Time constraints prompted the Wiscasset school committee to rush through completion of a proposed $9.6 million budget for the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit.
On July 1, the school committee will be no more. Meanwhile, questions fly about what kind of say locals will have besides being able to vote on a total budget figure decided on by the new 20-member RSU board.
Wiscasset’s total proposed budget for 2009-2010 amounts to a 3.6 percent increase or $331,106 difference over the present fiscal budget.
Addressing the concern about local influence, at the regular board meeting Monday, board members expressed the need for a firmed up understanding and a decision on the budget, along with input from Wiscasset residents.
“It would be difficult to have an impact if you can’t say that is your budget,” said Judy Flanagan, Wiscasset budget committee member.
Wiscasset Supt. Jay McIntire gave the board a summary of the budget by function, but a consensus of the board agreed to the need for more time. Board members decided to meet for a workshop next Thurs., March 19 before discussing the budget with the new consolidation unit’s finance committee on Mon., March 23, at a location to be announced.
“We’ve got to understand our own budget before we present it to the public and RSU,” said Chairman Gene Stover.
Board member Sarah Whitfield stressed the need to come up with some priorities to present to the RSU group.
The board agreed to discuss the budget with the public at 5:30 p.m. before meeting at 7 p.m. with the finance group on March 23.
For the board, McIntire went over some of the changes including a 643 percent increase in curriculum for a proposed $59,284 budget item. He said a lot of the increase has to do with new books needed and $30,000 to introduce the state’s new math curriculum.
“Some of this is speculation,” McIntire said. As an example he spoke about the curriculum coordinator for the RSU, which he said is going to need more leadership from the teachers and require a $1500 stipend in each content area.
The proposed 2009-2010 budget may also require cutting staff at the high school by two or three percent. The reason McIntire gave for the staff cutback concerns the declining enrollment. Currently the freshman class has only 36 members while the senior class has 68 members.
Wiscasset teacher Deb Taylor urged the committee to consider the recent efforts to attract new high school students from the RSU communities of Chelsea, Whitefield, Windsor, Somerville, and Palermo.
A committee of faculty members has been organizing an open house at the high school for Tues., March 24, between 6-8 p.m. to inform eighth graders, parents and others in the RSU about the Wiscasset’s attractions.
McIntire explained the primary school budget went up and the other schools went down in the proposal because of a Title 1 position being a regular teaching position, paid with local funding, plus the addition of a one-half math position, and another position that would be one-half secretarial and one half ed tech III.
The capital improvement proposal was based on a number of recommendations concerning physical plant needs, such as lighting, window, and walk-in cooler replacement, McIntire said. He also listed other needs, such as new freezers, since current ones are no longer serviceable, updated locker rooms for boys and girls, and new pump system for the primary school.
