JAY – The Regional School Unit 73 school board postponed previously scheduled budget meetings at Thursday’s meeting, opting to wait until the State of Civil Emergency has been lifted.
The board met at Spruce Mountain Middle School, splitting into different rooms and communicating via video conferencing to stay below the 10-person maximum set by the state. The meeting was also livestreamed. The motion unanimously approved by the board postpones both the public budget meeting previously set for April 9 as well as the April 28 validation referendum until “safe and practical to do so.”
RSU 73, like other local districts, closed its schools to classroom instruction on March 16. That closure was then extended until April 27 late last week. RSU 73 has been feeding students via pick-up breakfasts and lunches and has arranged for students to collect laptops and packets earlier this week, a process that directors at the meeting Thursday said seemed to have gone smoothly.
As of now, Jay is planning to hold its secret ballot-style town meeting on April 28. Absentee ballots are available at the town office until April 23. Emergency legislation previously approved by the Maine State Legislature and signed by the governor allows municipalities to postpone town meeting votes with at least two days of advance warning. It also allows towns to use previously-printed ballots at a postponed meeting.
Administrators and directors at Thursday’s meeting thanked teachers and other staff members for distributing material, serving lunches and otherwise supporting the district’s operations.
