retire and they will shuffle staff around to accommodate the gap.
In reaction to the anticipated consolidation of school districts, teacher contracts will be budgeted for just one year. Deblois said they will revisit teacher contracts in one year, rather than trying to build two or three year contracts. It has not been voted on at this point in time, he said.
“No one knows how consolidation is going to go just yet,” he said.
Despite the consolidation, the School Board and Budget Committee anticipate an eight percent increase in health insurance costs. Deblois said this figure reflects the average rise over a five year period. According to Union 74 Business Manager Adam Hanson, this current year’s health insurance cost went up four percent. Hanson said they budgeted an eight percent increase in cost to cover an anticipated increase.
Savings were found in a decrease in the secondary education population. A large graduating high school class reflects a decrease in funding for secondary education. The budget shows Nobleboro will pay secondary education tuition for 90 students in 2009-10. This is a decrease from 104.5 secondary education students in the current (2008-09) year. In situations where parents are living in separate towns, each town covers half the cost of tuition for that student.
Secondary education is one of the larger expenses on a town’s school budget, according to Hanson. He said the tuition rate for the current year has not been set yet, but they expect to know in the next couple of weeks. The average state tuition for fiscal year 2007-08 was $8,039. Hanson said he expects the rate to be somewhere above that number for 2009-10.
Deblois said this proposed budget also found savings by cutting field trips. The proposed budget shows cost cuts in facilities maintenance and school nutrition services.
Heating fuel has been cut from $40,908 to $27,748. Union 74 paid $3 per gallon for the current year and they were able to lock in a price of $2.01 per gallon of heating fuel for fiscal year 2009-10.
The budget shows a $200 savings, because no money was spent on custodian workshops this year and they don’t expect to spend any funds for this line item next year.
The cost elimination of some nutrition services also shows a $4500 reduction. This includes school nutrition equipment maintenance ($1500) and a school nutrition cooperative share ($3000).
According to Hanson, the four schools in Union 74 all run under the same lunch program, the School Union 74 Co-op Food Service Program. Hanson said the fund balance for this program has enough money left in it to cover next year. The budget does not require additional local funds for this program.
An increase in transportation costs amounts to 13.5 percent or $21,810. This cost has significantly increased due to the additional $17,840 budget item for special services transportation grades K-8.
Deblois said he and other school officials feel the budget adequate addresses the town’s educational needs.
“We feel we’ve maintained the essential elements to keep the educational progress moving forward,” he said.
The Committee will meet with town selectmen on Feb. 9 to work further on the proposed budget. This meeting will be followed by a town meeting in March.
