HODGDON, Maine — Turnout was extremely sparse, but voters in the seven towns that make up SAD 70 on Tuesday opted to pass a $6.5 million budget for the 2015-16 school year.
The district operates two schools serving about 440 students from the communities of Amity, Cary, Haynesville, Hodgdon, Linneus, Ludlow and New Limerick.
The total budget has decreased $224 from last year, but six of the seven communities in the district still will be paying more for their local share than last year. Part of the reason is that the state maintains that SAD 70’s budget has been higher than what it should pay to educate its student body.
The budget passed by a total vote of 52-36, with residents of Hodgdon approving it 17-8; New Limerick, 7-6; Ludlow, 5-4; and Amity 10-0, according to town clerks and managers.
The proposal was defeated 4-1 in Cary and 12-10 in Linneus. Haynesville residents split their vote 2-2.
According to school district administrators, the SAD will receive $3.2 million in state funding, a decrease of $83,506 from the previous year. At the same time, the district must raise $1.8 million to receive the state funds and also needs to secure $837,627 in additional local dollars to balance the budget as approved.
Some money was saved by not replacing two of four retiring teachers, according to school officials. Administrators also decided to do only the most critical capital improvements to the district’s aging buildings — Hodgdon High School and the Mill Pond School — such as fire alarm replacements, roof repairs and safety upgrades.
As approved, the local share for each community will be: Amity, $153,671, an increase of $6,720; Cary, $126,360, up $4,818; Haynesville, $104,147, an increase of $5,656; Hodgdon, $630,345, up $25,517; Linneus, $687,875, an increase of $30,920; and Ludlow, $255,452, up $10,534.
New Limerick is the only community that will see a decrease in local share, with taxpayers having to contribute $762,055, a decrease of $884.