FARMINGTON – Voters will get the final say on a $23.6 million school budget tomorrow evening, at a public meeting at the high school.
Residents of MSAD 9’s member towns will be able to vote on 17 articles dealing with different aspects of the budget at the meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m., on Tuesday, May 19, at the Mt. Blue High School gymnasium. The outcome of the meeting will then need to be ratified through a referendum vote on May 27, with polls opening in each town.
The budget was set by the school board at $23,654,291, after they voted to retain multiple positions which the administration had recommended be cut. Despite the $90,000 in retentions, which included two teaching positions and a librarian, the proposed 2009-2010 budget proposal represents a $307,575 decrease from the current budget, or a savings of 1.28 percent.
The state’s allocation, as determined through the Essential Programs and Services model, is decreasing by 3.88 percent, going from $14.5 million down to $13.9 million. The local assessment is decreasing as well, going from $8.88 million down to $8.51 million, a decrease of 4.25 percent. These decreases in both state and local funding are partially offset by $372,456 in federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The 17 articles which will be voted on by residents tomorrow evening appear below. The contents and wording of each article are determined by the state.
Article 1
Shall the District be authorized to expend $8,954,631 for Regular Instruction?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
This cost center covers elementary, secondary, district wide, and bilingual instruction.
Article 2
Shall the District be authorized to expend $2,598,655 for Special Education?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Money in this cost center covers programs for students with special needs and gifted/talented programming.
Article 3
Shall the District be authorized to expend $1,287,685 for Career and Technical Education?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
All costs associated with career and technical education are included in this cost center.
Article 4
Shall the District be authorized to expend $ 396,736 for Other Instruction?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Other instruction includes athletics, co-curricular and intramurals.
Article 5
Shall the District be authorized to expend $2,016,966 for Student and Staff Support?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
This cost center includes funding for guidance, health services, libraries, volunteer programming, instructional technology, and other student and staff support.
Article 6
Shall the District be authorized to expend $748,664 for System Administration?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Costs associated with the technology administration, board of directors, and district administration are in this cost center.
Article 7
Shall the District be authorized to expend $1,065,697 for School Administration?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Elementary and secondary administrative costs are in this cost center.
Article 8
Shall the District be authorized to expend $1,805,099 for Transportation and Buses?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
School transportation costs are located in this cost center.
Article 9
Shall the District be authorized to expend $3,448,097 for Facilities Maintenance?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
This cost center contains the cost for the operation and maintenance of all district facilities. The cost for the middle school revolving renovation loan is located in this account.
Article 10
Shall the District be authorized to expend $ 959,605 for Debt Service and Other Commitments?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
The district will make the final payment on Cascade Brook School, and continue paying for Cape Cod Hill and Middle School.
Article 11
Shall the District be authorized to expend $ 0 for All Other Expenditures?
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
We are required by law to have this article although we have no expenditure requests for this cost center.
Article 12
Shall the district appropriate $21,232,894.19 for the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act and shall the district raise and assess the amounts described below as each municipality’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688.Total appropriations and funding raised, by town:
Chesterville; $2,038,358 appropriated and $449,403 raised.
Farmington; $7,104,526 appropriated and $2,739,737 raised.
Industry; $1,310,070 appropriated and $475,839 raised.
New Sharon; $2,002,262 appropriated and $501,319 raised.
New Vineyard; $974,590 appropriated and $354,172 raised.
Temple; $741,028 appropriated and $236,964 raised.
Weld; $371,576 appropriated and $371,576 raised.
Wilton; $6,132,060 appropriated and $1,486,440 raised.
Vienna; $558,425 appropriated and $346,528 raised.The District’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act is the amount of money determined by state law to be the minimum amount that the district must raise and assess in order to receive the full amount of state dollars.
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Article 13
Shall the district raise and appropriate $526,216 for the annual payments on debt service previously approved by the legislative body for non-state-funded school construction projects, non-state-funded portions of school construction projects and minor capital projects in addition to the funds appropriated as the local share of the school District’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12.Non-state-funded debt service is the amount of money needed for the annual payments on the municipality/district long-term debt for major capital school construction projects and minor capital renovation projects that are not approved for state subsidy. The bonding of this long-term debt was previously approved by the voters or other legislative body. This money covers the bond for Mt. Blue Middle School and the local portion of the Cape Cod Hill School.
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Article 14 (written ballot required)
Shall the district raise and appropriate in additional local funds (Recommend $1,018,180.80), which exceeds the State’s Essential Programs and Services allocation model by (Recommend $525,419.40) as required to fund the budget recommended by the board of directors?The board of directors recommends $1,018,180.80 for additional local funds and gives the following reasons for exceeding the State’s Essential Programs and Services funding model by $ 525,419.40.
These funds are needed to pay for special education, athletics & co-curricular activities, operation and maintenance of plant and student transportation costs that are not recognized by the Essential Programs and Services funding model. The additional local funds are those locally raised funds over and above the school administrative unit’s local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act and local amounts raised for the annual payment on non-state funded debt service that will help achieve the district budget for educational programs.
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Article 15
Shall the district authorize the board of directors to expend $23,281,835 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2010 from District’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act, non-state-funded school construction projects, additional local funds for school purposes under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15690, unexpended balances, tuition receipts, state subsidy and other receipts for the support of schools.
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Article 16
In addition to amounts approved in the preceding articles, shall the Board of Directors be authorized to expend federal stabilization funds and such other sums as may be received from federal or state grants or programs or other sources during the fiscal year for school purposes, provided that such grants, programs or other sources do not require the expenditure of other funds not previously appropriated?Note: It is currently estimated that the Board of Directors will receive $372,456 in federal stabilization funds, which are included in the expenditures authorized by this article.
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
Article 17
Shall the district appropriate $311,862 for Adult Education and raise $88,554 as the local share; with authorization to expend any additional, incidental, or miscellaneous receipts in the interest and for the well-being of the adult education program.
Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote.
