HAMPDEN, Maine — Members of the RSU 22 budget committee are wrapping up work on a $30.1 million spending plan for local education during the school year ahead.
As it stands, the $30,132,293 proposed gross budget developed by school officials is up about $583,500, or 1.97 percent, from this year. If the budget was adopted as is, $10,789,194 in local tax dollars from its member towns of Hampden, Winterport, Newburg and Frankfort would be required, or $352,247 more than this year, according to a budget overview prepared by school administrators.
Assistant Superintendent Emil Genest said last week, however, that some adjustments might be made before the budget committee sends it to the school board, so the budget figures could change.
Some of the budget realities that school officials have had to grapple with include a $177,000 drop in state subsidy, a more than $211,000 spike in health insurance costs and the need to hire additional special education staff at a cost of about $416,480 because of an increase of 40 special education students over the last two years, Genest said.
Genest said that the budget also includes about $270,000 to cover salary and benefit increase for existing staff, and about $19,000 for an additional classroom teacher at McGaw School because of increased enrollment there.
Among the items the budget plan does not include is funding for a marketing liaison, which cost about $25,000 this year, a study hall monitor at Hampden academy and $13,135 for vacant co-curricular posts.
It also calls for $50,000 less for fuel because of cost decreases, the elimination of one technology department staff member for a savings of almost $42,000, and $153,000 less for salaries related to eight expected retirements.
The RSU 22 budget review will continue during the next committee meeting, set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 26.
If the RSU 22 budget proposal was approved as it stood this week, the local share for Hampden would be $6,321,105, up $207,970, or 3.4 percent from this year, according to a budget overview developed by school administrators.
Newburgh’s local assessment would be $1,060,402, an increase of $46,982, or 4.64 percent, from this year, and Winterport’s portion would work out to $2,590,618, up $80,645, or 3.21 percent. Frankfort’s $817,068 share would reflect an increase of $16,649, or 2 percent.