HAMPDEN, Maine — Voters in all three of SAD 22’s member towns put their final stamp of approval on the school committee’s $27.7 million gross budget proposal in separate budget validation referendum questions Tuesday.
The districtwide tally was 1,105 in favor and 517 opposed, said Superintendent Rick Lyons.
Hampden voters approved the budget in a 734-290 vote, Lyons said. In Newburgh, the budget was approved in a 102-68 vote and in Winterport, the budget passed 269-159.
A couple of hundred votes per town…and we all have HOW many residents?! WTF
It appears with the small turnout’s, folks have given up.
A hefty increase in administrative salaries AND bonus pay for them too,but still no teacher contract. What a shame with the new state of the art high school, yet the school board can’t seem to pay teachers a fare wage commensurate with neighboring towns.
The school board saw fit to give the Administration people a 3-5% pay increase PLUS bonus pay. However, they haven’t provided the teachers with a fair contract yet. With a new state of the art high school coming into operation this fall, it appears the school board has it’s priorities clearly in the wrong place. How will we recruit and retain qualified teachers when neighboring Districts pay their teachers up to $4,000 more year? I guess we can be sure we won’t lose any administrators….
The gap between SAD 22 teachers and neighboring towns is WAY more than 4K, especially at the top of the pay scale. It is closer to $15K. Hampden is top heavy with administration(and they pay their administrators VERY well). The teacher contract in SAD 22 is average at best and certainly does not even come close to competing with Bangor or Brewer.
What a shame! A call for an increase in the administrative budget with the majority of other line items being reduced or level. Administration is already too big and the voters gave an already tax burdened community more money for “the back shop”. Did anyone read the budget proposal? My guess is very few!