Approximately 200 Regional School Unit 12 voters met in the Whitefield School gym Tuesday and slashed $1.8 million from the proposed budget. The cut, according to one administrator, eliminates 20 teachers.
The battle was pitched between education, with parents’ pleas to prioritize schoolchildren, and the plight of taxpayers, especially the elderly and workers threatened by job loss.
In a marathon meeting that lurched past midnight, Westport Islanders, with strong support from Chelsea, led the charge in whittling the proposed $27.7 million budget (a 1.9 percent increase) to $25.8 million. The lower figure approximates what RSU board member Richard DeVries, of Westport Island, declared more accurately reflects the budgets of all eight towns in the existing fiscal year.
Chelsea selectman Rick Danforth argued unsuccessfully for deeper cuts, which would have removed a total of $3 million and spared his town a tax increase. If the assembly favored his proposed additional $1.2 million reduction, he said, “I can guarantee this budget will go forward. This is your chance to tell the school committee to go back to work.”
Numerous recounts, two recesses, outbursts and applause, as well as a call for a written ballot peppered the proceedings, with numerous “point of order!” objections from the floor and frazzled moderator Carl Pease pounding the gavel.
In the end, the cuts may save the RSU ship from sinking, as one man explained, because voters may be less likely to reject the trimmed spending plan at next week’s referendum vote.
Ray Bates, of Windsor, pointing at the board, declared, “They don’t expect to get $25.7 million tonight. Here’s our chance.”
For Kim Anderssen, representing Wiscasset, however, the RSU “can’t afford a 10 percent cut. We’re at the point of talking about major program discontinuation, and next, the closing of a school. There will be hard decisions.”
Answering a question about where the reductions would be felt, Whitefield board member Joan Morin said, “That kind of money can only be (saved) by cutting staff.” Palermo board director Blake Brown went a step further. Eliciting jeers from one side of the gym, he said “entire school buildings” would be in jeopardy.
Predictions flew that Whitefield classes might be removed to another location and the school converted to the RSU’s central office.
Curt Downer, of Westport Island, recommended a 10 percent cut to student and staff support, decreasing the total from $1,665,641 by $1,500,000. He argued that his town faces a 15 percent increase in the proposed budget. His amendment carried.
There were objections to paying increased health insurance for teachers, but it was pointed out that every employee contributes to the cost.
What particularly troubled several vocal voters was the small dip in administrative costs – $44,000. Unhappy with $951,342 for the superintendent’s office, one person argued that consolidation was supposed to shave such expenses. The RSU’s finance committee chair F. Gerard Nault explained, “That $44,000 reflects the fact that the central office and administration are being organized from scratch. We have to pay people by July 1, arrange for transportation.” In addition, outstanding contracts must be honored. The board’s view was that future efficiencies in transportation and payroll services are likely.
Still, a majority favored amending the amount to $850,000, which carried.
A similar question was asked of interim superintendent Martha Witham about why the RSU budget doesn’t reflect the state’s recommended five percent decrease in transportation costs. She said, “It’s a matter of not enough time.” She indicated the board has attempted over a five- or six-week period to craft a budget that would normally take months to complete.
The school administration article, seeking $1.2 million, passed narrowly (85-75), after a written ballot was demanded to confirm a hand count.
Attempts at 10:30 p.m. to reconsider Article I, restoring the original amount, met with vociferous protests of unfairness. A Westport Islander pointed out many of his townsmen “who voted for (the 10 percent reduction) have left.” Danforth again warned that “the budget has to be reduced or it will be voted down next Tuesday.” Union 133 Supt. Greg Potter insisted, “The cuts are too drastic,” but the vote ultimately was 57 favoring reconsideration to 79 opposing it.
By the time the required written ballot vote, summary Article 14, rolled around, the original recommended figure of $7,483,000 to be raised and appropriated in additional local funds had been trimmed to $5,675,740. The additional is needed because it exceeds the state’s Essential Programs and Services (EPS) allocation model.
Steve Smith of Whitefield joined those favoring a further $1.2 million cut, but the pending amendment carried.
Deb Taylor, of Wiscasset, and teacher Becky Roper, of Whitefield, commended the board. “We elected these folks, they’ve been willing to serve us and have spent more time dealing with these numbers than we have,” Taylor said.
Roper said the 20 directors “have had endless meetings and zero thanks. Let’s give this RSU a chance to get off the ground.”
Downer, of Westport Island, countered, “Next year the State of Maine is going to be confronted with worse economic conditions. This budget will be the baseline for what happens in ensuing years.”
Nault replied, “We will start from zero and work the budget up.”
Voters in their individual towns will be asked to approve $25,861,730 on Tues., June 9 by referendum vote. Witham said if the request is turned down, “we start all over again” with different numbers.
Asked to comment afterward, RSU chairman Lester Sheaffer said he expected opposition “but not this. This is nuts.”
Board directors of the RSU, comprising Wiscasset, Alna, Westport Island, Palermo, Chelsea, Somerville, Windsor and Whitefield, will meet at Whitefield School on Thurs., June 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m., to discuss the tough choices it faces.
