Making the rounds ahead of the budget vote later this spring, RSU 12 Superintendent Howard Tuttle and members of the district’s finance committee previewed the potential budget impact during a meeting with the Whitefield Select Board Tuesday, April 11.
Tuttle highlighted budget priorities including reasonable class sizes, technology infrastructure, maintaining health and wellness services, and supporting bullying prevention programming and professional development in his presentation.
The biggest budget impacts are beyond the RSU’s control, Tuttle said, including a lower than expected state subsidy and higher property valuations across the RSU’s seven member towns.
RSU 12 serves the towns of Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, and Windsor.
According to Tuttle, property valuations within RSU 12 towns increased 7.1%, while state subsidy increased only 1.7%.
As proposed, the entire RSU 12 budget for fiscal year 2024 totals $26,400,098.68. That figure presents a 3.1%, $807,982.63 increase.
The budget projects $11,549,823.15 in state subsidy support, up 1.7%, or $184,099.29, and $700,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, a figure unchanged from the current year.
If the budget is approved as presented, the total local cost to the seven RSU 12 towns will rise 4.6%, increasing $625,018.08 to $13,998,406.81.
The assessment is divided between the seven member towns, with each assessed the same $16,565.79 figure per student.
Before deducting revenues and state subsidy, in Whitefield’s case amounting to $2,391,125.57, Whitefield’s total cost for educating the town’s 304.5 pre-K through grade 12 students is $5,044,283.87.
According to preliminary budget figures presented by Tuttle, if voters approve, Whitefield’s local portion of the total will be $2,653,158.30, rising 5.5%, or $140,134.98.
In other business, after discussion with Whitefield Planning Board member Glen Angell, the select board considered fee schedules for revised or new building development ordinances.
After discussion, the board approved a one-time $5,000 license fee for a marijuana cultivation operation.
The board tabled a decision on a notice to build fee schedule, pending consultation with town legal counsel.
The board appointed planning board alternate Dan Burns to a full seat on the planning board. Burns assumes the seat vacated by Kathy Dauphin, who tendered her resignation April 3, citing medical reasons. Dauphin had one year remaining on her term.
In other actions the board signed a $311.40 contract with Millsy’s Cleaning Services, of Augusta, to refinish the floors in the community meeting area at the Whitefield fire station at a date to be determined. The board also agreed to release a request for proposals to repair the roof on the town’s sand salt shed.
The board rejected a single bid to remove a dying tree near the intersection to Routes 126 and 215 and agreed to take the project out to bid again.
The Whitefield Select Board will next meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25 at the central fire station.
