VEAZIE, Maine — The back and forth between the town council and the school board regarding the coming year’s education budget was not resolved at Monday’s special school board meeting.
Instead, the school board said they were going to “fight” for the budget they put forward and again unanimously reaffirmed their initial $4,248,289 budget, which likely puts the decision in the hands of residents.
“I recommend that we reject the town council’s budget,” School Board Member Kristen Bagley said when it came time to vote.
“I’m willing to fight for it,” she said later to the 50 or so residents at the gathering, which included new Veazie Community School principal Matthew Cyr, who was hired at the beginning of the meeting. “I’m willing to stand up and fight for our school.”
Residents applauded her statement, which was followed by statements of support by her fellow board members.
“These are essential programs that they are trying to cut,” School Board Member Valli Vel said. “I want the best for my kids.”
Town councilors last month directed school officials to flat fund the local share of the budget, but at their last meeting the school board stuck to their guns and reaffirmed their draft $4.2 million budget.
Last Monday, the Town Council voted 3 to 2 to send the education budget back to the school committee to make $201,000 in cuts, which is the increase in local funding requested by the school, largely because of Veazie’s loss of $213,106 in state funding, Superintendent Richard Lyons said.
“I don’t understand why we’re elected to serve if we’re going to be directed,” Chairman Gavin Batchelder said. “I don’t stand behind the council’s numbers. I don’t feel comfortable.”
The school has requested $2,915,342 from residents, and the Town Council wants flat funding at $2,714,264.
On the chopping block under the town council’s requested budget is one classroom teacher, a half-time foreign language teacher, a part-time speech and language teacher, three sports clubs, the chess team, a part-time music teachers and a special education educational technician.
Baseball, softball and cross country were written on a yellow sticky note stuck to the financial packet of Emil Genest, the assistant superintendent for business under Lyons.
Several town residents voiced their concerns at the meeting, including Dick Leonard, who lives on Silver Ridge.
“I think you need to stand your ground,” he told the school board before they voted.
Leonard said without investing in the school and other town services, “people will want to move” away from town.
Lyons said that now that the school board has approved their budget, the June 9 annual town meeting ballots can be printed.
“When we go to the town meeting … [residents will] be voting on the school committee’s recommended figure or the town council’s figure,” Lyons said.
Residents can also increase or decrease the proposed school budget by 1.5 percent, the superintendent said.
The thumbs up or thumbs down school budget validation vote is June 16 and is when residents will vote to support the budget they approved on June 9. If the budget is not approved, the process starts again, Lyons said.