ROCKLAND, Maine — The Rockland-area school superintendent has invited municipal leaders from the five district communities to attend a meeting next week as the school system attempts for a second time to get a budget adopted for 2015-2016.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, and will be held at Rockland City Hall.
Regional School Unit 13 includes Rockland, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Owls Head and Cushing.
Residents in the five communities rejected the proposed $25.9 million school budget by a total vote of 793 to 524 at the first referendum on June 9.
In the previous attempt to get a budget passed, the Rockland City Council and Thomaston Board of Selectmen opposed the package, saying the property tax impact was too significant. Rockland councilors approved a resolve on May 11 calling for “appropriate meaningful” cuts. Thomaston selectmen took out advertisements and sent out a newsletter to residents urging rejection of the budget.
The districtwide budget meeting, at which residents will set a final figure, is scheduled for Thursday, July 23. The referendum to validate or reject the amount adopted on July 23 will be held at the polls in each community on Tuesday, Aug. 18.