NEWPORT, Maine — Officials in Regional School Unit 19 will meet Tuesday to consider what cuts they might make after voters narrowly rejected their proposed budget, by a 264-251 vote, on June 30.
The district’s budget and finance committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the central office to discuss potential cuts and reductions to the fiscal year 2016 budget.
The district, which includes the towns of Newport, Corinna, Dixmont, Etna, Hartland, Palmyra, Plymouth and St. Albans, proposed a nearly $23.5 million spending plan, up from about $22.8 million the previous fiscal year. That budget received approval during a regional budget adoption meeting on June 9, but faltered on the last day of June when it went to referendum.
The district says the increased costs stem from negotiated teacher salary increases, a 5 percent increase to health insurance rates and three new buses. Additionally, the district expects to spend $250,000 on architectural designs for a new proposed middle and high school building, according to budget documents.
The initial proposed budget eliminated 8.5 positions and instituted a 5 percent cut in supplies and equipment.
The 2016 fiscal year started July 1. Even though the budget referendum failed, the towns and school district still will operate under the proposed budget until voters approve a revised version at the polls. Under law, if a budget isn’t voter-approved by the start of the fiscal year, then the latest budget backed by the school board is in force until voters do approve a budget. That procedure was laid out in 2007 legislation.
Until the district passes a budget, the schools will operate on the previous year’s budget.
If the budget committee finds more reductions to make, it will pass those recommendations on to the full school board for approval, after which a new referendum will go to voters at a yet-to-be-determined date.
During the June 30 budget vote, a majority of residents who cast ballots in Etna, Newport, Palmyra, Plymouth and St. Albans rejected the proposal. The other towns in the district supported the budget.
District Superintendent Greg Potter did not respond to a message requesting comment Monday.
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