ROCKLAND, Maine — The Rockland area school board voted Thursday evening to send a $25.2 million budget to residents, a package that has cut the projected tax increase in half.
The board voted 7-1 to approve a proposed budget with member Donald Robishaw Jr. opposing the package, citing the failure to consolidate the two middle schools and the two high schools in the district.
The $25,240,635 budget will go to residents at a districtwide budget meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23, at the auditorium of Oceanside High School East in Rockland. At that meeting, registered voters of Rockland, Thomaston, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Cushing can add to or cut from the proposed package.
Whatever budget is approved at next week’s meeting will go to voters on a single-question ballot at the polls on Aug. 18.
The budget approved Thursday reduced spending by $625,000 from the $25.9 million package that was rejected at the polls on June 9. In addition, the district budgeted an additional $392,000 in revenues. The combination means the district will need $1 million less from taxpayers than the rejected June budget.
The reduction, however, did not allay all opposition. Thomaston Town Manager Valmore Blastow Jr. read a letter from selectman asking the school board to hold off on the vote in order to give them time to analyze what was being proposed.
“We cannot support it until we have the information and time to analyze your proposed budget,” the letter stated.
Superintendent John McDonald said that he will present, likely in October, a proposal to reconfigure schools that likely will result in school closures. The board will hold meetings in August — including a Saturday, Aug. 22, community summit — to gather public comment.
Board member Carol Bachofner gave her wholehearted support to the budget, saying that the district is in the current financial situation because of actions in Augusta, which has cut state aid to the district over the years.
Even with $1 million less in property taxes to be raised under the proposed budget compared with the June proposal, more taxes are required from the five communities. Rockland will have to pay an additional $708,000, Thomaston $363,000, Cushing $330,000, Owls Head $179,000 and South Thomaston $102,000.
A person owning a $150,000 home in Rockland, for example, would pay about $160 more in property taxes under this budget.
The scaled-back budget cuts nearly $300,000 in maintenance, leaves three teaching positions vacant, has one fewer library position and does not fill some support staff positions, including 2.5 custodial positions. There will also be a realignment of principal positions to realize savings. There will be no layoffs, however, because of retirements.
There was one verbal volley between Board Chairman Steve Roberts and Robishaw. While not naming Robishaw, he said there was grandstanding by a member.
Robishaw shot back, saying he was sick and tired of such comments by the chairman. He pointed out that Roberts removed him from the finance committee.
“You can try to beat me down but it won’t work. I will dig in my heels and it will get ugly,” Robishaw said.