Against the backdrop rising costs and hard-pressed taxpayers, RSU 40 residents approved a $42.9 million RSU 40 budget for 2026-2027 as presented during the districtwide budget meeting at Medomak Valley High School on Tuesday, May 5.
As approved, the budget totals $42,950,000, a $2,134,631 or 5.2% increase from the current year. Preliminary approval granted, the budget now stands for a validation vote during statewide primary voting on Tuesday, June 9.
After approving the previous funding articles, voters approved Article 13, agreeing to raise $12,474,165 and appropriate $27,108,931.99, for a total of $39,583,096.99 to meet the total cost of public education in RSU 40 according to Maine’s Essential Programs and Services model.
In the following written ballot vote, voters agreed to authorize the RSU 40 Board of Directors to raise and appropriate $13,698,935.08 to exceed to state’s Essential Programs and Services minimum with a vote of 68-7.
The second secret ballot vote was held in anticipation of the $24,911,164 school renovation bond issue passing at the polls on June 9. (See related article in this edition).
In the final vote on the 25-article warrant, voters authorized the RSU 40 board to raise and appropriate $462,235.10 in additional local funds for the purposes of paying the debt for the first year of the 20-year bond. The vote was 71-4. According to meeting moderator Michael L. Buescher, in the event the bond issue does not pass, this money will not be needed and the vote becomes moot.
Despite some expressed cost concerns, there was little debate during the meeting. Waldoboro resident Sonja Sleeper, one of four candidates for the RSU 40 Board of Directors, represented the bulk of the public opposition, questioning specific budget figures and attempting to amend almost all of the cost center articles, reducing every one by 5% across the board.
Only Sleeper’s first motion to amend received a second. Taking up Article 2, which authorizing the RSU 40 board to expend $14,545,331.254 for regular education, Sleeper motioned to amend the article, reducing the figure by 5%.
Asked for explanation Sleeper said “everybody is struggling” and pointed out RSU 40 voters are going to consider a $24.9 million bond for school renovations this year. Referencing a comment interim RSU 40 Superintendent Tom Ambrose made during a previous meeting regarding duplication of services across the district, Sleeper said the board should find more expenses to cut.
“I would like, in lieu of the fact that everybody is struggling and we really can’t afford another price increase on our taxes, to send it back to them, so they could take a red pen out and try and cut more off the cost (and) look for different alternatives,” Sleeper said. “I figured around 5% reduction would be fair. That doesn’t cause them too much distress, but makes a point.”
Responding to Sleeper’s amendment, Warren resident Torry Verrill said it was “appalling” to suggest indiscriminate budget cuts at this point in the process.
“This was months in the making,” Verrill said. “To just say indiscriminately, we’re just going to randomly cut 5 to 10% without a plan on how that will happen, how that will impact our students is, frankly, appalling that we would even be suggesting that.”
With few questions, voters approved $10,408,194.02 for special education, $132,135.03 for career and technical education; $3,650,515.36 for student and staff support; $1,303,259.18 for system administration; $2,421,802.46 for school administration; $3,008,949.76 for transportations and buses; $5,604,727.28 for facilities maintenance; and $1,146,180.20 for debt services and other commitments.
In subsequent votes, voters agreed to appropriate $143,335.97 and raise another $34,182 as the local share for adult education, approved RSU 40’s $132,135.03 share of the Region 8 Cooperative Board’s total $6.3 million operating budget for career and technical education, and $27,441.40 share of the Region 8 board’s $273,395 budget for adult education.
In separate articles, voters authorized the school board to established a $500,000 special education reserve fund and a $250,000 regular educations reserve fund, transferring those amounts from available fund balances to create the newly reserve funds for unanticipated expenses.
If the budget is validated at the polls June 9, Waldoboro’s assessment for 2026-2027 will be $9,449,893.75, an increase of $890,565 or 10.4%.
Washington’s assessment will total $2,767,122.73, an increase of $311,560 or 12.7%. Union will increase to $4,034,227.55, rising $533,394 or 15.2%. Warren’s assessment will increase to $6,810,785.90, rising $471,270 or 7.4%. Friendship will increase to $3,263,231.98, rising $360,660 or 12.4%.
The entire budget with supporting documents is posted on the RSU 40 website. For more information, call 785-2277 or go to rsu40.org.
