FARMINGTON – The referendum vote for Mt. Blue Regional School District’s 2010-2011 budget will be held in all nine member towns tomorrow, with residents either approving the $22.1 million budget or sending it back to the school board.
The budget includes 6.5 percent expenditure reductions from the current fiscal year, with a $184,000 increase in the local assessment. In addition to some changes made by the school board during deliberations: reestablishing a half-time Strings position and a half-time health position in exchange for other reductions, the budget incorporates $110,000 in reductions from the cost center that encompasses system administration, technology management and the school board’s contingency accounts.
That alteration was made at the budget meeting, held on May 11, where the voters approved an amendment that slashed funding for the cost center by roughly 15 percent. Supporters indicated that the amendment was designed to reduce the central administration budget by an amount equal to the salary of the assistant superintendent, who has accepted a position in MSAD 36, and that they wanted to see the funds go into the instructional budget. Superintendent Michael Cormier has said that only $35,000 of the assistant superintendent’s salary is contained within system administration, and the reduction will instead impact necessary positions within the district, such as payroll, or the business manager.
After ordering the reduction in system administration, voters chose not to reduce the overall budget, so the $110,000 would still be assessed and held by the district. The money could theoretically be used to offset a state subsidy curtailment, which the district suffered this year, or held until the end of the 2010-2011 fiscal year, in which case it would roll over into a surplus-like account.
A special budget meeting, where the funds could be distributed, could also be held. That would require another meeting and referendum vote.
Polls open and close at different times throughout the district. You may check your town’s poll time here:
Chesterville: 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the town office.
Farmington: 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the community center.
Industry: Noon until 6 p.m. at the town hall.
New Sharon: 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the town office.
New Vineyard 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Smith Hall.
Temple: 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the town hall.
Vienna: 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the fire station.
Weld: 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the town office’s multi-purpose room.
Wilton: 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the town office.
