ROCKLAND, Maine — Residents of the Rockland area now will get their say on a proposed $26.15 million budget for 2016-2017 that includes school consolidations and significant energy efficiency projects.
The Regional School Unit 13 board voted 8-1 Thursday night to approve the package.
The proposed budget now goes to a districtwide public meeting set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, at Oceanside High School East’s auditorium. Residents of Rockland, Thomaston, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Cushing can attend that session and adopt the budget as proposed or make changes.
Whatever amount is approved at that meeting then will be voted up or down at the polls on June 14.
The proposed budget would result in a net loss of eight positions. The cuts include a couple of special education positions, a few teachers and two administration assistants, resulting from the consolidation of school buildings. Superintendent John McDonald has said he expected layoffs would be avoided largely through attrition as staff retire but that he would not know until later in the year.
The $26,150,000 budget represents a $909,250 (3.6 percent) increase in expenditures. Salary increases account for $833,000 of that.
The amount of property taxes to be raised by the five RSU 13 municipalities will increase $535,577, a 2.6 percent increase. Rockland will see the smallest increase — $162,124. Thomaston will pay an additional $157,329. South Thomaston would pay an additional $111,550, Owls Head $85,492, and Cushing $19,082.
The Thursday night vote included a provision to allow for a tax hike of up to 4 percent if state revenues are reduced between now and the budget vote.
Donald Robishaw Jr. of Rockland was the sole member to vote against the budget.
Robishaw said he felt that the amount of money for repayment of loans was too great.